New SFF/Mini ATX Build!!

[Yellowhello]

Hey all,

I've decided to start saving up for a new build!! I've decided to make it a cheap, affordable build with room for upgrading. (I got the idea from reading the article on the Aprevia SFF case review) I'll be using the Thermaltake Lanbox case and most likely this processor. It's gotta be under $500, though, including the OS. Will be using it for playing Age of Mythology at my friends house. Any suggestions are welcome.

-Nate

[PrOLifIC_onE]

Interesting processor choice. Im glad the Apevia review sparked some interest. I also wrote that Lanbox review. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.

[gvblake22]

Do you want the Tt Lanbox with the window or not (there is a $10 price difference)? Do you need an optical drive?

I hate to say it, but you aren't going to get much of a gaming rig with only $500. My suggestion would be to wait a while longer and save up at another $200 (or more) and get yourself a half-way decent system. With that processor and case you want, plus the cost of Vista Home Premium, that is almost $300 right there ($283). So that leaves just over $200 for the motherboard, video card, RAM, optical drive, hard drive, and power supply. There is no way you can get all those parts for even $250.

[Yellowhello]

Well, i've been thinkin' that I could get the Apevia X-Qpack2 becuase it's cheaper than the Tt lanbox and comes w/ PSU.

As for the processor, it's cheap, and it's a C2D core with 1MB cache disabled. For cheap.

EDIT: Yes, I need an opical drive. (Maybe onboard graphics? I can just drop a graphics card in there later, can't I)

I found this mobo. What do you think?

[gvblake22]

Yes, you can use onboard video and just get a better video card later on down the road and just plop it in there. However, I'm just a little concerned about the gaming performance of onboard video. Regardless of how much they market those things as having gaming potential, you might as well forget it. But I guess you get the board with onboard video anyway, so you might as well give it a shot and see what happens.

Originally Posted by yellowhello

I found this mobo. What do you think?

That's probably an ok motherboard. I've never owned an MSI board, but they seem to have a roller coaster of a track record. Some boards are amazing while others are nothing but headaches. I feel like MSI is kidnof hit and miss, but that is just the feeling I get from reading comments around the web.

[Yellowhello]

Age of Mythology doesn't really need a good vid card. On my old comp, it played flawlessy on my EVGA GeForce 7300GT.

[gvblake22]

To me, comparing a 7300GT to onboard video is like comparing a 8800GTS to a 7300GT... Catch my drift? Either way, I guess you can always try it out and see how it goes since it isn't hard to add in a video card later. Do you have a DVI monitor or just an analog VGA connection?

[Yellowhello]

It's an analog VGA monitor. Geez, 8800GTS and a 7300GT.......... on-board is really that bad?

[gvblake22]

Originally Posted by yellowhello

It's an analog VGA monitor. Geez, 8800GTS and a 7300GT.......... on-board is really that bad?

For 3D gaming, yes. It might be able to handle that Age of Mythology game since it looks like it is actually a 2D type RTS, but much beyond that is really pushing it. Like I said, you can give it a shot and see how it does and easily toss in an add-on graphics card later if you find onboard video is not cutting it.

[fps justin]

i agree with blake. You need more cash.

To save up on some cash, you might wanna just go get a celeron 420. Those things are dirt cheap and they can overclock to 3ghz+. It'll beat the crap out of a FX-57. Since this build is at your friends house, and you won't prolly use it all THAT much, i don't think dual core would be too necessary. Now; if this was your htpc or server, or something of more importance, i'd go with the dual core.