I build computers for friends and family occasionally, and I like to set up lists of possible builds for several different situations and budgets. The most challenging one is the low end area, since it's hard to compete with Dell, HP, etc pricewise. I like the challenge though, so I've tried this setup. This isn't for a real build right now, mostly me just being bored and being interested in some opinions. Feel free to comment, bash, whatever!
Case: Antec Sonata III - $129.95 ($99.95 after rebate)
PSU: Antec Earthwatts 500w (included with case)
CPU: Athlon X2 4850e 2.5GHz - $89.99
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA78G-DS3H AM2+ - $99.99
RAM: Mushkin 4GB DDR2 800 - $89.99 ($74.99 after rebate)
HDD: Seagate Barricuda 250GB SATA - $79.99
CD/DVD: Samsung SH-S203N - $28.99
Monitor: Hanns-G JW-199DPB 19" LCD - $169.99
Keyboard: Logitech 920-000325 Wired USB - $42.99
Mouse: Microsoft 72Q-00002S Wireless Laser - $39.99
Total: $771.87 (excluding rebates and shipping)
I realize I could go cheaper in a few areas. The RAM could be 2GB, but with how cheap it is right now, I think you might as well go for 4GB. The keyboard and mouse are a little pricey, but I don't know many people who actually like the cheap $10 or less crap that is supplied with many computers. The one place I don't want to go cheaper on is the motherboard. I feel dirty if I spend less than $100 on a motherboard, since they tend to have quality problems more often than more expensive ones. This one has all solid capacitors and comes with decent onboard graphics. Obviously this is not a gaming machine, but it can still handle some older games.
The monitor was the cheapest I could find that had good reviews. I honestly don't have much knowledge when it comes to monitors though. I like the hard drive because it has decent storage space, SATA 3.0, 32MB cache, and it's cheap too! A possible alternative for the CPU is the 5000BE. It's much faster for the same price, but the overclocking may not be reliable, and I'd have to add an aftermarket cooler to the price tag. I try to avoid any overclocking on a client's computer. The 4850e seems like a nice alternative though, plus it runs on less energy. The keyboard and mouse can be changed to suit different tastes. For instance, I chose the keyboard because I hate ergonomic keyboards with the split in the middle, and because I've read good reviews about it. I've used that mouse before, and I like it. It's a little small though, so people with large hands may not like it.
I know I left out the OS. That is really a matter of personal preference. Here are what I would use however, depending on the client's needs. Although this computer is a bit on the cheap side, it has plenty of punch for Vista.
Windows XP Professional - $139.99
Windows Vista Home Premium - $94.99
Ubuntu 8.04 - Free!
So in the end, it comes out to $800-$900. It looks expensive for what you're getting, but the monitor is mostly what hurts the price. I wish they were cheaper, especially since I'm still running on a big, chunky CRT myself. Here is a similarly built Dell and HP for comparison:
Dell Inspiron 530: $849.99
PROCESSOR Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E4600 (2MB L2 Cache,2.4GHz,800 FSB) edit
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® XP Professional edit
MONITOR 19 inch SE198WFP Widescreen Digital Flat Panel Monitor edit
MEMORY 4GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz- 4DIMMs edit
HARD DRIVE 250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™ edit
OPTICAL DRIVE 16x DVD+/-RW Drive edit
VIDEO CARD Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3100 edit
SOUND Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio edit
KEYBOARD & MOUSE Dell USB Keyboard and Dell Optical USB Mouse edit
HP a6460t Series: $829.99
Operating system Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (32-bit) edit
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor E4600 (2.4GHz) edit
Memory 4GB DDR2-800MHz dual channel SDRAM (4x1024) edit
Graphics Card Integrated graphics (Intel(R) Media Accelerator 3100) edit
Hard Drive FREE UPGRADE to 500GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive from 320GB edit
Primary CD/DVD Drive LightScribe 16X max. DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti drive edit
Front Productivity Ports 15-in-1 memory card reader, 1394, 2 USB, audio edit
Sound Card Integrated 7.1 channel sound w/front audio ports edit
Keyboard and Mouse HP keyboard and HP optical mouse edit
Monitor HP w1907 19" LCD Wide Flat Panel Monitor edit
The OEM builder prices are about the same as the custom build. The Dell is slightly more expensive, but has the option to choose between XP and Vista. The HP gets a free upgrade to a 500GB drive, which is nice, but you can only use Vista. Of course, you must take into account that the custom build parts are generally higher quality, but you must do your own support and warranties. The OEM systems have cheaper parts, and overcharge you for them, but you do get their free tech support and warranties. Also take into consideration all the bloatware that comes from these OEM systems. You have the option to remove some of it, but not all. Lastly, the OEM builds use Intel processors. You can decide for yourself if that's a good or bad thing. Thanks for reading!
Athlon X2 5000 BE 3.1GHz, Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro, Gigabyte GA-MA770-DS3 AM2+, Visiontek HD4850, Corsair XMS2 2GB DDR2 800, OCZ StealthXStream 600W PSU
