Borked another mobo, F*ck fixing it

[Higlac]

I've decided to either go with a pre-built computer from best buy for around $500 and just drop in the HD and GPU from my last desktop. Or I'm going to attempt my first build and put together a computer with $500 worth of parts. I would really like to put together a custom computer, so unless I can't make something better I a going to buy the computer pre-made.

So, the point of this thread: I want to know your opinions on what the best setup is for $500 or less (including software).

The parts I am saving are:
Radeon HD 2600 pro (looking to link 2 at some point)
DVD drive (works fine, but a blu-ray drive is welcome if it fits the budget)
160 GB IDE Hard drive (I would like more space though)
Thermaltake 430 watt power supply
No need for a new monitor either.
Case is good, open to a new one if it isn't too expensive.

I do need a legal copy of windows, should I get Vista or XP?

 

[JFry]

Having some parts in advance is the best case scenario for building a custom system and saving money over a prebuilt. With a budget of $500 and those parts you can pretty much buy a top-shelf system, tho your video card might become a bottle-neck at that point. I would get a 10,000+ rpm hard drive to use as your main and use your current one for storage. You can get a nice looking case for $50-$100 depending on your tastes.

 

[McGooTheWise]

I've decided to either go with a pre-built computer from best buy for around $500 and just drop in the HD and GPU from my last desktop. Or I'm going to attempt my first build and put together a computer with $500 worth of parts. I would really like to put together a custom computer, so unless I can't make something better I a going to buy the computer pre-made.

So, the point of this thread: I want to know your opinions on what the best setup is for $500 or less (including software).

The parts I am saving are:
Radeon HD 2600 pro (looking to link 2 at some point)
DVD drive (works fine, but a blu-ray drive is welcome if it fits the budget)
160 GB IDE Hard drive (I would like more space though)
Thermaltake 430 watt power supply
No need for a new monitor either.
Case is good, open to a new one if it isn't too expensive.

I do need a legal copy of windows, should I get Vista or XP?

You can bit torrent xp 64-bit. no need to buy it. (Microsoft have enough money... the biggest ****in corporation in the world isn't gonna miss $120.)

Eww at radeon... Get nvidia. much better.

For how things are advancing, space is becoming more important, and less free. I'd try to get a bigger HD if I could, maybe a 300 gb, if you can find a cheep enough one.
There's no need for a huge power supply, all it has to do is provide power for a startup, and running things like the clock while the computer's off... You're fine there, till you upgrade more.
DVD drive is a good thing to have. keep that. (Though you could get a dvd burn drive for not too much, and it has a much faster read rate, but that isn't necessarily important.)

if you ever feel you need a better sound device, here's what i recommend, this sound card will be good for at least another 3 decades.

http://www.element-tech.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=959

Cheapest one I could find.

But don't get ready to spend dough on that unless you feel it's a must have.

You will need memory, I think 2 gb will do you good for about a year, and depending on your motherboard isn't that expensive.

here's the exact same motherboard I have, but it's got the most bang for your buck you can come around, and has 4 slots for memory, so you won't be skimping on anything.

http://www.eworldsale.com/ecs-nforc...orce-570-sli-chipset-atx-form_5748_14223.html

It's pretty cheap, so you know that you got it made on this deal. It has the cheapest type of memory (for now) that you can get, (ddr2) and has just enough slots for a smaller sized case.

and saving you on more money, here's a great video card, that has worked for me for 2 years.

http://www.lhdigital.co.uk/product_info.php?language=en&currency=USD&products_id=93593

it might become outdated soon, so the dicision remains with you, but on such a small budget I wouldn't want to spend over $130 on just a video card. This will get you through a few years of games till you can come up with cash for a better one. It runs fast and cools easily, so never worry about overheating it. Besides that, it looks really nice.

Here's a neat case i found that is easy to take around, if you're into that.

http://www.directron.com/xqpackbk420.html

I think I'm gonna get it.

hope i helped a bit, even though i kinda told you to buy my computer XD

Still, it's a cheap setup, and I can run EP2 on the highest settings with the graphics card.

I'll leave the processor up to you, but I recommend Intel, just so you know.

 

[Higlac]

I'm looking for reccomendations on just a general setup. $500 for a mobo, processor, OS, ram, and maybe a new power supply.

I found a reasonable case from a friend of mine for $20 fans included. I'll clean that up and use it if I need a new case.