$200 cheap desktop recommendations ?

Im looking for something cheap, around $200. I dont need any accessories like a monitor. What can I do with 200 bucks? It would be used for light gaming, and was hoping for one with a low profile x16 slot for the video card, as i have a 9400gt I'd like to use ( unless I can do better in the included $200 budget )

and ideas?

You can't do much with $200 I'm afraid. Maybe find a nettop with a rebate...

You should save up some more if you intend to build a new desktop.

For a basic computer this is ok

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7007615&CatId=5139

Im looking for something cheap, around $200. I dont need any accessories like a monitor. What can I do with 200 bucks? It would be used for light gaming, and was hoping for one with a low profile x16 slot for the video card, as i have a 9400gt I'd like to use ( unless I can do better in the included $200 budget )

and ideas?

sintygypsy

Do you have ANYTHING other than the 9400gt?

I stand by what I said earlier however if you really need a PC for $200.. sell the 9400 and get this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856119023

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145180

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151192

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop

:?

I stand by what I said earlier however if you really need a PC for $200.. sell the 9400 and get this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856119023

Tezcatlipoca666

Good luck,

Boz

basic internet and light gaming, games like star wars battlefront 2, or a desktop with a decent enough motherboard and power supply to handle the 9400 gt 512mb, i am looking for used or refurb, nothing great

and no, all i have is a 9400gt, low profile cares aren't easy to come by for someone on a budget. I see HP mini s3600f desktops for around that price, more that able to handle modern games on low settings. I bought one for around $275 used about 2 years ago and have been gaming on it daily with a lot of games out there. It + the 9400gt 512mb card handled the new bulletstorm very well on low. I was hoping for something a bit better since this s3600 is getting extremely worn, its a dual core e2180, 2gb, 250gb system. There must be something a bit better out there used

[QUOTE="Tezcatlipoca666"]

I stand by what I said earlier however if you really need a PC for $200.. sell the 9400 and get this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856119023

Bozanimal

I know :P

Which isn't easily found in the sub-$200 range.

basic internet and light gaming, games like star wars battlefront 2, or a desktop with a decent enough motherboard and power supply to handle the 9400 gt 512mb, i am looking for used or refurb, nothing great

and no, all i have is a 9400gt, low profile cares aren't easy to come by for someone on a budget. I see HP mini s3600f desktops for around that price, more that able to handle modern games on low settings. I bought one for around $275 used about 2 years ago and have been gaming on it daily with a lot of games out there. It + the 9400gt 512mb card handled the new bulletstorm very well on low. I was hoping for something a bit better since this s3600 is getting extremely worn, its a dual core e2180, 2gb, 250gb system. There must be something a bit better out there used

sintygypsy

What about upgrading it instead? I don't know much about mini desktops so I have no idea what would fit. I'd love a new motherboard and processor, some new ram for sure and a much nicer video card, wonder what is possible for $200 or so

I'd also like a low profile video card with HDMI out, I know the 8400 gs has it. Thats a tough choice, stick with the 9400gt but use VGA to my 32' LCD hdtv, or get an 8400gs with hdmi out to my tv heh

Ya TC your best bet is to grab a new gpu like a 5670 then you will be cruising along. a 9400gt isnt a gaming gpu. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127523 .

basic internet and light gaming, games like star wars battlefront 2, or a desktop with a decent enough motherboard and power supply to handle the 9400 gt 512mb, i am looking for used or refurb, nothing great

and no, all i have is a 9400gt, low profile cares aren't easy to come by for someone on a budget. I see HP mini s3600f desktops for around that price, more that able to handle modern games on low settings. I bought one for around $275 used about 2 years ago and have been gaming on it daily with a lot of games out there. It + the 9400gt 512mb card handled the new bulletstorm very well on low. I was hoping for something a bit better since this s3600 is getting extremely worn, its a dual core e2180, 2gb, 250gb system. There must be something a bit better out there used

sintygypsy

but i would need a new mini motherboard or whatever else to work with the ddr5 wont i?

but i would need a new mini motherboard or whatever else to work with the ddr5 wont i?

sintygypsy

Nope. The HD 5670 puts the 9400 to shame so it is worth the price.

but i would need a new mini motherboard or whatever else to work with the ddr5 wont i?

sintygypsy

No...

the memory is on the grahics card it has no relation to what you need on the motherboard besides needing a pci-e slot which you do have.

I had no idea the newer, compared to the 9400 anyway lol, could work well through old pcs like mine with a pci express slot hmmm, ill definite snag one of those

Im just not at all sure of what else to do for upgrades, it needs to be done. Its time...its time lol. Id like to salvage the hard drive so i dont have to spend extra for the OS

Aha! This is helpful: System specs! The biggest problem is the 160W power supply; you've got room for a new video card, but even that MSI Radeon HD 5670 might tax your power supply a bit heavily (meaning it might lead to unexpected shutdowns and blue screens). That 9400GT uses about half the power of the MSI, and the MSI that user 04dcarraher recommended is probably your best bet. Personally, I'd chance it in this price range; the performance boost should be worthwhile.

• Double your memory: A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit - $57.99, Free Shipping
• Upgrade your CPU: Intel Celeron E3300 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 1MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - $49.99, Free Shipping
• New graphics card MSI Radeon HD 5670 - $79.99, Free Shipping
  

Total: ~188, that leaves you enough money leftover to grab a $5 footlong for you and a friend!

Happy gaming,

Boz

kijiji is your friend. Here is an ad I found for a computer for $170

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-computers-INTEL-E6320-Core-Duo-250GB-2GB-DVD-RW-W0QQAdIdZ274380576

add in the video card and you're good to go

Aha! This is helpful: System specs! The biggest problem is the 160W power supply; you've got room for a new video card, but even that MSI Radeon HD 5670 might tax your power supply a bit heavily (meaning it might lead to unexpected shutdowns and blue screens). That 9400GT uses about half the power of the MSI, and the MSI that user 04dcarraher recommended is probably your best bet. Personally, I'd chance it in this price range; the performance boost should be worthwhile.

• Double your memory: A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit - $57.99, Free Shipping
• Upgrade your CPU: Intel Celeron E3300 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 1MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - $49.99, Free Shipping
• New graphics card MSI Radeon HD 5670 - $79.99, Free Shipping
  

Total: ~188, that leaves you enough money leftover to grab a $5 footlong for you and a friend!

Happy gaming,

Boz

Bozanimal

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131396&cm_re=2gb_low_profile-_-14-131-396-_-Product

this seems like the better option, doesn't it?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131396&cm_re=2gb_low_profile-_-14-131-396-_-Product

this seems like the better option, doesn't it?sintygypsy

Boz

Tc you should swp your Pc guts to a new case with a bigger psu because that 160w psu thats in your current pc isnt strong enough for that 5670

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121002

^ Will the low profile pieces inside of my tower fit into a normal size tower, i know the new tower is bigger but i thougth things were designed in the low profile gear to only be used in mini towers.

and the psu i have is a low profil 160w power supply, which is identically the same in power and output to a normal 300w normal sized psu. I had that check out and tested on some video cards a few years ago. There are a crap load of options and routes I can take on this, dang Im confused lol

Aha! This is helpful: System specs! The biggest problem is the 160W power supply; you've got room for a new video card, but even that MSI Radeon HD 5670 might tax your power supply a bit heavily (meaning it might lead to unexpected shutdowns and blue screens). That 9400GT uses about half the power of the MSI, and the MSI that user 04dcarraher recommended is probably your best bet. Personally, I'd chance it in this price range; the performance boost should be worthwhile.

• Double your memory: A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit - $57.99, Free Shipping
• Upgrade your CPU: Intel Celeron E3300 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 1MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - $49.99, Free Shipping
• New graphics card MSI Radeon HD 5670 - $79.99, Free Shipping
  

Total: ~188, that leaves you enough money leftover to grab a $5 footlong for you and a friend!

Happy gaming,

Boz

Bozanimal

He only needs the one stick of RAM. He already has 2Gb.

tthis is a really tough choice. I definitely need better ram and a new video card. There is actually a 300w low profile replacement psu on ebay for cheap that I should pick up. Looking at about $170 for that psu and a new video card, so i'll have only a small amount of cash left over for some ram maybe. I dont know lol...not much else I can do but the game changed when I saw this 300w low profile psu appear on ebay. I've looked for one for a long time that was meant for a replacement for my specific tower model.

tthis is a really tough choice. I definitely need better ram and a new video card. There is actually a 300w low profile replacement psu on ebay for cheap that I should pick up. Looking at about $170 for that psu and a new video card, so i'll have only a small amount of cash left over for some ram maybe. I dont know lol...not much else I can do but the game changed when I saw this 300w low profile psu appear on ebay. I've looked for one for a long time that was meant for a replacement for my specific tower model.

sintygypsy

Why?

Just buy

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121002

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211188

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127523

$204.97

Don't buy a $100 300W second hand PSU....

The psu was brand new, not second hand.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HP-Pavilion-Slimline-s3600f-s3620f-300W-Power-Supply-/320649506142?pt=PCA_UPS&hash=item4aa8332d5e#ht_2212wt_698

If i got that case, I wouldn't need a low profile card, and I would be looking for something 1gb and up in a normal size. Wouldn't this be a better choice?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-102-911&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&PageSize=10&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&IsFeedbackTab=true#scrollFullInfo

Forget the ebay psu, the 5570 is slower then the 5670, 1gb on a 5670 or lower is a waste

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102871&cm_re=5670-_-14-102-871-_-Product

Forget the ebay psu, the 5570 is slower then the 5670, 1gb on a 5670 or lower is a waste

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102871&cm_re=5670-_-14-102-871-_-Product

04dcarraher

Actually get this card instead of the MSI. I have a Sapphire and it is great, so I can vouch for sapphire (Im sure MSI is great too) but its also cheaper....

He only needs the one stick of RAM. He already has 2Gb.

Urworstnhtmare

[QUOTE="04dcarraher"]

Forget the ebay psu, the 5570 is slower then the 5670, 1gb on a 5670 or lower is a waste

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102871&cm_re=5670-_-14-102-871-_-Product

Urworstnhtmare

Actually get this card instead of the MSI. I have a Sapphire and it is great, so I can vouch for sapphire (Im sure MSI is great too) but its also cheaper....

To be frank, you should really save a bit more and invest in some better parts. Otherwise you run the risk of having existing components crap out on you (power supply failure, bad memory, etc.). PCs have "sweet spots" in terms of what you can get at a given price, and that generally starts around $400 - $500, which gets you a decent case, PSU (power supply), GPU (graphics card), memory, motherboard, and processor. Somewhat amusingly, the MMO Champion community does an excellent job of keeping an updated list of recommended PC builds within a given price range: MMO Champ "Check Here First" sticky. The "What Should I Build/Buy?" link is current, but be sure to check thread dates. I think you will be much happier long-term saving up a bit and building a decent quality, entry-level PC than cobbling together parts for your aging HP. Just try not to get overwhelmed by all the choices. ;)

That said, if you're dead-set on upgrading what you have as soon as possible - which is fine, too - given your budget I'm sticking with my prior CPU/Memory/GPU recommendation. It's a lot of upgrades and should yield a notable improvement within your budget. At worst you end up with a power supply issue but, since you're coming in under budget, you should be able to pick up a replacement if warranted at about $30 new.

Good luck,

Boz

Boz, I think you are right.