$500 best gaming pc need advice

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huntsman

huntsman

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Jul 8, 2009
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ok so i checked out the store website and found a barebone kit but instead of buying it all together i would buy them seperate because i dont need all the stuff thats included like the psu and hard drive.

here is the link to it

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4692741&CatId=332

im a gamer and want it mostly for gaming but also for other uses. I also want to keep the pc for a couple years like 5 or more. So i would want to buy something decent but for around 500 bucks.

and i would get the evga 9600gt graphic card

and thanks and let me know what you guys think also let me know if theres anything better or just as good for gaming for around that price or less.

thanks
 
Check out newegg.com as well. The Phenom in that system is the older version, which you don't want. You want the Phenom 2. Check it out.

Combo with Phenom 2 and Biostar Motherboard-$209

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.209473

Powercolor 4870 video card-127

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131140


4gb of gskill ddr2 1066 memory-50

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166


Thermaltake case for 30 bucks

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133069


Going with this so far you are at 417 without shipping, and that leaves you extra, I would suggest maybe a better PSU than what you've got if it's questionable, or maybe a new cooler, or a couple of games to go with the new system. Or put it toward a new OS.

*Disclaimer* Read the mobo manual before buying to be sure it will work with that gskill memory. Also, I notitced that the specs on the mobo don't list that Phenom 2 as compatible. It should work, as AM3 is supposed to work with AM2+, may have to do a bios update though, unsure if you will need a spare AM2 or AM2+ chip to boot the system in order to flash the bios, one would think it's compatible if newegg is putting them as a combo, but do your homework, keep in mind though, the 940 is 189 by itself, and if you get a 20 dollar mail in rebate on the board, free mobo. But I can almost guarantee this system I showed you will obliterate that barebones kit, especially with the 9600gt. 9600gt is not a bad card, I've got one, but that 4870 should blow it away.
 
There is a CHANCE that you might be able to unlock the cores. All those chips are produced as quad-cores but when they find ones that have faulty cores they just disable them and sell them as X3's or X2's.

But that deal with the X4 and the biostar motherboard is pretty unbeatable right now.
 
hmm ok yeah so far i like that phenom 2 x4 940 and that one that i posted. Got to think and see which one i need more. As for gaming what do u guys think about the two of them how much better would the quad core be for gaming. obviously i would do other thing then just gaming here are a few things i might do at the same time, listen to music, go on the web, watch a movie, play a game, chat on aim or something, burn a movie would the dual core be just fine for that or should i got with the quad core. I really want to know because its a 100 dollar difference at tiger direct. Im pretty sure they will match the price of new egg with that motherboard they are a reasonable store. but yeah hit me up.

just in case here are the links to both of them

amd phenom 2 x4 940

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4330959&pagenumber=1&RSort=1&csid=ITD&recordsPerPage=5&body=#ReviewStart


amd phenom 2 x2 550

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4695457&CatId=4431
 
Newegg is a good place to deal with, though tigerdirect is not bad either, I've dealt with them. But man I would leave the x2 550 alone. The trick is you buy the best you can. Especially on the processor and board, you are getting a good deal on a biostar board, basically free. I'll be honest I've used biostar boards, and so far I've not been dissapointed, I don't know of one I've used in builds that has failed yet. And for what you'd spend on the build I showed you, I don't think you are going to do much better.

Also keep in mind, as of now, dual cores will do what you want, but games are becoming more multithreaded now, so in other words, as time goes on, you are going to find the dual core more and more limited. I think the quad would be a little more future proof.
 
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/262856-28-phenom-unlock

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/252985-29-unlocking-cores-phenom

the reason im stuck on the 550 one is because alot of ppl seem to unlock the 2 cores and make it a quad also it seems it matters what mother board you have which allows you to do it. and micro center has the 940 for 186. not bad but for 100 bucks for the 550 and have 4 cores seems like a good deal to me. Correct me if im thinking it the wrong way but seems if you can unlock the 2 cores to make it a quad then its worth it for the price.
 
The 2 cores were disabled for a reason. If you notice they are clocked slightly lower. They disable the cores for a reason, either the cores dont perform stably at stock voltages, or the core is totally shot due to an issue with the silicon on which it was built. Either way dont expect impressive overclocking results out of those two cores if you do get them unlocked.
 
hmm ok well if i just go for the dual core how would that perform for my needs as listed before. Would it be fine or should i just go for the quad i mean its not a huge diff its 186 so i might as well get the 940 i just want the total to come up to 500 and then pluz tax. But yeah think ill go with the 940 still weird how ppl get them unlocked and say it works wonders but maybe if you have time you can loook into it and see if you find any usefull info.

thanks and the newegg deal looks great.
 
also think ill go with the 940 a whole lot of good reviews an what mother board would you recommend if i want to buy a seperate one because the one included does not have sli only has one slot for a graphic card. what mobo would u recommend that has sli prolly wont be the best but a decent one.
 
With an AMD cpu I would walk away from going SLI (nvidia). I cant remember if it is because its faulty or if you just cant do SLI on an AMD cpu... but I know the two don't mix well(something is up with the chipsets). Crossfire on the other hand works really well with AMD.
 
ahhh man i was always an nvidia fan now i got to switch to crossfire shyt. Maybe ill just stick with one nvidia card lol. well either way wat are some good ati cards since i never look at them i mostly check out nvidia.
 
hey i was just looking thru to check some motherboards out and this one caught my eye right away.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4408236&CatId=3504

seems like a very nice board and for a good price, and its the amd 790gx chipset , which i read is good. Guess ill just go with cross fire for now. read that the x58 is right now prolly the best for sli since the other have nvidia chip sets which i heard their not doing so good and have problems.

what you think of the board and suggest if you kno any other good boards. So far from my decision goes like this

amd phenom 2 x4 940 - $186

Biostar TA790GX motherboard - 109

total so far - 295
 
do you already have the HDD's, CD/DVD, ram, and PSU? If you do that leaves you with 205 for the video card with which i would suggest the hd4890 which right now is running $200. But if you don't have all those other parts yet that then leaves 205 for all 5 items.
 
yes i got ide and sata hard drives, got cd/dvd, got a psu dont have ram for the new unit. i got a 550watt corsair psu.

and im lost about a good motherboard for the amd phenom 2 x4 940 got to do more research and see not sure bout that biostar.

 
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