Trying to build a budget desktop gaming computer, need suggestions to reduce price...?

Question

My budget is around 700, but I keep going over...

I'd like to play most games that are out now, if not all, and would be willing to build it myself. If you could suggest any parts that would be cheaper, that would be wonderful.

Here's what I have so far:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADO5000DOBOX - Retail

Price: $66.00

Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103211

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-S2H AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

Price:$84.99

Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128090

Video card: CHAINTECH GSE96GTC GeForce 9600 GT OC 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

Price: $124.99 - $25 MIRB

Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814145152

RAM: A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model ADQVE1B16K - Retail

Price: $77.99

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

Hard Drive: HITACHI Deskstar P7K500 HDP725050GLA360 (0A35415) 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

Price: $64.99 [-15 with processor combo]

Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145215

Power Supply: COOLER MASTER Real Power Pro 550 RS-550-ACAA-A1 550W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply - Retail

Price: $89.99 - $20 MIRB

Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171025

OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit English for System Builders 1pk DSP OEI DVD - OEM

Price: $109.99

Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488

Tool Kit: Rosewill RTK-045 45 Piece Premium Computer Tool Kit - Retail

Price: $15.99

Link: Newegg.com Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1689926100...

Thermal Remover: Arctic Silver ACN-60ML (2-PC-SET) Thermal material Remover & Surface Purifier - OEM

Price: $5.99

Link: newegg.com Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1683510001...

Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound

Price: $5.99

Link: newegg.com Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1683510000...

CD/DVD Burner: ASUS 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model DRW-2014L1T - Retail

Price: $36.99

Link: newegg.com Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1682713515...

Case: Rosewill R214P-P-SL Silver SGCC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

Price: $24.99

Link: newegg.com Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1681114710...

CD/DVD ROM: ASUS Black IDE DVD-ROM Drive Model DVD-E616A/A5/CARBON/B/CPC - OEM

Price: $14.99

Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135172

Case Fan: SILVERSTONE FM121 120mm Case Fan - Retail

Price: $16.99

Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999344

Total: $725.87

Shipping: $36.60

Total + Shipping: $762.47

State Tax: 5.6%

Grand Total: $805.16

Minus $45 in MIRB = $760.16

Anything I can do to raise quality and/or lower the price?

Thanks in advance!

For some reason, it'd only let me use 10 links, so I had to take off the beginning part on some to fool yahoo. ;]

Answer 1

well the tool kit, thermal remover and DVD-ROM you don't need. all nice to have but really when building a PC the only thing you should have is a anti-static wrist strap. You need to change your RAM though bud the motherboard spec say DDR2 1066 and you have DDR2 800 select. It will work but you will be cutting down your performance and it shouldn't cost you but a few dollars more for the faster RAM. Oh you should beable to do without the thermal component too that should already be on the CPU at least it comes on Intel CPUs. Other then that i think you should be pretty well set with your machine

Answer 2

you don't need any thermal compound if your using the stock fan that comes with the processor.  The stock fan will be fine if you don't plan on over clocking.

Answer 3

well if your building a gaming computer, why on EARTH AMD? Go with an Intel Core 2 Duo 3.0GHz and overclock it. There is a reason why that processor is $66. You get what you pay for and you arent getting anything with that. Also instead of a 9600GT get an 8800GT. I like the 8 series better.

Also what do you need the thermal paste and thermal remover for?

Answer 4

Some suggestions:

Get this case instead:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...

It's better quality than that Rosewill case and comes with two fans, so you don't need to buy that case fan (net cost will be about the same).

Don't buy the fancy thermal paste removal kit.  Just get a bottle of isopropyl alchol at a drug store (and get some coffee filters to use for a "cloth" for cleaning things).  You can also get by with just using the thermal paste that comes with your retail heatsink -- in that case, you can skip buying the Arctic silver and alcohol entirely.

The toolkit is overkill.  All you'll need is a philips screwdriver and a grounding strap (or just make sure you're touching the case before touching any components).  Sometimes tweezers or a needle-nose pliers can come in handy, but you might have those already.

You don't need both the CD/DVD ROM and a CD/DVD burner.  And, why is that CD/DVD ROM IDE and not SATA?

Maybe get this disk drive instead of that Hitachi:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...

Processor and motherboard:  I'd suggest this processor:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...

With one of these motherboards:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...

Power supply:  Get a Corsair 450vx or 550vx instead of that Cooler Master PSU.  A 550vx is currently a tiny bit cheaper, but every bit as good.  A 450vx is cheaper and should be enough to power your system (though, it won't hurt to have the 550vx if you want more upgrade room later on).