Budget Gaming Rig

Chraut · 10-07-2007, 04:10 PM

Hello all, I may be attempting to make my own gaming rig. Already have a monitor, so please leave that out of the question. I am a newb at this, so bear with me.
I would prefer to use vista, with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148262 as a HDD. I'm unsure of anything else.
My budget is oh.... $700 - $900 max.
I want this rig to be able to run Bioshock, TF2, and eventually SC2.
Thanks in advance.

**TheMatt** · 10-07-2007, 11:57 PM

Hi, and welcome to TSF!

Please have a read over these questions and include the answers in your next reply so we can better help you select a build.

**blackduck30** · 10-08-2007, 06:04 AM

Matt Is correct in saying we need a few more details but i had some time to kill so have a look at this

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive $69

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148262

ASUS P5K-VM LGA 775 Intel G33 uATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $119

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131187

Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 Conroe 2.33GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor $175

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115030

MSI NX8600GTS-T2D256E-OC GeForce 8600GTS 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card $130 ( after rebate )

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127284

CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory $62 ( after rebate )

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145034

RAIDMAX KATANA ATX-729WS Silver Steel /Auminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail $80

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811156072

Sony NEC Optiarc Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM IDE 20X DVD±R DVD Burner

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827118003

OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI ATX12V 700W Power Supply 100 - 240 V - $104 ( after rebate )

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817341002

Logitech LX310 Black 103 Normal Keys 12 Function Keys USB Cordless Standard Desktop Laser Mouse Included - OEM $50

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823126032

TOTAL $822

themisiek1 · 10-08-2007, 09:43 AM

What is SC2?

**TheMatt** · 10-08-2007, 12:35 PM

Take a look at this alternative motherboard

GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - $130
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128050

Also get this for the case:

COOLER MASTER Y720DCD-25T1-GP 120mm Blue LED Case Fan - $20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103035

Chraut · 10-08-2007, 08:43 PM

Thanks for the help guys, here's my answers to the questions.
1. Budget: 900

2. Brands: Not any particular.

3. Multitasking: Probably, at most two programs at a time.

4. Gaming: Recent games - including TF2, Starcraft 2, Portal. Mainly this year's stuff. It won't have to be able to run Crysis.

5. Calculations: Probably not.

6. Overclocking: No.

7. Storage: 250 gigs should be plenty.

8. Operating System: I'd prefer vista.

9. Case: I don't care. I'd prefer if it looks good, but I have no size limitations.

10. Accessories: A keyboard and a mouse should be all I need.

11. Recycled Components: Headphones, but those don't really count.

12. Monitor: I have a monitor.

13. Stores: I prefer Newegg.

14. Location: USA
__________
Sorry it took me so long, haven't been on all day.

**TheMatt** · 10-08-2007, 08:56 PM

I would go with the suggestions I posted as well as these two other cases:

Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case w/ 25CM Fan - $170
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133021

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $130
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129021

themisiek1 · 10-09-2007, 07:53 AM

Is this motherboard any good?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128059

Its a bit cheaper but all the specifications look good.

**1 g0t 0wn3d** · 10-09-2007, 07:57 AM

Yes that is a good one.

**TheMatt** · 10-09-2007, 12:38 PM

The DS3L only has the ICH9 southbridge so there is no onboard RAID. If you think you may be using RAID in the future, think about the P35-DS3R (I posted above) which has the ICH9R. If not, the P35-DS3L will be fine.

Chraut · 01-05-2008, 02:22 PM

Sorry I've taken so long to respond, but I've been busy. Can you guarantee these parts are compatible?

Chraut · 01-05-2008, 02:29 PM

What are the major differences between http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130082 and http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127284 ? Does the benefit outweigh the price difference?

**TheMatt** · 01-05-2008, 11:13 PM

Well to be honest the 8800GTS 320MB is obsolete now that the G92 8800 cards are out. However, you will get about twice the performance from either 8800 series GPU over the 8600GTS.

10-07-2007, 04:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
Chraut Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4 OS: XP service pack 2	Budget Gaming Rig Hello all, I may be attempting to make my own gaming rig. Already have a monitor, so please leave that out of the question. I am a newb at this, so bear with me. I would prefer to use vista, with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148262 as a HDD. I'm unsure of anything else. My budget is oh.... $700 - $900 max. I want this rig to be able to run Bioshock, TF2, and eventually SC2. Thanks in advance.

10-07-2007, 11:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Budget Gaming Rig Hi, and welcome to TSF! Please have a read over these questions and include the answers in your next reply so we can better help you select a build. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

10-08-2007, 06:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
blackduck30 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Wollongong/Australia Posts: 4,230 OS: XP pro SP3/Vista Ultimate My System	Re: Budget Gaming Rig Matt Is correct in saying we need a few more details but i had some time to kill so have a look at this Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive $69 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148262 ASUS P5K-VM LGA 775 Intel G33 uATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $119 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131187 Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 Conroe 2.33GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor $175 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115030 MSI NX8600GTS-T2D256E-OC GeForce 8600GTS 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card $130 ( after rebate ) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127284 CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory $62 ( after rebate ) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145034 RAIDMAX KATANA ATX-729WS Silver Steel /Auminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail $80 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811156072 Sony NEC Optiarc Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM IDE 20X DVD±R DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827118003 OCZ GameXStream OCZ700GXSSLI ATX12V 700W Power Supply 100 - 240 V - $104 ( after rebate ) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817341002 Logitech LX310 Black 103 Normal Keys 12 Function Keys USB Cordless Standard Desktop Laser Mouse Included - OEM $50 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823126032 TOTAL $822 __________________ Blackduck30 Time is like money and milk, It's always running out Any Donations Help Keep TSF Free For All Last edited by blackduck30; 10-08-2007 at 07:30 AM.

10-08-2007, 09:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
themisiek1 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 317 OS: XP My System	Re: Budget Gaming Rig What is SC2?

10-08-2007, 12:35 PM	#5 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Budget Gaming Rig Take a look at this alternative motherboard GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - $130 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128050 Also get this for the case: COOLER MASTER Y720DCD-25T1-GP 120mm Blue LED Case Fan - $20 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103035 __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

10-08-2007, 08:43 PM	#6 (permalink)
Chraut Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4 OS: XP service pack 2	Re: Budget Gaming Rig Thanks for the help guys, here's my answers to the questions. 1. Budget: 900 2. Brands: Not any particular. 3. Multitasking: Probably, at most two programs at a time. 4. Gaming: Recent games - including TF2, Starcraft 2, Portal. Mainly this year's stuff. It won't have to be able to run Crysis. 5. Calculations: Probably not. 6. Overclocking: No. 7. Storage: 250 gigs should be plenty. 8. Operating System: I'd prefer vista. 9. Case: I don't care. I'd prefer if it looks good, but I have no size limitations. 10. Accessories: A keyboard and a mouse should be all I need. 11. Recycled Components: Headphones, but those don't really count. 12. Monitor: I have a monitor. 13. Stores: I prefer Newegg. 14. Location: USA __________ Sorry it took me so long, haven't been on all day.

10-08-2007, 08:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Budget Gaming Rig I would go with the suggestions I posted as well as these two other cases: Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS Black Full Tower Case w/ 25CM Fan - $170 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133021 Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - $130 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129021 __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

10-09-2007, 07:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
themisiek1 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 317 OS: XP My System	Re: Budget Gaming Rig Is this motherboard any good? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128059 Its a bit cheaper but all the specifications look good.

10-09-2007, 07:57 AM	#9 (permalink)
1 g0t 0wn3d TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sedona, az Posts: 6,528 OS: Vista basic 32bit My System	Re: Budget Gaming Rig Yes that is a good one. __________________ Bench Test \| PC Wizard \| System specs \| PSU info \| PSU calculator \| Memtest86+ \| Speedfan

10-09-2007, 12:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Budget Gaming Rig The DS3L only has the ICH9 southbridge so there is no onboard RAID. If you think you may be using RAID in the future, think about the P35-DS3R (I posted above) which has the ICH9R. If not, the P35-DS3L will be fine. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

01-05-2008, 02:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
Chraut Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4 OS: XP service pack 2	Re: Budget Gaming Rig Sorry I've taken so long to respond, but I've been busy. Can you guarantee these parts are compatible?

01-05-2008, 02:29 PM	#12 (permalink)
Chraut Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4 OS: XP service pack 2	Re: Budget Gaming Rig What are the major differences between http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130082 and http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127284 ? Does the benefit outweigh the price difference?

01-05-2008, 11:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Budget Gaming Rig Well to be honest the 8800GTS 320MB is obsolete now that the G92 8800 cards are out. However, you will get about twice the performance from either 8800 series GPU over the 8600GTS. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides