Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Cornwall/Weston-Super-Mare
    Posts
    5,337
    Thanks
    438
    Thanked
    308 times in 261 posts
    • Behemoth's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte mATX
      • CPU:
      • Phenom 2 X2 555 BE
      • Memory:
      • 8 Gig DDR3 Corsair XMS 3 1600 MHz
      • Storage:
      • 4 TB's Storage
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Gigabyte GTX 460 OC2
      • PSU:
      • OCZ StealthStream 2 600 Watt
      • Case:
      • Silverstone TJ08-E
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64 Bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • HP x23LED
      • Internet:
      • BT Broadband

    Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    I am so out of touch it really is scary, a friend of mine has asked me to spec him a gaming PC for about £500 and then he buys all the bits and I build it for him. He says he'll need Windows so Vista 64 bit and 4 gigs of ram.

    He says he wants to play games like Farcry 2, I'm doubtful that £500 will do it but well, surprise me. If it helps sure he won't mind it being AMD instead of Intel to keep the price down.

  2. #2
    Folding Flunkie Webby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    2,323
    Thanks
    12
    Thanked
    245 times in 229 posts
    • Webby's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte G33M-DS2R, Swiftech MCW30 Northbridge Cooler
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 @ 3.5GHz, Cooling D-Tek Fuzion V2
      • Memory:
      • 2GB OCZ Flex DDR2 PC2-9200 5-5-5-15 @ 1000MHz 4-4-4-12
      • Storage:
      • 2x 250GB WD SataII
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire HD4870 512MB, Cooling Swiftech MCW60
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520w
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Tremjin TJ06 - Modded for Water Cooling Goodness
      • Operating System:
      • Windows XP Pro SP3
      • Monitor(s):
      • 22" Widescreen Cibox C2201 (with DVI input)
      • Internet:
      • 8Mb/s ADSL

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    Do we need a monitor keyboard etc or is the £500 for just the base unit? Makes a big difference to available budget I'm sure you agree.

  3. Received thanks from:

    Behemoth (27-11-2008)

  4. #3
    SiM
    SiM is offline
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    London
    Posts
    7,787
    Thanks
    299
    Thanked
    630 times in 419 posts
    • SiM's system
      • Motherboard:
      • P5K Premium
      • CPU:
      • Q6600
      • Memory:
      • 8GB PC2-6400 OCZ ReaperX + Platinum
      • Storage:
      • 3 x 320gb HD322HJ single platter in Raid 0
      • Graphics card(s):
      • PNY GTX285
      • PSU:
      • Corsair TX650W
      • Case:
      • Antec 1200
      • Monitor(s):
      • 2407-HC

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    If he doesn't mind overclocking c2d is better:
    E7300 cpu £80, 4gb ram £40, dark raider mobo £65, 4850 £120, Antec sonata (includes psu) £80, xigmatech heatsink £20, any dvdrw £15, Vista HP x64 £60. Total is £480 That should do it. Prices are from my memory, scan/ebuyer but are roughly accurate

  5. Received thanks from:

    Behemoth (27-11-2008)

  6. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Cornwall/Weston-Super-Mare
    Posts
    5,337
    Thanks
    438
    Thanked
    308 times in 261 posts
    • Behemoth's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte mATX
      • CPU:
      • Phenom 2 X2 555 BE
      • Memory:
      • 8 Gig DDR3 Corsair XMS 3 1600 MHz
      • Storage:
      • 4 TB's Storage
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Gigabyte GTX 460 OC2
      • PSU:
      • OCZ StealthStream 2 600 Watt
      • Case:
      • Silverstone TJ08-E
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64 Bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • HP x23LED
      • Internet:
      • BT Broadband

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    We'll say for now no peripherals are needed, just the tower, decent sized HDD too would help, that I'd say go for a Western Digital AAKS Drive

  7. #5
    Folding Flunkie Webby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    2,323
    Thanks
    12
    Thanked
    245 times in 229 posts
    • Webby's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte G33M-DS2R, Swiftech MCW30 Northbridge Cooler
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 @ 3.5GHz, Cooling D-Tek Fuzion V2
      • Memory:
      • 2GB OCZ Flex DDR2 PC2-9200 5-5-5-15 @ 1000MHz 4-4-4-12
      • Storage:
      • 2x 250GB WD SataII
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire HD4870 512MB, Cooling Swiftech MCW60
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520w
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Tremjin TJ06 - Modded for Water Cooling Goodness
      • Operating System:
      • Windows XP Pro SP3
      • Monitor(s):
      • 22" Widescreen Cibox C2201 (with DVI input)
      • Internet:
      • 8Mb/s ADSL

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    SIm the E7300 is £90 on eBuyer and £100 on Scan, and you kinda forgot a hard drive

  8. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Cornwall/Weston-Super-Mare
    Posts
    5,337
    Thanks
    438
    Thanked
    308 times in 261 posts
    • Behemoth's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte mATX
      • CPU:
      • Phenom 2 X2 555 BE
      • Memory:
      • 8 Gig DDR3 Corsair XMS 3 1600 MHz
      • Storage:
      • 4 TB's Storage
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Gigabyte GTX 460 OC2
      • PSU:
      • OCZ StealthStream 2 600 Watt
      • Case:
      • Silverstone TJ08-E
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64 Bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • HP x23LED
      • Internet:
      • BT Broadband

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    If he had a bigger budget, I'd try and sell him my PC for £650 lol

  9. #7
    Folding Flunkie Webby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    2,323
    Thanks
    12
    Thanked
    245 times in 229 posts
    • Webby's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte G33M-DS2R, Swiftech MCW30 Northbridge Cooler
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 @ 3.5GHz, Cooling D-Tek Fuzion V2
      • Memory:
      • 2GB OCZ Flex DDR2 PC2-9200 5-5-5-15 @ 1000MHz 4-4-4-12
      • Storage:
      • 2x 250GB WD SataII
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire HD4870 512MB, Cooling Swiftech MCW60
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520w
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Tremjin TJ06 - Modded for Water Cooling Goodness
      • Operating System:
      • Windows XP Pro SP3
      • Monitor(s):
      • 22" Widescreen Cibox C2201 (with DVI input)
      • Internet:
      • 8Mb/s ADSL

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    Well for an Intel system I would be looking at,

    E5200 - £63 (Scan)
    Abit Dark Raider - £65 or Biostar P45 - £73 (Scan)
    4GB Corsair 6400 - £39 (Ebuyer)
    640GB Samsung F1 - £45 (Scan)
    Optical Drive - £15 (Scan)
    Antec Sonata 3 - £80 or Antec 300 + Corsair VX450 or Enermax Pro82+ - £89 (Ebuyer for Sonata and 300, Scan for PSUs)
    4850 Powercolor PCS+ - £132 (EBuyer)
    Xigmatek S693 - £16 (Scan)
    Vista 64 HP - £93 (Scan)

    Total - £508 (or with the Biostar board and separate case and PSU £525)

    You could save a bit by getting a smaller Hard drive or a not as expensive graphics card £115 will get you a stock cooled 4850 but the Powercolor is quieter and faster (a bit at least).
    Last edited by Webby; 24-11-2008 at 11:24 PM. Reason: Added where I found the best price from either Scan or ebuyer

  10. Received thanks from:

    Behemoth (27-11-2008)

  11. #8
    A shadowy flight. MSIC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    London/Herts
    Posts
    3,413
    Thanks
    394
    Thanked
    229 times in 168 posts
    • MSIC's system
      • Motherboard:
      • ASRock H170M-ITX
      • CPU:
      • Core i5 6500
      • Memory:
      • 2 x 4GB Corsair Veng DDR4 2666
      • Storage:
      • 240GB SSD (boot) +1TB Samsung F3
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ASUS GeForce 750Ti
      • PSU:
      • Silverstone 450W ST455F
      • Case:
      • Silverstone SG06-450
      • Operating System:
      • Win10
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2309W
      • Internet:
      • PlusNet FiberTTC

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    Case: Antec NSK4000 £30
    PSU: Corsair 450W £48
    Motherboard: Gigabyte P31 Express £45
    Memory: Corsair TwinX 2 x 2GB £40
    Hard Drive: Western Dig 640GB AAKS £50
    DVD Writer: Samsung SATA £15
    Sub total = £230
    Vista 64Bit OEM is £68

    This leaves £200 for a CPU and a graphics card.
    Graphics: ASUS 4850 £115
    CPU: E7300 £98

    Total = £510.

    Webby's suggestions are also good, although i'm a little dubious about spending extra on an overclocked graphics card when you can do it yourself (and we're talking about a few % difference in games, not 20%).
    I'm commenting on an internet forum. Your facts hold no sway over me.
    - Another poster, from another forum.

    System as shown, plus: Microsoft Wireless mobile 4000 mouse and Logitech Illuminated keyboard.
    Sennheiser RS160 wireless headphones. Creative Gigaworks T40 SII. My wife.
    My Hexus Trust

  12. Received thanks from:

    Behemoth (27-11-2008)

  13. #9
    Folding Flunkie Webby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    2,323
    Thanks
    12
    Thanked
    245 times in 229 posts
    • Webby's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte G33M-DS2R, Swiftech MCW30 Northbridge Cooler
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 @ 3.5GHz, Cooling D-Tek Fuzion V2
      • Memory:
      • 2GB OCZ Flex DDR2 PC2-9200 5-5-5-15 @ 1000MHz 4-4-4-12
      • Storage:
      • 2x 250GB WD SataII
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire HD4870 512MB, Cooling Swiftech MCW60
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520w
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Tremjin TJ06 - Modded for Water Cooling Goodness
      • Operating System:
      • Windows XP Pro SP3
      • Monitor(s):
      • 22" Widescreen Cibox C2201 (with DVI input)
      • Internet:
      • 8Mb/s ADSL

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    Quote Originally Posted by MSIC View Post
    Case: Antec NSK4000 £30
    PSU: Corsair 450W £48
    Motherboard: Gigabyte P31 Express £45
    Memory: Corsair TwinX 2 x 2GB £40
    Hard Drive: Western Dig 640GB AAKS £50
    DVD Writer: Samsung SATA £15
    Sub total = £230
    Vista 64Bit OEM is £68

    This leaves £200 for a CPU and a graphics card.
    Graphics: ASUS 4850 £115
    CPU: E7300 £98

    Total = £510.

    Webby's suggestions are also good, although i'm a little dubious about spending extra on an overclocked graphics card when you can do it yourself (and we're talking about a few % difference in games, not 20%).
    I picked the card more for the cooler than the overclocking while the 4850 stock coolers are not loud they are notoriuous for keeping the chip toasty and if you turn them up they get a bit too much noise, the Powercolor will keep it cooler and quieter which in my opinion is worth the extra £15 if the money is available to spend.

    Oh and the £70 vista is Basic I would be wanting Home Premium (can't remember what the differences are but remember HP being worth the extra or more to the point thinking that basic was crippled)

  14. #10
    A shadowy flight. MSIC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    London/Herts
    Posts
    3,413
    Thanks
    394
    Thanked
    229 times in 168 posts
    • MSIC's system
      • Motherboard:
      • ASRock H170M-ITX
      • CPU:
      • Core i5 6500
      • Memory:
      • 2 x 4GB Corsair Veng DDR4 2666
      • Storage:
      • 240GB SSD (boot) +1TB Samsung F3
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ASUS GeForce 750Ti
      • PSU:
      • Silverstone 450W ST455F
      • Case:
      • Silverstone SG06-450
      • Operating System:
      • Win10
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2309W
      • Internet:
      • PlusNet FiberTTC

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...s/default.aspx
    For a gaming rig, Vista basic is fine. You get DX10, which i assume is the purpose of not going with XP. After about 5 mins of cooing over Aero, you just turn it off anyway.
    The only thing that would tempt me to spend the extra is Windows Media Center, although the OP doesnt mention that requirement.

    As for graphics, the ASUS one is linked isn't a stock cooler, i agree about the stock ones.
    I like the idea of the Xigmatek HSF for the CPU though.
    I'm commenting on an internet forum. Your facts hold no sway over me.
    - Another poster, from another forum.

    System as shown, plus: Microsoft Wireless mobile 4000 mouse and Logitech Illuminated keyboard.
    Sennheiser RS160 wireless headphones. Creative Gigaworks T40 SII. My wife.
    My Hexus Trust

  15. #11
    Folding Flunkie Webby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Wiltshire
    Posts
    2,323
    Thanks
    12
    Thanked
    245 times in 229 posts
    • Webby's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte G33M-DS2R, Swiftech MCW30 Northbridge Cooler
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 @ 3.5GHz, Cooling D-Tek Fuzion V2
      • Memory:
      • 2GB OCZ Flex DDR2 PC2-9200 5-5-5-15 @ 1000MHz 4-4-4-12
      • Storage:
      • 2x 250GB WD SataII
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire HD4870 512MB, Cooling Swiftech MCW60
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520w
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Tremjin TJ06 - Modded for Water Cooling Goodness
      • Operating System:
      • Windows XP Pro SP3
      • Monitor(s):
      • 22" Widescreen Cibox C2201 (with DVI input)
      • Internet:
      • 8Mb/s ADSL

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    Oh I was going with items that are in stock! Who knows what price they will be when they come back into stock.

    Hmmm think it was probably media stuff that put me off basic (not that I run Vista anyway)

  16. #12
    SiM
    SiM is offline
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    London
    Posts
    7,787
    Thanks
    299
    Thanked
    630 times in 419 posts
    • SiM's system
      • Motherboard:
      • P5K Premium
      • CPU:
      • Q6600
      • Memory:
      • 8GB PC2-6400 OCZ ReaperX + Platinum
      • Storage:
      • 3 x 320gb HD322HJ single platter in Raid 0
      • Graphics card(s):
      • PNY GTX285
      • PSU:
      • Corsair TX650W
      • Case:
      • Antec 1200
      • Monitor(s):
      • 2407-HC

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    I always forget hard drives lol, I always assume there are plenty spare lying around for everyone... perhaps because I have a spare 4x1.5TB + a 1TB

  17. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Cornwall/Weston-Super-Mare
    Posts
    5,337
    Thanks
    438
    Thanked
    308 times in 261 posts
    • Behemoth's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte mATX
      • CPU:
      • Phenom 2 X2 555 BE
      • Memory:
      • 8 Gig DDR3 Corsair XMS 3 1600 MHz
      • Storage:
      • 4 TB's Storage
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Gigabyte GTX 460 OC2
      • PSU:
      • OCZ StealthStream 2 600 Watt
      • Case:
      • Silverstone TJ08-E
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64 Bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • HP x23LED
      • Internet:
      • BT Broadband

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    Well to be honest with you Vista HP 64, runs fine for me

  18. #14
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Cornwall/Weston-Super-Mare
    Posts
    5,337
    Thanks
    438
    Thanked
    308 times in 261 posts
    • Behemoth's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte mATX
      • CPU:
      • Phenom 2 X2 555 BE
      • Memory:
      • 8 Gig DDR3 Corsair XMS 3 1600 MHz
      • Storage:
      • 4 TB's Storage
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Gigabyte GTX 460 OC2
      • PSU:
      • OCZ StealthStream 2 600 Watt
      • Case:
      • Silverstone TJ08-E
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64 Bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • HP x23LED
      • Internet:
      • BT Broadband

    Re: Spec my friend a gaming PC - £500 budget

    Thanks guys, he's now looking it over, just hope he buys it all in one go rather than buying it in stages like he's planning to. He'll get shafted on the postage.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. £500 complete computer spec?
    By jonathan1986 in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 10-11-2008, 09:14 AM
  2. Building A Gaming Rig - A Living Document. (A HEXUS Project)
    By Stewart in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 188
    Last Post: 06-09-2008, 04:19 PM
  3. Please help spec up a computer for £500
    By timtim86 in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 39
    Last Post: 14-02-2008, 04:33 PM
  4. Haven't been keeping up, £500 for a gaming Pc? Spec?
    By johnnr892 in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 05-11-2006, 04:51 PM
  5. Spec me a system for a friend....
    By Snow-Munki in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 29-09-2004, 07:52 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •