One day i got that crazy idea - what is the possible cheapest PC i can build using only parts that i order online from our local online market Allegro.pl (something like ebay, but works mostly for polish users). The main idea was to make it run Windows 7 and play some of the current games like League of Legend or Counter Strike: Global Offensive and the best DirectX 9 single player games. I know it sounds crazy, but i set the budget to be under 50,00 $!
Motherboard
I started searches from the motherboard. Why not CPU you'll ask? It's easy - you can find amazing CPU at low price, but then finding a decent MoBo with low price is almost impossible... So i was searching through a LOT of models, but most with low prices were broken or had missing parts. After a while my choice was the motherboard from Dell OptiPlex 760 with Intel LGA775 Socket and DDR2 RAM slots. MoBo also have one PCI Express x16, two SATA drives ports and can be run with standard ATX PSU. Price - astonishing 12,50 PLN (3,30 $).
Processor
The LGA775 Socket mounted on the Dell MoBo is supporting 800MHz, 1066MHz and 1333MHz FSB, so i have many CPU's to choose from. After ballancing price and efficiency my pick was the Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 - 2 cores, 2.93 GHz each, 1066MHz FSB, and 3MB Cache seemed just fine. I almost fainted when i saw the price - 4,00 PLN (1,10 $). At the launch you needed to pay 470,00 PLN (125,00 $) for this buddy!
Graphics Card
Third step was to choose the GPU. I was low on budget so GDDR3 was my only choice. With Intel CPU on board i was aiming for nVidia GPU (they just seem to work better together, just like AMD CPU's and ATI GPU's). All 7800 and 7900 models were so overpriced that i almost gave up, but then i came across GeForce 7600 GT with 256 MB GDDR3 memory for just only 15,95 PLN (4,25 $). With some overclocking i can get this lil' fella to perform almost as good as GeForce 8600 GT, so i think i'm ok with that.
Operating Memory
MoBo can take maximum of 8GB 800 MHz DDR2 RAM, but memory on our market can be still pretty expensive (many "cheap company servers" built between 2005 and 2010 still uses DDR2 memory and this kind of merchandise is much overpriced). My choice was to give my PC 2 GB of RAM in two modules (to run in Dual Channel) - 2 x 1GB 800MHz Samsung CL6. With E7500 and 7600 GT on board it will do all right. My price - 8,00 PLN (2,10 $).
Hard Drive
All of the parts above needs an OS to run properly and be usable, but OS has to be installed somewhere. My next choice was the 80 GB SATA 7200 RPM Samsung HDD. This capacity is just fine when we are talking about Windows 7 and about 15 games from 2005 to 2010 (that's more than i need to test my build). Hard drive comes with another impossibly low price of 7,00 PLN (1,90 $). That's around 0,1 PLN (0,03$) per GB!
Power Supply
All of the above needs to be powered somehow. The right PSU is very important! I am using amazing OuterVision Power Supply Calculator to check what is the absolute minimum of Watts that i need in my PSU.
Based on calculations i need at least 318 W PSU, but knowing that i will overclock my GPU, maybe even CPU i need some spare Watts. The pick was polish-branded 400 W Tracer PSU which costs only 10,00 PLN (2,70 $).
For now on we have:
MoBo - Dell E93839 GA0404 LGA775 DDR2 - 12,50 PLN (3,30 $)
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2,93 GHZ - 4,00 PLN (1,10 $)
GPU - GeForce 7600 GT 256 MB GDDR3 - 15,95 PLN (4,25 $)
RAM - 2 x 1 GB Samsung 800 MHz CL6 - 8,00 PLN (2,10 $)
HDD - Samsung 80 GB SATA 7200 RPM - 7,00 PLN (1,90 $)
PSU - Tracer 400W ATX - 10,00 PLN (2,70 $)
Here comes the trouble...
There are two main problems with the configuration listed above, both connected with Motherboard. First is that MoBo isn't ATX, nor mATX or any other popular formats. It has it's own montage system fiting only Dell OptiPlex 7XX cases. The next problem are cooling system montage pins - there are no Dell coolers available to buy alone (only included with MoBo's or full Dell cases with coolers included, but the prices were way over 100$). My solution is easy (from my point of view) - i'll just make custom case from garbage lying around in garage (PCV tubes, steel plates etc.) and also custom CPU cooling montage system. For the CPU Cooler base i chose AM2 / AM3 cooler - it's gonna be much easier to make custom montage system because of the way it has beed built (place for the rail in the middle of cooler). Total cost of cooler with fan was only 4,50 PLN (1,20 $).
Summary
Final list:
MoBo - Dell E93839 GA0404 LGA775 DDR2 - 12,50 PLN (3,30 $)
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2,93 GHZ - 4,00 PLN (1,10 $)
GPU - GeForce 7600 GT 256 MB GDDR3 - 15,95 PLN (4,20 $)
RAM - 2 x 1 GB Samsung 800 MHz CL6 - 8,00 PLN (2,10 $)
HDD - Samsung 80 GB SATA 7200 RPM - 7,00 PLN (1,90 $)
PSU - Tracer 400W ATX - 10,00 PLN (2,70 $)
CPU Cooler - AM2 / AM3 Cooler with Fan - 4,50 PLN (1,20 $)
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All parts together - 61,95 PLN (16,50 $)
Cost of shipping - 75,00 (20,00 $)
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Total - 136,95 PLN (36,50 $)
When i imagine the possible power of this configuration i am speechless. I set the budget under 50,00 $, but i managed to fit in under 40,00 $! And for DX9 games this PC should be doing amazingly fine.
For now on i am waiting for the parts to arrive (it's December 30th, so probably i'd get them in around a week), and when all parts arrive i'll mount them together right away! Full process of cleaning, mounting, configuring and installing OS will be available to read on my blog with full photo-story.
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