$700 Dollar budget Complete Set-up

AMDkidAMDkid
edited July 2005 in Hardware
When building a system, many questions pop up and nothing complicates things more than being smacked with a budget. Lets see as I plan a $700 setup.

Right out of the gate we might as well choose an operating system.
Well lets consider most people like playing some games so that does remove Linux from the running; however, if you want such a computer for the internet, then go for a downloadable version of linux such as Ubuntu. Then the obvious choice is Microsoft XP Home. It doesn't contain the extras of the Profesional version, but it gets the job done. My personal suggestion and what I will use for this build will be Windows 2000 Pro. It is more expensive than Windows XP, yet it will preform better with the slower budget parts.

Windows 2000 Pro: $140.94 (www.newegg.com)
Remaining : $559.06

Next I will add to this security as I prepare to duck possible flames. Yes, you heard me correctly, I said a security suite. What good is a computer if all you get in viruses and trojans? None. I suggest Trend Micro Pc-cillin Internet Security 2005.

Pc-cillin Internet Security 2005: $42.98 (www.newegg.com)
Remaining : $516.08

Next we will look at the CPU/Motherboard. For the lower end, AMD Semptron is the way to go. Yes, I am an AMD person but most people agree they preform better in games and games are what usually tax a budget PC. I will continue this later.

Comments

  • PirateNinjaPirateNinja Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    WinXP
    No Anti Virus
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited July 2005
    yeah all the free programs these days work better than that Liveupdate symantec mcafee crap. i hate those so much. in itself, its essentially spyware
  • djstubbsdjstubbs NJ
    edited July 2005
    Grisoft AVG seems to work best for me.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited July 2005
    yep i use that as well. great product :thumbsup:
  • PirateNinjaPirateNinja Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    Actually if this is a budget PC just use linux.

    PS. Am I the only one who never uses Anti-Virus software of any sorts anymore? I've been on the same Windows installation for pushing ay ear and I have not had a single software problem.

    If I had to, I guess Id use Kaspersky.
  • rykoryko new york
    edited July 2005
    yeah get xp as support for win2k is being phased out.

    and as others have said, save your money on a security suite and go with this cocktail of freeware....

    anti-virus=

    avg or antivir

    anti-spyware=

    ad-aware
    spybot
    spywareblaster
    hijackthis

    that's all you need...plus it saves you money towards better hardware. :thumbsup:
  • entropyentropy Yah-Der-Hey (Wisconsin)
    edited July 2005
    Antivirus: BitDefender, no doubt. Wouldn't touch anything else, except maybe Panda Platinum.

    (Spyware you can avoid using smarts. You can get a virus no matter how smart you think you may be. I still wouldn't ever run without one)
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited July 2005
    One more vote for AVG (free edition) and all the free anti-spyware stuff you can get.

    If you hunt around you can probably find a used (make sure it's legal!) copy of Win2K for a lot less than $141. How about this deal for $52?

    I wouldn't let the fact that support for it is on the way out throw you off. It is a "mature" and well-patched OS at this point. If you need tech support you can always get it here. :)

    Now you're back to (nearly) $700 again. :thumbsup:
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited July 2005
    Good find, prof. I agree with the AVG and the malware cockail that's been listed already by ryko, and for free too.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited July 2005
    profdlp wrote:
    ...How about this deal for $52?...
    That outfit wants $10 for the shipping, bringing the price to about $62.

    For an extra $27 you can buy WinXP Home OEM and get it shipped for a buck. ;)
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited July 2005
    one vote for XP OEM. best way to not give M$ any more money than you possibly can. Fully-functional and if you call and argue for a while, you can put it on more than one computer (been there done that, many times) with one OEM copy. I bought mine locally a few years back for $100, and I'm still using it :)

    edit: also with the newegg one prof suggested, you get SP2 right on in there.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    Here's what I'd do with a $700 budget:
    Mobo: Asus K8N, $72 shipped
    CPU: A64 2800+, $120 shipped
    Video: 6600GT, $148 shipped AR
    RAM:Corsair 512MB Value Select, $46.33 shipped
    HDD: WD 160 GB SATA, $84.99 shipped
    Case: Antec 1650B, $80.99 shipped
    DVD: NEC 16X, $42.99 shipped
    OS: [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?
    Item=N82E16837102151]XP Home OEM[/url], $89.94 shipped
    AV: Avast, free
    Office: OpenOffice, free

    Total: $685.24 shipped. That's what I'd buy if I only had $700 to spend on a new PC right this minute. :thumbsup:

    Skimping on CPU (Sempron) and HDD size (80GB) would allow a CRT monitor and keyboard/mouse to sneak in there, but I'm assuming everone has those sitting around anyway, unless this is the first PC you've ever owned. In which case you probably wouldn't be building your own anyway. :p
  • rykoryko new york
    edited July 2005
    you could go s939, 1gb, etc...for $710.

    antec slk3800b w/ 400w atx v2.0 psu $105
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129163

    a64 3000+ venice - retail $146
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103537

    msi k8n neo4-f $87
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130491

    corsair 1gb pc3200, cl2.5 $84
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145440

    gigabyte 6600gt $163
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125156

    samsung 120gb sata $81
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822152017

    nec 3540a $44
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827152047

    total = $710

    EDIT: oops! forgot an os for you. if you add xp home it bumps you up to $800. $100 over your limit! :bawling:
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    ryko

    I have the answer to your going over. Just leave out the 6600GT and get a used PCI vid card from the goodwill store. That would leave you plenty for XP Home, mouse keyboard and a CRT from the goodwill store while you are there. Then you can upgrade the vid card and monitor down the road. :cool:

    Otherwise that is a great system. I love that board for the money and have used them for 3 builds now for others! :thumbsup:
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    Why on earth would you pay for antivirus if you're just a home user? AVG all the way. It's small, fast, and it actually works great.

    XP Home is all any home user would ever need unless they have dual processors. There's no point in going with win2K, as it is in the extended support period now and will be dead by next year.
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited July 2005
    primesuspect wrote:
    Why on earth would you pay for antivirus if you're just a home user? AVG all the way. It's small, fast, and it actually works great.

    XP Home is all any home user would ever need unless they have dual processors. There's no point in going with win2K, as it is in the extended support period now and will be dead by next year.

    :thumbsup::thumbsup:
  • rykoryko new york
    edited July 2005
    mtgoat wrote:
    ryko

    I have the answer to your going over. Just leave out the 6600GT and get a used PCI vid card from the goodwill store. That would leave you plenty for XP Home, mouse keyboard and a CRT from the goodwill store while you are there. Then you can upgrade the vid card and monitor down the road. :cool:

    Otherwise that is a great system. I love that board for the money and have used them for 3 builds now for others! :thumbsup:

    good idea....you could also drop down to an 80gb ($57) and x700pro ($113)...

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822145082

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125165

    then the total for the sys i posted earlier would be $726 w/ xp home!
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    mtgoat wrote:
    ryko

    I have the answer to your going over. Just leave out the 6600GT and get a used PCI vid card from the goodwill store. That would leave you plenty for XP Home, mouse keyboard and a CRT from the goodwill store while you are there. Then you can upgrade the vid card and monitor down the road. :cool:

    Otherwise that is a great system. I love that board for the money and have used them for 3 builds now for others! :thumbsup:

    The other option would be to use linux. You're definitely not going to game on a PCI card, but you may find a few games here and there that work with cedega. It'll cost you $5/month.
  • rcracingfan24rcracingfan24 Los Angeles
    edited July 2005
    I built my custom AMD Sempron 2800+ cpu for sub-$200, well, I had the OS, HDD, and CD drives sitten around, but w/e, lol. I am boastin' a AMD Sempron 2800+ (previously mentioned), A cd-rom, and cd-rw. 120 Gb Maxtor HDD, I got the CPU and motherboard w/ built in LAN and 4 pci slots for ~$64 from outpost.com. I have 5.1 digital surround sound https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=A457-1400. And an ATI Radeon 9250+ graphics card. https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=C261-6068 It is a great machine. Oh, and I also bought a case for ~ $36. https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=D15-1019


    BUT, my computer isn't working at the moment, see: http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35511
  • sfleurietsfleuriet Texas New
    edited July 2005
    lol i guess you get what you pay for
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    pilotwings119 wrote:
    yeah all the free programs these days work better than that Liveupdate symantec mcafee crap. i hate those so much. in itself, its essentially spyware
    I see everyone jumping on that bandwagon, but I've never seen a coherent explanation as to why Symantec = Devil. I use it because I've got a free license from my university, and I've never experienced anything negative. Actually, I take that back: this free version from the university has some options locked, and it updates whenever it wants to, not when I tell it to. I'm not saying it's worth buying, but it's definitely not worth me tracking down and eradicating from my hard drive :scratch:
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    I don't consider it to be crap. The corporate version of Symantec is still quite good. However, if you can get virus protection that works just as well for free, why not?
  • djstubbsdjstubbs NJ
    edited July 2005
    Symantec is a resource hog, and when I used it frequently got spyware / viruses. Now that I've made the switch to AVG, I haven't had anything of the sort since and it takes up many less resources.
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