Budget System Builder’s Guide February 2011
by Zach Throckmorton on February 14, 2011 12:00 AM ESTUpgraded Budget System
While our base system builds check in at under $500 (or $530 to $575 with keyboard, mouse, and LCD), adding in various upgrades can push the final price quite a bit higher. We wouldn't recommend going too high on the Intel side just now (i.e. wait for Sandy Bridge to come back), but you can put together a well-rounded AMD setup for just $650 (or under $800 with peripherals). If you want a snappy "do everything" system—something that can multitask, play games, and store hundreds of gigabytes of music, movies, and pictures—the following system should have you covered.
| AMD Upgraded Budget System | |||
| Component Type | Make & Model | Price | Rebate |
| CPU | AMD Athlon II X4 640 | $100 | |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-880GM-D2H | $80 | ($10) |
| GPU | HIS H577FK1GD 5770 | $130 | ($30) |
| RAM | Patriot 4GB 2x2GB PSD34G1333K | $40 | ($5) |
| SSD | Intel 40GB SSD | $95 | |
| Hard Drive | Hitachi 1TB 7200RPM | $50 | |
| Optical Drive | LG GH24NS50 | $17 | |
| Power Supply | Antec Earthwatts EA-380D | $40 | |
| Case | Antec Three Hundred | $43 | |
| Operating System | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit | $100 | |
| Total Base System Cost | $695 | ($45) | |
| Input | Microsoft Keyboard and Mouse | $15 | |
| Display | ASUS VW193DR Black 19" (1440x900) | $110 | |
| Complete System Cost | $820 | ($45) | |
We've gone with a 40GB SSD for the OS and applications and a 1TB HDD for mass storage. Add to that AMD's quad-core Athlon II X4 640 and a Radeon HD 5770 and you have a setup that can handle just about anything. It won't best the latest and greatest CPUs and GPUs, but it should easily last through several years of college, if that's what you're after—or let grandma and grandpa see all your pictures and videos online. We stayed with the same 380W PSU, but if you're looking at future upgrades and you don't mind paying an extra $10, moving up to the 500W Earthwatts might be a good idea.
Wrap-Up
With DDR3 at about the cheapest it’s ever been, the high end refresh from both Intel and AMD months away, advances on the SSD and HDD fronts, and fierce competition between AMD and NVIDIA, the computer power available to budget users is astonishing right now. Remember to shop around both online and locally. And of course, don’t forget AnandTech’s forums, where you can ask for help and advice with all of your computing needs!
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jonp - Monday, February 14, 2011 - link
not me, i build systems for others and you can't deliver it without the OS. it's integral to the cost of the system. along with the power cord some have also commented on.kevith - Monday, February 14, 2011 - link
Yep...HangFire - Tuesday, February 15, 2011 - link
It's a hard cost, keep it.Icabus - Monday, February 14, 2011 - link
On the Base System Performance Summary page under the CPU Upgrades section:AMD offers five compelling CPU upgrades to the Athlon II X4 250.
This should be the X2 not the X4.
SmCaudata - Monday, February 14, 2011 - link
When you talk about the i5-760 you don't mention the need for a discrete video card. Doesn't seem like an upgrade option you should mention in this budget segment.JarredWalton - Monday, February 14, 2011 - link
True. I've updated the text just to make this clear. We really aren't recommending anyone go out and buy an i5-760 right now. It's a fine CPU, but for the cost and features, I would much rather wait a month or so and get Sandy Bridge -- which has an IGP as well.geniekid - Monday, February 14, 2011 - link
In general, I think AT is second to none as far as tech websites go. But, for system building, I think I still have to give the nod to Tom's Hardware and it's System Builder Marathons because they actually assemble their machines and bench them. Don't get me wrong. AT's bench is an invaluable resource, but if I'm dropping that much money to build a new machine based on the recommendations of an online article, I feel a lot more confident if the article writers actually built the thing.Gigantopithecus - Monday, February 14, 2011 - link
Hi geniekid - Zach here, thank you for your feedback. I agree that giving actual numbers from actual benchmarks, and probably also pictures of the finished systems as well, would be more effective than simply assuring you that I've built all of these systems for friends and know what they can do, and that they can do it well. ;) I'll keep that in mind if I'm asked to write more guides in the future.trogthefirst - Tuesday, February 15, 2011 - link
Right on!Vincent - Monday, February 14, 2011 - link
I was surprised to see the article recommend OCZ Vertex 2 SSDs in light of the recent controversy over the switch to slower 25nm NAND flash. Basically they switched the type of chips they used and now the drives are slower. This thread has more detailshttp://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=21421...
Clearly, the new drives' slower speeds will still blow away a mechanical drive, but this move by OCZ and their response to customer complaints hurts their reputation.
I know that Anand has been very complimentary toward OCZ when at the same time he has had very strong pro-consumer words about Intel's handling of their chipset issues. It would be nice to see Anand's take on the OCZ issue and to see him encourage OCZ to respond better to consumers.