Budget dual core build

[360bhp]

Need to build this for my little cousin who currently has a single core, ancient machine.

Will be used for general browsing, msn, burning cds, light gaming.

(Have an 8600gt, and dvd-rw from the old build to be used with this)

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ AM2 Dual Core 2.7GHz, 512KB x 2 Cache, Retail
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?ProductId=21478

Asus M2N, NF430, S AM2, PCI-E (x16), DDR2 533/667/800, SATA II, SATA RAID, ATX (Would prefer something with onboard VGA but scan dont do any full size ATX ones. So will order this one from ebuyer)
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=470939

2GB (2x1GB) Corsair TwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-6400 (800), 240 Pins, Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 5-5-5-18
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=255300

160 GB Hitachi 0A32728 Deskstar 7K160, SATA II, 7200 rpm, 8MB Cache, 8.5 ms, NCQ
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=235260

400W North-Q Super Silent 12-17DB With 140mm Fan pPFC PSU
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?ProductId=16106

Total £166.99 (with hexus shipping offer)

OR

from ebuyer:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Socket AM2 2.6GHz Energy Efficient L2 1MB (2x512KB) Cache Retail Boxed Processor
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135663

Gigabyte GA-MA69G-S3H 690G Socket AM2 onboard VGA 8 channel ATX Motherboard
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140950

OCZ 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 CL 5-6-6-15 Value Series Memory
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/142380

EV Galaxy Black Mid Tower Case with Blue Bubble Light LED Strip - 450W PSU
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136491

Maxtor STM3250310AS 250GB SATAII 8MB Cache - OEM
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131214

£171.09 with super saver del.


He has an old case, but a new case would be nice as long as the price can be kept to around £160 - £170

Thanks

[Emirzan]

Looks OK, but I'm not sure I'd advise using that PSU. 12V rails aren't the best. In my opinion it's worth spending a little more on power supply, a decent supply will work for longer, provide the correct voltages to vital components which will extend their life (mainly thinking cpu here) and will come with a decent warranty. That one doesn't have sleeved cables either which will be a bit of a nightmare when installing. I'd recommend 450W Corsair VX. Assuming that's not pushing the budget too far that is.

Also 160GB is an awfully small hard drive even for a casual user. Once windows is installed with all updates and a few vital programs such as office applications etc. you'll lose a fair chunk of that. Although if the user is unlikely to store any media files or install lots of applications I guess you could live with it.

Edit: Having seen your ebuyer setup in the edit I'd reiterate what I said about PSU's. Cheap cases like that will come with cheap PSU's and all the problems that entails. Further reading and a better explanation can be found on the corsair website, here.

[360bhp]

Thanks, will ditch the cheap PSU and go for the one you suggested.

160gb should be ok, as he currently has a 120gb drive which isnt full. Could always get an ide to sata adaptor and use the old drive as a slave if needed.

[Emirzan]

Just get an ide cable with more than one connector (most I've ever seen have 2) and then use drive as the master and the other as slave on the motherboards ide connector (in saying this I'm assuming the old dvd rw drive you're using is an IDE one). I think that'll be cheaper than getting a converter. Although both are viable options.

[mediaboy]

How old is his old case?

If it's too old it won't be able to cope with the stresses of cooling a modern computer.

Anything older than about 3-4 years (I think) will just overheat components... especially as components in this day and age run hot anyway.

Can't he save up a lil more money and get a decent PSU/Case? It'll be worth it in the long run, because you won't have to be replacing all the parts which crash and burn due to dodgy PSU or overheat due to old case.

[staffsMike]

On the same Train of thought as mediaboy. Since the components aren't exactly power hungry you could get an antec combo such as this

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/130949
which has 120mm fan at the back and space for 2x 92mm fans at the front.

Or this
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/130948
Which has a 120mm at the back but only space for an 80mm at the front.

These aren't your typcial dodgy PSU/case combo's though. They come with pretty decent Antec Earthwatts PSU's

The rest of the ebuyer components look pretty good, I have the 5000+ X2 (black edition) and it's a fantastic chip overall. Very good price as well and gives good performance especially if you are not willing to overclock an intel chip

Personally wouldn't buy Maxtor drives, especially if this is for someone you like

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Buying a VX450W for such a system is overkill LOL!!

Something like a Silverpower 400W will be more than enough and is a good budget power supply:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=256346

or this Hiper 425w:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=820347

They are both under £25. I would go with the Siverpower as it is made by Tagan!

There is also a decent Coolermaster Elite case + 460w combo on Ebuyer too for £53:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135101

Have you got a copy of XP or Vista to hand also??

[mediaboy]

Are Maxtor really all that bad?

They are realtively cheap, although if you're buying them to save on about £1-3 then I'd just go up to WD/SeaGate (I was going to buy SeaGate, but staffsmike told me not to... and, of course, the fact the WD was going cheap on Today Only helped me choose..)

[staffsMike]

I've had a couple die on me a while back and the ones in the servers at my old job were terrible.. and that was supposed to be their best.. so no maxtor for me.

[SiM]

Maxtor is good now... staffsMike is living in the past... Now that they are manufactured by Seagate they are of the exact same quality as Seagate drives...

Even the model numbers looks like a seagate model number
Maxtor STM3250310AS 250GB

Seagates come with 5 year warranty too

[staffsMike]

That doesn't make them any better imo.. just means they have terrible CS standards and still built like cr@p

[SiM]

That doesn't make them any better imo.. just means they have terrible CS standards and still built like cr@p

Meh, I disagree... never used their CS, but my 4x1TB seagate haven't let me down yet

[staffsMike]

I'm only joking around. I am still a WD fan boi but only as they are the only one (bar samsung which I have never had) who havn't let me down. Hitachi are actually my second favourite on this basis

Well I say I'm joking but Seagate CS was terrible when me and my mate tried to use it. He just bought a new one in the end out of frustration. Had various faliures with them in the past, especially notebook drives, not to mention that stuff about them being sent out with a virus not too long ago

[looney]

All the new maxtor drives are rebranded seagate, so they are good, plus i still have my 5 year old maxtor wokring as new

Regrading the rig, You would be better of with Core 2 duos, but i guess the amds are good budget systems, make sure you get a good psu, none of the cheap crap, an antec basiq wouldnt bad or get the ocz 500w from ebuyer which is saorund £35.

Get these:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/114929
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/120376
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131052

or this http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135101 if u want a case and psu

and this hard drive:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131301

[360bhp]

Thanks for the posts everyone

Came up with this build..



May replace the corsair 450w psu with this one: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/124922

Seems to have good rating, what do you think?

[looney]

Thanks for the posts everyone

Came up with this build..



May replace the corsair 450w psu with this one: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/124922

Seems to have good rating, what do you think?

No! fail

arctic power = fail. Get the ones i posted, get from good branded psu.

ill spec u, give me a minute.