Upgrading a friends PC

[guru_urug]

1. What is the purpose of the computer? What all applications and games are you going to run? (Generic answers will not work. Be exact and avoid the word 'et cetera.')
Ans: Gaming

2. What is your overall budget? If you can extend a bit for a more balanced configuration, then mention this too.
Ans: 20k max ideally 18k

3. Planning to overclock?
Ans: Yes, maybe after 6 months

4. Which Operating System are you planning to use?
Ans: Win 7 64bit

5. How much hard drive space is needed?
Ans: Already have

6. Do you want to buy a monitor? If yes, please mention which screen size and resolution do you want. If you already have a monitor and want to reuse it, again mention the size and resolution of monitor you have.
Ans: He has a 17 inch monitor, BUT he will be connecting it to HDTV to play games also

7. Which components you DON'T want to buy or which components you already have and plan on reusing?
Ans: Already have HDD,monitor, speakers,UPS, keyboard+mouse and dvd writer


8. When are you planning to buy the system?
Ans: End of month

9. Have you ever built a desktop before or will this be done by an assembler?
Ans: No assembler, self assembled I will help him with the setup

10. Where do you live? Are you buying locally? Are you open to buying stuff from online shops if you don't get locally?
Ans: Mumbai, Will purchase from Lamington RD Wont purchase online but can goto prime or itwares in person

11. Anything else which you would like to say?
Ans: He saw my NZXT gamma and he is adamant on getting that only! He wont settle for Bijli I tried convincing but in vain.
IMO HD 6770 is in his range, so I want him to get that atleast

So in summary
PARTS NEEDED
CPU, MOBO, RAM, CABBY(GAMMA),PSU, GPU(6770 atleast) ----->in 20k

 

[Cilus]

AMD Athlon II X4 640 @ 4.8K
Gigabyte GA-78LMT-S2P (rev. 3.1) @ 2.8K
Gskill RipjawX 1600 MHz 4GB CL9 DDR3 @ 1.6K
FSP SAGA II 500W @ 2.2K
HIS H679F1GD Radeon HD 6790 1GB GDDR5 @ 8.2K
NZXT Gamma @ 2.2K

Total is around 22K. If you wanna reduce price then get the Corsair 4GB 1333 MHz value ram @ 1.1K and a cheaper cabinet.

 

[topgear]

Phenom II 840 @ 5.3k ( Athlonn II X4s are rare to find )
Gigabyte GA-78LMT-S2P (rev. 3.1) @ 2.6K
Corsair 4GB 1333 MHz value ram @ 1.1K
Zebronics Bijli @ 1.5k
Corsair CX-430v2 / FSP Saga II 500 @ 2.2k
Sapphire HD6790 @ 7.9k / HD6770 @ 6.5-7k - if op's friend don't want to go beyond 20k

 

[guru_urug]

Thanks Cilus and Topgear

Ya I guess I will ask him to settle for the HD 6770. He is also quite adamant on getting the Gamma....lets c if I can persuade him to change his mind, coz I dont want him to skimp on the GPU.

 

[topgear]

If your friend don't want to Skimp on the gpu then he should Opt for Athlon II X4 ( if you can find one ) along with HD6790 and if he can increase his budget a little bit more then NZXT Source 210 Elite is a great cabby at 2.9k

 

[guru_urug]

No No TG...he will infact settle for a more expensive "good looking cabinet" and lower GPU. His main purpose is gaming and thats why Im trying to persuade him to invest most in the GPU and get a cheaper cabinet. He is noob in hardware and doesnt understand the importance of a GPU. He was initially wanting an Intel config in this budget. Now that I told him how AMD is vfm and how vfm and overclockable the pII 955be is he wants that!

This is the config finalised(mostly)
AMD Athlon II X4 640 @ 4.8K
Gigabyte GA-78LMT-S2P (rev. 3.1) @ 2.8K
Corsair 4GB 1333 MHz value ram @ 1.1K
Corsair CX-430v2 / FSP Saga II 500 @ 2.2k
HD6770 @ 6.5-7k
Zebronics Bijli @ 1.5k

Athlon x4's shud still be available at lamington road. Lets see
He doesnt want to spend more than 7k on a graphics card...sigh
Which is the cheapest good quality board for the 955be? If it fits in his budget then he wants the PII 955be. And he wont be changing the config for 2-3 years so it doesnt have to be future proof.

 

[topgear]

^^ Cabinet has great importance in a gaming rig - but for a normal gaming rig with mild OC and a gpu lik HD6770 zebronics Bijli is just perfect and has good air ventilation.

The mobo you have listed above is the cheapest and best one for a cpu like 955BE but make sure it's rev 3.1 mobo for a 955BE - if you are planning for an Athlon II X4 cpu then any revision of the mobo would be just fine.

Another good but a bit pricey mobo is Gigabyte GA-880GM-USB3 @ ~4.8k.

Also the price of 955BE has hiked and now it's around ~6k but just make sure your friend gets the best gpu possible in his budget