If you're gonna have a cheap PC it doesn't have to look ugly.
(not all motherboards will fit in this small case. Not even the one I mention later. oops. Only 'micro-ATX' form factor and some smaller [mini-ITX] motherboards fit this case)
$32 + $15/shipping
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=11-161-005
PICTURES
Add a black keyboard, mouse, and flatpanel LCD ($230 for 15") - and you're all set.
Here's what I would buy in order to get a great performing system for the least cash possible. It'll be AthlonXP-based because that way it costs $90 to get the same performance as a $175 Pentium4. Motherboard prices are similar for AMD and Intel platforms.
If you fancy Intel hardware, I would suggest a name brand motherboard (Asus, Abit, MSI, ECS) using the most current chipset available, and for best value, a 533MHz FSB Pentium4 (a 2.53 or 2.66 "Northwood" core costs about $175). Just make sure the motherboard's chipset supports 800MHz FSB Pentium4 and you will be able to upgrade the CPU later. The same motherboard will support any 478pin Intel CPU from a 1.9GHz Celeron (avoid Celerons. they are living proof that megahertz truly don't matter. I know, I'm using one) all the way up to a 3+GHz Hyperthread Pentium4.
edit: somebody smack me. Ignore what I said about the 533FSB (2.53 & 2.66) Pentium4 being the best value. Obviously, for the same $175 I'd be pimpin' the 800MHz FSB 2.6GHz Hyperthread P4. doh. This is a tremendously compelling reason to opt for the Intel P4 platform over the AMD XP. While I'm sure AMD offers something just as potent as a 800MHz HT Pentium4 - it won't be an incredible value (like it used to be) and it won't be anything near as cool as having 2 CPUs showing in your task manager window (for multiprocessor support you need WinXP Pro, not the Home edition. Win2000, NT and linux are ok, too, but don't quote me on that). Aw, hell. Just get a HT P4 instead of an AthlonXP. I would. In fact, I think I'm about to order me a 2.6 HT. drool. Whatever you do, don't spend $400 for the 3.2 HT. In six months it probably won't be worth 75 bucks. Instead, spend $175 on the 2.6 HT...then wait six months and upgrade it to a $175 3.8 HT, or whatever. In the meantime, it looks like the 2.6 will reliably run at over 3GHz. Now that's good value. The AthlonXP is no slouch, don't misunderstand me. I love 'em to death. It's the hands-down CPU of choice for low and mid range PCs. More performance for half the price. But when you move to the highest-speed CPUs, AMD's value is no longer as great. Yeah, the performance of the Athlon is right there alongside the fastest from Intel, but so is the price, unfortunately. By the way, check out the prices of Athlon64 motherboards and CPUs. Dirt cheap, huh? Affordable, even. The Athlon64 ain't competing with the expensive Itanium2, don't forget. Heck, I'm not sure what it's competing against. Nothing I can see. 'cept maybe the PPC970
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=19-116-159
You could step down from a 333MHz FSB Barton core AthlonXP, to one with 266MHz FSB - but you won't save much money...maybe $25. So don't go there.
Here's what I would put inside that rather tasteful-looking black case. and I would get it all from Newegg.com. Free shipping on all the items listed:
A decent power supply. ANTEC SMART POWER 330W
Reviews proclaim its silence and clean power. $55
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=17-103-906
A good quality BLACK optical drive
Lite On Black 48x24x48x16 CDROM/CDRW/DVD Combo Drive LTC-48161H
$54
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=27-106-196
A fast hard drive..
WESTERN DIGITAL "SPECIAL EDITION" 80GB 7200RPM EIDE HARD DRIVE
$77.50
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=22-144-122
Half a gig of RAM.
KingMax DDR memory 256MB PC3200
$84 (2 x $42) The nForce2 chipset can do cool tricks when you use a pair of DIMMs.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=20-156-002
A feature-packed motherboard. You can spend more and get gigabit ethernet, onboard SATA, onboard VGA, Firewire, etc. This one only has 6 channel audio and 10/100 LAN. SATA offers no real improvement and gigabit networks are rare. Suck up and spend the $30 later for a PCI-based solution if it becomes necessary. There are 5 PCI slots for expansion.
ASUS Model# A7N8X-X Retail
$73
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=13-131-468
And lastly, a CPU
AMD ATHLON XP 2500+ "Barton" 333 FSB
$90 incl heatsink/fan
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=19-103-379
I think that'll be everything you need except a video card and an operating system. All the cables and screws should be included. Video cards vary widely in price. Anywhere from $40 to $499. Pick the one that's right for the job. Choose a name brand to avoid future problems arising from lack of (or infrequent) driver updates.
Total cost of the items mentioned above comes to $465.48
The only shipping cost was $15 for the case. So you hafta add that to the $465.48
California and New Jersey residents must pay sales tax.
A really good video card can be had for about $150.
With a rig like that, nobody would laugh at you.
PS, note 3yr warranty on the WD "Special Edition" hard drives. That's WAY better than the 1yr warranty offered by everyone else. Also note the CPU is "retail", not OEM. This means it comes with a longer warranty (3yr, I think) and heatsink/fan assembly.
PPS, Newegg uses FedEx shipping and it gets to you in 2 days, 3 at most.
PPPS, OEM means you get the product in a white unlabeled box - and almost always WITHOUT cables, manuals, or driver CD. Except for CPUs, warranties for OEM products are typically the same as retail, however. "Retail" hardware is shipped in colorful "retail" packaging and includes all manuals, cables, and driver CDs - along with bonus software, in most cases.
edit yet again:
If your budget allows, go ahead and spend the extra $50-$75 for a motherboard with every possible onboard feature. Certain hardware performs better when integrated on the motherboard. Mass storage controllers (IDE, RAID, SATA, SCSI) and gigabit ethernet can benefit from NOT having to reside on the PCI bus if the chipset can directly support the hardware via the (much faster) system bus. Even if there's no performance benefit in having onboard (integrated) hardware, there's certainly a cost benefit. That $30 PCI SATA card uses a $9 controller chip, a printed circuit board, and hardware to integrate it with the PCI bus. The same SATA capability can be added to a motherboard for just the cost of the $9 chip. So load up on integrated features if you think you might need 'em later.
If you have an even bigger budget, buy a second hard drive and connect the pair to a integrated RAID 0 controller. That's a very popular feature found on high-end motherboards. Most motherboards with onboard SATA will include an 'old fashioned' PATA interface, too. No need for SATA hard drives. Unless you want them. Also, most motherboards that have SATA will offer some sort of RAID features. Striping, at least. "Promise" controller chips are extremely common and offer these cool, but not often used features.
(not all motherboards will fit in this small case. Not even the one I mention later. oops. Only 'micro-ATX' form factor and some smaller [mini-ITX] motherboards fit this case)
$32 + $15/shipping
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=11-161-005
PICTURES
Add a black keyboard, mouse, and flatpanel LCD ($230 for 15") - and you're all set.
Here's what I would buy in order to get a great performing system for the least cash possible. It'll be AthlonXP-based because that way it costs $90 to get the same performance as a $175 Pentium4. Motherboard prices are similar for AMD and Intel platforms.
If you fancy Intel hardware, I would suggest a name brand motherboard (Asus, Abit, MSI, ECS) using the most current chipset available, and for best value, a 533MHz FSB Pentium4 (a 2.53 or 2.66 "Northwood" core costs about $175). Just make sure the motherboard's chipset supports 800MHz FSB Pentium4 and you will be able to upgrade the CPU later. The same motherboard will support any 478pin Intel CPU from a 1.9GHz Celeron (avoid Celerons. they are living proof that megahertz truly don't matter. I know, I'm using one) all the way up to a 3+GHz Hyperthread Pentium4.
edit: somebody smack me. Ignore what I said about the 533FSB (2.53 & 2.66) Pentium4 being the best value. Obviously, for the same $175 I'd be pimpin' the 800MHz FSB 2.6GHz Hyperthread P4. doh. This is a tremendously compelling reason to opt for the Intel P4 platform over the AMD XP. While I'm sure AMD offers something just as potent as a 800MHz HT Pentium4 - it won't be an incredible value (like it used to be) and it won't be anything near as cool as having 2 CPUs showing in your task manager window (for multiprocessor support you need WinXP Pro, not the Home edition. Win2000, NT and linux are ok, too, but don't quote me on that). Aw, hell. Just get a HT P4 instead of an AthlonXP. I would. In fact, I think I'm about to order me a 2.6 HT. drool. Whatever you do, don't spend $400 for the 3.2 HT. In six months it probably won't be worth 75 bucks. Instead, spend $175 on the 2.6 HT...then wait six months and upgrade it to a $175 3.8 HT, or whatever. In the meantime, it looks like the 2.6 will reliably run at over 3GHz. Now that's good value. The AthlonXP is no slouch, don't misunderstand me. I love 'em to death. It's the hands-down CPU of choice for low and mid range PCs. More performance for half the price. But when you move to the highest-speed CPUs, AMD's value is no longer as great. Yeah, the performance of the Athlon is right there alongside the fastest from Intel, but so is the price, unfortunately. By the way, check out the prices of Athlon64 motherboards and CPUs. Dirt cheap, huh? Affordable, even. The Athlon64 ain't competing with the expensive Itanium2, don't forget. Heck, I'm not sure what it's competing against. Nothing I can see. 'cept maybe the PPC970
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=19-116-159
You could step down from a 333MHz FSB Barton core AthlonXP, to one with 266MHz FSB - but you won't save much money...maybe $25. So don't go there.
Here's what I would put inside that rather tasteful-looking black case. and I would get it all from Newegg.com. Free shipping on all the items listed:
A decent power supply. ANTEC SMART POWER 330W
Reviews proclaim its silence and clean power. $55
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=17-103-906
A good quality BLACK optical drive
Lite On Black 48x24x48x16 CDROM/CDRW/DVD Combo Drive LTC-48161H
$54
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=27-106-196
A fast hard drive..
WESTERN DIGITAL "SPECIAL EDITION" 80GB 7200RPM EIDE HARD DRIVE
$77.50
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=22-144-122
Half a gig of RAM.
KingMax DDR memory 256MB PC3200
$84 (2 x $42) The nForce2 chipset can do cool tricks when you use a pair of DIMMs.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=20-156-002
A feature-packed motherboard. You can spend more and get gigabit ethernet, onboard SATA, onboard VGA, Firewire, etc. This one only has 6 channel audio and 10/100 LAN. SATA offers no real improvement and gigabit networks are rare. Suck up and spend the $30 later for a PCI-based solution if it becomes necessary. There are 5 PCI slots for expansion.
ASUS Model# A7N8X-X Retail
$73
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=13-131-468
And lastly, a CPU
AMD ATHLON XP 2500+ "Barton" 333 FSB
$90 incl heatsink/fan
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...tion=19-103-379
I think that'll be everything you need except a video card and an operating system. All the cables and screws should be included. Video cards vary widely in price. Anywhere from $40 to $499. Pick the one that's right for the job. Choose a name brand to avoid future problems arising from lack of (or infrequent) driver updates.
Total cost of the items mentioned above comes to $465.48
The only shipping cost was $15 for the case. So you hafta add that to the $465.48
California and New Jersey residents must pay sales tax.
A really good video card can be had for about $150.
With a rig like that, nobody would laugh at you.
PS, note 3yr warranty on the WD "Special Edition" hard drives. That's WAY better than the 1yr warranty offered by everyone else. Also note the CPU is "retail", not OEM. This means it comes with a longer warranty (3yr, I think) and heatsink/fan assembly.
PPS, Newegg uses FedEx shipping and it gets to you in 2 days, 3 at most.
PPPS, OEM means you get the product in a white unlabeled box - and almost always WITHOUT cables, manuals, or driver CD. Except for CPUs, warranties for OEM products are typically the same as retail, however. "Retail" hardware is shipped in colorful "retail" packaging and includes all manuals, cables, and driver CDs - along with bonus software, in most cases.
edit yet again:
If your budget allows, go ahead and spend the extra $50-$75 for a motherboard with every possible onboard feature. Certain hardware performs better when integrated on the motherboard. Mass storage controllers (IDE, RAID, SATA, SCSI) and gigabit ethernet can benefit from NOT having to reside on the PCI bus if the chipset can directly support the hardware via the (much faster) system bus. Even if there's no performance benefit in having onboard (integrated) hardware, there's certainly a cost benefit. That $30 PCI SATA card uses a $9 controller chip, a printed circuit board, and hardware to integrate it with the PCI bus. The same SATA capability can be added to a motherboard for just the cost of the $9 chip. So load up on integrated features if you think you might need 'em later.
If you have an even bigger budget, buy a second hard drive and connect the pair to a integrated RAID 0 controller. That's a very popular feature found on high-end motherboards. Most motherboards with onboard SATA will include an 'old fashioned' PATA interface, too. No need for SATA hard drives. Unless you want them. Also, most motherboards that have SATA will offer some sort of RAID features. Striping, at least. "Promise" controller chips are extremely common and offer these cool, but not often used features.