Parts recommendations for budget build

[adalgisa]

It looks like I may have to replace my 6 y.o. Compaq. I promised myself, about 5 minutes after buying the Compaq, that I would build my next computer. But now I have immediate need of a working computer, and no time to research parts.
Since I haven't a lot of money right now, upgradeability is important. Let's say I have $400 to spend. ATX form factor is fine.

Would you please recommend:
a) case (with space for 2 HDs)
b) motherboard
c) cpu (AMD or Intel)
d) memory
e) videocard

Computer is used for web access, music (squeezebox), and MS Office apps. I'd like to be able to do some HD video editing, which my current system (GeForce 5500, AMD Athlon XP 3000+, 1 g RAM) can't handle.

I have a couple of 500 gb Seagate SATA drives (1 new, 1 a year old), 2 optical drives, a new ATX 380watt Antec PSU, XP Home, keyboard, monitor, mouse, speakers. Pretty sure I've got a USB floppy drive somewhere.

Thanks for your help!!

[David M]

$400 is not possible without resorting to substandard hardware. You don't want to do that. It's much easier with a $600-700 budget. The best I can think of is to purchase a refurbished Dell or to look on Craigslist.

You might need a better PSU, an OS and a higher budget if you want a custom build. A 380 watt PSU may or may not cut it depending on which graphics card you choose.

You really can get a decent used factory made computer for $400.

[adalgisa]

The problem with factory built - at least the Gateway and the Compaq I've had, is that it's difficult if not impossible to upgrade the hardware. And they charge too much for their upgrades. And they charge extra for warranties. etc.

[adalgisa]

Is this terrible?

AMD Athlon II 3.2gHz dual core $68

Kingston ValueRAM 2x2gb DDR3 1333 $70

Asus M4A78T-E motherboard $110

Antec 200 ATX midtower case $35

that's $283, not incl tax & shipping

Graphics - not a clue, though the mobo above does have onboard video (ok for now)

[David M]

Originally Posted by adalgisa The problem with factory built - at least the Gateway and the Compaq I've had, is that it's difficult if not impossible to upgrade the hardware. And they charge too much for their upgrades. And they charge extra for warranties. etc.

You nailed it.

I think the guys who know AMD's better can help you. Everything you picked is a good brand.

[adalgisa]

I'm trying to wait until January to make purchases, which is giving me time to look around some more, at other people's builds. I've bought a Coolermaster case, so there's no turning back.

Taking glc's suggestions in #10 from this current post, and adding an A-Data 32gb SSD drive to hold the OS (Windows 7 Home) is looking good right now. I'd use the 500gb Seagate for storing music and "stuff."
I think I could use the 380w Antec PSU I bought a couple of weeks ago for this setup; after awhile, if I found a need to upgrade with a video card, I could replace the psu.

The HDD of choice seems to be WD Black in these forums, and I haven't seen much one way or the other about solid state drives. The fast access time appeals to me.

Any opinions about this?

[glc]

I think you are going to need more than 32gb for the OS drive. On your budget, I don't think a SSD is in the cards for a while.

[Nikon]

i have to agree with GLC. A small ssd like that isn't a good option for a few reasons:

video editing constantly writes/rewrites to the disk, which is very bad for any SSD due to the way the technology works (limited amounts of writes)

its small, and you will fill it really, really fast, windows 7 takes about 15gb on its own, xp is significantly smaller, but still somewhre between 1.5 and 3GB

now at the same time, if you use it for only the OS, and installed apps, you might actually be able to get away with it. use your other sata drives for your storage, and it might be possible. ultimately the choice is yours, but in my opinion, i would just go with a standard HDD.

now on the rest of the build, video editing can be extremely cpu dependent. if i was building this machine, i would stick youth the hdds you have, and use the money saved to get a more powerful cpu. something like a Phenom II 965 ($149), or on the lower end, an Athlon II 640 ($99)

the extra speed and L3 cache on the phenom will probably prove useful in your scenario, and will provide plenty of power to run the integrated graphics at their maximum potential.

[adalgisa]

Originally Posted by Nikon video editing constantly writes/rewrites to the disk, which is very bad for any SSD due to the way the technology works (limited amounts of writes) ... now on the rest of the build, video editing can be extremely cpu dependent. if i was building this machine, i would stick youth the hdds you have, and use the money saved to get a more powerful cpu. something like a Phenom II 965 ($149), or on the lower end, an Athlon II 640 ($99)

Thank you both for the great feedback. I was thinking of having just the OS on the SSD; but you are so right - it makes sense to put the limited $$ into processing speed rather than into booting speed.

Can you recommend a motherboard to go with the the CPUs you mentioned?

[Nikon]

as much as i would love to recommend an asus m4a89gtd, that is waaaaay too much for your needs. perhaps this will suit you. you will also be able to easily install a video card in the future.

Newegg.com - ASUS M4A88T-M LE AM3 AMD 880G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard