So Tiger Direct Canada has a really cheap barebones kit on sale:
Sorry Peeps - Here is the correct link - http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?dpNo=6617649&sku=B69-0223&SRCCODE=LSCAN&cm_mmc_o=-ddCjC1bELltzywCjC-d2CjCdwwp&AffiliateID=CAqD7bLWUPI-qJPBYAgM79AjASsUuKih0A
I understand that this is not cutting edge by any means but it's a quad core CPU and I'm presently without a desktop PC. Obviously a video card is needed on top of this but I'm sure I could add something reasonably powerful for $150.
I am presently rock a 13" Macbook Pro which is great for day to day things but it would be nice to get back in to a little bit of PC gaming (of course inspired by Starcraft II). I'd also like to be able to jump on those amazing Steam sales when they roll around.
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Please Talk Me Out of This...
Am2+ ? well most cpus for amd are amd3, so you would be out of luck. I don't recommend it, find something better. I'm sure someone else can find you a better mobo, I haven't kept up with the latest and greatest amd mobos because I don't care that much about amd mobos.
That link leads to a motherboard instead of a kit.
If you want a cheap rig to supplement your Macbook, I'd vote to get a dual core to save money and then a higher powered graphics card. Quad cores really aren't necessary unless you'll be doing rendering or if you'll be playing mostly RTS games that have really high unit counts.
I'd venture to say that your Macbook could run SC2 on bootcamp, my 15" Macbook Pro can handle it on medium settings at 1920x1080.
On the other hand, don't forget about the fact that you need a monitor!
Sorry folks - I've updated with the correct link.
@commandercup: I have a 23" 1080p monitor I'm really happy with. I run bootcamp but the 9400M I find pretty useless when it comes to gaming power. Day to day it's just fine.
Don't listen to ppl who say dual core, these ppl are creating misconceptions that dual cores are good enough. I'm bottlenecked totally by my new gtx460, since the architure was so new, games that are open world games needs a stronger cpu. It doesn't mean games will use it for physics, or shit like that. It just means it helps reduce bottlenecks for pc games that can affect framerates. Honestly you will get more frames using a quad core over a dual core if the speed is the same. Also an i7 will smoke a quad core with 4 threads cpu in benchmarks of open world games. Just find a mobo that says am3, you will then have better options for a cpu, I say a quad core that's fast is a good decision. I mean years ago you could say dual core, now, it's just a total botltleneck for newer cards and newer games.
Edit: I see the new link now, it supports all types of cpus, your using a quad. It seems like a good deal for $259. I mean I just spend that much on a videocard, lol, your getting a lot of stuff for the money. For all the cash you saved, maybe go for a better videocard than HD5770. Honestly that's a good deal you found. You might need to upgrade your power supply eventually if you need a more powerful card. However I guess a hd5770 uses just 450 watts, your cutting it close. Maybe that's the card you should get, it's cheap and it uses exactly that much power, even though I recommend a better psu. Then I reread it, then it says only amd2+, make up your mind tiger direct, still there are quads that are amd2+.
Thanks for the replies. Upon further reflection, the mobo is way too barebones and a generic power supply is never really a good idea. It's nice and cheap, but not much else beyond that...
Yea the 450W psu isnt the best idea if you want to stick ANY Video card thats not an ATI 9800 or X800 in it. The mobo is way to generic, 2Gigs of ram is ok 4 is always better and it doesnt actually say the amount of the HDD.
Besides you don't want to stick a decent processor into a shitty mobo.
Upon looking at it more. You don't want to put an AMD processor into a board thats main focus is an Nvidia card. While it does work well. AMD processors work best in a mobo thats has either AMD or ATI on the box, as both of those run hand in hand.
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