low cost gaming rig

[davidrules345]

I am starting a new topic. recently i have been extremely busy so i will update you on the problem.
-i bought a new laptop
- i still want a good gaming rig
-i have a very tight budget (600-850) including tax and shipping
- go on newegg.ca for items and add l6e2a5 to postal code, purolator ground is fine
- i am sorry for being a bit bitter
- list is included below

cpu: AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor
case: Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
hard drive:SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
ram: GeIL Value PLUS 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
mobo: ASUS M4A87TD EVO AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
psu: CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
gpu:HIS H685F1GD Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
cd/dvd drive: ASUS Bl:ack 18X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model DVD-E818A7T/BLK/B/GEN - OEM
cd/dvd burner: SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache EIDE/ATAPI 22X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM

Grand Total: $834.67

 

[XCVG]

NCIX is better. They actually ship everything from INSIDE Canada. As far as I can tell, Newegg.ca ships a significant portion of their products from the US.

What you have is decent. I would make a few changes, but most of them are just me being me.

So, here's my suggestion:
CPU: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... acture=AMD
Motherboard: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... cture=ASUS
RAM: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... 20Enhanced
Videocard: http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=54534 ... ture=Zotac
HDD: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... re=Seagate
Optical Drive: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... re=Samsung
Case: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... OLERMASTER
PSU: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... Technology

Total: $647.47 before shipping and tax

It is an AMD/nVidia system. I realize the one you posted is an AMD/AMD system. It doesn't really matter unless you plan on doing CrossfireX or SLi in the future. In either of those cases you would need an appropriate motherboard. Anyway, I put a GTX 460 in this system, since it is cheaper and just as good as an HD6850. Similar dual core CPU, I would upgrade to a quad if you can. As far as I can tell that motherboard does not support core unlocking. I used a different case. Cheap and looks okay, but I would add at least the front fan- it only comes with ONE case fan. The motherboard is kind of a cheapo board- it'll work but doesn't have any fancy features. A lot of these components have rebates or deals going on, so prices may change.

I'll try to help but you'll have to do it yourself. Really, the only thing I would DEFINITELY change with your rig is the videocard unless you can get a really good deal on it. I would go to a quad core, but that's because I do a lot of video editing- it wouldn't matter much for gaming. I personally find the CHALLENGER case extremely ugly, but that is 100% personal preference.

 

[Mako321]

Shipping inside Canada? one of the few NCIX locations is a 5 minute drive away from the school Davidrules345 and I go to. (They seem to have a pirated copy of windows 7 on all of their showroom computers, and they don't bother to get rid of the warnings )
Samsung Spinpoint? I'd replace it with even a WD Green. (Well, judging from reviews at least)
Why do you need 2 optical drives?
Lastly, for a case I'd go for a thermaltake v3 or so. They're cheap, fit a full ATX motherboard and a flaxload of other stuff, has great cooling, and it's only a mid tower case.

 

[bic]

The only problems I see are relatively minor:

- Dual core? Go quad; they're pretty cheap now.
- That DVD-ROM drove is an unnecessary expense, unless you do 1:1 disc-to-disc copies regularly.
- IDE DVD burners work fine, but if you can get a SATA one for the same price go for it. It won't be any faster, but it will be easier to manage the wiring.
- WD > Samsung.
- The RAM is from one of those weird off-brand companies isn't it?


Asus motherboard and Corsair power supply in the OP's spec? I am impress; they can be taught!

 

[davidrules345]

it is quad just read this:http://www.pureoverclock.com/review.php?id=905&page=3
and my motherboard has a core unlocker so no bios configuration stuffs.

 

[bic]

AMD recycles defective quad-core CPUs into triple- and dual-core models. Yes, sometimes you can turn the deactivated cores back on. However, you have no idea if they will work properly (if at all).

If it works, that's great. Just don't get your hopes up by guaranteeing yourself that it will.

Edit: VVVVV That too.

 

[J.D]

Don't be a cheap ass, go with Intel

 

[XCVG]

For the same price, AMD is just as good as Intel. For the price of a dual core Clarkdale i5 you can get a quad core Phenom II (or a potentially quad core Phenom II for the price of an i3). The Clarkdale will actually do better on certain things, but more threaded applications will do better on the Phenom II X4. Intel motherboards used to be more expensive and have inferior feature sets, but that's changing. Really, for a $600-$850 rig it doesn't matter. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

I'm assuming he wants AMD, though. Personal preference sometimes beats logic, though I don't think it matters in this case. Neither Bulldozer nor Sandy Bridge will work on existing platforms, so that's a moot point.

 

[J.D]

Well I suppose if he wants more heat, that's fine with him.

 

[davidrules345]

and if you want a crap i3 that's fine with you

 

[bic]

Who said anything about i3? He wrote the emoticon colon-three.

For what it's worth, I built my PC (Q9550, GTX 260, 4 gb, Corsair CPU, Gigabyte motherboard, Antec case) for about $750 after rebates last year. You don't have to spend 3 grand to put together a decent Intel/Nvidia PC.

Generally speaking you get similar performance to an Intel CPU out of a higher clocked AMD CPU, mainly because AMD skimps on L2 cache to keep the price down. However, AMD has a far, far better in-house graphics solution than Intel does.

 

[J.D]

Generally speaking you get similar performance to an Intel CPU out of a higher clocked AMD CPU, mainly because AMD skimps on L2 cache to keep the price down. However, AMD has a far, far better in-house graphics solution than Intel does.

Intel Integrated Graphics and Intel "HD" Graphics are all terrible. I've never used AMD integrated but you're probably right. ATI is part of AMD now isn't it?

 

[XCVG]

Actually, Intel's new on-package graphics are about as good as the AMD integrated graphics. Which is not very good, but most games will be playable on LOW settings.

 

[davidrules345]

i am thinking of this gpu: PowerColor AX6850 1GBD5-DH Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

this case:Thermaltake Armor A90 Gaming Mid-Tower Chassis With Cable Management Water Cooling SSD Support And Tool-Less Installation VL90001W2Z

and this psu: COOLER MASTER GX Series RS750-ACAAE3-US 750W ATX12V v2.31 SLI Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

and this ram: CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX4GX3M2A1600C9

ps. the case looks pro and has pro fans