PC Buying Guide

PC Buying Guide banner
Last Update : 17th May 2008 » View Update Log

17th May 2008 Update »

  • Change of PRICE for processors and graphic cards.
  • Added new processors and graphic cards.

22nd March 2008 Update »

  • Change of PRICE for processors and graphic cards.
  • Added new processors and graphic cards.

9th February 2008 Update »

  • Change of PRICE for processors and graphic cards.
  • Added new processors and graphic cards.

9th January 2008 Update »

  • Change of PRICE for LCD monitors.
  • Note : PC Buying Guide and Customizer share the same product detail database. Price change on one takes effect on the other.

31st December 2007 Update »

  • Major overhaul on the guides, seems like November and December were great months for the change in computer hardware pricing as RAM prices are low, graphic card scene sees new cards that gave great price:performance compared to the cards released middle of 2007.
  • Introducing the PC Buying Guide : Customizer

I’ve prepared 8 types of PC specification ranging from RM 1,000 to RM 6,000. These specifications can be very helpful to you when it comes to purchasing your next computer.

Now firstly you have to identify your budget, that’s the most critical factor. After that, have a look at the specifications below and see which one comes closer to your budget bracket.

So let’s say your budget is about RM 2,500 - therefore you should look at the specifications based on the stated price estimation and range.EmoticonIt could end up being something in between, or hey - use the Customizer!

Now you’ll have to determine what you need and what you don’t need. For example, these specifications cover EVERYTHING you need for gaming………..ok well, except a mousepad. No big deal on that. So let’s say you already have a monitor, so you can remove the monitor’s cost from the specification so an RM 3,000 would now be about RM 2,400 - whaddaya know!! It’s now within your budget! Ok, so your uncle gave you 2GB DDR2 667 that he won from a lucky draw - you can then subtract it further, so the price is now less than RM 2,200.

Great!!! Now if you’re happy with that specification, you can now go about hunting for the components…….. but wait! What if you would like to maximize your budget? After all, you have RM 350 or so to spare.EmoticonHow about getting a bigger hard disk for your video collection?EmoticonHow about a better mouse? Or a sound card? The possibilities are endless, limited only by your budget.

I also had people claiming the site is not frequently updated. Apparently the people who complained about lacking updates happen to be people who are clueless about PC hardware pricing in the first place.EmoticonOne must understand that in the PC world, the updates aren’t frequent. Even an update a month is enough. In fact there’s no FIXED price in the market in the first place as the pricing of an item is entirely up to the seller. The price stated in the PC Buying Guide and Customizer will be a little higher than the market average - better to over-budget than under-budget.

Q : No mention of any particular model or brand for most of the items?
A : I decline to mention particular models as it will look like I’m advocating them. I will only be specific on processors and motherboards. Other than that, monitors, speakers, mouse, keyboards, casings - they’re really subjective to individual. Even the looks could affect decision making.Emoticon

Q : Why do I see cheaper prices elsewhere?
A : The prices you see are just based a few reliable sources, take note that the price may rise or fall. Please don’t EVER compare the price I use with Bulk Order pricing because not everyone participates with Bulk Orders.EmoticonPlease don’t expect the price stated here to be accurate, the prices stated here were never meant to be accurate and NEVER will be since there’s no FIXED price in the market in the first place, however it will be priced a little higher than the market average - better to over-budget than under-budget.

Q : What about the availability of items?
A : I’m not a representative of any shop. The availability of the items in the specifications are subjected to your location, usually there are equivalents that you can opt for.

Please bear in mind that this guide was written with the average Joe in mind so don’t panic if you don’t know anything about computers

I will change the guide from time to time. Should you have any queries about the specification that I’ve presented, you may contact me. Do you have a suggestion to improve the guide? Do you wish to discuss this guide with me? Feel free to do so as well.

Anyway, the specifications are listed below.EmoticonClick to view the details. Click on it again to hide the details.

Budget PC for Home & Office, Very Minimal Gaming
Suitable For : Browsing the Internet, downloading stuff, play some online games (like those at Yahoo!). You still can play some games but it’s usually only playable at lowest resolution with lowest detail settings.

Yes, it’s also a good setup if you want to give your child or some kid somewhere an experience with computers.

Component Item Price (RM)
Processor AMD Athlon64 LE1620+ (2.4Ghz, 1MB Cache) 170
Motherboard ATI690G based
goldfries suggests the ABIT NF-M2S, around RM 170
200
RAM 1x 1GB DDR2 667 75
Hard Disk 80GB 155
Graphics Use onboard video 0
Monitor 17in LCD 600
Casing Basic Casing 100
Power Supply Using the one with casing 0
Audio Device Use onboard audio 0
Speakers Really Cheap 2.1 Speaker setup 50
Keyboard & Mouse Cheap Keyboard & Mouse combo 50
Optical Drive DVD-ROM 75
Disk Drive 1.44mb 3.5in disk drive 25
LAN Device Comes with motherboard 0
Total : RM 1500
This is one of the cheapest setup you could get, the only part that you should consider changing would be the power supply as those el-cheapo power supplies aren’t something you should put your trust on. Changing to a better power supply would ensure better safety to your components.

I mean seriously, if you can afford a better machine you wouldn’t be looking at this setup. Having a lousy power supply means you have higher chance of power supply failure and could possibly incur extra cost(s) should anything go awry.

Do note that there’s also a budget allocated for a set of speakers, mouse and keyboard. You could always slash the cost further by aiming for cheaper speakers, mouse and keyboard. By slashing the cost you’ll be living with less satisfying sound output (if you don’t mind) and not-so-ergonomically friendly keyboard and mouse, this may end up hurting you in the long run.

The Ideal Home & Office PC
Suitable For : Office productivity, browsing the Internet, downloading stuff, watch movies. The 22 inch LCD display is great for huge viewable area for working on documents, artwork, photo-editing. Light gaming? Sure! Games are mostly playable but you have to run at low resolution and low details settings.
Component Item Price (RM)
Processor AMD Athlon X2 4600+ (2.4Ghz, 2x 512KB Cache) 210
Motherboard ATI690G based
goldfries suggests the ASUS M2A-VM, around RM 235
300
RAM 1x 1GB DDR2 667 75
Hard Disk 160GB 180
Graphics Use onboard video 0
Monitor 22in Wide-screen LCD 1100
Casing Basic Casing 100
Power Supply 400w 250
Audio Device Use onboard audio 0
Speakers Cheap 2.1 Speaker setup 100
Keyboard & Mouse Keyboard & Mouse combo 100
Optical Drive DVD-ROM 75
Disk Drive 1.44mb 3.5in disk drive 25
LAN Device Comes with motherboard 0
Total : RM 2510
Why did I call it The Ideal Home & Office PC? Simple, unlike the Budget PC configuration, this one comes with a dual-core processor, a 22 inch LCD display (for huge desktop working area), comes with a motherboard with better onboard video, a better power supply and of course a better set of speakers, mouse and keyboard for ergnomics.
The Artist / Photographer Setup
Suitable For : Artwork and Photo Editing.
Component Item Price (RM)
Processor AMD Phenom X3 8450 (2.1Ghz, 3.5MB Cache) 480
Motherboard AMD770 / AMD780 / AMD790 based
goldfries suggests the ASUS M3N78-EMH, around RM 300
400
RAM 2x 1GB DDR2 667 130
Hard Disk 160GB (for applications and whatever stuff) + 500GB (for artwork / photo storage) 180 + 420
Graphics ATI HD3650 256MB
goldfries suggests the ASUS EAH3650 TOP, around RM 380
270
Monitor 20in Wide-screen LCD
goldfries suggests the Dell 2007WFP 20″ UltraSharp, around RM 1,500
1500
Casing Basic Casing 100
Power Supply 400w
goldfries suggests the Silverstone Strider ST400 400w, around RM 180
250
Audio Device Use onboard audio 0
Speakers 2.1 Speaker setup 200
Keyboard & Mouse Keyboard & Mouse combo 100
Optical Drive DVD-ROM 75
Disk Drive 1.44mb 3.5in disk drive 25
LAN Device Comes with motherboard 0
Total : RM 4030
Why a 20-inch UltraSharp instead of a 22-incher?? Well the 20-inch UltraSharp from DELL is a great monitor compared to the other sub-RM 1.2k 22-inchers. Pair it up with an ATi HD3650 Graphic Card for crisp and clear image output PLUS you’re ready for computer gaming and even HDMI output anytime!
Gaming Setup : Low
Suitable For : Light gaming, meaning games are mostly playable but you have to run at low resolution and low details settings. Choose this setup IF you don’t game much and don’t mind playing with horribly ugly looking polygons on screen.

This machine works fine for office productivity and Internet activities.

Component Item Price (RM)
Processor AMD Athlon X2 4600+ (2.4Ghz, 2x 512KB Cache) 210
Motherboard ATI690G based
goldfries suggests the ASUS M2A-VM, around RM 235
300
RAM 1x 1GB DDR2 667 75
Hard Disk 160GB 180
Graphics Use onboard video 0
Monitor 17in LCD 600
Casing Basic Casing 100
Power Supply 400w 250
Audio Device Use onboard audio 0
Speakers Really Cheap 2.1 Speaker setup 100
Keyboard & Mouse Cheap Keyboard & Mouse combo 100
Optical Drive DVD-ROM 75
Disk Drive 1.44mb 3.5in disk drive 25
LAN Device Comes with motherboard 0
Total : RM 2015
Everything you need to play games, however the games would generally work decently nearly the lowest resolution and details settings, it still works a little bit better than the setup above. With the RAM slots and PCI-E slot available, you could always upgrade the gaming capacity later.
Decent Gaming Setup
Suitable For : Computer gaming at decent resolution and details, when I say decent I mean that it’s usually around medium or slightly below.

Office productivity, browsing the Internet, downloading stuff, watching movies - They’re all fine.

Component Item Price (RM)
Processor AMD Phenom X3 8450 (2.1Ghz, 3.5MB Cache) 480
Motherboard AMD770 / AMD780 / AMD790 based
goldfries suggests the ASUS M3N78-EMH, around RM 300
400
RAM 2x 1GB DDR2 667 130
Hard Disk 250GB 235
Graphics ATI HD3650 256MB
goldfries suggests the ASUS EAH3650 TOP, around RM 380
270
Monitor 19in Wide-screen LCD 750
Casing Basic Casing 100
Power Supply 400w
goldfries suggests the Silverstone Strider ST400 400w, around RM 180
250
Audio Device Use onboard audio 0
Speakers 2.1 Speaker setup 200
Keyboard & Mouse Keyboard & Mouse combo 100
Optical Drive DVD-ROM 75
Disk Drive 1.44mb 3.5in disk drive 25
LAN Device Comes with motherboard 0
Total : RM 2915
This setup pairs the ATi HD3650 based graphic card with a 19 inch Wide-screen LCD monitor. Why 19 inch? With the native resolution of 1440×900, you’re sure to get more framerates compared to playing it on a 20 inch or wider screen with 1680×1050 resolution.
Gamer Setup : Almost Medium Range
Suitable For : Gaming Gaming Gaming…….and practically every thing else under the sun.
Component Item Price (RM)
Processor Intel Core2Duo E6550 (2.33Ghz, 1333FSB, 4MB Cache) 540
Motherboard P35 / P31 / G33 based
goldfries suggests the GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L, around RM 350
400
RAM 2x 1GB DDR2 800 160
Hard Disk 250GB 235
Graphics ATI HD3850 256MB 450
Monitor 19in Wide-screen LCD 750
Casing Basic Casing 100
Power Supply 500w
goldfries suggests the Silverstone Strider ST50F 500w, around RM 270
300
Audio Device Use onboard audio 0
Speakers 5.1 Speaker setup 400
Keyboard & Mouse Keyboard & Mouse combo 100
Optical Drive DVD-ROM 75
Disk Drive 1.44mb 3.5in disk drive 25
LAN Device Comes with motherboard 0
Total : RM 3505
An Intel Core2Duo E6550 paired with an overclockable motherboard, some DDR2-800 RAM just in case you wish to overclock. Then we have an ATi HD3850 based graphic card paired with a 19-inch Wide-screen LCD monitor and a 5.1 speaker setup to add to the enjoyment. All this, powered by a 500-watt PSU.
Gamer Setup : Medium Range
Suitable For : Gaming Gaming Gaming…….and practically every thing else under the sun.
Component Item Price (RM)
Processor Intel Core2Duo E8200 (2.66Ghz, 1333FSB, 6MB Cache) 680
Motherboard P35 / P31 / G33 based
goldfries suggests the GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L, around RM 350
P35 / P31 / G33 based
RAM 2x 1GB DDR2 800 160
Hard Disk 250GB 235
Graphics nVidia 8800GT 512MB
goldfries suggests the Albatron 8800GT-512X, around RM 800
700
Monitor 19in Wide-screen LCD 750
Casing Basic Casing 100
Power Supply 500w
goldfries suggests the Silverstone Strider ST50F 500w, around RM 270
300
Audio Device Use onboard audio 0
Speakers 5.1 Speaker setup 400
Keyboard & Mouse Keyboard & Mouse combo 100
Optical Drive DVD-ROM 75
Disk Drive 1.44mb 3.5in disk drive 25
LAN Device Comes with motherboard 0
Total : RM 3925
An Intel Core2Duo E8400 (3.00Ghz, 1333FSB, 6MB Cache) paired with an overclockable motherboard, some DDR2-800 RAM just in case you wish to overclock. Then we have an nVidia 8800GT based graphic card paired with a 19-inch Wide-screen LCD monitor and a 5.1 speaker setup to add to the enjoyment. All this, powered by a 500-watt PSU.
Gamer Setup : Medium-High Range
Suitable For : Gaming Gaming Gaming…….and practically every thing else under the sun.
Component Item Price (RM)
Processor Intel Core2Duo E8400 (3.00Ghz, 1333FSB, 6MB Cache) 660
Motherboard P35 / P31 / G33 based
goldfries suggests the GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L, around RM 350
P35 / P31 / G33 based
RAM 2x 1GB DDR2 800 160
Hard Disk 320GB 290
Graphics nVidia 8800GTS 512MB 900
Monitor 22in Wide-screen LCD 1100
Casing Basic Casing 100
Power Supply 550w
goldfries suggests the Silverstone Strider ST56F 560w, around RM 400
400
Audio Device Use onboard audio 0
Speakers 5.1 Speaker setup 400
Keyboard & Mouse Keyboard & Mouse combo 100
Optical Drive DVD-ROM 75
Disk Drive 1.44mb 3.5in disk drive 25
LAN Device Comes with motherboard 0
Total : RM 4630
An Intel Core2Duo E8400 (3.00Ghz, 1333FSB, 6MB Cache) paired with an overclockable motherboard, some DDR2-800 RAM just in case you wish to overclock. Then we have an nVidia 8800GTS based graphic card paired with a 22-inch Wide-screen LCD monitor and a 5.1 speaker setup to add to the enjoyment. All this, powered by a 560-watt PSU.
Gamer Setup : Quad-Core High-End
Suitable For : Gaming Gaming Gaming…….and practically every thing else under the sun. Yes, this one’s for you guys who have no clue on what to buy yet crave blazing graphics and all!
Component Item Price (RM)
Processor Intel Core2Quad Q9450 (2.66Ghz, 1333FSB, 6MB Cache) 1170
Motherboard X38 based
goldfries suggests the ASUS Maximums Formula, around RM 950
950
RAM 2x 2GB DDR2 800 300
Hard Disk 320GB 290
Graphics ATI HD3870×2 1GB 1500
Monitor 22in Wide-screen LCD 1100
Casing Basic Casing 100
Power Supply 550w
goldfries suggests the Gigabyte Odin GT 550w, around RM
400
Audio Device Use onboard audio 0
Speakers 5.1 Speaker setup 400
Keyboard & Mouse Keyboard & Mouse combo 100
Optical Drive DVD-ROM 75
Disk Drive 1.44mb 3.5in disk drive 25
LAN Device Comes with motherboard 0
Total : RM 6310
An Intel Core2Quad Q9450 (2.66Ghz, 1333FSB, 6MB Cache) paired with a really bad-ass overclockable motherboard, some DDR2-800 RAM just in case you wish to overclock. Then we have an ATi HD3870×2 based dual graphic processor card paired with a 22-inch Wide-screen LCD monitor and a 5.1 speaker setup to add to the enjoyment. All this, powered by a 550-watt modular PSU.
bottom shade
bottom shade

My Beloved Readers

bottom shade wide

© 2007 - 2008 goldfries.com | Powered by WordPress | Theme by goldfries | goldfries.com is 455 days old