If you follow our Budget build to the T, you’ll have a system acceptable for any role apart from running graphically intense applications. Throw a budget video card into the mix - which can be had for less than a $100 these days - and you’ll have a humble solution to gaming.
This board offers just the right features and price to make it a perfect solution for someone that needs basic functionality. The P5KPL-CM carries on-board video, so you won’t need to splurge for a dedicated GPU right now - but should you decide to tomorrow, the door is open.
Should you decide to step things up, the E5200 overclocks like a champ. Some users report obtaining speeds upward of 4GHz, so 3GHz is almost guaranteed.
We feel that with today’s memory prices, you might as well just buy a 4GB kit (2 x 2GB) flat out. For $50 you have a decent selection, but we recommend G.Skill’s F2-8500CL5D-4GBPQ, which operates at 2.0V, has a frequency of 1066MHz and a CAS latency of 5.
Samsung’s Spinpoint F1 HD502lJ is nothing out of the ordinary. It conforms to SATA II standards, has a rotational speed of 7200RPM, 500GB of storage, 16MB cache, an average seek of 8.9ms and an average latency of 4.17ms. Features include PMR and FOD technology, NoiseGuard and SilentSeek.
Corsair has a great deal on a modestly endowed power supply, the CMPSU-400CX. With a maximum output of 400W, it keeps cool with a 120mm fan, has 30A on a single +12V rail, is 80 PLUS Certified and ships with all the connectors you’ll need. The CMPSU-400CX is often coupled with a $20 rebate, which brings its total to $29.99.
Take a look at any of the following Rosewill models and you’ll probably find something that both you and your bank account can agree on: R218, R220, R222, R223, and R226-P-BK.
Taking rebates into consideration, for an extra $30 you can bump the screen size by a few inches and the resolution up to 1920x1080 or 1920x1200. If a 20" display sitting on your desk will satisfy you, take a look at Asus’ VH20T-P. It features a 1600 x 900 resolution, a pixel pitch of .277mm, ASCR 20000:1 contrast ratio, 160/160-degrees viewing angle, 5ms response time, brightness of 300 cd/m2, a single D-Sub and DVI port, and two 1W speakers.
All in all, for $30 you are unlikely to find something to top the EX 110 in the wireless department, but the Microsoft Wired Desktop 600 gives it a run for its money at $28.
