help me build a ultra budget PC!

[MelodyofOblivion]

i am in need of a new PC! budget is $350 ish

i am staying with intel + ATi. i got really interested in the Gigabyte 8200 matx for 49.99 but i just realize it was AMD . But i have got the OCZ 2gb for 20 bucks and a samsung 1 tb for $120 and a $15 2400xt. now i need some help on what motherboard and a processor, i have though about getting the E5200.

Anyone know a good intel motherboard that cost around $50 ish like they do with amd? and a good cheap reliable PSU?

thank you for you time!

[Infiniti]

Well, since your budget is this low, you'll have to get the cheapest mobo at NCIX..

Here ya go:
NCIX.com - Buy ECS G31T-M mATX LGA775 G31 DDR2 1PCI-E16 2PCI SATA2 Video HD Sound LAN Motherboard - G31T-M In Canada.

As for the PSU, I recently used this one: NCIX.com - Buy Coolermaster Extreme Power 500W ATX 12V V2.01 Silent Power Supply 20/24PIN 120MM Fan - RP-500-PCAR In Canada. in a friend's build, and his computer is running fine. (E8400, P5Q, 8800GTX)

EDIT: Heres a review of that mobo: techPowerUp :: ECS G31T-M Review :: Page 1 / 18

[JD]

I wouldn't trust a Coolermaster PSU. I'd go with this: http://ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=25472&vpn=CMPSU-450VX&manufacture=CORSAIR
Yes it costs more but it'll be way more reliable and most likely provide much more stable voltages.

Then just grab this bundle: NCIX.com - Buy NCIX Value Bundle Deal Intel E5200 Dual Core Wolfdale CPU Biostar G31 Motherboard -UNASSEMBLED - BIOSTARG31-E5200 In Canada.

[BALISTX]

If you can swing the extra $10.00 you can price match the Gigabyte GA-EG31M-S2 mATX for $62.82 (DirectCanada Price) at NCIX.

This board is better and has more overclocking capability according to this thread at NCIX. Refer to the last post.

NCIX.com - Canada's Premier Computer Store - Great Technology, Service and Selection.

[CMetaphor]

I'd suggest anything over an ECS board, I've seen too many blown caps and other strange issues with them over the years to trust them at all. I second a G31 chipset board from Gigabyte or Biostar.

[Lithotech]

So you need a mobo, cpu and psu with $195 left on your budget?
Forgive me if I sound condensending, I mean no offence. But I think you may have shot yourself in the foot buying that hard drive. With a $350 budget, it isn't too wise spending $120 of it on a hard drive.

If it is still unopened, perhaps you can return it. Even with a restock fee, it'll allow more in the budget for a better mobo. Pick up one of the Seagate 250GB 16MB 7200.10 drives for $50 instead.

Otherwise, permit me to go over budget by a little bit. If you can return the HD, you can probably get an even better mobo and stay in budget.

That Cooler Master PSU isn't as good as it sounds. It has no active PFC. This Seasonic may be only rated at 400 watts, but I feel it is a better unit. It has active PFC as well as an EPS 8 pin connection which will come in handy if you ever upgrade the mobo to one that uses this instead of the 12V 4 pin of old.

$45 NCIX.com - Buy Seasonic SS-400ET 400W EPS12V 20/24PIN ATX Power Supply Active PFC 80PLUS 6PIN PCI-E 120MM Fan OEM - SS-400ET In Canada.

This mobo isn't mATX, so I hope your case will fit a full size board. There isn't much out there for Intel mATX, at least not in the lower price ranges. Otherwise, it seems like a good board, lots of features, good layout, and I've been impressed with the Biostar boards I have worked with.

$85 NCIX.com - Buy Biostar TP43D2-A7 ATX LGA775 P43 DDR2 1PCI-EX 3PCI SATA2 HD Sound GBLAN CrossFireX Motherboard - TP43D2-A7 In Canada.

The E5200 is a good choice. Basically the same as the 21xx series except has more L2 cache and higher multi. Should be a good runner, and only a few bucks more than an E2180 which is 500mhz slower.

Pricematch it here for $84:
Buy Intel Pentium Dual Core E5200 Dual Core Processor LGA775 2.5GHZ 800FSB 2MB Retail Box


That puts you $20 over budget.

.

[Lithotech]

If your case is only mATX, then one of the other two boards will do (I'd prefer the Gigabyte over the Biostar). That package deal isn't too bad, subtract the pricematched CPU from it's total and you are getting the Biostar G21 for $36 -- not too shabby.

.

[Mr. Gruntsworthy]

im just shooting in the dark here, but i'm going to take a guess that the parts he already has in his posession aren't included in the $350 budget remaining. If they are, well; who buys a 1TB hard drive for a budget rig anyway? My gaming rig i'm building only has a 500GB hard drive (slaved to a 160GB Master)

[BT!]

maybe its used for storage? dont need a very powerful rig to use for say network storage, just need storage space. :)

[Mr. Gruntsworthy]

for a storage rig, you'd barely need a Pentium 4. This is probably a generic everyday-use pc he's trying to build.