Budget Build

**Cybs** · 12-05-08, 08:01 PM

Or stay with AMD, get more and pay less...

ASUS M3A78 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard $80.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131340

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 $34.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231144

I know G.Skill isn't high on everyone's list of RAM makers... but this RAM is the best rated for that speed and capacity

AMD Phenom 9950 2.6GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition $174.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103291

Oh yes, this is the best AMD processor you can get right now.

Total: ~$300

**SapiensErus** · 12-05-08, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Cybs

Or stay with AMD, get more and pay less...

ASUS M3A78 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard $80.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131340

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 $34.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231144

I know G.Skill isn't high on everyone's list of RAM makers... but this RAM is the best rated for that speed and capacity

AMD Phenom 9950 2.6GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition $174.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103291

Oh yes, this is the best AMD processor you can get right now.

Total: ~$300

Except that the E8400 outperforms the Phenom 9950; particularly when gaming where more cores than 2 is not a big deal.

For power, the Core 2 rig would be the way to go. Although either would perform very nicely overall.

**Cybs** · 12-05-08, 08:31 PM

Trail, ultimately it's up to you. I believe any of the setups you or anyone else have put together will work well for you. It comes down to what you are comfortable with affording. 2 things to consider... first you just built a house (From scratch folks, he did the work), second you've already said in a year or less you'll be building a new PC. By that time tech will have really changed and there will probably be a new chipset out from the one that is about to come out there will be whole new video cards and sounds cards... etc., plus Windows 7 will be out by then. Things to keep in mind.

**Mad_Hatter** · 12-05-08, 08:41 PM

I really think you should wait for the Phenom II. AMD is releasing 2 processors supposedly on the 18th. I promise if you wait till January, and save up some more money you will be so happy with the new phenom II setup.
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquir...fore-christmas

**trailhunter** · 12-05-08, 11:25 PM

Thanks everyone, and yes I wish I could wait, but that means I would be out of game longer. I guess I could use my wifes pc but it is a dog. I am pretty sure that I am going with the intel setup this time around.

It seems like I will get better bang for my buck with intel, at least until I get some more cash in my coffee can for the bleeding edge stuff next year.

**jason_jinx** · 12-06-08, 08:17 AM

Spend a little extra and go Intel.

**Cybs** · 12-08-08, 04:41 AM

Interesting about the Phenom II... I wonder how much the motherboards will cost. Looks like I might be upgrading again. LOL

Ugh... I need to either stop upgrading or start giving away some of my older PCs.

Currently have:

Primary: Phenom 9950 nVidia 260 GTX
Secondary: AMD 6K x2 nVidia 7950 GX2
Tertiary: AMD 3800 x2 2x nVidia 7800 GTOC in SLi
Fourth: AMD 3700 (Single core) nVidia 7900 GT
Fifth: Some Gateway POS dual core

**trailhunter** · 12-08-08, 07:04 PM

Dang I ran into some luck. The internet guru that I work with happened to have an old 4200 just laying around. So, I am back in business, typing to you on it right now.

I think it's a good idea to hang out and see what AMD is going to put out for the Phenom II. It looks to be promising, but I hope they don't let us down like they did with the first Phenoms.

Not having to build right now just puts more money in my coffee can for sometime next year. Of course next year is less than a month away, at least that is what I keep telling the wife.

Thanks again guys.

**SapiensErus** · 12-08-08, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Cybs

Primary:  Phenom 9950 nVidia 260 GTX
Secondary: AMD 6K x2 nVidia 7950 GX2
Tertiary: AMD 3800 x2 2x nVidia 7800 GTOC in SLi
Fourth: AMD 3700 (Single core) nVidia 7900 GT
Fifth: Some Gateway POS dual core

...
Fourth
Fifth

can be

Quarternary
Quinary

OR

Quartic
Quintic

OR

Quartile
Quintile

plus

Senary (6)
Septenary (7)
Octonary (8)
Nonary (9)
Denary (10)
...
Duodenary (20)

I finally ditched all my old PC's (I had a frikkin' 286 in there even...) and now I have my gaming rig, my laptop and a media center/file server.  It is kinda refreshing.