Help me build a cheap PC for ubuntu

[hellmet]

Hi all,

Looking to build a real cheap pc for just 1-1/2 yrs stuff.
An AMD processor should reduce costs. These are what I have in mind :

Amd Athlon64 3200+
Biostar Mobo ( dunno which one though)
Cheap ATX cabinet.
Good PSU
Cheap keyboard.
DVD Writer.
1 GB Ram
I already have a 160GB hdd.
No ultra graphics needed. Should be able to just
play Simcity kinda stuff.

My budget is : 360-420$ Max..

Please suggest cheap, right processors & mobo combinations.

[perlluver]

Check out tigerdirect.com they always have sales on stuff. Motherboards, Processors, Cases. I built mine and My mothers computer from there.

[Dimitriid]

For that price range is good to start with a barebone:

This MSI box for example, should be good for you. If gaming needs to be just "sim city" the onboard video will save you money and work for most games up until 2 years ago or so, which is really the sweet spot for Wine :D
$89.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167009

Now you add your 1gb ram:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134045
$24.99

And your processor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103033
$42.99

Your basic keyboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126018
$17.25

Dvd writer:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106078
$26.99

Total: $202.21 + Shipping, which would add something like 30-40 extra.

[Linuturk]

http://www.fit-pc.com/index.htm


You'll make up the costs in the power you will save. 5 watts is very little.

[Dimitriid]

5 watts is impressive but I'd never use a computer with an integrated/build in hard drive: that is the first thing it goes south, not good if it means the whole system would be mostly useless without it.

[rfruth]

I got a P4 box (512 MB RAM, 80 GB, integrated video) off e-bay for less than $ 150.00 US :)

[-grubby]

Is my system really that old?!? That config is better than mine and you consider it a "cheap PC!" I must be behind the times.

[Nistenf]

Same here, nathangrubb. That PC is far much better than mine, and I *try* to use mine for gaming.

[hardyn]

the base dell desktop amd 4000 x2 bla bla bla is about 350$ sans monitor.

http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspndt_531?c=ca&cs=cadhs1&l=en&s=dhs

well they don't seem to let you exclude the monitor anymore... but if you need a new display anyway...

edit, i quoted the canadian site by accident... but its an idea anyway.

[hellmet]

For that price range is good to start with a barebone:

This MSI box for example, should be good for you. If gaming needs to be just "sim city" the onboard video will save you money and work for most games up until 2 years ago or so, which is really the sweet spot for Wine :D
$89.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167009

Now you add your 1gb ram:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134045
$24.99

And your processor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103033
$42.99

Your basic keyboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126018
$17.25

Dvd writer:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106078
$26.99

Total: $202.21 + Shipping, which would add something like 30-40 extra.

Newegg is really awesome. I was able to build a PC with a monitor for just 392$ incl. shipping.

The thing is , I actually ordered a $1320 laptop from Lenovo, that seems to be taking ages to ship. Meanwhile, I got this idea of a cheap PC. I might be able to get a nice laptop once I join a job.. How is that?

[voided3]

I'm using a AMD Athlon 2500+ w/ a 256mb x1300pro and 2.5GB of RAM (yeah, I like virtual machines...) and it plays games like Quake 4 pretty dang well on 1440x900 on "high" quality w/ some effects disabled and UT2k4 completely maxxed @ 1440x900. Run them at 1024x768 (if you have a smaller monitor) and you'd probably see even better performance. This setup cost me about $100 for the mobo, cpu, thermaltake CPU fan, and 1.25GB of RAM, but I bought two Patriot DDR 333 gig sticks later, so about $200 total since I already had a 585 watt server psu, the x1300, an old and very modified Antec case, and two 160GB hard drives. As recommended though, places like Tigerdirect and Newegg are the place to go for barebones systems and you can assemble some pretty nice setups w/ Pentium D dual cores in them now for very cheap. I've seen some whole systems on ebay with the specs you requested AND decent/nice graphics for way less than your budget too. Speed is cheap nowadays.

[hellmet]

Dimitriid.. thanks man.. I ordered my system and its shipped. Its just a few miles away from me right now.. Should be able to simultaneously getmy system and download gutsy final at the same time..

[hellmet]

The system is cool. I'm able to run Ubuntu without any problems. Everything works out of the box, even though it is 64 bit. 64Bit seems to have come a long way.

[rfruth]

Is your AMD (processor) an X2 - did Ubuntu see and use both cores, any special install needed ?

[hellmet]

Its not an X2. I didn't want to spend too much on my system.