Update to FAQ-System Requirements?

[honkey]

The question gets asked a lot about system requirements, and after looking at this FAQ thread, it is pretty obvious that some info needs to be updated. Does anybody want to help provide some info for this so that there can be a thread to answer these questions along with a price for each item so anyone getting into this knows how much money they will need to spend for whatever type machine they want to make? Here was my attempt at putting together some things on Newegg for a machine that will play just about every MAME game (minus some CHD's like Gauntlet Legends).

Processor: AMD Athlon II x2 3.0 ghz (60$)
Ram: 2 GB (1x1) 17$
Video Card: Just about anything that has direct X9 or later and shading effects (45$ in my case because S-video/HDTV out was required)
Hard Drive: 80 GB minimum if all you want to have is emulators and roms- more if you want all the artwork (50$)
Motherboard: 50$
Power Supply: 12$

Total Cost- 240$

This is the best price I have been able to come up with for everything computer wise that would play all playable MAME games and emulators. Can anyone beat that price? If people want to add more builds and describe what tyoe of system they would be used in, that would be cool.

[BobA]

It looks good but the HD price seems high.   I can get a 500gb 3.5 inch sata for $40 here in Canada.

[cmarion1024]

Or jump on one of these deals available right now.
http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/AMDbundlePROMO.html

Comes out the same getting the Phenom II X2 560BE with the motherboard as your Athlon processor/mobo combo. I was going to do the same combo as you until I found this deal.  I currently have the Phenom IIx2 555BE in my desktop.  Step up and possiblity of being unlocked into a quad core (if you want) later.  GSkill RAM for the Gigabyte combo is $31 for 4GB (2x2GB) and it comes with onboard graphics to set it up with until you buy your video card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231189