Need Advice for computer components $600 range

[markrv]

I am wanting to build a computer for $600. I am not going to play any modern games, but I will use photoshop and a very little bit of photo editing. I will mainly use it to go on the internet and video capture for watching TV

I do not need a monitor, keyboard, a mouse, or speakers. I would like to have at least 500GB of memory and I would like Windows 7 but I don’t think they have that available right now.

Do you think this would be a possibility? What operating system should I use if I can’t have Windows 7? I am not able to wait for it as my old computer just crashed.

Thanks for all your help. I look forward to seeing the build you have for me.

 

[jsc]

Check out the Tom's Hardware $625 System Builde Marathon article for a pretty good starting place.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

This build would do the trick:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 Kuma 2.7GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 95W Dual-Core black edition Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103300 $64.99

GIGABYTE GA-MA780G-UD3H AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128382 $89.99

Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250 Media Center Kit Dual TV Tuner 1213 PCI-Express x1 Interface - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116036 $139.99

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042&Tpk=antec%20300 $54.95

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319&Tpk=wd6401aals $69.99

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231246 $59.99

CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008 $49.99 - $10.00 MIR

LG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model GH22NS30 - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136152 $24.99

Total - $554.88 - $10 MIR

If you can stretch the budget a bit, you could swap in this CPU and motherboard and have a very fast computer. The new total would be $663.88.

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649&Tpk=phenom%20ii%20720 $134.99

GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-UD4H AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128384 $128.99

You can use the Windows 7 beta until the retail version ships. I don't know if Microsoft is still issuing keys for the beta version, but the RC is just around the corner. Be sure to use the 64-bit version so you can fully use all 4GB of RAM.

 

[jsc]

shortstuff, man, that was fast.

mark, his recommendations are way better than mine. I keep discounting AMD builds.

 

[deejdini]

hey ummm... I'm not sure if those last two items go together. AM3 and AM2+/AM2. (cpu and motherboard)

But this is the funny thing. I already took your advice and ordered that set-up but used a AM3 motherboard instead and changed the Memory to DDR3. I think everything else I left. So ummm yea... thanks man! I'm excited it sounds like it will be a nice computer. I hope I ordered the right parts

 

[Tech-Boy]

Yes it will be a nice computer deejdini!

However just so you know am2+ motherboards are backyards compatible with am3 processor, I know its a bit confusing, but this is how amd has done. If you did go with a am3 motherboard and ddr3 ram it will give you a little more future proofing and a very small speed bump, but it comes at a higher price.

Congratulations on the new system you should be very happy with it regardless of weather you went with a am3 or am2+ motherboard!