System Summaries
With the Intel and AMD options, we end up with four configurations. The true budget setups will use the cheapest components in each area, while the upgraded alternatives will use the more expensive components. If you only want a few of the upgrades, it is also possible to come up with something in between, but we're only providing the maximum and minimum cost budget configurations.
AMD Budget Summary
| Budget AMD Sempron System |
| Hardware |
Recommended Component |
Price |
| Processor |
AMD Sempron 2800+ 1.6 GHz 256KB L2 |
$89 |
| Motherboard |
EPoX EP-8KDA3J |
$74 |
| Memory |
1x512MB PQI POWER Series CL2.5 |
$51 |
| Video Card |
MSI Radeon 9550 128MB DDR 128-bit 250/400 |
$67 |
| Hard Drive |
Hitachi 80 GB 7200 RPM 8MB SATA |
$60 |
| Optical Drive |
NEC DVD+RW 3520A |
$57 |
| Case |
Rosewill ATX with 400W PSU model TU-155 |
$59 |
| Display |
Samsung 793DF/793MB |
$145 |
| Speakers |
Creative Labs SBS240 2.0 |
$17 |
| Keyboard and Mouse |
Logitech Internet Pro Keyboard and Mouse |
$25 |
| Bottom Line |
|
$644 |
AMD Upgraded Summary
| Upgraded AMD Athlon 64 System |
| Hardware |
Recommended Component |
Price |
| Processor |
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ 1.8 GHz 512KB L2 90nm socket 939 |
$146 |
| Motherboard |
Chaintech VNF4 Socket 939 |
$91 |
| Memory |
2x512MB PDP/Patriot PC3200, Model PDC1G3200LLK |
$131 |
| Video Card |
Leadtek GeForce 6600 128-bit 128MB PCIe 300/550 |
$109 |
| Hard Drive |
Seagate 160 GB 7200 RPM 8MB SATA |
$94 |
| Optical Drive |
NEC DVD+RW 3520A |
$57 |
| Floppy Drive |
NEC, Sony, TEAC, Samsung, etc. |
$8 |
| Case |
Antec SLK1650B with 350W PSU |
$65 |
| Power Supply |
Enermax Noisetaker 370W model EG375P-VE-SFMA |
$51 |
| Display |
Rosewill R710E 17" 16ms LCD |
$210 |
| Speakers |
Logitech X-530 5.1 or Z-3i 2.1 Speakers |
$57 |
| Keyboard and Mouse |
Microsoft Natural Multimedia Keyboard and Wheel Mouse Optical |
$36 |
| Bottom Line |
|
$1055 |
Intel Budget Summary
| Budget Intel Celeron System |
| Hardware |
Recommended Component |
Price |
| Processor |
Intel Celeron D 325J 2.53 GHz 256K L2 Cache |
$84 |
| Motherboard |
EPoX EP-5EPAJ 915P |
$82 |
| Memory |
2x256MB GEIL Ultra Value 2.5-4-4-7 |
$62 |
| Video Card |
Leadtek GeForce 6200TC 64-bit, 64MB (256 shared) |
$71 |
| Hard Drive |
HItachi 80 GB 7200 RPM 8MB SATA |
$60 |
| Optical Drive |
NEC DVD+RW 3520A |
$57 |
| Case |
Rosewill ATX with 400W PSU model TU-155 |
$59 |
| Display |
Samsung 793DF/793MB |
$145 |
| Speakers |
Creative Labs SBS240 2.0 |
$17 |
| Keyboard and Mouse |
Logitech Internet Pro Keyboard and Mouse |
$25 |
| Bottom Line |
|
$662 |
Intel Upgraded Summary
| Upgraded Intel Pentium 4 System |
| Hardware |
Recommended Component |
Price |
| Processor |
Intel Pentium 4 520 2.8 GHz 1024K L2 Cache |
$152 |
| Motherboard |
Gigabyte GA-8I915G Pro i915G |
$99 |
| Memory |
2x512MB PDP/Patriot PC3200, Model PDC1G3200LLK |
$131 |
| Video Card |
Leadtek GeForce 6600 128-bit 128MB PCIe 300/550 |
$109 |
| Hard Drive |
Seagate 160 GB 7200 RPM 8MB SATA |
$94 |
| Optical Drive |
NEC DVD+RW 3520A |
$57 |
| Floppy Drive |
NEC, Sony, TEAC, Samsung, etc. |
$8 |
| Case |
Antec SLK1650B with 350W PSU |
$65 |
| Power Supply |
Enermax Noisetaker 370W model EG375P-VE-SFMA |
$51 |
| Display |
Rosewill R710E 17" 16ms LCD |
$210 |
| Speakers |
Logitech X-530 5.1 or Z-3i 2.1 Speakers |
$57 |
| Keyboard and Mouse |
Microsoft Natural Multimedia Keyboard and Wheel Mouse Optical |
$36 |
| Bottom Line |
|
$1069 |
You'll still need an Operating System as well, unless you plan on running some free OS such as one of the many flavors of Linux. XP Home runs about $90 for an OEM version, which you can pick up from most online sites if you buy qualifying hardware, while XP Professional will run about $135. The Professional version includes a few networking and security extras that we like to have, but most people will be fine with Home. Running on older version of Windows is also possible, but we don't recommend it due to outdated drivers and other usability enhancements that are only available with XP. There's no point in buying new hardware and then using an old OS, especially considering that XP itself is now over three years old.
Conclusion
That takes care of our current recommendations for the Budget to Mid-Range segments. The difference in performance and upgradeability from the base recommendations to the upgraded alternatives is pretty dramatic. We'll be taking a look at the Mid-Range to High-End price segment in our next Guide, which should cover all the options from the budget systems up through fire-breathing SLI monsters. As always, questions or comments are welcome.
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rivethead - Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - link
The Leadtek GeForce 6600 is $109 at NewEgg. It's only $7 more than your 6200 PCI-E selection.rivethead - Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - link
"what happen to 6600 non-GT?"Man, that's an excellent question. I was wondering the same thing.
rivethead - Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - link
I think you're socket 939 mobo recommendation is incorrect.The Chaintech board that's $91 shipped (actually $89 shipped from NewEgg) is the nForce 4 board, but it's not ULTRA, meaning you don't get the firewall, the SATA2, or NVIDIA nTune software.
I THINK this is the board you're wanting to recommend.
If it really is the Chaintech ULTRA board, please let me know exactly where I can get it for $89 shipped.
BTW, if you do a pricegrabber search on the Chaintech VNF4 Ultra board, the non Ultra board will erroneously be displayed in the results for new egg.
The Chaintech VNF 4 ULTRA board is $101 at ChiefValue....that's the cheapest I can find it.
rivethead - Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - link
bigpow - Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - link
what happen to 6600 non-GT?Jep4444 - Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - link
you beat me to it ChineseDemocracyGNR, the 9600SEs 64bit bus cripples the 9600 far more than the 75mhz core clock reduction on the 9550also the 64MB 6200TCs are even slower than the 32MB ones due to use of slower memory, the X300 would beat either of them anyways
you guys really didn't look enough on the budget GPU recomendations
Booster - Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - link
Displays - 'costED a year ago' - is that correct?ChineseDemocracyGNR - Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - link
"AGP Graphics Recommendation: Sapphire Radeon 9600 SE 128MB DDR 64-bit, 325/400 GPU/RAM clock (bulk/OEM)"This is a very, very bad recommendation. The Radeon 9550 128MB ***128-bit*** will give much better performance for the same money.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?desc...
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?desc...
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?desc...
"PCIe Graphics Recommendation: Leadtek GeForce 6200TC 64-bit, 64MB (256 shared) PCIe with 350 MHz core"
I also don't agree with the PCI-E recommendation. I don't think $71 is a good price for a 64MB 64-bit 6200 when the X300 (not SE) is only $76.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?desc...
I actually don't mind this though, but the 9600SE is so bad I hope you change the guide before more people read it.
filterxg - Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - link
Another great read. Thanks for the guide!