Budget Build

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ravx25

[H]ard|Gawd
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I am getting ready to build a few PC's for my kids to use so I can get them off mine and could use a little help.

I have been trying to decide which Intel processor to get for them to play some game with. They play lots of Minecraft and I realize this is a more video card based performance game, but they will be playing some games from my Steam account, like Lego games, Bastion, Transistor and a few other similar type games. I'm not sure if the G3258 will suffice or if I should step up into an i5 possibly as some games use more cores lately. I really would prefer to keep the whole budget to less than $500 per machine, so obviously the processor will play a huge point in pricing. Any help would be appreciated.

Edit: I live near a Microcenter too if that helps out. I know they have better processors/bundles than most places.
 
Is this from scratch for $500 or do you have parts you're transferring in? Case, OS, monitor, etc?

Certainly the $70 G3258 is a value you'll more than double that moving to an i5. Yet as you said you're likely to need the gpu more than the cpu for their games. The more you spend on the cpu the less of your budget you have for that gpu. The G3258 holds up really well in most games versus i5 even i7.
Something like the G3258 and a GTX 750 will run you about what a i5 will on its own.

pentium-g3258-metro-last-light-benchmark-results-645x444.jpg

pentium-g3258-battlefield-4-benchmark-results-645x444.jpg


To me, for kids and their games and your budget the G3258 seems more than adequate. It allows to you spend a tad more on the video card which is where your actual bread and butter will be.
Also if you are willing to get a used video card right now the best bang for your buck on a video card is a 7950/7970=280/280X. For about what you'd pay for a new 750 you get substantially better card. The FSFT forum here or ebay are littered with deals galore
 
It's all going to be from scratch. The $500 is just a baseline and I don't mind going a little over, but I would like to keep it around that mark. I figure a case won't be too bad....there was a Thermaltake on SD for about $35 yesterday. Monitors can be had for close to $100 and memroy isn't too bad. Keyboards/mice are cheap enough as well.

That is interesting about the G3258 being that close in performance. I think I will actually go that route and spend a little more on the GPU then. Thanks for the help Gonzo.
 
And mantle supported games with the r9 card to alleviate any "bottleneck" in newer games using that dual core.
 
Budget build i7 920 with mobo is about 170. with memory is 60. Cant beat it. Used it where its at.
 
G3258 should be plenty, pair with a 270x or 750ti. You should be able to stay under $500 per system.
 
Swift_OwL said:
Budget build i7 920 with mobo is about 170. with memory is 60. Cant beat it. Used it where its at.
Click to expand...

That or as you just learned Xeon 5650 and mobo really would give those kids bang for the buck. But staying within the OP's budget and for what the kids actually do with the system the G3258 will be adequate.
 
it really is a good idea. Im thinking it will trend ya know spending even less on a cpu to get great performance. Or at least dx 12 but I cant wait to pull more performance out of my gtx 780 :)
 
I had issues with the 20th aniv pentium. It ran SC2 and Chivalry great, but seemed to hiccup sometimes in other games. I suspect things working in the background knocking it or.. I don't know. This was w/a 4.6Ghz OC on a stock 280X so.. take that for what it is worth.
 
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