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Flamingfud · 10-07-2005 7:49pm #1

As an avid gamer, albeit with little practical understanding of the inner workings of the machine, I've just come into a certain amount of money. To be frank, I have just under E1000. I want to set my decreipt, worthless, 500 Mhz, Voodoo3 powered grey box alight, and whilst rejoicing in the beautiful flames, and intoxicating (and poisonous) plasticy fumes, purchase the best gaming machine I can with my moola.

Due to my ineptness, I have no idea where, or what to buy. So, I challenge thou, big,brainy,techy men to find me the best machine you can for a thousand euro or less (preferably a pre-built price). The winner, as deemed by his fellows (i.e, the rest of you) gains my eternal gratitude, and the respect of all. Go on.

savemejebus · 10-07-2005 8:06pm

by pre-build do you mean the likes of dell? If so then an xps or 8400 from the outlet would be within your price range.

However those wouldn't have as much (if any) of an upgrade path compared to a home build machine and for €1000 you could probably put together a machine that would blow any pre-built one out of the water

Wertz · 10-07-2005 8:15pm

http://outlet.dell.com/Emea_Dfo/EuDispatcher?target=InventoryPage&action=page&pageNo=2&lob=DIM&sessionID=CRQT0ts2!-79624663!-1029877836!1121026259550

That's a very good price IMO.It comes in at 700 after VAT and discount.
No monitor included, but a good sized TFT is doable with ~€300

Someone will snap this up soon...

[edit] I got an even better specced version of this machine for €50 less about a month back. Faster CPU/RAM, 2nd HDD in Raid0, Audigy SB2 and dual drives. It runs everything I can throw at it...noisy card though.

Endurance Man · 10-07-2005 8:22pm

Dont get pre built. Crumbs with 1000euro u have to build it yourself, i would be braking the law not to

. Could u put a few components together if they arrived at your door ??? Its really not nealry as hard as u might think, the pieces really can only go in 1 place

.

astec123 · 10-07-2005 8:25pm

Endurance man is right DIY it there are lots of web guides to doing it and almost all hardware will have a manual to explain how to put it all together.

savemejebus · 10-07-2005 8:40pm

astec123 wrote:

Endurance man is right DIY it there are lots of web guides to doing it and almost all hardware will have a manual to explain how to put it all together.

Agreed it is really pretty easy to build yourself (and even if you don't want to do that i'm sure there are boardsies around that would do you a favour and put the bits together for you) but at the same time while your deciding on what to et there is no harm in keeping an eye on the dell outlet. As wertz pointed out there are some amazing bargains to be had.

I mean realistically it would be pretty hard to self build a machine with a p4, 250gb sata hdd, 6800 gfx and 1gb or ram for €320 delivered :eek:

Endurance Man · 10-07-2005 8:47pm

I mean realistically it would be pretty hard to self build a machine with a p4, 250gb sata hdd, 6800 gfx and 1gb or ram for €320 delivered

I dont follow?? U mean setting it all up??.

Endurance Man · 10-07-2005 9:01pm

Well i thought i might give this a bash and see wat i could come up with. Do u want it to include everything?? Monitor/speakers/mice/keyboard/case/ and all the insides bits? or just the inside bits?

.

savemejebus · 10-07-2005 9:14pm

sorry I wasn't issuing a challenge or anything, i was just giving an example of the occasional time an outlet store bargain would make more sense than a self build.

eg spend 320 on a dimension 5000 with the specs i mentioned (which should last a couple of years before it is too slow) and save the rest... well at least till next year when the new gfx cores come down in price

Wertz · 10-07-2005 9:27pm

Endurance Man wrote:

Dont get pre built. Crumbs with 1000euro u have to build it yourself, i would be braking the law not to . Could u put a few components together if they arrived at your door ??? Its really not nealry as hard as u might think, the pieces really can only go in 1 place .

Not to detract from the joys of the home build and future expandability, but just after I purchased my 8400 I went to every cheap parts site I know of on the web and couldn't put the same specced machine together for any less than $1350 (~€1050 at the time) from newegg. That's just for the parts. It also didn't include an OS.
I'm pretty sure I just fluked a typo in the Outlet listings; the gfx card and the 2 sticks of 533mhz RAM almost made up the price I paid, on their own...[eid]t If I'd bought them here

Flamingfud · 10-07-2005 11:13pm

Endurance Man wrote:

Well i thought i might give this a bash and see wat i could come up with. Do u want it to include everything?? Monitor/speakers/mice/keyboard/case/ and all the insides bits? or just the inside bits? .

Everything but a monitor. And speakers.

As for pre-built, I don't neccasarily mean set models, as in the likes of Dell. I know, for example, that Komplett.ie provide a build service where they put the specific parts you ordered together. Is that not common on that kind of internet retailer?

Anyway, I said preferably a build price. I have no problem with doing the work myself. What I'm really looking for here is a definite list of the best parts you could reccommend me putting into a PC for a grand, and where I can get them. Which no-one's been able to provide...... although Wertz's link was very helpful.

Endurance Man · 10-07-2005 11:26pm

Ok well ill start making up a list. I am not a guru but i like to think i no some good hardware :rolleyes: . To get an idea have a look at komplett and also my latest find pixmania.com. This place is brilliant with shipping to ireland only 13euro next day with dhl.
Ill get right on it

Endurance Man · 11-07-2005 1:34pm

Well i checked 2 online stores,the 2 i think are the best out there for irish folk.
Komplett and pixmania.
Came up with this, guys please correct me if iv screwed up here but i gave it a go

.

Cpu - Amd Athlon 64 3000 2ghz
http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/99503/art/amd/athlon-64-3000-2-ghz-cach.html

Mobo - MSI K8N SLI Platinum - Socket 939 AMD
http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/108287/art/msi/k8n-sli-platinum-socket-9.html#

Case - ANTEC Case Plusview
http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/39121/art/antec/case-plusview-1000-amg-eu.html

Gpu - Club3D Radeon X850PRO 256MB GDDR3, 256bi PCI Express
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=309765&cks=PRL

Mouse - Logitech MX510
http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/47879/art/logitech/mx510-performance-optical.html

Keyboard - Just a Trust basic 1

http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/44456/art/trust/keyboard-direct-access-si.html

Hdd - Western Digital cavier 250gb sata
http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/87227/art/western-digital/caviar-se-250gb-7200rpm-8.html

Ram - Kinda started running out of budget here but think this would do??
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=302988&cks=PRL

Guys, let me know wat u think, i did this very quickly but i think it would be pretty kickass???
Grand total of 982 eruo

mp3guy · 11-07-2005 1:42pm

don't get SATA unless you're getting a floppy drive or its SATA2, IDE is only slighty slower than SATA1 and alot more compatible, and don't forget the PSU

savemejebus · 11-07-2005 2:04pm

mp3guy wrote:

don't get SATA unless you're getting a floppy drive or its SATA2, IDE is only slighty slower than SATA1 and alot more compatible

I think that depends on the motherboard. My msi k8n neo2 platinum didn't ask for any sata drivers when I was installing it.

Also if you're getting a case with a window SATA cables are much nicer looking than even rounded ide cables

uberpixie · 11-07-2005 2:47pm

Endurance Man wrote:

Well i
Ram - Kinda started running out of budget here but think this would do??
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=302988&cks=PRL
Grand total of 982 eruo

Ram is DDR-2. Your mobo takes DDR-1.

Bog stanard ram for €100 will be fine as long as you don't want to overclock or do serious hardcore professonal video encoding.

Flamingfud · 11-07-2005 5:08pm

How about this list? Is this a fairly decent PC for the price?

BenQ DVDRW Dual Layer DW1625 Black
IIyama 19" CRT Vision Master 1451
Norman IC, 1 year license Virus Control
PC box
SoftThinks Installation/Recovery
Sapphire ATI Xpress 200P, Socket-939,ATX
Logitech Media Keyboard Black,
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0GHz Socket 939,
Samsung SpinPoint P80SD 160GB SATA2
Creative Mouse Optical 3000,USB
Cooler Master Cavalier 3 Black
Fortron/Source Powersupply ATX 400W rev2
TwinMOS PC3200 DDR-DIMM 512MB Dual Pack
Creative SB Audigy 2 Value, Bulk
Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2
PowerColor Radeon Bravo X700 256MB GDDR2
Sony Floppy Drive, 3,5" 1,44MB Black

On Komplett.ie, that comes to just under E1100(breaking my own limit, I know). Is that a good deal, or can better be found?

Endurance Man · 11-07-2005 5:18pm

Well i think now with 1000euro, u would be better off getting a better mobo, that will not be great in the future for upgrading. I think u want something with pci-express and also that gpu card u chose is pci-e so it wouldnt work with that mobo im affraid. :rolleyes:
I myself would rather get a good cpu/mobo/gpu now!
U dont have to the soundcard now, decent mobo's nowadays have good enough sound, mine is 5.1.

Mutant_Fruit · 11-07-2005 5:47pm

Iiyama VM 1451 19" FST 1600x1200
Antec SL400PGB Power Supply
Samsung SpinPoint P80 160GB UDMA133
Logitech Cordless Pilot Optical Black
Micro-Star International (MSI) K8N Neo4 Platinum Socket 939 nForce 4 Ultra ATX
1Gb 184DIMM PC3200 CL3
GeForce 6600GT 128MB PCI-E DVI-I VO
Creative Audigy 2
Microsoft Wired Keyboard 500 Lite Black
Antec SLK3000B Black Super Mid Tower
NEC 3540 DVD+-R/RW 16x DL
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Socket 939 512KB Inc Fan

Grand total: 1061 ex postage.

Has a better graphics card, and (imo) a better mobo and better PSU. Also a different (cheaper) case.

Flamingfud · 11-07-2005 5:50pm

Mutant_Fruit wrote:

Iiyama VM 1451 19" FST 1600x1200
Antec SL400PGB Power Supply
Samsung SpinPoint P80 160GB UDMA133
Logitech Cordless Pilot Optical Black
Micro-Star International (MSI) K8N Neo4 Platinum Socket 939 nForce 4 Ultra ATX
1Gb 184DIMM PC3200 CL3
GeForce 6600GT 128MB PCI-E DVI-I VO
Creative Audigy 2
Microsoft Wired Keyboard 500 Lite Black
Antec SLK3000B Black Super Mid Tower
NEC 3540 DVD+-R/RW 16x DL
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Socket 939 512KB Inc Fan

Grand total: 1061 ex postage.

Has a better graphics card, and (imo) a better mobo and better PSU. Also a different (cheaper) case.

Excellent! Exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. What site(s) did you use to make that list?

Endurance Man · 11-07-2005 5:54pm

In your previous post u said u wouldnt need a monitor??

Ciaran500 · 11-07-2005 5:56pm

mp3guy wrote:

don't get SATA unless you're getting a floppy drive or its SATA2, IDE is only slighty slower than SATA1 and alot more compatible, and don't forget the PSU

There isn't enough info coming from the HDD to fill IDE, AFAIK there has been no breakthroughs in HDD technology that allows you to hit 150mb/s steady.

Some new motherboards can present a SATA drive as IDE so there is no need for a floppy for install. (and slipstreaming SATA drivers on XP cd is simple)

Flamingfud · 12-07-2005 12:37am

Endurance Man wrote:

In your previous post u said u wouldnt need a monitor??

At a desperate stretch, I obviously wouldn't need a monitor, as I own one on my present PC. However, a completely new system would be preferable (but not essential).

Endurance Man · 12-07-2005 12:40am

Well then i would say rather spend this lump on top end stuff for inside your box. U can always pick up a cheap 19inch crt on these boards at a later date, crt are better for gaming anyway. I would go got good mobo,cpu,gpu now, most important!!

jozi · 12-07-2005 8:58am

Is there not about 3 other threads with the same question???

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