# Building ~$300 Computer -- Critique my parts?



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

Hi, I'm new to the forum, joined to ask about my computer build!
This would be for just web browsing, storing music, and gaming (StarCraft II, League of Legends, and some others, with low graphics if needed, but higher the better) and I have around $300 to spend, maybe more if I _have_ to.

This is what I have so far, my questions are if these are all compatible, what is a good replacement for each component , and if I'm missing anything (like a cord,wire or connector).

*1) CPU AMD Athlon II X2 250 Regor 3.0GHz*
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X2 250 Regor 3.0GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor ADX250OCGMBOX
*
2) Motherboard ASRock 760GM-GS3 AM3 AMD 760G Micro ATX AMD *
Newegg.com - ASRock 760GM-GS3 AM3 AMD 760G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

*3)Video Card *Okay for this I was thinking this* DIAMOND 6750PE51GSB* *Radeon HD 6750* which is $100
Newegg.com - DIAMOND 6750PE51GSB Radeon HD 6750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

or this *SAPPHIRE 100326L Radeon HD 6670*
Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100326L Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

Does anybody have a suggestion for another video card? (maybe even save me some money)

*4) RAM Team Elite 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin*
Newegg.com - Team Elite 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model TED38192M1333HC9DC

I'm pretty confident about these memory sticks:winking:

*5) Hard Drive Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500413AS 500GB 7200 RPM*
Newegg.com - Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500413AS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

*6) The Case, Power Supply, and Optical Drive*
I have a desktop laying in my garage somewhere that I think I can just take the case and optical drive and buy this *COOLER MASTER* power supply
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Elite 460 RS-460-PSAR-J3 460W ATX12V V2.31 Power Supply

Thanks guys, hope to get some feedback!


----------



## amz11s (Nov 22, 2011)

you should sheck if you case can support a Micro ATX form factor mother board...if you can't then tell me which case you have


----------



## ReviverSoft (Nov 30, 2009)

1. Yep, the CPU and mobo will work well together.

2. Video card: 6750 Vs 6670

6750 - 450W PSU (Minimum)
6670 - 400W PSU (Minimum)

To be honest, the 6670 should be more than sufficient for your gaming requirements while consuming lesser power.

3. If you decide to get the 6670, this is the PSU you need to complete your rig. 500W offers enough headroom for the current config. and allows for minor upgrades. It also comes with a single +12v rail and 7 Yr warranty.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Asus & Higabyte are the better Mobo choices for quality/reliability/support.
Your selected PSU is very poor quality and is not sufficient for any dedicated GPU.
The MK II Series of PCP&C are also poor quality (Sirtec) and not recommended here.
550W is good for the 6670 but 650W would be better for the 6750.
SeaSonic-XFX-Corsair (not the GS or CX Series) are top quality PSU's.


----------



## ReviverSoft (Nov 30, 2009)

> The MK II Series of PCP&C are also poor quality (Sirtec) and not recommended here.


FYI: 
Not Sirtec anymore, it's under the brand High Power and they do make good PSUs. Granted not as top-notch as Seasonic is, but pretty good for modest builds.

Hardware details here:
PC Power and Cooling Silencer MkII 500W

Unless you can validate your claim with reports of high failure rate of PSUs from the High Power brand, you really shouldn't be terming them "poor quality".


----------



## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

I've read several reviews on High Power power supplies and the majority of them fail the load tests which is not a power supply I would sell, recommend or install in any computer. We recommend power supplies that are proven to be reliable, provide clean steady power and can acually put out their rated power.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

I have personal experience with that Psu and it could be one of the worst I have ever used and all 4 I bought a year ago failed either out of the box or within a year.
Cooler Master is also the most difficult poorest Rma I have ever worked with and the last 2 I threw out because I did not want to deal with all the difficulties I went through to get an Rma only to have them send me units that were worse than the ones that failed so I chalked that up to experience and walked away. I love their cases and still use a lot of them, but Psu's no never again.
I think there are better boards as well like this one:
Newegg.com - ASRock A770DE+ AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard

Lately I think As Rock boards have come a long way and they are generally produced by Asus anyway. I have had nothing but annoyance and failure with Asus in the last year, but not As Rock though admittedly I have only used a few, but they look like much better quality these days.


----------



## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

Since the Pegatron group has taken over AsRock their board quality has improved greatly as well as their customer support. In fact they are now the third largest motherboard manufacture overtaking ECS and MSI.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Amd_Man said:


> Since the Pegatron group has taken over AsRock their board quality has improved greatly as well as their customer support. In fact they are now the third largest motherboard manufacture overtaking ECS and MSI.


Thanks I didn't realize new ownership, so that explains what I have been noticing.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

High Power PSU's are made by Sirtec.
The simple solution for a PSU is go with proven quality to protect your substantial investment and SeaSonic built units fill that requirement.
I have to leave the door open on AsRock Mobo's until they have proven themselves in the real world.


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

**I can only multi-quote 3 people... this is going to be hard haha (I'm soaking in all this info)*



amz11s said:


> you should sheck if you case can support a Micro ATX form factor mother board...if you can't then tell me which case you have


Uhm, I'm not really sure. I took a whole bunch of pictures of my case
www.photobucket.com/ComputerCaseMysterySandwich

Would that case be compatible with all my parts?



ReviverSoft said:


> To be honest, the 6670 should be more than sufficient for your gaming requirements while consuming lesser power.


Okay, thanks! I will get the Sapphire :arrowu:



Rich-M said:


> I have personal experience with that Psu and it could be one of the worst I have ever used and all 4 I bought a year ago failed either out of the box or within a year.
> Cooler Master is also the most difficult poorest Rma I have ever worked with and the last 2 I threw out because I did not want to deal with all the difficulties I went through to get an Rma only to have them send me units that were worse than the ones that failed so I chalked that up to experience and walked away. I love their cases and still use a lot of them, but Psu's no never again.
> I think there are better boards as well like this one:
> Newegg.com - ASRock A770DE+ AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard


So everyone here is saying the PSU is bad, I'll take your guys' advice and not get it.
I'll also switch my Mobo to your suggested one :arrowu:

*ABOUT THE POWER SUPPLY
*Okay, so it looks to me I have to spend ~$50 on a PSU, I was wondering if I could use the one from my case 
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/mysterysandwich/Computer Case/photo2-2.jpg

I used that one for a good bit and it worked out fine, it says 420W so it's good enough for the Sapphire yes?

PS. I can save some money on my Hard Drive for now by using my old 200Gb one!


(Thanks a bunch for all the help all you guys btw!)


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

The PSU should be your primary concern and RaidMax PSU's are basically junk. 
Using a low quality underpowered PSU is the best way to damage other components.
You will need a good quality 550W minimum PSU for then 6670 GPU.
The best bang for buck in that range is the 550 XFX but it is out of stock on Newegg: Newegg.com - XFX Core Edition PRO550W (P1-550S-XXB9) 550W ATX12V 2.2 & ESP12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
The 650W Corsair is on special and it would give you some head room if you upgrade the PSU: Newegg.com - CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

No as stated that psu is worse, if it's possible than the one you were buying.


----------



## ReviverSoft (Nov 30, 2009)

> Uhm, I'm not really sure. I took a whole bunch of pictures of my case
> www.photobucket.com/ComputerCaseMysterySandwich
> 
> Would that case be compatible with all my parts?


Compatible, Yes. Would I recommend it? Not really. 
I would suggest a new case that offers better airflow and upgradibility. Something like the CoolerMaster Elite 334 or the NZXT Gamma should be good.



> Okay, so it looks to me I have to spend ~$50 on a PSU, I was wondering if I could use the one from my case
> http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/...e/photo2-2.jpg
> 
> I used that one for a good bit and it worked out fine, it says 420W so it's good enough for the Sapphire yes?
> ...


1. No, it isn't good enough for the Sapphire 6670.
2. As far as the new PSU goes, the only other *relatively priced* suggestions (apart from the one I suggested earlier), would be the SeaSonic S12II 520 Bronze and the XFX Core 550PRO , both $69.



Amd_Man said:


> I've read several reviews on High Power power supplies and the majority of them fail the load tests which is not a power supply I would sell, recommend or install in any computer.


I am essentially referring to the PCP&C PSUs in this thread. I've read a couple of reviews and standard test results myself, for Highpower/Sirtec branded PSUs and the general consensus is that they are good quality, more importantly for budget builds. Builds where the PSU is not going to be stressed continually till it fails. Thing is, there are some models that are good and some that are notoriously bad.



Rich-M said:


> I have personal experience with that Psu and it could be one of the worst I have ever used and all 4 I bought a year ago failed either out of the box or within a year.


Sorry to hear that, bad batch I guess. Again, are your referring to a "PCP&C branded" PSU or a High Power branded one? Just curious.



Tyree said:


> High Power PSU's are made by Sirtec.
> The simple solution for a PSU is go with proven quality to protect your substantial investment and SeaSonic built units fill that requirement.


Sirtec started "Sirfa Electronics" in China (in 1996) to produce PSUs. However, in 2008, Sirtec sold it off completely. This is when, Taiwan based, High Power Electronics took over their factory and started developing its own products, also entering the OEM business at the same time.



Tyree said:


> The simple solution for a PSU is go with proven quality to protect your substantial investment and SeaSonic built units fill that requirement.


Yes, I agree. My suggestion was merely an option to consider, based on the value it provided and the results derived after testing the particular unit. NOT EVERYONE, can purchase expensive PSUs, however important they are. So you need to explore the next set of options.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

ReviverSoft said:


> Yes, I agree. My suggestion was merely an option to consider, based on the value it provided and the results derived after testing the particular unit. NOT EVERYONE, can purchase expensive PSUs, however important they are. So you need to explore the next set of options.


Using a low quality underpowered PSU to power expensive components is just not good sense, should not be suggested and is asking for problems.
If one does not have the funds to purchase a good quality unit that is capable of powering the proposed hardware then one should wait until sufficient funding is available. 
Once again I would suggest you read our Power Supply thread to get an understanding of power requirements and why we do not suggest using low quality units.: http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f210/power-supply-information-and-selection-192217.html


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

Okay, $60 (after mail-in-rebate) PSU it is :beerchug:
Just which one? 
CORSAIR or PC Power

And since I'm getting all them Watts, should I buy Diamond 6750 ?
(Although I feel like there's a much better Video Card out their for the price)

I also found out my Hard Drive is broken so I'll have to buy the SeaGate

And the case, what about this one? Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER Elite 430 RC-430-KWN1 Black Steel / Plastic Computer Case

Or I might just get this? Amazon.com: GAMMA Classic Series ATX Mid Tower Interior Steel Chassis (Black): Electronics

I like side widnow on the cooler master... =3


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

> Compatible, Yes. Would I recommend it? Not really.
> I would suggest a new case that offers better airflow and upgradibility. Something like the CoolerMaster Elite 334 or the NZXT Gamma should be good.


Agreed though its the Elite 335 I love.






.




> Sorry to hear that, bad batch I guess. Again, are your referring to a "PCP&C branded" PSU or a High Power branded one? Just curious.


No I was referring to the Cooler Master.


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

I really really like the Cooler Master Elite 430... I might let the temptation of aesthetics get to me on this one?

EDIT: Should I get this "Arctic Cooling MX-4" ?


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

For the PSU, definitely the Corsair if you want dependable quality and reliability.
I would suggest Sapphire-Gigabyte-PowerColor for the 6750.
CoolerMaster cases are good quality. I'm not particularly fond of windows but that's a personal choice. I'm also a fan of the Elite 335.
The heatsink will come with a thermal pad pre-applied and it will be fine. If you want to use aftermarket thermal paste the MX-4 is very good.


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

Okay, I will get the corsair, and will pass on the MX-4



Tyree said:


> I would suggest Sapphire-Gigabyte-PowerColor for the 6750.


Err not sure what you're saying here?

Also i've re-decided on the video card for DIAMOND A4870PE5512 Radeon HD 4870

Because I heard the CPU should be relatively close to the video card, and this one is closer to the CPu and I see the reviews really love it.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I was pointing out that those brands would be a better choice.


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

Oh okay, got it, I was confused for a bit.

So this Newegg.com - DIAMOND A4870PE5512 Radeon HD 4870 512MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

or just stick with the more expensive Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100326L Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card


Will the Sapphire go that much more farther for the money?


----------



## ReviverSoft (Nov 30, 2009)

I would still recommend the *HD 6670* over the HD 4870. Here's why:

1. DX11 Support - Enables you to play newer DX11 games
2. Consumes Lesser Power - It consumes ~80 Watts less than the 4870
3. Heat Generation - Runs a lot cooler than the 4870
4. It's good enough for your requirements - It beats a 5670, which by itself is a good card. It's sufficient for the kind of games you intend to play.

So while the 4870 does offer better performance for a more serious gamer, you need to weigh your options when it comes to the above reasons.

Good luck!


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

Cool! Thanks everybody! I will go for the 6670


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Sapphire has good support and that makes it worth the extra dollars.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Tyree said:


> Sapphire has good support and that makes it worth the extra dollars.


Agreed with my partner here, Sapphire has great support and that is worth something!


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

Rich-M said:


> I think there are better boards as well like this one:
> Newegg.com - ASRock A770DE+ AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard


I'm raging so hard right now, that mother board only takes DDR2 ram (I didn't know what this DDr2/3 was until now) and the RAM i bought is DDr3.
DDR2 ram is $100+ for the amount of ram I want... it would be cheaper to get the motherboard i was originally going to get... Do the have adapters? I've done some googling and cant find any.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

MysterySandwich said:


> I'm raging so hard right now, that mother board only takes DDR2 ram (I didn't know what this DDr2/3 was until now) and the RAM i bought is DDr3.
> DDR2 ram is $100+ for the amount of ram I want... it would be cheaper to get the motherboard i was originally going to get... Do the have adapters? I've done some googling and cant find any.


No sorry there are no adapters though there are some boards that can take either. Why not just return the ram or the board. As long as you exchange with Newegg they don't charge you restocking charges though you may have to talk to someone to make that happen if you are buying something different from the return item.


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

I emailed NewEgg, hopefully they can help me.

Also the video card I bought is this a special kind of video card that gets power from the motherboard? I can't find any plug-in from my PSU that connects to it...


~EDIT: I placed the stock fan on the CPU and now I see the pre-applied thermal paste on both of them, but I disassembled everything, because of the RAM problem. Do I have to remove the thermal paste now and buy some new paste to put on it, or will it be fine to just let it dry separately on the fan and the CPU?


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Thermal paste only needs to be put on the CPU. 
Yes, yo need to thoroughly clean the paste from the CPU & the Heatsink and apply new paste prior to assembly.
What Mobo did you purchase? Your original post listed an ASRock that uses DDR3 and you never posted any other choice.


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

Tyree said:


> Thermal paste only needs to be put on the CPU.
> Yes, yo need to thoroughly clean the paste from the CPU & the Heatsink and apply new paste prior to assembly.
> What Mobo did you purchase? Your original post listed an ASRock that uses DDR3 and you never posted any other choice.


Ok thanks !

And DDR3 is what I wanted, the one I unfortunately bought uses DDR2... and for some reason DDR2 RAM seams very very expensive.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

MysterySandwich said:


> Ok thanks !
> 
> And DDR3 is what I wanted, the one I unfortunately bought uses DDR2... and for some reason DDR2 RAM seams very very expensive.


Older ram is always more expensive so yes Ddr2 would usually be more expensive than Ddr3 ram.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

What Mobo did you get? You can get a 2x2GB pair of DDR2 for under $70 on Newegg.


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

Newegg.com - ASRock A770DE+ AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard

But "under $70" is still pretty expensive, the ram I bought was $27.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

My best advice would be to keep the DDR3 RAM and exchange the Mobo for an Asus or Gigabyte that is compatible with your Mobo and uses DDR3 RAM.
That gets you newer technology, a better quality Mobo and would probably be the most economical.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Tyree said:


> My best advice would be to keep the DDR3 RAM and exchange the Mobo for an Asus or Gigabyte that is compatible with your Mobo and uses DDR3 RAM.
> That gets you newer technology, a better quality Mobo and would probably be the most economical.


I agree here, my fault for not noticing the AS Rock I recommended was older technology, I was trying to give you more options and keep the lower price.
If you do a Newegg return, they don't really allow exchanges so you would have to return for a refund. Then they add 15% restocking charges which if you call or chat and explain you are choosing another board they will then remove. It's a pain but its the way they do things.
This one would give you some better options with DDr3 at nearly the same price...
Newegg.com - ASRock M3A770DE AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

The restock charge will apply regardless so going with the better quality Mobo is still the better option.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Tyree said:


> The restock charge will apply regardless so going with the better quality Mobo is still the better option.


The restock charge can be waived it you are taking another item, I have done it many times, you just have to talk to someone or use the chat facility.


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

Tyree said:


> My best advice would be to keep the DDR3 RAM and exchange the Mobo for an Asus or Gigabyte that is compatible with your Mobo and uses DDR3 RAM.
> That gets you newer technology, a better quality Mobo and would probably be the most economical.


That's what I was planning on doing, and lol you said "exchange the Mobo... that is compatible with your Mobo" 



Rich-M said:


> I agree here, my fault for not noticing the AS Rock I recommended was older technology, I was trying to give you more options and keep the lower price.
> If you do a Newegg return, they don't really allow exchanges so you would have to return for a refund. Then they add 15% restocking charges which if you call or chat and explain you are choosing another board they will then remove. It's a pain but its the way they do things.
> This one would give you some better options with DDr3 at nearly the same price...
> Newegg.com - ASRock M3A770DE AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard


Actually all the mobo's your suggested are more expensive than the one I originally was going to get.

I am chatting NewEgg right now, they say they can't waive the re-stocking fee even though I am buying a new item... and they sent me the wrong video card.
This sucks... that's like over $10 for the shipping, and 15% fee... bleh. Not to mention the money for more thermal paste

Now, I'm just complaining, I'm gonna go now.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Now that I think about it, when I have done that its when the item was damaged, not because I was simply returning it for something else.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

MysterySandwich said:


> Actually all the mobo's your suggested are more expensive than the one I originally was going to get.
> 
> I am chatting NewEgg right now, they say they can't waive the re-stocking fee even though I am buying a new item... and they sent me the wrong video card.
> This sucks... that's like over $10 for the shipping, and 15% fee... bleh. Not to mention the money for more thermal paste
> ...


Better quality/support usually costs more.
While I do sympathize with your dilemma the blame is on yourself for not thoroughly researching the products before you purchased. 
If Newegg shipped you a GPU that you did not order I would suggest discussing that point with them. Comparing the order and the invoice would show the mistake and I'm certain Newegg will make it right.


----------



## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

Tyree said:


> Better quality/support usually costs more.
> While I do sympathize with your dilemma the blame is on yourself for not thoroughly researching the products before you purchased.
> If Newegg shipped you a GPU that you did not order I would suggest discussing that point with them. Comparing the order and the invoice would show the mistake and I'm certain Newegg will make it right.


Yes agreed this is the kind of situation where they will pay the freight, send you a postage free sticker to do so ands no restocking fee if they shipped wrong thing. Keep after them that I have done easily many times.


----------



## MysterySandwich (Nov 27, 2011)

sorry about the rant earlier, anyways thanks for the helps guys!


----------



## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

No problems MysterySandwich! I would have been a little upset to if I was you. These constant hardware changes is a pain to keep up with.


----------

