advice on cheap pc
Hi, can any one please give me advice on building a cheap PC for my daughter. I am quite new to this, so it needs to be easy to put together. For this reason I was thinking of an "xp2400 motherboard kit" from savastore[URL] http://www.savastore.com/motherboards/[/URL]
I would also need to buy a case (nothing fancy) and a DVD drive.
I already have a CD rewriter and the Hard drive from her old one.
She will be using it for the internet (a lot), office stuff and watching DVDs and TV (already have a TV card). She also occasionaly plays games but only stuff like "the sims".
Thanks
I would also need to buy a case (nothing fancy) and a DVD drive.
I already have a CD rewriter and the Hard drive from her old one.
She will be using it for the internet (a lot), office stuff and watching DVDs and TV (already have a TV card). She also occasionaly plays games but only stuff like "the sims".
Thanks
0
Comments
Since you already have some of the things you need, you could use it as an a la carte guide to budget parts.
Hope this helps.
abit nf7-s $85
amd xp 2500-retail $80
geil 512mb pc3200 (2x256) $120
sappphire 9600pro $128
lite-on dvd-rom - blk $28
raidmax 289wb w/ 350w $32
--might want to replace that cheap-o psu with a quality one.....
antec 350w $39
total = $510 with antec psu...................w/o = $471
I have a buget of £200, but like I say I already have some of the componts.
//EDIT
Or I could just look at the place you linked to in your first post...
SLK3700/MT 350Wsmart 3x5.25" 8x3.5"ATX £51.00 £0.00 £51.00
256Mb PC2700 184pin DDR DIMM Memory £28.95 £0.00 £28.95
MSI-6712 KT4V-L Via DDR Socket A ATX £31.95 £0.00 £31.95
Athlon XP2200+ Thoroughbred SocketA CPU OEM £35.50 £0.00 £35.50
Raptorcool Heatsink & Fan for 3200XP - Low noise £6.00 £0.00 £6.00
16x Int IDE DVD ROM Drive & PowerDVD Software £18.90 £0.00 £18.90
Approximate basket weight: 14.77kg Subtotal: £209.25
Delivery: *£5.50
Surcharges: *£0.00
- Remove Item VAT: £37.59
Total: £252.34
That's the ABSOLUTE CHEAPEST system I'd get from them. Anything cheaper and you're going to be settling for subpar components and/or crap performance, both of which are going to have you tearing your hair out down the road.
Other shops to look at are scan.co.uk, komplett.co.uk ebuyer.co.uk & overclock.co.uk, all of them do bundle deals or special offers and the prices & choice maybe better.
However, the cooling is really, really, REALLY crappy for a machine like what's in mine- a mobile 2600+ @ 2.7GHz, a Radeon 9700 Pro, etc; that kind of system just produces too much heat for the 2 120mm fans to handle.
The solution for that is to modify it- put 2 120mm fans on the side panel, and 2 80mm fans in the top, and the cooling is outstanding (as one would expect). But, like I said, for a stock system, the stock cooling is fine, and it's nice and quiet to boot. It's just not much of a tweaker's/overclocker's case.
I'd agree with you to a point, standard it's a fine case but imo it's also a great case to mod as well. With the removable drives and a 120mm fan upfront you could wedge a radiator in there and turn the case into a home for a water cooled rig. Obviously it may not be as good as a pre modded case with holes & fans everywhere but half the fun is doing it yourself, as I'm just finding out.
The other thing which makes it better imo than the quiet edition or sonata cases is that the hard drive cage is mounted in usual orientation rather than side on as in the BQE/sonata cases. This really improves the airflow through the case.
edit :hmmm having re-read your post I think we maybe violently agreeing. I just love that case for the money (I've also found it for a bit cheaper on Ebuyer)
Regards
Jim