Budget build

[BaldEagl]

Decided to take a whack at this for the fun of it. Heres what I came up with... https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=6180729

Totals $424 before tax, S&H, etc. Decent build that is flexible, could probably change the video card up. The mobo. is a bit on the expensive side but I've never been a fan of cheap mobos.

Copy and paste the parts list over because it's not going to let us see your secure wishlist (unless you want to give us your user name and password  )

[AirFlyer]

Copy and paste the parts list over because it's not going to let us see your secure wishlist (unless you want to give us your user name and password  )

Bleh, thought setting it as shared would get around that, guess not.

Case: Thermaltake M9 VI1000BWS Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail = $49.99
Mobo: ASUS M3A78-EM AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail = $78.99
GPU: BIOSTAR VA4653NH51 Radeon HD 4650 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail = $69.99
PSU: Thermaltake Purepower W0100RU 500W ATX 12V 2.0 Power Supply - Retail = 49.99
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000 Brisbane 2.6GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADO5000DOBOX - Retail = 57.00
RAM: OCZ Gold 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2G8002GK - Retail = 25.99
HDD: Seagate ST3640323AS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM = 69.99
Optical Drive: LITE-ON Combo Black SATA Model DH-52C2S-04 - OEM = 22.99

Total = 424.93

[Getback]

Two words, for those that think LightScribe is the bee's knees;  Sharpie Marker.

  Yeah, that's what my IT guy told me. I was talking about it and he said here, while reaching in a drawer, use this and he pulls out a sharpie.

[BaldEagl]

Bleh, thought setting it as shared would get around that, guess not.

Case: Thermaltake M9 VI1000BWS Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail = $49.99
Mobo: ASUS M3A78-EM AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail = $78.99
GPU: BIOSTAR VA4653NH51 Radeon HD 4650 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail = $69.99
PSU: Thermaltake Purepower W0100RU 500W ATX 12V 2.0 Power Supply - Retail = 49.99
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000 Brisbane 2.6GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADO5000DOBOX - Retail = 57.00
RAM: OCZ Gold 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2G8002GK - Retail = 25.99
HDD: Seagate ST3640323AS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM = 69.99
Optical Drive: LITE-ON Combo Black SATA Model DH-52C2S-04 - OEM = 22.99

Total = 424.93

First of all I'm not a big fan of Micro-ATX motherboards.  Second, the one you've selected has on-board video.  Why pay for that when you won't use it?  This is a full ATX motherboard with slightly better specs than the one you selected at a similar price:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128376

The power supply you chose is a little weak.  This one is much better and it's $5 less after mail-in rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341010

Here's an alternate choice in a similar price range:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022

[EDIT] I failed to mention that th PSU you chose only has a single 6 pin PCIe connector.  The first one above has 2x 6 pin connectors while the second has 1x 6 pin plus 1x 6+2 pin connectors which would allow much greater fexibility in future video card upgrades.  I'd likely go with choice 2 for this reason.

The motherboard you chose, and the one I recommended, both support DDR2 1066 memory.  For about $5 more you could run this at 1066:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134218

Or you could get this lower latency memory at DDR2 800:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134066

Either way these are better, faster RAM modules than what you chose at only a few dollars more.

[1701E]

First of all I'm not a big fan of Micro-ATX motherboards.  Second, the one you've selected has on-board video.  Why pay for that when you won't use it?

Onboard video has its advantages.  Like my current situation, my PSU died and my backup is not good enough to power my GPU, so I must use onboard or no computer.  Besides, Mirco-ATX isn't so bad, it makes my computer very portable. I do agree on using a full ATX Motherboard, since the case selected supports it.  I stand by Micro though since I prefer portability over extreme-overkill performance.

Also, it would bring price up a bit, but That OCZ 600watt PSU can be brought up to 700watt.  After looking for my new PSU I had decided on that 600, until I looked around and heard some horror stories about the 600.  Lot of complaints about it failing after about 6-12months.  I can give a full report on the 700watt sometime tomorrow.
As for the second PSU, it is modular, and last time I asked around for PSU options just about everyone was against using Modular.  Has that changed?

[BaldEagl]

Also, it would bring price up a bit, but That OCZ 600watt PSU can be brought up to 700watt.  After looking for my new PSU I had decided on that 600, until I looked around and heard some horror stories about the 600.  Lot of complaints about it failing after about 6-12months.  I can give a full report on the 700watt sometime tomorrow.
As for the second PSU, it is modular, and last time I asked around for PSU options just about everyone was against using Modular.  Has that changed?

I didn't spend a lot of time researching these.  I was looking for something in his price range with more amps than what he chose plus more flexibility in PCIe connectors.  The point is that, with what he chose, if he ever wanted to upgrade to a 9800 GTX or GTX 260/280 series card he'd have to get a new PSU to do so.  IMO it's better to spend a little more the first time (which he wouldn't be doing in this case) than to spend and spend again later.  The specific units can be debated but that first PSU has an 83% positive rating by newegg users and, as to the second I wouldn't be afraid of buying a modular unit; in fact it might be nice.

[drdeathx]

Onboard video has its advantages.  Like my current situation, my PSU died and my backup is not good enough to power my GPU, so I must use onboard or no computer.  Besides, Mirco-ATX isn't so bad, it makes my computer very portable. I do agree on using a full ATX Motherboard, since the case selected supports it.  I stand by Micro though since I prefer portability over extreme-overkill performance.

Also, it would bring price up a bit, but That OCZ 600watt PSU can be brought up to 700watt.  After looking for my new PSU I had decided on that 600, until I looked around and heard some horror stories about the 600.  Lot of complaints about it failing after about 6-12months.  I can give a full report on the 700watt sometime tomorrow.
As for the second PSU, it is modular, and last time I asked around for PSU options just about everyone was against using Modular.  Has that changed?

On a new build there are warranty's

[drdeathx]

Iron,

If you go with ATI for video card you need not worry about a huge PSU. They run on far less than NVidea. A 500W-600W will be ample. ATI recommends min 300W but with your system a 500-600W will be fine.

[AirFlyer]

Not even sure why I felt the need to go Micro-ATX, I always have trouble finding quality boards with that form factor. Good call though, same with the PSU. For 5 bucks more the RAM should be fine. I went OCZ just because I know they make quality RAM and for that price it seemed like a steal, never heard of Kingston though. Over all with the adjustments it makes for an even nicer build while keeping almost the same price.

[Fulmar]

Never heard of Kingston?  They've been around since the mid 80's IIRC.  They generally focus on lower cost, high compatibility ram for the every day user.  I wouldn't think about trying to OC any of their ram modules.

[BaldEagl]

Never heard of Kingston?  They've been around since the mid 80's IIRC.  They generally focus on lower cost, high compatibility ram for the every day user.  I wouldn't think about trying to OC any of their ram modules.

Kingston has been around for a long time.  They are used by a lot of the computer manufacturers as OEM RAM and there's one thing you can always be sure of... they have a RAM solution for every motherboard out there.

That was then.  They introduced the Kingston HyperX line to appeal to the enthusiast market.  I'm running Kingston HyperX DDR2 800 and I read a test where they overclocked it to 960 or 980 (can't recal which) and maintained the 4-4-4-12 timings.  Normally with that type of overclock you'd expect to have to loosen timings.  They also maintain the lifetime warrantee up to 2.2 or 2.3V.  Recommended voltage is 2.0 so they know who they are selling this line to.  I'm very happy with mine.