Budjet Gaming Rig for Brother

[Ares_202]

Im going to build a PC for my brother next week, its a budget gaming rig so ive tried to keep costs as low as possible i just want you to check it over and make any suggestions about what you would change

Core 2 duo E7200 3MB L2 2.53ghz 1066mhz FSB
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=778510
£75.19

360GB Seagate SATA 300, 7200 rpm, 8MB Cache, 8.9ms, NCQ
£32.89
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=821566

2GB (2x1GB) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-6400 (800), 240 Pins, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 4-4-4-12
£33.65
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=402849

Gigabyte GA P31-DS3L, iP31 Express, S 775, PCI-E(x16), DDR2 667/800 MHz, SATA II, ATX
£41.47
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=657881

530W Hiper HPU-4M530 V2 SLi Ready Black ATX2.2/BTX SATAx2 PCI-Ex2
£39.70
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=408083

Akasa Zen Case - Black Silent Cool Midi-ATX Computing case w/2 silent 12cm fans w/o PSU
£25.84
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=446040

Also im moving the DVD-RW from his old PC and moving the XFX Alpha Dog 8800gt from my PC into this one

at the moment im moving to a 4870, but the GTX260 also looks good so what do you reccomend on this?

[TAKTAK]

Get a different PSU.. Hiper's suck noodles.. get something such as enermax modu82+ or corsair HX520w
ABIT ip35pro mobo instead or ASUS p5q/k
RAM is fine
different HDD, get a 320GB platter (faster)
different case with better airflow, such as the antec 300

get an aftermarket cooler such as the xigmatek red scorpion (st1384 or summin like that) and overclock that puppy

[Ares_202]

Get a different PSU.. Hiper's suck noodles.. get something such as enermax modu82+ or corsair HX520w

will do thanks for pointing that out

*edit* going to go with the OCZ stealthxstream http://www.microdirect.co.uk/product...w=0#ShowReview

has good reviews on newegg and nice +12v rails *edit*

ABIT ip35pro mobo instead or ASUS p5q/k

sorry they cost too much need a sub 40 pound motherboard not an enthuisiast one

different HDD, get a 320GB platter (faster)

how so?, 8.9ms isnt fast?

different case with better airflow, such as the antec 300

get an aftermarket cooler such as the xigmatek red scorpion (st1384 or summin like that) and overclock that puppy

again im on too much of a budjet

[richieuk]

8.9 doesn't mean alot tbh, but with a 320GB hard drive that is Single platter, or 640gb which is dual platter, they will cram more data into a smaller space, therefor travelling less to find it.

ie/

160GB on a dual-platter HD (320GB)
If for example in 10000 sectors, theres 512MB, this would span 0.6% of the space on a platter, so it would need to travel 0.6% distance of the platter, that takes time spinning that much

320GB on a single platter HD (320GB again)
So 10000 sectors of space on this would only take up 0.3% space, therefor travelling half the distance and making access times twice as fast

320GB vs 360GB... If the 320 is single platter, then 320 all the way.... Prices will be nearly the same anyway!

[SSK]

if you dont mind the cables then get this psu:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=618002

try and stretch the extra tenner on the antec case as it prob hav better build quality and cooling.

[TAKTAK]

whats your sort of budget for this?

[Ares_202]

Ok so this is the eidited version * notes that i have changed an item

Core 2 duo E7200 3MB L2 2.53ghz 1066mhz FSB
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=778510
£75.19

*320 GB Western Digital WD3200AAKS (this is the one i have in my own pc)*
£36.74
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=561030

2GB (2x1GB) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-6400 (800), 240 Pins, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 4-4-4-12
£33.65
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=402849

Gigabyte GA P31-DS3L, iP31 Express, S 775, PCI-E(x16), DDR2 667/800 MHz, SATA II, ATX
£41.47
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=657881

*OCZ 500SXS StealthXStream500W*
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(34102)...U--3-year.aspx
£38.46

*Going for this case and adding another 120mm fan*
Xclio CoolBox Black Midi Tower Case with Grill Front Panel - w/o PSU
£31.67
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=755113

whats your sort of budget for this?

£300 now i already have a GPU and DVD-RW driver, but he told me as 'low as possible' so ill try to keep it that way

[Powderhound]

Have a look at these cases:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=660781 Got a good review in Custom PC a while back
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=811571 Is a budget version of the Antec 900 and has also got some good reviews.
Bear in mind that for both you'll need to get some extra case fans, especially for the first one.

[cl0ck_ed]

Ok, the setup is great. cpu, mobo fantastic. The case. Get the antec three hundred. Very good case and no need for extra fans as it already has 3 120mm fans inside. The ram. XP 2gb. Vista 4gb.

Try this ram. http://www.ebuyer.com/product/106132...roduct_reviews . Overclocks well has saves a few pennys.

As for Gfx card depending on budget:

Low budget: HD 4850

Mid: HD4870

High: Leadtek GeForce GTX 280 £265 at ocuk lol. Skip the gtx 260, its expensive compared to the 4870. And the GTX 280 is a better card than the 9800gx2 as has no microstuttering issues and isn't limited to the sli 512mb of the 9800gx2, so better at high res or textures.

You don't NEED a cpu cooler, the 45nm chips are pretty cool running and will still get a nice OC.


Edit: Just found this bargain PC Power 500W Silencer: http://www.aqua-pcs.co.uk/pc-power-5...cer-1717-p.asp very good quality psu. Very stable and plenty of connectors. Sign up tooverclock 3d and do 10 posts and get free postage.

Hope this helps.

[cl0ck_ed]

Also, get 20 posts under your belt to get free postage at scan.

[Agent]

....making access times twice as fast

Access times are very different to read times. The context you used it in is wrong

[looney]

Ok so this is the eidited version * notes that i have changed an item

Core 2 duo E7200 3MB L2 2.53ghz 1066mhz FSB
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=778510
£75.19

*320 GB Western Digital WD3200AAKS (this is the one i have in my own pc)*
£36.74
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=561030

2GB (2x1GB) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-6400 (800), 240 Pins, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 4-4-4-12
£33.65
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=402849

Gigabyte GA P31-DS3L, iP31 Express, S 775, PCI-E(x16), DDR2 667/800 MHz, SATA II, ATX
£41.47
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=657881

*OCZ 500SXS StealthXStream500W*
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(34102)...U--3-year.aspx
£38.46

*Going for this case and adding another 120mm fan*
Xclio CoolBox Black Midi Tower Case with Grill Front Panel - w/o PSU
£31.67
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=755113



£300 now i already have a GPU and DVD-RW driver, but he told me as 'low as possible' so ill try to keep it that way

Change the HDD, Mobo and case to these:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/128047 - p35 chipset ftw

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/142569 - single platter and very good drive, or this for £2 more > http://www.ebuyer.com/product/130826

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143854 - excellent case, have one myself, or this bundle > http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135101

Get a good pu cooler to oc it, a akasa 965 is a good budget cooler. an dis only a tenner

[Ares_202]

Change the HDD, Mobo and case to these:


http://www.ebuyer.com/product/142569 - single platter and very good drive, or this for £2 more > http://www.ebuyer.com/product/130826

would rather go with western digital

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143854 - excellent case, have one myself, or this bundle >

Ordering today, Thanks!

Get a good pu cooler to oc it, a akasa 965 is a good budget cooler. an dis only a tenner

Yep have that cooler on my Q6600 in my pc, its excellent even if my room is 30C atm, ill push him to give me the money to get one in the near future, overclocking is one of my hobbies