Deals, Discounts, and Best PC Component Buys & Builds

FORCE3D HD4870 GDDR5 512MB - $467
FORCE3D HD4870 GDDR5 1024MB - $563
XpertVision HD4850 - $341
FORCE3D HD4830 - $260
SAPPHIRE ATI Radeon HD4830 - $266
XpertVision VGA PLT GF9800GT SUPER - $277
BFG 285 GTX OC - $966
Kingmax PC5300 1GB DDR2 - $21
Kingmax PC6400 2GB DDR2 - $46
Gigabyte S775 EP43-S3L - $192
Asrock s775 P45TurboTwins2000 - $209
Blood Iron P35-T2L - $186
Gigabyte power supply Superb 460W -$100
Gigabyte EP45-UD3P - $383
E5200 - $168

The setup is mostly comprised of Dell components, though I've noted where any non-Dell parts are located. 😉

Web browsing, movies, basic office work ~ $1167 [peripherals included]

1 x Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5200 Processor, 2.5GHz, 775 socket, 2MB cache
1 x SAMSUNG 320GB HDD, 7200rpm, 16MB cache, SATA II-300, F1, HD32
1 x CHIEFTEC 450W Power Supply, ATX2 ver 2.0, 120mm fan, Active
1 x LG GH22NS DVD Writer, DVD±RW, 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x Gigabyte EP31-DS3 Motherboard, s775, Intel P31+ICH7, FSB 1333/1066/800MHz
1 x Gigabyte GZ-X1BPD-100 Midi Tower, no PSU, black, USB, Firewire
1 x Gigabyte Radeon HD 4350 512MB DDR2, Overclocked, 64-bit
1 x Kingmax 1GB (1024MB) DDR2 PC6400, 800MHz, CL5
1 x SM2033SW 20" Wide Format Monitor, 1600x900, 300 cd/m2, 15000:1 DC
1 x Logitech RX250 Optical Black Wired Mouse, USB/PS2, 1000 dpi
1 x Logitech Deluxe 250 Keyboard, PS/2, black

$1246

Web browsing, movies, basic office work ~ $1667 [peripherals included]

1 x Gigabyte EP35-DS3 V2.1 Motherboard, s775, Intel P35+ICH9, FSB 1600 O.C./1333
1 x Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5200 Processor, 2.5GHz, 775 socket, 2MB cache
1 x Kingmax 2GB (2048MB) DDR2 PC6400, 800MHz, CL5
1 x Gigabyte Radeon HD 4670 512MB DDR3, 128-bit, DVI-I / D-sub / HDMI
1 x SAMSUNG 500GB HDD, 7200rpm, 16MB cache, SATA II-300, F1, HD32
1 x CORSAIR 400W Power Supply, CX Series CMPSU-400CXEU, 12cm fan
1 x LG GH22NS DVD Writer, DVD±RW, 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x Chieftec CG-01B-SL Case, black/silver, USB, eSATA, 440mm x 180mm x 46
1 x SM 2233BW 22" Wide Format Monitor, 1600x1050, 300 cd/m2, 20000:1 DC
1 x Logitech RX250 Optical Black Wired Mouse, USB/PS2, 1000 dpi
1 x Logitech Deluxe 250 Keyboard, PS/2, black

$1700

Web browsing, movies, basic office work ~ $2167 [peripherals included]

1 x Gigabyte EP45-DS3 Motherboard, s775, Intel P45+ICH10, FSB 1600OC
1 x Intel Core 2 Duo E5200 Processor, 2.5GHz, 775 socket, 3MB cache
2 x Kingmax 2GB (2048MB) DDR2 PC6400, 800MHz, CL5
1 x GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB, TV-out, Dual DVI (Best Buy)
1 x SAMSUNG 500GB HDD, 7200rpm, 16MB cache, SATA II-300, F1, HD50
1 x CORSAIR 400W Power Supply, CX Series CMPSU-400CXEU, 12cm fan
1 x LG GH22NS DVD Writer, DVD±RW, 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x Chieftec CG-01B-SL Case, black/silver, USB, eSATA, 440mm x 180mm x 46
1 x Logitech MX 400 Laser Mouse, scroll, zoom, USB/PS2
1 x Logitech Wave Corded Keyboard
1 x Dell 2209wa 22" Wide Format Monitor, 1600x1050, 300 cd/m2, e-IPS, 16:10 (Micro Center)

$2230

Most of these builds are from my own collection, though I've included some third-party parts; I'll note the origin where applicable. 😉

Gaming Rig ~ $1167

Intel (LGA 775)

1 x Gigabyte EP35-DS3 V2.1, lga 775, intel P35+ICH9, FSB 1600 O.C./1333
1 x Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5200 Processor, 2.5GHz, socket 775, 2Mb cache
2 x Kingmax 2GB (2048Mb) DDR2 PC6400, 800MHz, CL5
1 x Gigabyte Radeon HD 4670 512MB DDR3, 128bit, DVI-I / D-sub / HDMI
1 x SAMSUNG 320GB HDD, 7200rpm, 16MB cache, SATA II-300, F1, HD32
1 x CORSAIR 400W Power Supply, CX Series CMPSU-400CXEU, 12cm fan
1 x LG GH22NS DVD Writer, DVD±RW, 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x Chieftec CG-01B-B Case, black, USB, eSATA, 440mm x 180mm x 460mm

$1128

AMD

1 x ASUS M3A78 Motherboard, AM2, AM2+, AMD 770, SB700, 5200 MHz Bus, DDR2
2 x Kingmax 2GB (2048Mb) DDR2 PC6400, 800MHz, CL5
1 x Gigabyte Radeon HD 4670 512MB DDR3, 128bit, DVI-I / D-sub / HDMI
1 x SAMSUNG 320GB HDD, 7200rpm, 16MB cache, SATA II-300, F1, HD32
1 x CORSAIR 400W Power Supply, CX Series CMPSU-400CXEU, 12cm fan
1 x LG GH22NS DVD Writer, DVD±RW, 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x Chieftec CG-01B-B Case, black, USB, eSATA, 440mm x 180mm x 460mm
1 x AMD Phenom II X3 710 Processor, AM3 socket, BOX, 7.5Mb cache

$1216

Gaming Rig ~ $1667

Intel (LGA 775)

1 x Gigabyte EP45-DS3, lga 775, intel P45+ICH10, FSB 1600OC
1 x Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Processor, 3GHz, socket 775, 6Mb cache
2 x Kingmax 2GB (2048Mb) DDR2 PC6400, 800MHz, CL5
1 x Zalman Gigabyte Radeon HD 4850 512MB DDR3, 256bit, DVI-I
1 x SAMSUNG 500GB HDD, 7200rpm, 16MB cache, SATA II-300, F1, HD50
1 x LG GH22NS DVD Writer, DVD±RW, 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x Chieftec CG-01B-B Case, black, USB, eSATA, 440mm x 180mm x 460mm
1 x CORSAIR 400W Power Supply, CX Series, 12cm fan, ATX2

$1681

AMD

1 x AMD Phenom II X4 920 Processor, AM2+ socket, BOX, 8Mb cache
1 x ASUS M3A78 Motherboard, AM2, AM2+, AMD 770, SB700, 5200 MHz Bus, DDR2
2 x Kingmax 2GB (2048Mb) DDR2 PC6400, 800MHz, CL5
1 x Zalman Gigabyte Radeon HD 4850 512MB DDR3, 256bit, DVI-I
1 x SAMSUNG 500GB HDD, 7200rpm, 16MB cache, SATA II-300, F1, HD50
1 x CORSAIR 400W Power Supply, CX Series, 12cm fan, ATX2
1 x LG GH22NS DVD Writer, DVD±RW, 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x Chieftec CG-01B-B Case, black, USB, eSATA, 440mm x 180mm x 460mm

$1680

Gaming Rig ~ $2000

Intel (LGA 775)

1 x Gigabyte EP45-DS3, lga 775, intel P45+ICH10, FSB 1600OC
1 x Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Processor, 3.16GHz, socket 775, 6Mb cache
2 x Kingmax 2GB (2048Mb) DDR2 PC6400, 800MHz, CL5
1 x Sapphire HD 4870, 512Mb GDDR5, 256bit, upgraded BIOS! Includes heat pipe!
1 x SAMSUNG SpinPoint F1 750GB HDD, 7200rpm, 32MB cache, SATA II
1 x LG GH22NS DVD Writer, DVD±RW, 22x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x CORSAIR 400W Power Supply, CX Series, 12cm fan, ATX2
1 x Coolermaster CM 690 Case, black, 213x482x524.5mm (W/H/D), with I/O panel

$1944

AMD

1 x AMD Phenom II X4 940 Black Edition Processor, AM2+ socket, BOX
1 x ASUS M3A78 Motherboard, AM2, AM2+, AMD 770, SB700, 5200 MHz Bus, DDR2
2 x Kingmax 2GB (2048Mb) DDR2 PC6400, 800MHz, CL5
1 x Sapphire HD 4870, 512Mb GDDR5, 256bit, upgraded BIOS! Includes heat pipe!
1 x SAMSUNG SpinPoint F1 750GB HDD, 7200rpm, 32MB cache, SATA II
1 x CORSAIR 400W Power Supply, CX Series CMPSU-450VXEU, 12cm fan, ATX2
1 x LG GH22NS DVD Writer, DVD±RW, 40x CD-R
1 x Coolermaster CM 690 Case, black, 213x482x524.5mm (W/H/D), with I/O panel

$1976

What Hardware Should I Buy? - April 2009

This is basically a comprehensive guide for putting together a custom PC build, all thanks to the wonderful folks over at Bit-Tech... 🙂

• Graphics Cards

XFX 260 GTX (216sp) - $471.
Gainward 250GTS - $328.
XFX 9600 GSO - $160

• LCD Monitors

LCD DELL 2209WA - $747. This one features an E-IPS panel, which offers those fantastic viewing angles that really make a difference for more demanding users...
ViewSonic VX2433wm - $570. Honestly, I haven't spent much time with this specific model, but hey, a 24-inch screen is still a 24-inch screen, right? 😁
Samsung 23" 2333SW - $513. It should be a pretty solid choice, quite large and visually appealing, though perhaps not intended for the absolute power users out there...

• Power Supplies

Silverstone Strider ST40F - $124
Gigabyte Superb 460 - $97. Internally, it's actually quite similar to the Silverstone unit mentioned above, though it lacks that same sleek aesthetic...
HIPER M1000 - $400. If anyone happens to be searching for something with that level of raw power, this isn't a bad way to go... it uses a Sirtec OEM which is quite reliable, plus the efficiency is high, it runs quiet, and you get a massive amount of cabling included... 🙂

E5200 — honestly, this processor is such a gem if you’re looking for massive overclocking potential, I mean, hitting 4GHz feels almost effortless... and since the FSB is on the lower side, you don't even need to drop a fortune on a high-end motherboard to get those speeds...
E6300 — now, even though it shares a name with some of those older chips, this is actually a fresh addition to the Intel lineup, officially branded as a Pentium, running at 2.8GHz with a 1066MHz bus—which translates to a 266MHz FSB—and with that 10.5X multiplier, pushing the clock speeds on this one is just incredibly straightforward...
XFX GTX260_216 — truly an outstanding card, I’d definitely recommend picking one up if you can...
HD4850 x2 — this setup is really geared toward the hardcore enthusiasts and anyone who lives for synthetic benchmarks, though you should keep in mind the cooler can be a bit noisy, and you’ll definitely want a beefy, high-quality power supply because that thing pulls about 230W under full load, although it stays pretty reasonable at around 60W when you're just doing 2D tasks...
Asrock P45 — a perfectly reliable motherboard for any Intel dual-core processor, it's just a solid, budget-friendly choice that gets the job done...

I’ve stumbled upon two absolutely fantastic LCD monitors currently sitting at some seriously impressive price points, so if you happen to be weighing your options for a new screen upgrade... 😁

The Lenovo L220X is $890. Honestly, it’s such a stellar little display, even when you're dealing with those particularly demanding power users who need every bit of clarity they can get
.
Then there's the DELL 2209WA - $680.

CPU Intel Core i3 $138 Links
Motherboard ASUS Motherboard $157 TechRadar
RAM 2GB DDR2 G.Skill $100 Links
Hard Drive Seagate Barracuda 320GB 16MB $101 TechRadar
GPU integrate HD4200
Optical Drive Dell DVD Writer $50 TechRadar
PSU Included 400W PSU
Case Delight 198 $66 Protis
TOTAL: $611
Built for web browsing, media playback, and basic office work.

CPU Intel Core i3 $138 Links
Motherboard ASUS Motherboard $157 TechRadar
RAM 2GB DDR2 G.Skill $100 Links
Hard Drive Seagate Barracuda 320GB 16MB $101 TechRadar
GPU Sapphire Graphics Card 512MB DDR3 $144 Walmart
Optical Drive Dell DVD Writer $50 TechRadar
PSU EVGA Power Supply 400W $85 Protis
Case Gigabyte Case $67 Best Buy
TOTAL: $841
Designed to run most modern games on a 19" monitor at decent settings.

CPU Intel Core i3 $138 Links
Motherboard ASUS Motherboard $157 TechRadar
RAM 2 x 2GB DDR2 G.Skill $200 Links
Hard Drive Seagate Barracuda 320GB 16MB $101 TechRadar
GPU PowerColor Graphics Card 512MB $237 Best Buy
Optical Drive Dell DVD Writer $50 TechRadar
PSU EVGA Power Supply 400W $85 Protis
Case Gigabyte Case $67 Best Buy
TOTAL: $1033
A setup capable of handling today's major titles without much trouble.

....

Let’s breathe some life back into this thread—and I don't just mean dumping more build lists. If you happen to stumble upon a killer deal on some hardware, feel free to drop the link right here. That should be our first priority: a daily update of actual sales. Honestly, I don't think we need to be constantly churning out new builds unless there’s a major shift in the landscape—you know, when a new generation of motherboards, CPUs, or GPUs actually hits the shelves.

We can break the builds down into four main categories: first, a basic "home office" setup for browsing, multimedia, and general work, and then three tiers of gaming rigs—budget, mid-range, and high-end. Though, let's be real, there’s no need to go overboard with the extreme enthusiast stuff for the high-end tier. The whole point is finding the absolute best bang for your buck so, don't feel obligated to grab everything from the same retailer. In fact, you shouldn't. The goal is simple: get the most performance possible for the least amount of cash.

I’m also dropping a link to a site packed with articles, benchmarks, reviews, and buyer's guides covering all sorts of hardware—especially peripherals. It’s a goldmine of useful info: http://www.digitalversus.com/all-products.html

One rule, though: please don't post any questions in here.

Sapphire Graphics Card below $0.53:

http://www.gor-info.com/shop/kompone...5-hdmi-2-x-mdp

HD 6750 graphics card for about $200:

MSI Graphics Card, Cyclone, 1GB, DVI, HDMI, OC, Shield $346

http://www.bestbuy.com/products/detail...oc-shiel/41417

http://www.bestbuy.com/products/detail...fsp400/40183

An EVGA Power Supply at $70.

http://forum.pcekspert.com/showthrea...152263&page=87

The guy opened it up to check.

Found a solid SSD on sale—if you're looking to upgrade, here's a little something for your consideration. 🙂
http://www.bestbuy.com/products/detail...5sat360g/46694

This might be the wrong sub, but maybe someone here can shed some light on this.

I've been hunting for a solid, reliable mATX board for Sandy Bridge and stumbled upon this:

http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?tp=0&q=gene-z

The prices at these first five retailers are suspiciously low. What gives?

I’ve heard nothing but bad things about Best Buy—apparently, they don't even stock what's listed online—but I see it's also available at Protis 715 KN. $238?

The only thing these shops have in common is that the board is actually out of stock. Meanwhile, over at AMD, it's listed for $482.

Is it actually possible that these boards will drop to such low prices once they're back in stock at those stores?

Some people are saying ASUS dropped the price, others think the distributor just messed up... either way, that new price should be the right one, I guess. A few folks managed to snag it at that rate.

Are you talking about this lower one?

Brenda Wells19 said:Are you talking about this lower one?

A new batch just arrived and prices have been adjusted. Looks like MS messed up somewhere for the first time. Too bad 😁

http://www.lociraj-popust.com/defaul...d=-1&distance=

Those Phoenix computers are such a joke...

They're out here advertising a single-core Celeron like it's actually good for gaming.