Budget workstation

[n00biee]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: 3-7 days BUDGET RANGE: around $500 US

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: multi-tasking (running shipping software, surveillance camera, email, websurfing)

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg, microcenter, or tigerdirect

PARTS PREFERENCES: no preference

OVERCLOCKING: very little OCing SLI OR CROSSFIRE: no

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1024x768

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I'm building this PC for my boss. I have a list of parts already, just want to make sure it all looks okay and I'm not forgetting something... are all the parts compatible, is there enough power, will it stay cool enough on 2 case fans + the stock CPU cooler if I OC the CPU to 3.0?. Should I go with DDR3 instead of what I have listed?

COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119068

ASUS M3A76-CM AM2+/AM2 AMD 760G uATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131376

AMD Phenom 9600 Agena 2.3GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Quad-Core Processor Model HD960ZWCGDBOX + Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.185452

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

Thermaltake TR2 W0070RUC 430W ATX12V Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153023

Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136098

LG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model GH22LS30 - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136153

 

[Proximon]

I'm not sure you have the best deal there, but to start out the PSU needs to change. It's a poor one. The good news is that you don't need a lot of wattage.

Here is a quality PSU bundled with a case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.193753

That's actually a very nice case for that price.

Save a bit with another combo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.193434
You can get better performance from a CPU upgrade than you will with the faster RAM.

Processor and OS:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.185453

 

[gkay09]

+1 for the CASE+PSU combo...
I wouldn't suggest the old phenoms...Instead you could get the Phenom II X3 710...
The older phenoms don't overclock well and they require SB750 for a stable overclock... and the boards which have SB750 are about $100...

The X3 710 would be as good or even better than the 9600 Phenom...
CPU + Mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.191010

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

HDD + Os
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.186072

DVD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136153

CASE + PSU - Proximon's suggestion...
The Antec 300 and the EA 380W PSU are top quality...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.193753

Total - $454...
If you have cash left, then change the mobo...
ASRock A780GMH/128M AM2+/AM3 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
780G motherboard supports AMD AOD/ACC, HDMI, 128MB side port
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157154

This is a very good and powerful mobo for that price and its reviews are good too...

 

[ahslan]

^^^ great suggestions

If you are only going to be multitasking and running the programs you listed, then there is no need for an overclock whatsoever...It would be better to have it running as cool as possible so that the computer runs as stable as possible for as long as possible...I built my friend a desktop a year ago that he uses solely to play online poker (and runs some other cpu intensive program for poker) with a Phenom 9500 (even though this cpu is considered 'weak' by today's standards), and this has been running beautifully ever since....must admit, the quad core multitasks like a champ...

 

[Proximon]

I had totally forgotten about the X3 710. That's a great choice.

 

[batuchka]

Err u can get a Quadcore-IGP rig for far less than $500 hehe Win 7 RC ftw

 

[suchimi54]

Try www.titanuscomputers.com they have decent prices on professional workstations

 

[n00biee]

Thanks for the help everyone.
I'd like to note, titanus' pricing on workstations is absurd(nothing below $1100.00).

 

[n00biee]

One week later and my boss didn't pull the trigger. But now he's ready and all the nice combo deals are gone. So I have to start from scratch and I'm having trouble finding deals that are comparable to what I had before. Am I missing something here?

 

[Outlander_04]

keep watching for a few days . They keep coming around