Recommend a good gaming PC < $1.2k

[Ansel]

Hello,

I am helping a friend find a good gaming PC for $1.2k budget without monitor.

What's a good MB, processor, harddisk, video card, memory config, DVD burner, sound card, etc to get for that budget? Any good value offers around SLS now?

 

[Bernard Ong]

1.2K can get you quite a powerful setup.

U can consider 3gig+ CPU, 1gig DDR2 ram, 160gig HD 7200rpm, casing+Power Supply and spend the rest on a hardcore video card

 

[Ansel]

1.2K can get you quite a powerful setup.

U can consider 3gig+ CPU, 1gig DDR2 ram, 160gig HD 7200rpm, casing+Power Supply and spend the rest on a hardcore video card

Any specific brands and models like, Asustek, MSI, etc, to recommend?

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

1.2K can get you quite a powerful setup.

U can consider 3gig+ CPU, 1gig DDR2 ram, 160gig HD 7200rpm, casing+Power Supply and spend the rest on a hardcore video card

u forget a dvdrw drive...

1.2k just barely made it for me... all my 'basic' gaming system is about minimum 1.5-2k without monitor & others... still use back some parts even...

cos...

mb+fan+processor about 600 already, for a decent set...
ram another 300 (can add another 300 if got enuff money)
hdd need about 2, so another 500 gone
dvdr another 100
add another vc, average price about 300-400... u think enuff? haven add in all those funky fans and such...

 

[Ansel]

u forget a dvdrw drive...

1.2k just barely made it for me... all my 'basic' gaming system is about minimum 1.5-2k without monitor & others... still use back some parts even...

cos...

mb+fan+processor about 600 already, for a decent set...
ram another 300 (can add another 300 if got enuff money)
hdd need about 2, so another 500 gone
dvdr another 100
add another vc, average price about 300-400... u think enuff? haven add in all those funky fans and such...

Not so high end lah....

What's a good brand MB to start?

 

[Beachboy]

why dun you consider mini barebone.. small size just plug in CPU, RAM, HDD & CD_ROM then ready to go.http://sg.hardwarezone.com/priceguide/control.php?id=269

 

[Alpc]

I have always use/recommend Asus.... But their MB is the most ex among all the MBs!!!

 

[Rashkae]

1.2K can get you quite a powerful setup.

U can consider 3gig+ CPU, 1gig DDR2 ram, 160gig HD 7200rpm, casing+Power Supply and spend the rest on a hardcore video card

It's a GAMING system. Ergo, NOT INTEL since Intel stinks at gaming.

Threadstarter: look here:

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=1093205

 

[togu]

Abit AN8 Ultra mobo + AMD venice 3000+ CPU $420
1GB Patriot Signature rams $160
1 Antec 380W Power supply $80
1 CoolerMaster C5 Casing $90
1 160GB Hitachi SATA2 HDD $140
1 DVD-ROm $40?
1 LEADTEK WinFast PX6600 GT TDH Extreme (GeForce 6600GT) 128MB DDR3 $269

Total : $1199

If you are not a hardcore gamer, this config can play most of the games. You'll have to dig a keyboard, mouse somehwere tho.

;p

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

Not so high end lah....

What's a good brand MB to start?

last time also got tis kinda thread... i also reply same thing... i only use asus... ok.. i bought abit, gigabyte, msi, fic, epox, etc... but still asus better...

next would be the chipset... if buy intel, den get intel chipset, dun go for sis or watever chipset... depends which 1 u get, different chipset yield different results, and more functions... often mobos with higher end chipset also more expensive... good mobos can cost as much as 400 or more..., overkill sometimes... like if u dun use those 'deluxe' functions... if use amd, go for nvidia chipset...

next would be GFX card, i only use ATI... only bought nvidia during those days ATI is out with rage... not rade...

hdd, buy raptor... hehe... overkill... ;p think just normal sata will do...

anyway, rule is, if u only got 1.2k to spare, not going to buy anything for 1 year, den buy the best your money can buy... else if u wanna buy 1.2k for basic 1st, upgrade slowly... i suggest get the most reasonable mobo+cpu package, with reasonable hdd, get 1gig ram 1st, den get 1 hdd, then slowly upgrade ram to 2gig, hdd x 4, SLI, etc...

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

I have always use/recommend Asus.... But their MB is the most ex among all the MBs!!!

if u consider... actually intel mobos most ex... cos u compare functions, like nothing inside... ;p at least asus is full of functions...

 

[Ansel]

Abit AN8 Ultra mobo + AMD venice 3000+ CPU $420
1GB Patriot Signature rams $160
1 Antec 380W Power supply $80
1 CoolerMaster C5 Casing $90
1 160GB Hitachi SATA2 HDD $140
1 DVD-ROm $40?
1 LEADTEK WinFast PX6600 GT TDH Extreme (GeForce 6600GT) 128MB DDR3 $269

Total : $1199

If you are not a hardcore gamer, this config can play most of the games. You'll have to dig a keyboard, mouse somehwere tho.

;p

Woa.....this is cool...

I suppose if I swap the MB for a Asus one with Intel CPU, it will cost much more?

 

[Ansel]

It's a GAMING system. Ergo, NOT INTEL since Intel stinks at gaming.

Threadstarter: look here:

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=1093205

That's a good link! Thanks Rashkae!

 

[Ansel]

last time also got tis kinda thread... i also reply same thing... i only use asus... ok.. i bought abit, gigabyte, msi, fic, epox, etc... but still asus better...

next would be the chipset... if buy intel, den get intel chipset, dun go for sis or watever chipset... depends which 1 u get, different chipset yield different results, and more functions... often mobos with higher end chipset also more expensive... good mobos can cost as much as 400 or more..., overkill sometimes... like if u dun use those 'deluxe' functions... if use amd, go for nvidia chipset...

next would be GFX card, i only use ATI... only bought nvidia during those days ATI is out with rage... not rade...

hdd, buy raptor... hehe... overkill... ;p think just normal sata will do...

anyway, rule is, if u only got 1.2k to spare, not going to buy anything for 1 year, den buy the best your money can buy... else if u wanna buy 1.2k for basic 1st, upgrade slowly... i suggest get the most reasonable mobo+cpu package, with reasonable hdd, get 1gig ram 1st, den get 1 hdd, then slowly upgrade ram to 2gig, hdd x 4, SLI, etc...

Yes, the budget is pretty strict. Anyway, this is good food for thought. Thanks.

 

[Klose]

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ & ASRock 939Dual-Sata2 ~ $340
Patriot PC3200 DDR400 1GB (2X512MB) ~ $138
Connect 3D X800GTO PCI Express ~ $337
Hitachi 7K80 SATAII 80GB 8MB 7200RPM ~ $94
BenQ DW1640 16X DVD±RW ~ $79
CoolerMaster Extreme 430W ~ $79
FSP HS-A01 Casing ~ $20

Total ~ $1087

 

[forward]

Yes, the budget is pretty strict. Anyway, this is good food for thought. Thanks.

Ansel, with a little bit of flexibilty on the budget you can get a good
Gaming PC using Asus motherboard and Intel Chipset. Just an
additional of $120 more.

Asus P5GD2-X Motherboard (http://www.directron.com/p5gd2x.html)
CPU - Intel LGA 775 3.0
1 GB Patriot DDR2
128MB Leadtek PX6600GT PCI-Express
120 GB Hitachi SATA
DVDRW
450 W casing with Multi-Card Reader
PS2 Mouse, Keyboard & Speaker

All the above for $1,320. Get it at SLS in one of the suppliers
on the 4th floor. Good luck.

 

[Klose]

Ansel, with a little bit of flexibilty on the budget you can get a good
Gaming PC using Asus motherboard and Intel Chipset. Just an
additional of $120 more.

Asus P5GD2-X Motherboard (http://www.directron.com/p5gd2x.html)
CPU - Intel LGA 775 3.0
1 GB Patriot DDR2
128MB Leadtek PX6600GT PCI-Express
120 GB Hitachi SATA
DVDRW
450 W casing with Multi-Card Reader
PS2 Mouse, Keyboard & Speaker

All the above for $1,320. Get it at SLS in one of the suppliers
on the 4th floor. Good luck.

intel :thumbsd: :bsmilie: :bsmilie: amd is for gaming

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

intel :thumbsd: :bsmilie: :bsmilie: amd is for gaming

eh, amd not entirely that fantastic for gaming lor... on it 24/7 on the normal heatsink & fan try lor... althou i not a amd basher or intel supporter.. (i more incline towards amd actually...) if not for the heating issue & some stability issue, i'd fully recommend it... anyway its cheap, fast, raw... thats something i like... but u won't buy a gaming pc to just play game lor... gaming pc shelf life too short... after 6 mths can use it for typing documents already...

 

[Klose]

eh, amd not entirely that fantastic for gaming lor... on it 24/7 on the normal heatsink & fan try lor... althou i not a amd basher or intel supporter.. (i more incline towards amd actually...) if not for the heating issue & some stability issue, i'd fully recommend it... anyway its cheap, fast, raw... thats something i like... but u won't buy a gaming pc to just play game lor... gaming pc shelf life too short... after 6 mths can use it for typing documents already...

amd gaming rigs dont use stock heatsink + fan :sticktong Arctic freezer64 or XP90 plus silentcat both cool and quiet and less than $100 :bsmilie:

 

[Ansel]

Ansel, with a little bit of flexibilty on the budget you can get a good
Gaming PC using Asus motherboard and Intel Chipset. Just an
additional of $120 more.

Asus P5GD2-X Motherboard (http://www.directron.com/p5gd2x.html)
CPU - Intel LGA 775 3.0
1 GB Patriot DDR2
128MB Leadtek PX6600GT PCI-Express
120 GB Hitachi SATA
DVDRW
450 W casing with Multi-Card Reader
PS2 Mouse, Keyboard & Speaker

All the above for $1,320. Get it at SLS in one of the suppliers
on the 4th floor. Good luck.

Wah....this is so close...it is dangerous! Asus some more ! :bigeyes: