Looking for advice - low budget ''gaming capable'' build

[jim]

You've given away the secrets to your vast component knowledge in one fell swoop Mooseman! Quick, before anybody finds out, delete your post and claim that it's just intrinsic!

[nightkhaos]

You've given away the secrets to your vast component knowledge in one fell swoop Mooseman! Quick, before anybody finds out, delete your post and claim that it's just intrinsic!

+1

[Phage]

You've given away the secrets to your vast component knowledge in one fell swoop Mooseman! Quick, before anybody finds out, delete your post and claim that it's just intrinsic!

Vote to front page !

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Done,but only to allay all your fears!!

TBH,there are other websites which I also visit and it is how you apply your knowledge which is important too!!

[Lapis]

/facepalm

Saw your amazingly thorough reply earlier CAT, but didn't have time to bookmark. I come back and it's gone!? This is the kind of blow I may never recover from!

Seriously though, many thanks for the effort there, even if I was too slow to take any advantage of it whatsoever!

Jessi =)

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

/facepalm

Saw your amazingly thorough reply earlier CAT, but didn't have time to bookmark. I come back and it's gone!? This is the kind of blow I may never recover from!

Seriously though, many thanks for the effort there, even if I was too slow to take any advantage of it whatsoever!

Jessi =)

I will PM you!! Don't worry!!

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Also to the OP I would get hold of the cheaper HD4770 graphics cards pronto as over 100 have sold as the link was posted on HotUKDeals!!

[Lapis]

...the cheaper HD4770 graphics card

Meaning the one you linked to? Managed to secure two of the last ones, phew! Was it posted on HDUK before or after your tip? Either way, you're a superstar for pointing me in their direction.

Jessi =)

[Pob255]

Personally I've given up on hardware magazines, forums and online sites are a far better source.
Although they often to be just as biased at times

[Lapis]

Right!

Due to unforseen delays (involving a dose of swine flu, and enough tissue to clog up the local sewerage plant), I still haven't managed to order all the components that were recommended to me.

I only have the CPU and HD to go, and Mr Mooseman recommended :

AMD Athlon X2 240 2.8GHz Socket AM3 2MB Cache Retail Box Processor
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/168971

Samsung SpinPoint F3 500GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 16MB Cache - OEM
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/146252 (out of stock right now)

However, that was little while ago now, and price changes suggest that, for CPU, this would now be a wiser choice:

AMD Athlon II X2 250 Socket AM3 3.0GHz 2MB L2 Cache Retail Box Processor
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166519

So - I'd appreciate any input as to whether this looks to be a correct pick, and if this CPU will work fine with the RAM and MOBO that I have already bought (as mentioned in posts 1 and 2 of this thread). I'm thinking of going with the same HD as spec'd by CAT, as I don't see any significant price shifts there - although stock now seems to be scarce.

Any help would be very very much appreciated, and many thanks for all the luvverly helpful input you chaps have given me already. Cheers!

Jessica =)

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

If you can fit in an X2 250 it would be a good choice. I would stick with the Samsung F3 unless you can get a Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB cheaper.

[nibbler]

on an unrelated note (and sorry if this is offtopic) do you still have that link about lower bandwidths in crossfire/sli performance cat?
Cheers

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

on an unrelated note (and sorry if this is offtopic) do you still have that link about lower bandwidths in crossfire/sli performance cat?
Cheers

I assume this one:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/A...press_Scaling/

[Lapis]

I would stick with the Samsung F3 unless you can get a Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB cheaper.

Both drives appear to cost within pence of each other. Which would you say is overall the better drive (cost notwithstanding)?

Sorry if this is a daft question; I wasn't too clear as to whether you were saying the WD drive was better overall, or just possibly better value.

Jessica =)

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Both drives appear to cost within pence of each other. Which would you say is overall the better drive (cost notwithstanding)?

Sorry if this is a daft question; I wasn't too clear as to whether you were saying the WD drive was better overall, or just possibly better value.

Jessica =)

The Caviar Black 500GB is a few quid more expensive than the F3 500GB AFAIK. There are cheaper 500GB Western Digital hard drives such as the Caviar Green and Caviar Blue which are slower.

I tend to prefer Samsung hard drives TBH and they also have good performance for the price.

If you have 20 posts on Hexus you can get free postage on orders from Scan over £20 excluding VAT.

However Novatech has relatively cheap postage too and have the Samsung F3 500GB for under £40:

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...html?SAM-F3500

With two hard disks you can also get free postage too.

[circuitmonkey]

What he said!!

However the necessary adapters may come included with the graphics card so it would be prudent to check first!!

Edit!!

No adapters are included according to the Powercolor website:
http://www.powercolor.com/Global/pro...ProductID=6323

Reviews contradict each other regarding the bundle supplied:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/P...770_PCS/2.html
http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Ha...rhd4770/3.html

For the price of postage I'll ship you a couple, I've got so many cables my desk draw spares stash doesn't close anymore

PM if your interested