Our low-end Econobox isn't designed to be the cheapest possible combination of parts. Instead, it's a solid and affordable foundation for enthusiasts on a budget. We've avoided cutting corners in ways that would have limited future upgrade options, and at the same time, we've tried to ensure that the system doesn't actually need any upgrades to deliver relatively peppy performance as it is.

Processor
AMD actually makes slightly faster processors in the same price range as the Pentium E2180 in our Econobox. However, we're sticking with the Pentium for two reasons: Intel's recently announced price cuts ought to trickle down to retail before long, and we think the LGA775 platform is a better investment overall. Our recommended motherboard is compatible with the latest 45nm Core 2 processors, laying an effortless upgrade path to faster dual-core chips and more exotic quad-core models.

AMD's low-end CPUs are certainly worthy of consideration, which is why we've selected one for our Econobox alternatives on the next page.

Motherboard
Gigabyte's GA-P35-DS3L gets our vote for this build because of its price tag, feature set, and great user reviews. Despite costing less than $100, this motherboard delivers fine overclocking potential, compatibility with 45nm Penryn processors, passive cooling, and plenty of connectivity options. You also get four 300MB/s Serial ATA ports, Gigabit Ethernet, S/PDIF audio input and output ports, and a full array of PCI and PCI Express slots. We'd be happier if Gigabyte had included RAID support with an ICH9R south bridge rather than the vanilla ICH9, but that's an omission we're inclined to forgive considering the board's price tag.

Memory
We've selected Kingston as our provider of cheap DDR2-800 RAM, and we've gone with a 2GB kit. Two gigs of RAM is the minimum we'd recommend given the demands of Windows Vista, and in light of today's prices, 2GB of DDR2-800 easily fits within the Econobox's $500 budget. Kingston has a strong reputation for both product quality and customer service, which isn't always the case with no-name memory makers.

Graphics
With its price recently tumbling to $150, Nvidia's GeForce 9600 GT is a better choice than ever for the Econobox. Sure, it's the most expensive component in this system, but alternatives that cost $20 or $30 less are significantly slower. Besides, we like the idea of a $500 system that's capable of running demanding games like Crysis and Assassin's Creed without having to sacrifice too much eye candy.

EVGA's creatively named 512-P3-N861-AR costs $149.99 at Newegg and is pretty much a bog-standard 9600 GT with stock clock speeds and the reference cooler. EVGA does cover this card with a lifetime warranty and 24/7 technical support, however, which elevates it above competing offerings.

Storage
Western Digital's 320GB Caviar SE16 is our hard drive of choice for the Econobox. We're passing on Seagate's 320GB Barracuda since the Caviar has a lower price tag, higher performance, and lower noise levels. The only trade-off is in the warranty department, where Seagate delivers five years of coverage—two more than Western Digital. If you favor longer warranties above all else, the 7200.10 is still listed in our alternatives section on the next page.

For our optical drive, we've chosen Samsung's SH-S203B. You can find slightly cheaper drives with similar features and the same Serial ATA interface, but this model is faster and only costs a couple of dollars more.

Enclosure and power
Antec's NSK 4480 case and power supply bundle houses our Econobox. This enclosure includes three external 5.25" bays, two external 3.5" bays, three internal hard drive bays (housed in a removable cage with rubber mounting grommets), and a speed-adjustable 120mm exhaust fan. Bundled with the case is Antec's high-efficiency EarthWatts 380W power supply, which is rated for 17A of power delivery on each of its two +12V rails. The power supply costs around $60 on its own, and the case is well-built and a pleasure to work in, so this bundle delivers pretty good value for the price.

Our recommended case and PSU bundle may seem pricey for a budget system, but a good power supply is an invaluable asset to system stability. You could get a $30 case/PSU bundle from a no-name manufacturer, and you might even end up with a halfway decent case out of the deal. PSUs bundled with inexpensive cases tend to be built from cheap, low-quality components, though, and that often translates into low power delivery, voltage fluctuations, poor stress tolerance, and short life spans. Cheap PSUs can jeopardize system stability, damage sensitive components over time, and potentially even flame out in spectacular fashion, taking several system components with them in the process. For an extra $40-50, we'd recommend sticking with a name-brand bundle that includes a quality PSU like this one.