Entry Level Basic PC

The Build:

This basic PC build uses an AMD Athlon II X2 255 3.1GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor that is priced around $62.99. This processor can be more than enough for your basic home PC tasks such as office work, web browsing, multimedia use: watching HD video, music organization, photo storage and editing etc.

The ASUS M4A785TD-M EVO Micro ATX AMD Motherboard is a very affordable motherboard with alot to show for its price range. This includes 4×240 pin memory slots allowing up to a maximum of 16GB of  dual channel DDR3 memory. A built in Audio chipset allowing 8 channels of sound using VIA VT1708S. As well, this motherboard includes 6  x USB 2.0 onboard connectors, as well as 6 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x optical, 6 rear panel ports. The expansion slots included are 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16, 1 x PCI Express x1, and 2 x PCI  expansion slots. This motherboard has an integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 GPU which is used in the basic build here.

I included a high quality G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory, a SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 500GB 3.5″ SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive, a Rosewill RV350 350W Power Supply, a goodASUS 24X DVD Burner – Bulk Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS, and chose the Xigmatek ASGARD II B/O CPC-T45UE-U01 Black / Orange Computer Case based on its fantastic reviews.

All parts have a set of constituent products under “Budget Yielding Alternatives” that you may feel like considering if you want to go with something a little different (especially with computer cases), or better (as in a hard drive with more space, power supply with more wattage for future use, or higher quality RAM).

Required Hardware:

Processor: AMD Athlon II X2 255 3.1GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor $62.99
Motherboard: ASUS M4A785TD-M EVO Micro ATX AMD Motherboard $89.99
Graphics Card:
Integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 GPU
SidePort Memory – onboard 128MB DDR3 1333 memory
$0
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory $49.99
Hard Drive: SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 500GB 3.5″ SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $49.99
Power Supply Unit: Rosewill RV350 350W Power Supply $29.99
Optical Drive: ASUS 24X DVD Burner – Bulk Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS $19.99
Computer Case: Xigmatek ASGARD II B/O CPC-T45UE-U01 Black / Orange Computer Case $29.99
~SUBTOTAL (Before taxes): $333

Visual Representations:

AMD Athlon II X2 255 3.1GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop ProcessorASUS M4A785TD-M EVO Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop MemorySAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 500GB 3.5Rosewill RV350 350W Power Supply

 

ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/ASXigmatek ASGARD II B/O CPC-T45UE-U01 Black / Orange Computer Case

*Note: I try to include parts that will be of best quality within a given bracket, so if you notice a hardware part that may be of greater value within the same price bracket as any of these hardware parts do not hesitate to notify me. I’m always looking to improve, so any critic is welcomed.

Budget Yielding Alternatives:

Processor: AMD Athlon II X3 455 3.3GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor
Motherboard: MSI NF750-G55 ATX AMD MotherboardASUS M4A88T-V EVO/USB3 ATX AMD MotherboardMSI 890GXM-G65 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
Graphics Card: Low End:PowerColor Radeon HD 4650 AX4650 1GBK3-H Video CardHIS Radeon HD 4670 H467QR1GH Video Card

XFX Radeon HD 5670 HD-567X-YNF3 Video Card with Eyefinity

MSI GeForce GTS 450 (Fermi) N450GTS-M2D1GD5/OC Video Card

Higher End:

SAPPHIRE Vapor-X Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 100283VX-2L Video Card w/ Eyefinity

GIGABYTE Radeon HD 6850 GV-R685D5-1GD Video Card with Eyefinity

EVGA GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) Superclocked EE 01G-P3-1373-AR Video Card

SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6870 100314SR Video Card with Eyefinity

RAM:

*Note: When purhcasing RAM in quantities of 2+ memory sticks, to check how many 240 pin memory slots are available on the memory board you are purchasing
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop MemoryG.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory
Hard Drive:

Internal Hard Drive:

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5″ SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Western Digital Caviar Black 1.5TB 3.5″ SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Power Supply Unit:

(Organized by increasing wattages)
Antec EarthWatts Green EA-430D Green 430W Continuous Power SupplyAPEX AL-D500EXP 500W Power SupplyCORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply

COOLER MASTER Silent Pro M600 RS-600-AMBA-D3 600W Power Supply

Optical Drive:

Blu-ray Optical Drives:

LITE-ON Black 4X Blu-ray Reader SATA Model iHOS104-06

LG Black 10X Blu-ray Burner – Bulk SATA WH10LS30 LightScribe Support

Computer Case:

LIAN LI Lancool PC-K7B Black Computer Case

COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Computer Case

COOLER MASTER Centurion 534 RC-534-KKN2-GP Black Computer Case

Compare Prices:

Alternative Hardware Sites:

Amazon.comFind the Best Deals on the Web @ Geeks.com!

For prices in Canadian please visit:

Once You Know, You Newegg
Amazon.caca

 

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