Low Budget Spec Challange

Tilluss

Tilluss

Tilluss

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15 Oct 2009
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579
So a friend of mine is after a low cost PC for his family, he has found an Acer system for £450 which is his budegt with the following specs (i copied them over from a competitor site):

Code: 
    * Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 processor.
    * 2.8 GHz processor speed.
    * 3MB cache.
    * 3GB RAM upgradeable to 4GB.
    * 1TB hard drive capacity.

    * DVD-RW optical drive.
    * 16 x CD-ROM read speed.
    * 8 x CD-RW write speed.
    * 16 x DVD-ROM read speed.
    * 8 x DVD-RW write speed.

    * nVidia G210 graphics card.
    * 512MB Dedicated graphics memory.

    * Media card reader - compatible with CompactFlash (Type I and II), CF+ Microdrive, MultiMediaCard (MMC), Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC), Secure Digital (SD) Card, xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO.


    * 9 x USB ports.
    * 1 x Ethernet ports.
    * 1 x PCI slots.

    * Embedded high-definition audio with 5.1-channel surround sound support.
    * Windows Vista Home Premium operating system installed.
    * Wired keyboard and mouse included.
    * Size (H)26, (W)10, (D)35cm.
    * Weight 9kg.

    * Monitor.
    * 19in screen size.
    * Widescreen.
    * Maximum resolution 1366 x 768 pixels.
    * 300cd/m2 brightness.
    * Contrast ratio 10'000:1.
    * 16.7 colours.
    * Anti-glare.
    * 0.3mm pixel pitch.
    * Horizontal 160 degrees, vertical 160 degrees viewing angles.
    * Response time 5ms.
    * 100x100 VESA wall mounting.
    * Power saving facility.
    * Size (H) 35.92, (W) 45.43, (D) 16.37cm.

Now the challange is can anyone come up with a system that is just as good or better for the budget price of £450. The PC will be used for games like Sims 3 and net surfing with options to watch HD video. OS is optional but if you can include it then all the better.

I managed to come up with something for £490 that included every part being just as good or better than what is spec'd in the above acer model but it didn't include the OS, but im wondering if someone can come up with something better.

Thanks!
 
add another +1 to the Pyro...

that acer machine is lacking in several places where the Pyro just wins..

CPU: newer one in the pyro, will overclock nicely.

RAM: acer only has 3GB, doesn't say of what kind. This is probably 1x2GB and 1x1GB, which means its not matched, and therefore not dual channel.

Graphics: GTX250 beats the G210 in all ways.

Only difference is the pyro doesn't come with a monitor, but the extra power is totally worth it.
 
Not really helpful but the review of the Gigabyte M61PME-S2 used in both posted builds is scathing.

The e7400 is better imo than an athlonII as it competes with the PhenomII 550. The GTS250 is definately the deal maker as the 210 is gash and the 240 is a rebranded 8800GT (okay the GTS250 is a rebranded 8800gts).

Heres my attempt.
AMD Athlon II X4 Quad Core 620 2.60GHz (Socket AM3) - Retail £82
Asus M4A78LT-M LE AMD 760G (Socket AM3) PCI-Express DDR3 Motherboard £57
OCZ Platinum 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-10666C7 1333MHz Dual Channel (OCZ3P13334GK) £73
Samsung SpinPoint F3 500GB SATA-II 16MB Cache - OEM (HD502HJ) £40
Coolermaster Sileo 500 Silent Case - Black (500w Extreme Power Plus PSU) £79
Asus GeForce GTS 250 512MB GDDR3 PCI-Express Graphics Card £82

£413 and needs an optical drive, monitor and OS though.
Options include getting a tricore AthlonII or 550 making the 710SB an interesting proposition. The case and PSU can be played around with.

A 5750 would be a good idea at £7 more.
 
2010-01-05_155154.jpg

Esay worth the extra in my opinion
 
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