TR Forums

This might require some time travel by you guys
I have some odds and ends to make up a new budget comp for my other-half. She'd use it for surfing, office and music programs like Sibelius.

The bits I'd get would be:
Western Digital 80GB IDE A$73 (120GB: $98, 160GB: $110)
Kingmax 512MB PC3200 A$69
ASUS K8V-X A$89
Sempron 3100 A$155
Antec SLK2650BQE A$120 (SLK1650 $115)

Don't want to overclock or spend too much on it, as you can see. I think I'd be going too far back by getting a Socket A / Sempron comp, no?

I've been away from the forums for about a year, so I've lost touch, and now everyone's a couple of generations in front. So any advice is appreciated Thanks

I don't think there's anything there that's exceptionally extravagant, nor anywhere that you're skimping on a particular component.

All I would say is that the motherboard is a generation behind in terms of AGP/PCI vs. PCI-E and SATA. Granted she's not going to want the PCI-E x16 slot for her gaming needs, but she may want to add this or that card in a few years time, by which time PCI classic will probably be all but dead. The computer certainly won't be obsolete for a long time if she only needs music, office and web surfing abilities on it, and another motherboard might well be more expensive, so this would be entirely your call

Other than that, you seem to have specified enough RAM, processor power, hard drive (saying you can never have too much seems a little redundant these days ) for her needs.

Though I am unfamiliar with Sibelius and its demands on the system, but I cannot see it being a complete memory hog like a video editing app.
-Mole

you might want to look at an athon 64 2800+ - it'll prolly be equally fast or faster for the same price.

You do not list a graphics card... so my suggestion would be to go for a pci-e motherboard (ASUS K8N4-E DELUXE Socket 754 NVIDIA nForce4 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail -104$ at newegg). You can keep the 2800+ athlon 64 with that and your stick of ram. If you're going for a graphics card, go for a turbocache card... even if ever she'd want to play a computer game, she'll be able to do that better than if you'd go for a x300se

I know in the states you can pick up PCI-E boards for Socket 754 for not much more than AGP boards - you might want to look into that, unless you have an older graphics card you are sticking in there.

An inexpensive Socket-754 motherboard (e.g.: PC-Chips M871G, or Foxconn 760GXK8MB-ERS) with the SIS 960GX chipset and integrated graphics could be a cheap way to go here.

Performance-wise, I'd rather see a Radeon x600 PCI-Express graphics card for video acceleration, but if you're wanting to keep the cost down, it sounds like integrated video could save you a sizeable chunk of the total.

Questions:

- How much time does she spend on what she uses now? This would determine how much horse-power she would be looking for. (I know people that still use a celeron 400 and think that it's quite fast for surfing the net and office software)
- Does she game? If not, is it reasonable or feasible to spend cash on an unnecessary piece of hardware? Would an integrated video solution do the job?
- Since she's into music, a good soundcard would be more required, you could base your system around that.
- Is heat an issue where you are? etc. etc.

I would say your system is quite fine, especially if she is not going to have multiple rendering windows open (or the like).

Thank you all for your replies.

To answer the questions:

To put things into perspective, she's currently running an old PIII 500MHz with 256MB RAM, GeForce2MX200, SB Live 5.1 and Win98. The game of choice is Lemmings!
The required specs for Sibelius are low.
Can't find the K8N4-E in the shops I'd buy the parts from.
The A64 2800 is at A$814 (S 3100: $155, A64 3000: $209).
I do have an older graphics card, see above, but don't think it'd go well with the new bits. So am still investigating options for video, on-board is a possibility. But it'd be nice to be able to connect to 17" CRTs I have.
Heat wouldn't be an issue. I am the gamer (relatively), but my build comes next.

It seems the selection at shops here is not as extensive as what it is from places like newegg. Remember these prices here are in Aussie dollars.

Quave wrote:

To put things into perspective, she's currently running an old PIII 500MHz with 256MB RAM, GeForce2MX200, SB Live 5.1 and Win98. The game of choice is Lemmings!

You might save the SB Live and Lemmings. GeForce2MX200 is no better than on-board video. In fact, GeForce2MX 200 is significantly worse than the RS480's ATI Radeon XPress 200 graphics.

If you do get a new sound card, how about something like the Chaintech AV-710 ?

If you want to save money then just recycle the floppy, CD, harddisk(s) and SB live from the existing PC.

I built the following for a friends kid a couple of weeks ago.

- AMD Sempron 3000+ CPU & Fan $120.00
- Abit KV-80: VIA K8M800, 800MHz FSB, 2xDDR400, ATA/133, SATA/150, 8X AGP, VGA, GigaLAN, Sound, Firewire, Micro-ATX $110.00
- Corsair Value Select 512Mb 400MHz CL2.5 DDR RAM $70.00
- 80Gb Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 (Serial ATA, NCQ) - 5Y $80.00
- Antec SLK3700BQE Black ATX Quiet Medi-tower Case w/ 350w PSU $135.00

Total $515 Aus

might i suggest this very cheap socket 939 board?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813130485

the onboard graphics are so good i can play guildwars at 1280x786 albeit at lower quuality.

i know that doesn't matter to you so much, but it has a pci-e x16 slot and its 939 so that mkaes it doubly upgradable . . .

leor wrote:

might i suggest this very cheap socket 939 board?

Apart from the fact I've heard lots of people that are unhappy with that MSI board. There is a large cost difference.

$230 (Semp 3000+ $120 & Abit KV-80 $110) or $244 (Semp 3100 $155 & ASUS K8V-X $89)
vs
$367 (A64-3000-939V $221 & ECS RS480-M $146 (only RS chipset i could find))

Which is a difference of $137. Which could be better used on a graphic card for the Semp system

$90 XpertVision GeForce FX5500 256Mb
$143 Gecube Radeon 9550 256Mb
$148 XpertVision GeForce 6600 128Mb

A lot will say socket A is outdated...it is...but still has a niche...if you can pick up a 2500 barton or better yet a mobile chip with a decent board..she will be more than happy with the performance...2.2 ghz as opposed to 500mhz is a big jump..just a thought for your pocketbook

Well, the Socket A option would go something like this:
Western Digital 80GB IDE (8MB): $73
Kingmax 512MB PC3200: $69
ASUS A7V400-MX: $63
Sempron 3000: $159 / AthXP 2600: $108 / AthXP 2800: $129
Antec SLK1650: $115

That's including on-board video. The potential problem is that the motherboard only has 3 PCI slots. Man, there really seem to be a shortage in everything, not many things to pick from!

Mmmm...

If youre gonna go socket A...the Abit NF7S v2 cant be beat...best nf2 board to walk the planet

Yeh, from my years of 'learning' from these forums, I've heard plenty of good things about the Abit NF7-S. Thing is it's at A$109, no video on-board. $46 more plus video. Mmmm...

But then again, on-board won't allow me dual monitor support.

I'm thinking too much...
I thought a 'very budget' system would be pretty straight forward to put togethere, but... nagh.

You could always check some of the ebay auctions.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 31999&rd=1

Note: This is not my auction and I have no dealings with any of these people.

Just to add my vote...

Leor is right. Go with the ATI RS200 based MoBo, and the cheapest Socket 939 processor you can.

The board has a PCIe slot, so won't be as "dead end" if you later decide to do a few strategic upgrades.

Also, paying ~$80 for a motherboard with decent built in video will help your budget.

MadBrad

I think I've decided to go for something like this:
Western Digital 80GB IDE $73
Sapphire R9250 256MB $85 / R9550 256MB $90
Kingmax 512MB PC3200 $69
ASUS K8V-X $89
Sempron 2800 $119
Antec SLK1650 350W $115

What do you reckon?

I appreciate all the suggestions made, in fact, the s939 ones are pretty handy for my own build for a not-so-very budget. At the moment anything to do with s939 or PCI Express is a bit too pricey for this one.

Can't you get a 9600 Pro for around $100? Those 9250 and 9550s are pure crap. Especially at those prices.

It wouldn't matter. Hell, I play games, and a S3 Trio doesn't faze me one bit (of course this is on the <i>other</i> computer where I don't play games)

That build looks great.

Please remember that the prices are Australian dollars, so a conversion factor has to be taken into account. Can't compare Newegg prices to what they will have in Australia (shipping, duty, extra taxes, profit margins, etc.)

If this willl keep your significant other happy for a while, then there's no need to spend a heap of money on unnescessary parts - especially since you're building you're main rig next.

I think a socket A build will be very good for her. DItching win98 will help out immensely. If you could find a copy of win2K, you're smokin'.

Check out newegg.com for some good prices on stuff. All the prices I will list in here will be from that site.

If you get a 754 board get a 64 2800 for around 120$, it better than all the Semprons and its cheaper than some of them. The 64 3000 for 939 are around 150$ and those boards cost abit more, just throwing that out there. For socket A get a mobile barton, the 2400 is 80$ max and with PC3200 its easy to OC since those can easily run at with 200mhz FSB as oppose to its original 133mhz, and the multipliers are unlocked also. Plus Socket A boards are cheaper than even 754 boards!

As for the graphics I don't realy know. The nvidia 6600 normal is kinda pricy for budget, but it is a VERY good deal, 103$ at the lowwest end for PCI-E and 113$ for AGP, and it can OC as well VERY easily. Anything less than that would have DRASTICALY lowwer performance, and would not cost that much less. But the next step down would be about an ATI 9600 or nvidia 5500, the 9600 would be a better option. Besides those go for onboard.

Looks like everything else you have should be fine, just find a board for the CPU and Graphics you have decided on.


OPSE! Didn't notice you were AUS untill I finished

Well.. the AUS dollar is about .75 that of the US dollar, so you would need 1.33 AUS dollars to = 1 US dollar if that helps any. Also the international shipping will cost more probably

Quave wrote:

Sempron 2800 $119

I'm pretty sure that only the Semp 3000+ and up support CnQ, that to me is worth the extra money.

I got 2 Chaintech vnf3 fo rboth my brothers, INCREDIBLE motherboard for the price.

Get one of those 400-500 dollar computers that come with everything save monitor - then you don't have to put it together yourself, the OS and programs are set up for you, and all you do is plug it in.

Systems in this range have enough power for most people these days, except people who push their systems (gamers, science, engineers, and video)

The systems I built went pretty cheap,
AMD 64 2800 120$
Chaintech VNF3 250 60$
512 DDR400 Patriot RAM 40$
WD 80 GB SATA drive 58$
eVGA Geforce FX5200 50$
Case with keyboard/mouse 46$

About $380, so add the OS for 80$ and a DVD-RW for 40$, about $500 and you get a pretty good budget system.

Juic3 wrote:

The systems I built went pretty cheap,
AMD 64 2800 120$
Chaintech VNF3 250 60$
512 DDR400 Patriot RAM 40$
WD 80 GB SATA drive 58$
eVGA Geforce FX5200 50$
Case with keyboard/mouse 46$

About $380, so add the OS for 80$ and a DVD-RW for 40$, about $500 and you get a pretty good budget system.

That cant be Aus prices, most of those components are below the wholesale prices in my friends stock system.

Yep, those last ones seem like US$ It's so 'depressing' to see all those nice small amounts and so much variety to select from!

Haven't been able to find any Chaintech boards around here.
Are the 9250s and 9550s really crap?
There's a Gigabyte R9600Pro for A$165, or a couple of R9600XT for $170-$200.
But then again, an Albatron FX6600Q TVO can be had for $209!
The only reason I'd go for a separate video card is to set it up for 2 CRTs.

Ayayayayay...

I have WinXP to put on this system, so much better than Win98

The whole thing gets confusing when you consider the Socket A option, with an Abit NF7-S and a video card, you end up about $50 below a s754 system!

Quave wrote:

Are the 9250s and 9550s really crap?

No, there great for 2D and decent at 3d. Just make sure you get a 128bit memory path on the 9550. I picked up a 9550 for $100 because my GF2 wasnt enough to drive a Dell 2005FPW and my CRT. And its passive so no noise.

As for Socket A vs 754, I say 754 and a 90nm Semp 3000+, its worth it for the cooler running and less noise.

I've noticed that all the links like newegg are all US, which doesn't help with prices freight etc. If you are having trouble with finding the bits and pieces that you want here are a couple of australian sites that sell online. Have a look and see what ya reckon.

<a href="http://www.pcmarket.com.au">PC Market</a>

<a href="http://www.pluscorp.com.au">Pluscorp</a>


Hope this helps