Home Systems June 2003

Author
Aron Schatz
Posted
June 27, 2003
Views
38104
Home systems are back for the month of June. Cheaper and cheaper the high end systems get each month with much better specs. Read it to find out my picks for the systems this month.
Tags Guides

Page 1: Intro, Budget

<B>Intro</B>:

Welcome to another edition of the system guides. Yes, I'm in my element of home systems. Too bad I made the game systems very similar. DOH!

<B>Case</B>:

<table><tr><td>Systems Guide Case</td><td>A case is just a case. The same case as the gaming systems is fine. <a href="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=11-154-017&depa=0">Newegg has it</a>, it looks nicer and comes with a 350 watt PSU. You'll spend a scant $43 on this one.</td></tr></table>

<B>Motherboard</B>:

<table><tr><td>Systems Guide Motherboard</td><td>Just like last edition, we'll use the nForce 2 with everything on it. <a href="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=13-127-143&depa=1">Abit's NF7-M has everything you need</a>. Everything is on this board, everything. $122 from Newegg.</td></tr></table>

<B>CPU</B>:

<table><tr><td>System Guides CPU</td><td>An AMD motherboard requires an AMD CPU. <a href="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=19-103-379&depa=1">An Athlon 2500+ is perfect</a>. Speedy at 1.83 Ghz, and it is the newest Barton type CPU. It comes with a heatsink and fan, but you can get a better one is you want. $90 at Newegg.</td></tr></table>

<B>Memory</B>:

<table><tr><td>Systems Guide RAM</td><td>$40 for a stick of PC2700 256MB <a href="http://www.crucial.com/store/PartSpecs.asp?imodule=CT3264Z335&cat=RAM">of Crucial Memory</a> is just what you need. Great stuff at a good price. You can get free memory right now at Officemax, but Crucial is better.</td></tr></table>

<B>Video Card</B>:

<table><tr><td>Systems Guide Video Card</td><td>Pretty simple with onboard video.</tr></table>

<B>Optical & Magnetic Storage</B>:

<table><tr><td>Systems Guide Optical</td><td>Systems Guide Hard Drive</td><td>CompUSA has a 160GB 8MB cache Harddrive for $100. 48x CDRW at OfficeMax for $20 AR. A home system requires a DVD drive at all times. Pick up a Lite On DVD at <a href="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=27-131-112&depa=1">Newegg for $36</a>.</td></tr></table>


<B>Monitor</B>:

<table><tr><td>Systems Guide Monitor</td><td>We'll opt for a 19 inch. Still <a href="http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=296017&pfp=BROWSE">a Viewsonic one</a> from CompUSA for a price of $229.97 (AR)</td></tr></table>

<B>Mouse, Keyboard, Speakers</B>:

<table><tr><td>Systems Guide Mouse</td><td>Systems Guide Speakers</td><td> Systems Guide Keyboard</td><td>Altec Lansing AVS500w are nice 4.1 speakers on the cheap. Good quality, and the price is right at $35 (CompUSA +tax). You also need a mouse and keyboard so go for the Logitech cordless elite duo from Office Max for a price of $49.99. Network card is onboard. Sound is onboard.<td></tr></table>

<B>OS</B>:

Linux is free, but <a href="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=37-102-014&DEPA=6">Windows XP Home</a> will run you $93 at Newegg.


<b>Summary</b>

AMD Athlon XP 2500+ (2GHZ) $90
Abit NF7-M $122
Case + 400Watt PSU $43
Crucial 256 $40
160GB $100 (+tax)
48x CDRW $20 (+tax)
DVD $36
Logitech Elite Duo $49.99
Speakers $35 (+tax)
19inch Viewsonic Monitor $229.97 (+tax)
WinXP Home $93
Pretty Impressive, good stuff for a budget system.
Total: ~$860 After rebates. Awesome.

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