Home Systems June 2003

A much better video card is on the block now.

<B>Case</B>:

<table><tr><td></td><td>The same case! <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></td><td>We'll drop the all onboard motherboard. <a href="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=13-127-144&depa=1">The normal NF7 is fine</a>. Everything is on this board, everything. $101 from Newegg.</td></tr></table>

<B>CPU</B>:

<table><tr><td></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></td><td>$80 for a stick of (2x) 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></td><td>A Radeon 9700 is a good card for this midrange system. <a href="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=14-137-009&depa=1">The FIC A97</a>. $229 at Newegg.</tr></table>

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

<table><tr><td></td><td></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></td><td>19 inches Big monitors. 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></td><td></td><td> </td><td>Logitech's z540 is good. Good quality, and the price is right at $62.68 (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 $101
Fic 9700 $229
Case $43
Crucial 256MB (2x) $80
160GB $100 (+tax)
48x CDRW $20 (+tax)
Logitech Elite Duo $49.99
DVD $36
Speakers $63 (+tax)
19inch Viewsonic Monitor $230 (+tax)
WinXP Home $93
Total: ~$1135. Very nice for this type of system.