Playaa August 29, 2006 Share Playaa Member August 29, 2006 (edited) So I've not owned a gaming computer in quite some time. I have my personal laptop which is mainly used for watching DVD's in bed, and I have a Dell computer I bought for my father right before he died. Neither of these will support the game I want (NWN2). So...would it be possible to build a computer for $400 or less that will support these specs: Recommended: - 3 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent processor - 1GB System Ram - ATI Radeon X800 series, NVIDIA GeForce 6800 series or higher video card Minimum System Requirements: - Windows XP - 512MB System RAM - 2 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent processor - 128MB Direct3D compatible video card with DirectX 9.0c compatible driver - CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive - 4.6GB free hard disk space - DirectX 9.0c (included) - DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card Supported Video Cards: - ATI Radeon X1900 series - ATI Radeon X1800 series - ATI Radeon X1600 series - ATI Radeon X1300 series - ATI Radeon X850 series - ATI Radeon X800 series - ATI Radeon X700 series - ATI Radeon X600 series - ATI Radeon X300 series - ATI Radeon 9800 series - ATI Radeon 9600 series - ATI Radeon 9500 series - NVIDIA GeForce 7900 series - NVIDIA GeForce 7800 series - NVIDIA GeForce 7600 series - NVIDIA GeForce 7300 series - NVIDIA GeForce 6800 series - NVIDIA GeForce 6600 series - NVIDIA GeForce 6500 series - NVIDIA GeForce 6200 series - NVIDIA GeForce 6100 series - NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900 series - NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700 series - NVIDIA GeForce FX 5600 series - NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500 It's been about 2 years since I've tried to build a pc myself so I'm very much out of the loop on what's what and what to look for and what is compatible...so I'm hoping you guys could help me out. For the sake of making this easier...please make all links point to NewEgg *edit* For reference sake, I actually own like 2 512mb DDR Ram chips and a Radeon All-in-Wonder 9700 Pro that I could plug in if they'd work with a newer motherboard. Mainly I need MoBo, Processor, case, all the fans and that stuff. Oh and the monitor isn't a problem either...the Dell came with a 19" flat panel. Edited August 29, 2006 by Playaa/Pselus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclean August 29, 2006 Share Unclean Member August 29, 2006 Can you use the dell computer for parts? (Case, power supply, CD/DVD drive, floppy drive, etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWarrior August 29, 2006 Share HWarrior Member August 29, 2006 (edited) It would be tight for $400 but doable. Here is a 939 mobo option for you that will let you keep your current vid card. ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 Has AGP & PCI-E slots. That way you can hold onto your 9700 for a bit longer until you spring for a PCI-E vid card. Down the road you can get a daughter card for the mobo to support AM2 & DDR2 which does give it a longer upgrade life. Not the most elegant solution but works. If you decide to drop the money on a new PCI-E vid card, then skip the ASRock 939Dual and just get a good AM2 mobo. Edited August 29, 2006 by HWarrior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playaa August 29, 2006 Author Share Playaa Member August 29, 2006 Unclean, I want to leave the Dell completely together so I can just use a KVM switch on the 2 computers (1 for my mother who uses the Dell just to check email and 1 for me to game on). Warrior that is exactly what I'm looking for...awesome. What sort of processor would I be looking for on that thing? I also just realized I still have an 80gig HD, a CD Burner, case, Power Supply...all that stuff just sitting in boxes from when I moved back home and my gaming rig blew up (motherboard went kaputz). Also...if I wasn't going to use my DDR Ram would I need to buy that "daughter card" right away for DDR2 Ram (which I'm assuming is the latest and greatest thing?) I'm looking for something like this for the processor right: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16819103535 ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akaM2 August 29, 2006 Share akaM2 Member August 29, 2006 if your only going to go single core, i would get this one insted of that 3200+ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16819103539 It has 1mb of L2 cache which will help out alot and is only 25 bucks or so more. And can overclock very well if you need some extra juice after acouple years or so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playaa August 29, 2006 Author Share Playaa Member August 29, 2006 thx for the input M2. I'm gonna go home tonight and try to figure out what all I still have left over from my old computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laz.e.rus August 29, 2006 Share Laz.e.rus Member August 29, 2006 post it up when you find it. Thatl help too for compatablilities sake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preacher August 29, 2006 Share Preacher Member August 29, 2006 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16856110047 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...82E16819103533R http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...82E16814131318R Also I have a 17" monitor you can have if you need it. Just PM me if you want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playaa August 29, 2006 Author Share Playaa Member August 29, 2006 Preacher, that barebones bundle comes without Processor though right? Cause I already own the case/power supply/CD Drives and all that stuff. I mainly need a processor, motherboard (that has upgradeability) and possibly Ram. Though that video card seems incredibly cheap...and much better than my 128mb All-in-Wonder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWarrior August 30, 2006 Share HWarrior Member August 30, 2006 Warrior that is exactly what I'm looking for...awesome. What sort of processor would I be looking for on that thing? I also just realized I still have an 80gig HD, a CD Burner, case, Power Supply...all that stuff just sitting in boxes from when I moved back home and my gaming rig blew up (motherboard went kaputz). Also...if I wasn't going to use my DDR Ram would I need to buy that "daughter card" right away for DDR2 Ram (which I'm assuming is the latest and greatest thing?) For single core, the processor M2 recommended is the way to go. Extra $50-$150, gets you a dual core. If you decide to go the ASRock Dual route then you need 939 processor now & DDR Ram. When you buy the daughter card later on, then you would need to buy an AM2 processor & DDR2 Ram. Can't mix & match the ram with the different sockets. If you wanted to go AM2 & DDR2 right now, then using the ASRock Dual isn't best way to go. Better off getting a AM2 board with AM2 CPU, DDR2 ram, & decent PCI-E card. Yeah more specs on your power supply & ram would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playaa August 30, 2006 Author Share Playaa Member August 30, 2006 someone explain Single Core vs. Dual Core...remember I've been out of hardware for 2 years now. Is it just like Dual processors or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playaa August 30, 2006 Author Share Playaa Member August 30, 2006 How does this look? Case ( Raidmax 268 ATX Mid-Tower Case w/350W Power Supply Black )Power Supply ( Standard Case Power Supply ) Processor ( [939-pin] AMD® Athlon-64 3800+ CPU w/ Hyper Transport Technology ) Motherboard ( Gigabyte GA-K8NF9 nVidia nForce4 Chipset w/7.1 Sound, Gb LAN, S-ATA Raid, USB 2.0, IEEE-1394 PCI-E Motherboard ) Memory ( 512MB DDR-400 PC3200 Memory Module Corsair-Value or Major Brand ) Video Card ( Nvidia Geforce 6200 with TurboCache Supporting 256MB w/DVI + TV Out Video ) Hard Drive ( 160 GB HARD DRIVE [serial-ATA-II, 3Gb, 7200 RPM, 8M Cache] ) CD-RW/DVD-RW Drive ( Sony DW-G120 Dual Format/Double Layer 16X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Drive Black ) Sound Card ( 3D Premium Surround Sound Onboard ) Fax Modem ( 56K Fax Modem V.92 ) Network Card ( Onboard LAN Network (Gb or 10/100) ) Flash Media Reader/Writer ( 12-In-1 Internal Flash Media Card Reader/Writer Black ) Warranty ( Warranty Service Standard 3-Year Limited Warranty + Lifetime Technical Support ) Rush Service ( Rush Service Fee (not shipping fee) No Rush, Ship Out in 5~10 Business Days ) for $437.00? I'm starting to think that I might just want to build a whole system minus Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse...cause I don't know what's what anymore...I don't know which video cards are which, which processor's are top of the line...I'm so out of the loop. that system is one I built at Ibuypower.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwEEziL August 30, 2006 Share dwEEziL Member August 30, 2006 Single core is the type of processor you already know. Single processor, single chip. Dual Core is 2 processors on a single chip. It's basically dual-processors but one chip, one socket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frog August 30, 2006 Share Frog Member August 30, 2006 So...would it be possible to build a computer for $400 Why dont you just add a 0 to the end of your budget and build a comp. like mine? -frog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akaM2 August 30, 2006 Share akaM2 Member August 30, 2006 here is a really cheap one http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/se...CCODE=WEM1189TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playaa August 30, 2006 Author Share Playaa Member August 30, 2006 GAH! the time limit on that is tomorrow though...I wasn't planning on buying that fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playaa August 31, 2006 Author Share Playaa Member August 31, 2006 so if I were to get a PCI-E capable video card right now (I figure why not upgrade to a 256mb instead of use an old 128mb) what should I be looking for? Remember I want to go with bargain. Would a bargain GeForce (something like the 7300LE) be better for me than my 3 year old "top of the line" card? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cujo August 31, 2006 Share Cujo Member August 31, 2006 no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwEEziL September 1, 2006 Share dwEEziL Member September 1, 2006 Playaa, I'll take your AiW (since I was supposed to get it a couple years ago) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playaa September 1, 2006 Author Share Playaa Member September 1, 2006 the AiW is actually sitting in someone else's computer. It has been for quite awhile now and I don't feel like getting it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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