[dukejp2010]

EDIT: Completely updated, skip to the next post!

I am going to build two identical $500 gaming computers (mainly for Starcraft II). I do not need windows, monitors or keyboards/mice. I am pretty sure I want to base it off the AMD Athlon II X3 because benchmarks on games usually max out at 3 cores (especially Starcraft II). This CPU is the best value CPU with 3 cores according to several sources. The rest of the components I am not too sure about. All of these prices are from newegg. I hope to be buying during the next week. I'm afraid I have missed some awesome combo deals, and also I may have included some not optimal components, or low quality ones. Please look over the list and provide some feedback! Please also check for compatibility!


Components:

CPU: AMD Athlon II X3 445 Rana 3.1GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor ADX445WFGMBOX $80.99

Optical: LITE-ON DVD Writer - Bulk - Black SATA Model iHAS224-06 LightScribe Support $19.99

Case: Rosewill CHALLENGER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case ,comes with Three Fans-1x Front Blue LED 120mm Fan, 1x Top 140mm Fan, 1x Rear 120mm Fan, option Fans-2x Side 120mm Fan $54.99 -$10.00 Instant $44.99

HDD: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F4 HD322GJ/U 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $42.99

Motherboard: ASRock M3A770DE AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard $59.99

Video Card: PowerColor AX5750 1GBD5-H Radeon HD 5750 1GB 128-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card $134.99 -$10.00 Instant $124.99 - $20.00 Mail-in Rebate = $104.99

Power Supply: SILVERSTONE ST50F-ES 500W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply $59.99

Memory: OCZ Gold 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV4GK $117.99 -$20.00 Instant $97.99 - $30.00 Mail-in = $67.99

Subtotal: $531.92
Shipping: $23.44
Grand Total: $555.36
MIR: $50
Final total after MIR: 505.36

Thank you for your help!

Edited by dukejp2010, 23 August 2010 - 08:28 PM.

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I have updated it quite a bit! Here are the new specs:

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Playing Starcraft 2 mostly.
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
Around $500 with tax and shipping included.
3) Where do you live?
Texas
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
Stuff inside of the case, including the case: CPU, optical dive, ram, case, motherboard, PSU, HDD, and graphics card
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Only external parts such as mouse, keyboard, monitor, speakers will be reused.
6) Will you be overclocking?
Not a primary goal, but will probably experiment with it once it is built.
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
Either a 20.5" 4:3 diagonal monitor (at 1600x1200 or greater, unsure) or a 31.5" HDTV (only at a little over 720p as max resolution)
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Buying this week, building next week.
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
No features are necessary other than compatibility. RAID, Firewire, SLI/Crossfire are all unneeded.
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?
I have windows 7 64-bit (two) already.


I am going to build two identical $500 gaming computers (mainly for Starcraft II). I do not need windows, monitors or keyboards/mice. I am pretty sure I want to base it off the AMD Athlon II X3 because benchmarks on games usually max out at 3 cores, especially Starcraft II (source: http://www.bit-tech.....rcraft-2-use/2 ). This CPU is the best value CPU with 3 cores according to several sources. All of these prices are from newegg. I hope to be buying during the next week. I'm afraid I have included some not optimal components, or low quality ones. Please look over the list and provide some feedback! Please also check for compatibility! Thank you!


Components:

Optical: LITE-ON CD/DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04 $17.99

Motherboard/Case combo:
ASUS M4A785TD-M EVO AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
$99.94
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-4GBNT $80.99

Video card/CPU combo:
SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100283VX-2L Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card w/ Eyefinity
AMD Athlon II X3 445 Rana 3.1GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor ADX445WFGMBOX
$218.98
$15.00 Mail-in Rebate Card

PSU/HDD combo:
OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ550FTY 550W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V SLI Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
$99.98
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card

Subtotal: $517.88
Shipping: $7.82
Grand Total: $525.70
MIR: $45.00
Total after MIR: $480.70

One quick question: I am a little nervous about the motherboard. Will the on-board integrated GPU it has mess with the Raedon 5770? And what is up with micro ATX?

Other than that, any more advice??

Thank you for your help!

Edited by dukejp2010, 23 August 2010 - 08:51 PM.

[dukejp2010]

I have updated it quite a bit! Here are the new specs:

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Playing Starcraft 2 mostly.
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
Around $500 with tax and shipping included.
3) Where do you live?
Texas
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
Stuff inside of the case, including the case: CPU, optical dive, ram, case, motherboard, PSU, HDD, and graphics card
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
Only external parts such as mouse, keyboard, monitor, speakers will be reused.
6) Will you be overclocking?
Not a primary goal, but will probably experiment with it once it is built.
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
Either a 20.5" 4:3 diagonal monitor (at 1600x1200 or greater, unsure) or a 31.5" HDTV (only at a little over 720p as max resolution)
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Buying this week, building next week.
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
No features are necessary other than compatibility. RAID, Firewire, SLI/Crossfire are all unneeded.
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?
I have windows 7 64-bit (two) already.


I am going to build two identical $500 gaming computers (mainly for Starcraft II). I do not need windows, monitors or keyboards/mice. I am pretty sure I want to base it off the AMD Athlon II X3 because benchmarks on games usually max out at 3 cores, especially Starcraft II (source: http://www.bit-tech.....rcraft-2-use/2 ). This CPU is the best value CPU with 3 cores according to several sources. All of these prices are from newegg. I hope to be buying during the next week. I'm afraid I have included some not optimal components, or low quality ones. Please look over the list and provide some feedback! Please also check for compatibility! Thank you!


Components:

Optical: LITE-ON CD/DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04 $17.99

Motherboard/Case combo:
ASUS M4A785TD-M EVO AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
$99.94
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-4GBNT $80.99

Video card/CPU combo:
SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100283VX-2L Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card w/ Eyefinity
AMD Athlon II X3 445 Rana 3.1GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor ADX445WFGMBOX
$218.98
$15.00 Mail-in Rebate Card

PSU/HDD combo:
OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ550FTY 550W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V SLI Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
$99.98
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card

Subtotal: $517.88
Shipping: $7.82
Grand Total: $525.70
MIR: $45.00
Total after MIR: $480.70

One quick question: I am a little nervous about the motherboard. Will the on-board integrated GPU it has mess with the Raedon 5770? And what is up with micro ATX?

Other than that, any more advice??

Thank you for your help!

Edited by dukejp2010, 23 August 2010 - 08:51 PM.

[dukejp2010]

I have updated the build based on advice from other forums. I've pretty much gone with their suggestions with a small change here and there (went for an ATX mobo with Athlon II X4 635, is it worth it?, and a different optical). Please give it a look.

CPU+Mobo combo:
AMD Athlon II X4 635 2.9GHz Boxed Processor
MSI 785G-E53 AM3 785G ATX Motherboard
$139.62 - $20MIR = 119.62 in store pickup

Optical:
Sony Optiarc CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model AD-7260S-0B
$18.99

HDD:
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
$54.99

GPU:
SAPPHIRE 100283-3L Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
$15.00 Mail-in Rebate Card14-102-873
$144.99

RAM:
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-4GBNT
$80.99

Case+Psu combo
Antec NEO ECO 520C 520W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate
$99.94

Newegg Total: $410.63
Newegg MIR: $25
Microcenter total: $139.62
Microcenter MIR $20
Total before MIR: 550.25
Total MIR: $45
Total: $505.25

If anyone is reading this, please comment!