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08-24-2010, 12:41 PM
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#1 |
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Member (5 bit)
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Fredericksburg, VA, United States
Posts: 28
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Suggestions for an 800 dollar build?
I had planned to save up money and build something that was about 1500, but plans have changed.
A family member told me that if I could find everything I need for less than 800 dollars, he would buy everything for me this weekend. While I'd like to go with the build I had already planned on later down the line, I'm will to let him pay for the first 800 so I can just upgrade later! So! I was wondering if anybody could suggest to me what brands (or specific parts) to check out and use for a less expensive, but adequate, gaming build. I think the most I'll be playing is the Sims 3, Borderlands, Left 4 Dead (and L4D2) if that helps with anything. I also do a good bit of multitasking and keep photoshop open anytime I am on the computer. I'm sorry I don't have a starting place with some components already picked out, but I have a class starting in about twenty five minutes and that's not enough time for me to look around! I'm also still unsure of the cheapest video card, etc. that I can use without the build being useless for gaming (to be honest, I still don't know much about building computers. Web development is my forte). |
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08-24-2010, 03:49 PM
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#2 |
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Mondsreitersmann
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Skingrad
Posts: 8,781
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You're gonna be hard pressed to build a decent machine with that budget. Even if you were paying dealer's prices you won't be able to build a machine that will suit your needs with 800 dollars.
My advice is to wait. See if your relative can just give you the money and then you can put more money later on and build your machine in a month or two when you have the initial budget you aimed for. I am also a gamer and photographer, and I moonlight as designer. If you are going to be using PS (or any Adobe product other than Acrobat Reader for that matter), especially the latest version, you'll definitely benefit from a decent video card -which won't be cheap-, at least 4 GB or RAM, and a fast and large hard drive. The "upgrade later" is not always possible, as the parts that need to be top performers are the ones you have to buy right away. It makes no sense buying a good mobo and putting in an i3 now and then upgrading to an i7 in three months; or buying a 150-dollar video card now and upgrading to a 280-dollar by Christmas. If the system you have now is not giving you trouble and doing what you need, then wait. You don't really need to play all those games now, and if you wait you'll enjoy them more later and, most important, have a machine that will be more reliable and powerful, and that will serve you well for at least 3 years without the need of upgrading.
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Darum still, füg' ich mich, wie Gott es will. Nun, so will ich wacker streiten, und sollt' ich den Tod erleiden, stirbt ein braver Reitersmann. Last edited by Nuclear Krusader; 08-24-2010 at 03:52 PM. |
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08-24-2010, 04:06 PM
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#3 |
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Forum Administrator
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Joplin MO
Posts: 37,765
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Reference thread:
Help me with suggestions and a compatibility check! Thanks :3 I'll slap an 800 buck box together for you in a bit - this will be just the box, no peripherals or OS. |
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08-24-2010, 04:19 PM
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#4 |
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Member (5 bit)
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Fredericksburg, VA, United States
Posts: 28
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Well right now I only have a laptop, and while it does have 4 gigs, playing the games on it is a bit difficult, and I don't have enough space on my hard drive for everything. My Adobe programs work fine, though I only use the programs from CS2 (I tried out CS4 and CS5 and I didn't like them at all).
Hm, well I guess I can ask if he'll just give me the 800, or save it for me until I have some more money myself. He's pretty reasonable, so that shouldn't be a problem. I can be patient when I need to. Though, after seeing your post, glc, maybe I won't have to! I can always get the peripherals at a later time, and I still have the installation disks and my product key for Windows 7 Professional 64-bit from when I initially started using it. Thank you very much for taking the time to put a list together for me! I'm now wondering (and this is completely off topic, but seeing i3 and i7 mentioned brings up the question) is there any big difference between the Intel i7 and AMD Quad Core processors? Everyone in this forum seems to suggest the i7, so I'm curious as to why that is. |
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08-24-2010, 04:36 PM
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#7 |
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Saved by grace
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,394
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Wow, GLC got you some nice components within your budget.
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My custom work system: ASUS P7P55D-E LGA 1156 / Intel Core i5-750 / CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) / Windows XP SP3 / SAPPHIRE 100292L Radeon HD 5450 / 2 LITE-ON 24X DVD Writers SATA Model iHAS424-98 / 2 W.D. Caviars Black WD1001FALS 1TB SATA 3.0Gb/s / Antec Sonata III 500 Black with 500W Power Supply / Rosewill RCR-IC002 74-in-1 USB 2.0 3.5" Internal Card Reader w/ USB port |
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08-24-2010, 05:29 PM
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#8 |
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Forum Administrator
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Joplin MO
Posts: 37,765
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I think Coolermaster is one of the best case manufacturers out there - along with Antec. At the high end, nothing beats a Lian Li.
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08-26-2010, 09:16 PM
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#9 |
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Member (5 bit)
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Fredericksburg, VA, United States
Posts: 28
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Thanks for the build! :3
I'm sending the list to my Uncle as I type~ I think the Antec cases look really cool. So do many of the Lian Li ones, but the good ones are so expensive. I'll buy any case that has a pane on the side for me to look in, though! :3 I'd like to get a completely transparent case, but I don't know how reliable those are. |
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08-26-2010, 09:41 PM
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#10 |
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Forum Administrator
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Joplin MO
Posts: 37,765
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Beggars can't be choosers - with that budget figure you can't afford an expensive case.
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08-26-2010, 10:11 PM
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#11 |
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Member (5 bit)
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Fredericksburg, VA, United States
Posts: 28
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Of course not!
But when I can afford it, I can be a chooser! The case you picked out for me is perfectly fine for now. It's not like anyone but myself will see it. |
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