Case and Power Supply
Case and PSU: Rosewill ATX Mid Tower Computer Case with 350W PSU ($40)
All of our components will fit easily into this Rosewill mid tower case. It has dual colored LEDs on the front for looks, as well as two front mounted USB ports for ease of use. The 350 watt power supply is more than enough to keep all of these components running, and it won't cost much on your electricity bill either.
Monitor
Monitor: Hanns·G 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor ($100)
The price of LCD monitors has dropped drastically over the past few months. This monitor would have cost over $150 at the beginning of the year, and at $100 there's no reason to choose anything else. The 19 inch widescreen provides a large viewable area, which is good for both work and games. It also has a low 5ms response time, which means that movies and games will appear more fluid in motion.
Other Components
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic SP1 64-bit ($80)
Vista home basic is the lightest and cheapest version of Windows Vista, but all of the essential elements are there. You really don't need the higher end versions as Home Basic provides all the features that most people use.
Keyboard and Mouse:Logitech Keyboard and Optical Mouse Combo ($13)
This is a standard PS/2 keyboard and USB optical mouse combo from Logitech.
Speakers: Logitech S-150 1.2 Watts USB Speaker ($12)
Our speakers are also from Logitech. Don't expect the highest quality sound here, but at $12 you can't really complain.
Total: $491 (Before Shipping)
This guide has shown that it's possible to put together an extremely decent budget build for under $500. Your $500 can easily buy a complete system, including monitor and operating system, that will perform better than most store bought systems. This PC will be able to watch movies, play games, and get work done fast and efficiently.
Feel free to add or change components around to fit your budget or needs. For example, if you play games you might choose a more powerful graphics card, or if you watch movies you might get a larger hard drive. The great thing about building your own PC is that you can endlessly customize it to fit you perfectly.
This system was built completely from components found at www.newegg.com.