Vito Cassisi – Tech Blog Delving into technology

PC Design Guide: Under $600

As per request, here's a build for under $600AUD!

Building a new system can become tedious very quickly. Choosing suitable parts requires a fair amount of research, or there’s the option of buying a pre-built OEM machine. Building a PC yourself can save a fair bit of money whilst ensuring maximum performance per dollar. Below is a build for under $600AUD which is suitable for most home users, and perhaps a bit of gaming. Prices are from StaticICE, where the first 10 results (minus outliers) are averaged for the final price. The build does not include external peripherals or an OS.

CPU: AMD Athlon II x2 250 - $118
Motherboard: Gigabyte MA770-US3 - $102
RAM: 2 x 1GB Kingston 1066MHz DDR2 - $41
GPU: 512M HD4670 MSI - $91
HDD: Western Digital 320GB - $68
DVD-RW: Pioneer DVR-217BK 20x - $42
PSU/Case: Antec NSK4480B-II - $134

Total: $596

The AMD platform is great for budget builds due to its great pricing. The AMD Athlon II 250 is no slouch, and will do most tasks without skipping a beat. The Gigabyte motherboard is made from high quality components to ensure longevity, whilst the 2GB of RAM allows the use of modern applications which require large amounts of memory.

AMD's HD4670 is a decent performer. It can play modern games fine, however some will require the detail settings to be toned down.

To store all your data, the Western Digital 320GB HDD comes into play. It's fast and reliable. Pioneers flagship drive the DVR-217 has been included for quiet yet speedy disc burning and reading.

Last but not least, the Antec NSK4480B-II houses it all. Included is an 80PLUS certified 380W PSU to power your kit. Enjoy. :)