System Build Tips and Prices- Cheap Setups That Meet HL2 Minimum and Recommended Reqs

[h4vvok]

Well I build systems as a side hobby for friends and relatives and decided to help out some of the folks that are thinking of upgrading or buying a new computer in preparation for HL2. I created a low budget version to meet the minimum requirements for HL2, and a Medium budget version that meets the recommended requirements for HL2.....also I went wild on the last system with the best stuff (in my opinion) on the market to run HL2.
Note: I actually bought the parts and made each system, and plan on testing each when HL2 is out.
Without further ado here are the setups:
(these are prices without a monitor, keyboard, or mouse, or shipping charges)

Low Budget System for Minimum HL2 Specs:
Xoxide Diablo Case w/ 400w PSU- $64.98 Available at Xoxide.com
MSI K7N2 Delta-L Motherboard- $63.00 Available at Newegg.com
AMD Athlon XP 2500+ "Barton", 333 FSB, 512K Cache Processor- $80 at Newegg.com
Mushkin Basic Green 512MB PC-3200 DDR-Ram- $68.30 Also at Newegg.com
Lite-On Black 52X32X52 CD-RW Drive- $25 at...Newegg.com
Western Digital Special Edition 80GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD800JB-$61.95 at Newegg.com
Info-Tek GECUBE ATI RADEON 9200SE Video Card, 128MB DDR, 64-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP- $45 at Newegg.com
Onboard Sound
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition- $104
Total Cost: $512.23

Medium Budget for Recommended HL2 Specs:
CHAINTECH "9CJS ZENITH" Motherboard- $169 at Newegg.com
Intel Pentium 4/ 2.53 GHz 533MHz FSB, 512K L2 Cache Processor- $142 at Newegg.com
2x Mushkin Basic Green 512MB PC-3200 DDR-Ram- $126.60 At Newegg.com
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition- $104
Antec Sonata Case- $120
Western Digital Special Edition 80GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD800JB-$61.95 at Newegg.com
Lite-On Black 52X32X52 CD-RW Drive- $25 at...Newegg.com
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 PCI Sound Card- $72 at Newegg.com
Total Cost: $820.55

Insane Budget (My actual setup):
CHAINTECH "9CJS ZENITH" Motherboard- $169
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS Platinum Pro PCI Sound Card- $206
Intel Pentium 4/ 3.2E GHz 800MHz FSB, 1MB L2 Cache, Hyper Threading Technology- $246.50
Thermaltake AquariusII Liquid Cooling System- $100
4x Mushkin Basic Green 512MB PC-3200 DDR-Ram- $253.20
2x Western Digital 740GD Raptor in RAID 0- $430
Radeon X800 XT Platinum Ed.- $500
Cooler Master Wavemaster Case- $190
14" LCD + Custom Cherry Wood Housing- $200+
Sony Double Layer DVD Recorder- $172
Total Cost: $2466+

I hope this is helpful to folks, and if you need any advice on hardware I've tested quite a bit of products. Post or PM me with any questions.

 

[h4vvok]

Crap can a moderator move this to Hardware, hit the wrong topic selection

 

[nofx]

Is the mushkin ram really good for gaming. This post should be stickied in HL2 forum with basic AMD comp build to stop all thoose...
Will my
AMD SOCKET 939
x800 xt
1.5gb corsair xms
work with hl2!!!!

Im not a mod but a suggestion.

 

[h4vvok]

Well Mushkin ram is suitable for any task, but remember this was a project for people with Low to Medium Budgets, so I found some of the most stable and affordable components.

 

[h4vvok]

Any Mods please move this to the proper thread please? Should have checked before I posted...

 

[myth]

Insane Budget PC in my dreams.I am ready to kill for an Alienware

 

[CptStern]

can I add that canadian residents can build and configure their pc's at http://www.ncix.com. If you go to the Pc Builder link you can configure your pc to whatever specs you want. They also take US orders. They have weekly specials and their service is excellent.

 

[kungfucheez]

http://www.cyberpowersystem.com/custom/cfga64.asp?v=d#configurator_top I dont know, I went to this site and custom made a pc build and a very very good pc build for about $1000. Of course that doesnt include the Radeon X800 because i want to keep my radeon 9800.

P.S: Well the link is sorta off but its the right site, dont know if anyone has bought from them, has anyone? Also its not actually a Pc from scratch but im thinking of buying from them, they have very cheap Pcs

 

[h4vvok]

Well thats a very good thing for people who don't have experience with building PCs, I was just posting the configuratons I made so people would have an idea of what it would cost to get up to speed for HL2 if they decided to build one .
The only flaw in some pre-fab systems is they give you a bunch of software you don't usually need, and for some it's a pride thing, they are proud of their work on their PC....like me for instance, I enjoy carpentry and I mixed it with my PC building and now I pump out some interesting configurations .
Here are some Pre-fab system makers that are very good, but often times pricy:
Alienware
Voodoo PC
Falcon Northwest
Dell
Hardwaregods.net (Great watercooling solutions)

I have a Voodoo Envy laptop...and those things screeeeam for a portable system, and bought a watercooled system long ago from hardwaregods.net, very nice stuff there.

 

[h4vvok]

bump de bump bump

 

[h4vvok]

Bumping this due to the possible Halflife2 Release within October-November months...

 

[Prince of China]

Insane Budget PC in my dreams.I am ready to kill for an Alienware

I am ready to kill guinny and take his computer...
I hope he doesn't read this.

 

[brink's]

You'll ruin my plan.

 

[Prince of China]

I also plan to kill you to because you are after his computer.

 

[Cole]

*puts a C4 but brinks and Tredoslop's house*
When they go home, i can blow them up and get that computer for myself!
MUAHHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA,
I mean, go over to there houses and give them..money...yeah thats what i mean.. *Looks away*

 

[Prince of China]

Sucker, the jokes on you, that was brink's and guinny's house. Now I'll go and steal that computer.

Update: I have stolen that computer and now I am in my own secrety island.

 

[h4vvok]

Crazy little mother fu...

 

[Gunsnroses]

No insane budget CPU is correct, with out a AMD64.

Intel is garabage.

 

[Asus]

Good post.
The only 2 things I would change is the midrange and highend CPUs.
The P4 2.5GHz with 533 FSB is no more midrange than the Athlon XP 2500+ as far as performance (Link), the P4 2.4GHz 800FSB would be a better pick (Link). If you start going up too far then you run into the A64 2800+'s price range. Wait...I take that back. The 2.4C is above the A64 2800+'s price.
And I don't think you can get 2.5GHz P4's with 533 FSB anymore anyway.

And the top end CPU, especially for gaming, probably would be an Athlon 64.

 

[Subatomic]

I wouldn't recommend that people buy 4x512 RAM, it lowers your RAM's performance. You are much better off buying 2x1024. Also, I might just be too tired, but it seems you forgot to add a video card to the midrange comp . Also, whats up with the 14"LCD? You have this 1337 computer, and you have to squint to see anything in the distance.

I agree with asus, a medium range CPU would now be a A64 2800+, and a high-end one being a 3500+ and higher, because the socket 939s are insanely fast.