Dybdal

Hi guys. I need some ideas.

I Wanna try and see how cheap a build i can make. I already have a case im gonna use for it, i have a dvd, to put in it too and i have a 550w psu.

I would like to see some different builds, the requirements are:
A quad core cpu
4 gb ram
min. 320 gb hdd sata II
Maybe a on board gpu, because else i have to use money on a graphicscard. But it will be used to play games on, but not anything high detail or like that.
form factor atx, i can accept m-atx, but not extended-atx.

Im not gonna put a cash limit or anything, But i want the cheapest builds at all.

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Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

comp_ali

If you want the cheapest then you better go with
CPU Athlon II X4 620 2.6GHz, 2MB Total Cache, 4000MT/s Bus ,
MB :one of my friends has AMD M.B which has on 3200Hd onboard (up to 1 GB), I don't remember the Model .
HDD : Western Digital 320 black GB SataII ,

I can't tell the prices because it is different here , for example DDR2 rams prices doubled in less than 3 months. Any one encountered the same in different region ?

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Dybdal

I dont need prices and links to retailers, as i live in denmark and i can't use the same as yours.

But i would like to know the models so i can find it, if i deside to buy it.

__________________
Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

comp_ali

For the Power supply you can get cheap Antec (400 watt) as long as you don't plan to upgrade and buy discrete GPU , or else you can get Antec Earthwatts (650 watts) to be in the safe zone

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ET3D

If you intend to play games I suggest that you buy a discrete graphics card. The integrated card can run some games at okay speed if you use a low resolution (800x600) and low details, but some they can't, and it's not that much fun to play at lowest settings.

That said, if you're going with an AMD CPU (which I agree is the best choice at the low end), it's likely that your motherboard will have integrated graphics anyway, and it's not a problem to buy a graphics card later.

By the way, I don't understand why you're making quad core a requirement. I think that dual core plus a discrete graphics card will be more balanced than quad core plus integrated.

Dybdal

I have a powersupply. 550w psu.

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Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

Dybdal

A quad core is more future proof and if i get the money for it later i can buy a better graphics then.

__________________
Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

ET3D

What will be the main use of this PC?

IvanV

Since you'd like a quad-core, I recommend AMD Athlon II x4 620. It's both affordable and very good value for money. Pair it with a nice AMD 785G AM3 motherboard and 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 (DDR3 prices have dropped, while DDR2 seem to be on the rise so no need to stick to the older ones unless it's different in Denmark, in which case go for an AM2+ board and DDR2) and you'll have a nice system. As for the hard drive, I'm really happy with my Hitachi DeskStar 1TB. 1TB drives start at around €65 here, so they aren't too expensive and offer great price per GB. The one I've got is a 7200rpm model (many 1TB drives are 5400) so it's as speedy as the contemporary smaller drives and it only cost me around €70.

That leaves us with the GPU missing. 785G boards come with Radeon 4200, which is as good as integrated GPUs go. That said, it's not too fast, but it may give you time to wait for the new generation to settle in and prices to drop, or simply to save some more money. If not, I must say that I'm amazed with how well my Radeon 4670 performs. I just had some fun with Tropico 3 demo and that thing is absolutely beautiful yet played on maximum detail in 1920x1080 (it's a strategy, so framerate which was consistently at around 20 was satisfactory, if it were a shooter I'd have to go some way down with visual quality, but I was impressed nevertheless). And for just a little more, there are some great cards such as Radeon 4850 (I'm suggesting AMD cards because, at least where I live, their price to performance ratio is somewhat better), or maybe something from their 5700 series, that way you'd get DX11.

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If anyone has Portal 2 and hasn't played the co-op and wants to do me a favour, let me know (PM me or whatever).

ET3D

500GB is probably the sweet spot right now. Lower than this saves you almost nothing. 1TB is better value for money, but it will also more expensive.

SeraphicSorcerer

Yeah 1 TB is where it's at. I'd go with Ivan's build, if you're trying to save money, If you can squeeze it in The 4850 is absolutely going for cheap here in the US no idea about prices where you are.

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comp_ali

Thanks Ivanv for mentioning better MB and I agree with ET3D about going with lower Disk space currently , maybe after priced drop you get additional Hdds land hook them. Just be sure that the PSU you have isn't the cheap one because their wattage are fake , they may write 600 and the actual output is 200 , a very important point.

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Dybdal

Ivans idea is also pretty close to what i had in mind. im proberbly gonna wait until the new generation has settled it self. :P

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Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

ET3D

Regarding "future proof", that's somewhat overrated. Nothing is really future proof, and by the time you outgrow your system, you're likely to think that you need to upgrade everything. Besides, even a CPU can be upgraded (though granted that's harder than upgrading a GPU). Take a look at how going "future proof" affects you. I'm using US prices from Newegg for simplicity.

Future proof:
Athlon X4 620 - $99
JetWay JMA3-785GP-LF - $75
Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1333 - $70
Total: $244

Not future proof:
AMD Athlon II X2 240 - $60
ASRock N68-S AM2+ - $45
CORSAIR XMS2 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 1066 - $75
MSI R4670-MD512 Radeon HD 4670 512MB - $65
Total: $245

The second system will be much better than the first for gaming.

Dybdal

That same systems would cost minimum 400 $ here in denmark. :/

__________________
Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

IvanV

That's the case with most of Europe.

You have three options:
- you can get both that quad-core and a descrete GPU; this is obviously the most desirable option, but you'd have to spend a bit more money;
- skimp on the CPU and get a discrete GPU; that way you get an all-round decently performing machine right away which you may customize to better suit your needs at a later time;
- get a quad core and stay with the IGP until you upgrade; makes sense if you're more into some exclusively CPU intensive work than into gaming.

Still, looking at the two ET3D's builds, the second one (which looks an awful lot like what I bought for myself recently and am quite happy with) sacrificed two things in order to save money for the 4670: CPU and motherboard. Yet you could still plug that quad core into the cheaper AM2 board and by that save half the money needed for the graphics card (although since the board is AM2, newer AM2+ and AM3 CPUs will work with a lowered HT speed, on it; the CPU frequency itself will be normal so I'm not sure how much of a penalty it would bring, but I'd rather take true AM2+ board). You may also save some more by going for ordinary 800MHz DDR2 instead of 1066MHz, I think that it's more cost effective for a build on a strict budget, though the difference depends on your local retailers (it's non-existent on newegg, but it was rather noticeable in my country).

Off-topic: Are you making this build for someone else? Just curious because you have a very nice system in your profile.

__________________
If anyone has Portal 2 and hasn't played the co-op and wants to do me a favour, let me know (PM me or whatever).

Dybdal

Its for my mom, so it wont be heavy gaming, but if i get some friends over, they are gonna use it to game with me. :P

Right now she uses an old socket A athlon 1,6 ghz single core with 768 md ram and a geforce 6600gt. You cant play many games on that.

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Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

ET3D

I think that the 6600gt would still be faster than integrated graphics. But I guess it's AGP so you won't be able to use it with the new system.

Dybdal

Its agp. :/ im kind of planing og maybe getting her a 48xx or a 57xx when the prices drop nice and low, in the some-what near future.

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Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

Dybdal

I have just used around whats equivalent to around 100 us $ in used parts to upgrade her old, to a 2 ghz cpu, 1 gb ram and a ati hd 3850. :P

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Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

Dybdal

By the way the psu is of the brand LC

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Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

IvanV

LC Power? They have a lot of satisfied customers here, but also quite a few dissatisfied ones (high immediate failure rate). If the particular unit has been tried and tested, than it's probably a good example, but I still wouldn't count on it to be capable of providing the promised power.

If your mom is like most moms in that respect, I think that she could do without a quad core CPU for the foreseeable future. Get her something like that Athlon II x2 + 4670 as ET3D suggested (and like I bought myself), it's cheap yet more than fine for any everyday task and it can be rather fun too. It will also be fine for that PSU you've got. I'm not saying that it wouldn't be capable of powering a more powerful PC, but I also wouldn't bet on how long it would last that way and I'd just feel uncomfortable entrusting that particular brand with a quad core and 4800 or 5700 combo.

__________________
If anyone has Portal 2 and hasn't played the co-op and wants to do me a favour, let me know (PM me or whatever).

ET3D

Somewhat of a waste, if you're planning to buy a new PC. But if you can get a used PCIe 3850 for cheaper than a 4670, then that's as good an option.

Dybdal

Whats best a hd 4670 or geforce 9500 gt or a geforce gt 220.?

__________________
Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

comp_ali

4670 is better than 9500gt but ot probably better 220GT as far I remember.

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ET3D

4670 is faster than either, from the benchmarks I've seen.

Dybdal

here en DK the cost the same more or less..

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Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

Bolletje

I think the performance of the HD4670 was just a little bit higher than the GT220.

However this depends on the games you play etc.

Dybdal

the games its gonna play is mostly cs, cod, wc3 and some driving games. mostly multiplayer games. Whats the best card to do that job? :P

__________________
Im a Danish hardwareheaven addict.

Best stable overclock done:

moshpit

ET3D said it best about things being "future-proof". The concept is highly over-rated and doesn't even apply to econo-builds like this. When building a budget rig, concepts like "future-proof" end up blowing the budget on things that make little difference to the budget rig's target use.

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