Spec me a Budget/Decent PC

Timans

I was originally going to build a quite high spec pc with a 2900xt, E6420, 20" widescreen etc etc but have realised that my needs don't warrant this sort of spending and I would much prefer to spend as little as possible on a pc which will play games such as CSS and FM07 very well as I don't really play any others.

Using www.hardwareversand.de could people try and spec me a pc including monitor which I can get quite cheaply. I don't want it to run slowly etc etc. I want it quick, I just don't need top of the range stuff. I WOULD like, however, a Core2Duo cpu, E4300 maybe. And 2gb of RAM, preferably 800mhz. The monitor, I was going to go for a €250 20" Widescreen, I don't think it's worth the price as my current 19" is fine but I can't keep it as I'm committed to selling.

You guys know best, Spec please.

EDIT - forgot to mention, by cheap as possible, I mean sub €800 hopefully.

DirkVoodoo

Timans asking for help? Dirk 10 pts....

Hardwareversand obviously the best place to start. CSS and FM07 aren't graphically intensive, I would nearly go with an 8600 if you are looking for budget. Although, just browsing and you can get an X1950Pro on HV for €160.

Timans

The 8600GTS is €170. A 7900GS is only €120 and is a decent card.

DirkVoodoo

Okay, have't included your €250 monitor, peripherals or a case:

[URL="[URL=http://img224.imageshack.us/my.php?image=basketif4.jpg][IMG]http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/6982/basketif4.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]"][/url]

DirkVoodoo

I said 8600, I never said GTS...at that price point you are only 70 lids away from an 8800 GTS which blows it out of the water.

TerrorFirmer

What I'd choose for a really budget PC that while its far from the fastest out there it'd still rip through CSS and obviously FM. Enthusiasts look away; the choice of budget components might cause profuse bleeding from the eyes.

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=324428 - 64 Mobo
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=316239 - 37 X 2 Ram
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=544663 - 110 GFX
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=323805 - 75 - CPU
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=320535 - 70 - Case
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=310014 - 75 - PSU
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=323874 - 30 - DVD-RW
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=325870 - 70 - HD
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=324781 - 195 - Monitor

Amd X2 3800+
430W Tagan PSU
256Mb X1950GT
2Gb Crucial Value Pro
320Gb Hard Drive
19" Widescreen LCD
Xion case

For 765 with monitor or 565 without. Although why bother paying for a new monitor if you already have one...also if you exclude the case as above, you're looking at 460 or thereabouts for all the other components minus monitor....

Timans

I would prefer 2GB RAM and a Core2Duo because at least that means in 2 years I can upgrade to a E6600 or whatever instead of having to replace the mobo as well.

That's a very nice system though, thanks for spec'ing it up.

Is it worth it going widescreen or should I just get another bog standard monitor?

awhir

dont go widescreen if you wana play some games at 1600x1200 your ati will strugell.i dont see the point in buying a budget pc and then going for a high end lcd ?

shanethemofo

timans, timans, timans...... IS this a case of "maybe if i ask for pc specs for the 7th time i might actually buy myself a new pc?"

Timans

Hmmm, i've been looking around at benchmarks and have found that AMDx2 4200+ beats E6300 on a lot of things so it would be worth my while maybe getting a 4200+ instead of an E4300.
Would I notice a big difference in getting 800mhz RAM and 667mhz?

Timans

This is cheap as chips. Any opnions? [ attached ]


What fps will I be looking at in CSS with everything on full etc? My current specs are

CPU: Intel Pentium M 1.73GHz
RAM: 1GB PC4000 corsair with heat spreaders
MB: Asus P4P800-VM with CT 479 adapter
GPU: ATI 9800XT 256MB never oc'ed
HD: WD1600SB 160GB x 2 RE Series drive (5 Year warranty) 7200RPM
DVD: LITE-ON LDW 851S dvd /- R/RW DL
CASE: Antec ARIA SFF Case.

Will this new pc be ALOT better?

What about that psu, is it really unreliable? cpu? gfx?

DirkVoodoo

Well, I bought an X2 4400+ boxed there off HV for 70 euro (I already had an AM2 board). Its stock at 2.3 GHz, and I managed to get it up to 2.7 GHz without too much effort, so these brisbane cores seem to have a good deal of overclocking headroom, which helps as they are clock for clock a bit worse than the windsor cores.

Is that 4200+ 65nm or 90nm? I can't keep up with AMD and Intel's branding.

challengemaster

Timans wrote:

Hmmm, i've been looking around at benchmarks and have found that AMDx2 4200+ beats E6300 on a lot of things so it would be worth my while maybe getting a 4200+ instead of an E4300.
Would I notice a big difference in getting 800mhz RAM and 667mhz?

well at stock maybe - but the e4300 is a hell of an overclocker. it gets upto ~3ghz with the stock voltage and 3.4ghz+ with changes, whereas the amd chips afaik hit a brick wall with overclocking somewhere around 2.8~ghz or so i've heard.






etc etc.

so i'd say core2duo would be your better buy

Anti

I would have to agree with CM. The c2d is a much better build. And intel plan on using the lga775 socket for some time. Unlike AM2 which is almost already dead. Plus the c2d's are much better overlcockers.