Computer "Adventure"

[gamer404]

Soooooooooo....

My dad has a friend who built some computers. He had a bunch of scrap parts so he gave them to me(YEAH!). The motherboards and processors were CRAP, so I'm going to have to buy one, but oh well, it's still cheap

Starters-
HP Full ATX chasis with CD-RW/DVD-RW Drive in it.
Nice 600 watt power supply that just needs the power switch replaced(Easy work).
Rip a hard drive out of one of our old computers(for starters).
Bunch of fans and all the other nick-knacks you need to make the computer work.
Price So Far: $0

Ram- 1 GB for starters, will max out later.
Price So Far: $40

Motherboard(APU/GPU embedded) / Processor Combo.
This is the hard part. I want to have a pretty good computer that can play most gaming(Even if set on low graphic settings), but it also should be cheap.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=3586
Price So Far: $270

or

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=3586
Price So Far: $245

or

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=2621
Price So Far: $170

I know the Phenom is a better processor and such, but I could always upgrade later. Do you guys prefer Nvidia or ATI graphics cards? I would think ATI would work extremely well with the AMD processors. What do you guys think?

[XCVG]

ATI runs cooler and uses less power. Nvidia has better drivers and less compatibility issues. Price/performance is about the same since Nvidia slashed their prices.

[bicostp]

DO NOT BUY ECS OR PC CHIPS MOTHERBOARDS!!

They're garbage. Flaky, unstable, "look at us we use cheap Chinese leak-o-matic capacitors" garbage.

Why are you spending $40 on 1 gig of RAM? You can get dual-channel 4 gig DDR2 sets for that price! (2x 2gb sticks)

In my opinion, you're better off buying something decent now than you are buying something cheap and replacing it within a year. So, if you want a Phenom, go with the new Phenom II. Don't waste your time with an older dual-core Athlon if you're just going to replace it relatively soon.

Personally I'd rather go with Intel/Nvidia than AMD/ATI due to past compatibility issues and lower quality parts, but that's just me. You can get a GTX 260 216 with over 800 MB of VRAM and full HDCP compliance for $200 now.

What brand is the PSU you got? What are the amperage ratings on the power rails? Does it have all the connectors you need? (Enough PCIe, SATA, etc.)

And I'm sorry but you're not going to really run any games on an integrated video chipset. If you want to play anything more complicated than Solitaire, you need a dedicated video card. You can get a 9800 GTX+ for $150 that's at least 100x better than an integrated solution. (But for an extra $50 you can get the GTX 260 216, which beats the pants off of that.) To get an idea of performance, search for the video chipset on YouTube. (For example, the first one you posted has the GeForce 8200.)

[nevermind1534]

DO NOT BUY ECS OR PC CHIPS MOTHERBOARDS!!

They're garbage. Flaky, unstable, "look at us we use cheap Chinese leak-o-matic capacitors" garbage.

Some models are good, some are bad. If you're not sure, don't buy one at all. The PC Chips that I got for my parents' computer is a better one that works. You can usually tell by looking at reviews, but I don't always trust them.

[XCVG]

The Radeon HD 4670 can be had for $100 or less, and has pretty good performance. Both of Rekarp's suggestions are high-powered and probably overkill. The GTX 260 is a friggin' heater, and I would not put one in my case.

As for mobo, PC chips is crap. ECS is only okay. I'd recommend you go with an ASUS, Gigabyte, or MSI mobo. Also, don't even bother with an Athlon or Phenom. Either go for the Phenom II or go Intel. The Phenom II is an equal competitor to Core 2 but Core i7 blows it out of the water. Chances are you can't afford Core i7, so it's kind of a moot point.

[gamer404]

Thanks guys,

AMD processors are cheaper, and that has been the main reason I have been looking at them. My dad wants to see, with the parts we have, if we could build a computer cheaper than buying one. We have a PowerMac G5 2.3 GHz dual proccesors(That's a total 4.6 GHz). He really wants a 24 inch iMac(2.4 GHz Core 2 duo). I have been looking at other sites to, such as iBuyPower, and I wonder why they are so cheap. I personally am thinking that old "What you pay for is what you get" theory. The Cheapest i7 processor I can find is $300. I can get a Core 2/mobo combo for $180 (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=2406) btw, how are Intel motherboards? If I go to Intel, I might even want to try to build a Hackintosh.

[bicostp]

You don't want that CPU/mobo combo. For one thing, that's the older C2D. You'll get better performance out of the E8400 or Q9XXX series. And that motherboard doesn't even have one PCIe or AGP slot, so you can forget about gaming with it.

You might want to look at a bundle like this:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=2406

If you shop around (between TD and NewEgg), you can put together a Q9550/GTX 260 216 rig with 8 GB of RAM for under $750. (Without a case and hard drives.)

[XCVG]

For Intel if you don't want integrated graphics get a P43 or P45 chipset. P35 is outdated. If you do want integrated graphics, bicostp suggested a good board.

[Harshboy]

This is my rig here: http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/Publi ... r=14115187

I stole a HDD, DVD Drive, and a DVD Burner from my old computer. This thing is fast!

An E8400 and any decent P45 Motherboard is what you should be looking at. This Biostar Motherboard of mine is great, and it's still cheaper total with the E8400 than bic's link.

EDIT: Back at Christmas that PC of mine was cheaper. I got it all for $808 shipped. The prices must have gone up or promotions must have ended. Still, it's a good deal for under $1000.