A Budget PC Under Rs 25,000

Since the last time we did this article, the shift to dual-core processors has been near-complete. Single core processors have become virtually extinct, and with prices of powerful dual-core processors dropping below Rs 3,500, you don't need to consider anything else.

Another trend is that AMD is being replaced by a series of cheaper Intel C2D budget processors offering very good value for money. Keeping all this in mind, we present to you our latest iteration of the Rs 25,000 machine. As usual, wherever prices/specs have remained unchanged, we have simply carried the products forward.

CPU: Intel E2140

The E2140 is a very good CPU at its price point. This scaled-down C2D offers 1 MB L2 cache, runs at a FSB of 800 MHz, and has a clock speed of 1.6 GHz. Compared to a standard C2D these specs may seem rather cut-down, but this allows the processor to run much cooler. Those who like to tweak their systems can easily overclock the processor by pushing the FSB higher. Since it’s based on the Intel C2D system, it supports 64-bit processing and runs on the same 65nm core. We recommend this highly as the base of any budget system.

Motherboard: Biostar GF7050V-M7

Biostar is a no-nonsense motherboard maker and while its products don’t enjoy the same popularity as (say) an Asus or an Intel original, the company still manages to offer some excellent VFM products. The GF7050V-M7 is one such. Based on Nvidia’s GeForce 7050 / nForce 610i chipset, it offers full support for Intel’s C2D processor and comes with a single PCIe 16x slot, 1 PCIe x1 slot, 8 USB slots, 2 PCI slots, and 4 SATA 2 (3.0 GB) slots along with the token IDE connector. For further details, see this page.

RAM: Kingston DDR2 800 MHz (2 sticks of 1 GB RAM Each)