Budget PC suggestions?

emad · Jul 5, 2004

A buddy of mine is asking me to build him a pc with a maximum price tag of around $1000 (canadian). The catch here is that the cost of the monitor and the taxes (15%) are included in this max of $1000. In addition to those two, the as much of the cost of wirelessly networking his home as possible should be factored into this price.
Knowing him, he doesn't play games too often so a crazy powerful graphics card isn't a top priority but it would still be best to get him the best card in his price range. Most of his usage will be pushing his processor, ram, and maybe the sound card (audio editing/recording).

Here are the 2 setups I've come up with, he's leaning towards the 2nd one b/c it offers a bit more ram and a better video card.

Code:

ASUS A7N8X						112
ASUS*Radeon 9200SE/T 128MB				70
LiteOn 48X CD-RW/16X DVD-ROM Combo OEM			60
PC3200 DDR400 256MB Premier Series (OCZ400256P)		69
Western Digital 80GB w/ 8MB cache			93
Sony 1.44MB*Floppy Disk Drive OEM			15
SMC 10/100 Mbps Ethernet PCI*Network Card (1244TX)	10
D-Link 2.4GHz Wireless PCI Adapter (DWL520)		49
KGS01 Black ATX Mid Tower 400W w/ USB2.0		36

Samsung SyncMaster 750s (Black or Ivory)		149

Zalman ZM-F1 80mm Fan w/ Quiet Mode Adapter  x2		12

For the other pc and the network:						
D-Link 2.4GHz Wireless PCI Adapter (DWL520)		49
Linksys Access Point w/ 4-port switch (BEFW11S4)	69

				Subtotal		909
				taxes			136.35
				Total			1045.35

_____________________________________________________
PC2

item							price
athlonxp 2500+ barton:					116
ASUS*A7N8X-X NVIDIA*nForce2-400				90
ASUS Radeon 9600SE/T 128MB more info			112
LiteOn 48X CD-RW/16X DVD-ROM Combo OEM			60
PC3200 DDR400 512MB Premier Series (OCZ400512P)		135
Western Digital 80GB w/ 8MB cache			93
Sony 1.44MB*Floppy Disk Drive OEM			15
SMC 10/100 Mbps Ethernet PCI*Network Card (1244TX)	10
Creative Sound Blaster Live! 5.1			42
KGS01 Black ATX Mid Tower 400W w/ USB2.0		36
D-Link 2.4GHz Wireless PCI Adapter (DWL520)		49
Samsung SyncMaster 750s (Black or Ivory)		149

Zalman ZM-F1 80mm Fan w/ Quiet Mode Adapter  x2		12

For the other pc and the network:						
D-Link 2.4GHz Wireless PCI Adapter (DWL520)		49
Linksys Access Point w/ 4-port switch (BEFW11S4)	69

				Subtotal		1037
				taxes			155.55
				Total			1192.55

All prices are from the cheapest/most reliable store in the Toronto area. www.canadacomputers.com

are there any suggestions for this pc? I would have gotten him the Mobile Athlon XP but we've already pushed the cost of his pc to nearly $1200 so he can't afford the extra $50 on cooling it

sUn · Jul 5, 2004

Would you look at that, neat-o. vB3 has a scrollbar for the code tag. 👍

emad, I like PC1, that deal seem's better.

emad · Jul 5, 2004

the graphics card on PC1 however, can barely handle today's games. I've got a radeon 8500 which is pretty much identical to the 9200. There's waaaay too much choppyness in newer games like CMR04 at 640x480 with all graphics settings at the minimum and drivers set to performance.

CDailey · Jul 5, 2004

That's odd emad. :odd:

My 9200 256MB will run UT2k4 at 1600x1200x32 with most of the settings on high without the slightest slow down.

Burnout · Jul 5, 2004

Integra Type R
That's odd emad. My 9200 256MB will run UT2k4 at 1600x1200x32 with most of the settings on high without the slightest slow down.

See that? That's called not true.

:dopey:

You know me, I'll be all over this thread. First I must finish cleaning my room, though. 👎

emad · Jul 5, 2004

Well, I'll be waiting for a response

. Just, if you suggest any additional parts, make sure they don't go beyond the cost of PC2 any more than I already pushed it

CDailey · Jul 5, 2004

Burnout
See that? That's called not true.

You know me, I'll be all over this thread. First I must finish cleaning my room, though. 👎

It's true! True I tell you! Seriously, it is. With a tiny bit of software overclocking.

donbenni · Jul 5, 2004

I've got the 9200 SE 256 Mb. I've been running Battlefield Vietnam today at 1024x768 32bit res with high textures on my Athlon XP 2600+ with 1024Mb Ram and it's not been too bad. Running Hitman Contracts on a similar setting isn't nasty either. However there are nicer cards for budget money (sorry can't name any names).

CDailey · Jul 6, 2004

Isn't the SE model the **** version? Also, 1024x768 doesn't push your video card. I havn't tried running BF1942 with the settings cranked yet as I'm not really into that game. :indiff:

I can run MOHAA Spearhead with everything maxed perfectly though.

emad · Jul 6, 2004

yea, the SE is the ****ty version of the cards. I'll try running UT2k4 at max settings in a few minutes. I'm expecting it to run great because the game itself for some reason doesn't push the graphics card as hard as many others with crazy good graphics do. I remember back in the days of UT2k3, I used to get nearly 90fps without tweaking mmy drivers

edit:
Not sure about frame rate but considering that I have O&O Defrag running in the background and the game set to my monitor's max of 1024x768 and all gfx settings at their absolute max, UT2K4 is running nice and smoothely. There's the occasional choppiness when O&O decides to go wild but that's the extent of it. You should also consider that even my laptop's 16 meg graphic card doesn't have too hard a time with this game at medium to low settings

We need to find a more graphically intense game...like Colin Mcrae 04

2ez2KiLL · Jul 6, 2004

Integra Type R
That's odd emad. My 9200 256MB will run UT2k4 at 1600x1200x32 with most of the settings on high without the slightest slow down.

Now thats the biggest lie ive heard today. :ouch:

I dont think even Joel's 9600xt will run that without the slightest slowdowns.

CDailey · Jul 6, 2004

You can belive what you want, but it's true. Someone tell me how to find out what FPS I'm running and I'll prove it.

emad · Jul 6, 2004

I'll believe it. UT2K4 barely taxes my system at all. Hell, I was defragging my pc while running it

CDailey · Jul 6, 2004

But you were also running it at 1024x768 with the settings on medium-low.

Slick6 · Jul 6, 2004

Integra Type R
You can belive what you want, but it's true. Someone tell me how to find out what FPS I'm running and I'll prove it.

Download a program called Fraps http://fraps.com/download.htm. It catches screenshots during games. But enable the FPS overlay on them. That'll prove it if it's true. My computer can barely run Vice City at 800*600. Damn onboard video processor thing. :grumpy:

CDailey · Jul 6, 2004

I figured out how to do it in UT2k4. YOu enter teh console (`) then hit "stat fps" then enter.

CDailey · Jul 6, 2004

Here you go. Mind you, this wasnt as high as I was getting because I was just standing still when i took this screenshot.

This is without other people on the map because, belive it or not, none of the games listed had any players in them. I'll try to get a screenshot tonight with other players in the game. 👍

the_cobbinator · Jul 6, 2004

*edited*

There wasn't anyone else? That's suprising.

emad · Jul 6, 2004

Integra Type R
But you were also running it at 1024x768 with the settings on medium-low.

no, 1024 with settings at max using my desktop. Medium-low is my laptop

CDailey · Jul 6, 2004

Oh, ok. I could run 1024x768 with teh stuff maxed, too.

emad · Jul 6, 2004

well, if there's no constructive suggestions for the rig, I'm going probably going to go out and get the parts this week

CDailey · Jul 7, 2004

I say go for rig #2. 👍

2ez2KiLL · Jul 7, 2004

Emad, where are you buying those parts from? The prices seem a bit steep. You could buy one at Newegg for that price but way better. You could go for a dual processor setup to go with the sound/video editing thing.

xAkirax2004 · Jul 7, 2004

Well, he lives in Canada. So newegg.com isint available to him.

the_cobbinator · Jul 7, 2004

I'd go with rig 2. More bang for your buck and all.

Burnout · Jul 7, 2004

Integra Type R
I say go for rig #2. 👍

👍

I did do a lot of research and those prices are pretty dang good. The components you've picked are also decent..

Klostrophobic · Jul 7, 2004

2ez2KiLL
Emad, where are you buying those parts from? The prices seem a bit steep. You could buy one at Newegg for that price but way better. You could go for a dual processor setup to go with the sound/video editing thing.

Remember that the Canadian dollar is only worth 75 cents on the US dollar. That first PC will only cost 788 USD, the second will cost 899 USD.

Budget PC suggestions?

emad

sUn

emad

CDailey

Burnout

emad

CDailey

donbenni

CDailey

emad

2ez2KiLL

CDailey

emad

CDailey

Slick6

CDailey

CDailey

the_cobbinator

emad

CDailey

emad

CDailey

2ez2KiLL

xAkirax2004

the_cobbinator

Burnout

Klostrophobic

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