Budget Gaming Desktop Build

[punkmanmatthew]

I actually really like this build. I can find everything for pretty much the same price except the ram, hdd, and the computer case. Could any of you guys recommend some other ram, hdd, and computer case that is good but still around the same price as the one on the list. I've looked for a cheap hdd but it's been tough unless it's refurbished or something.

Here is the link to the build:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...ming,3097.html

 

[DeathPrincess]

Do these questions!

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
6) Will you be overclocking?
7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? etc.
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?

It will help! Can ignore irrelevent ones!

 

[punkmanmatthew]

1) Gaming
2) $650
3) US, Florence, SC
4) CPU
Motherboard
RAM
Graphics
Hard Drive
Case
Power
Optical Drive
5) No parts being reused
6) No overclocking
7) Max res. is 1920x1080 but I like to keep it down at 720p
8) I plan on building/buying as soon as I get everything figured out.
9) I don't really need any features just as long as I can get a good graphics card
10) I have Windows 7 64 bit disk

I have a laptop now. It's the Asus G60jx and has an i5 with a GTS 360m. It does pretty good with games just looking for something better so I can play games on higher settings. My notebook plays most games at high settings some stuff on Medium but I like to be able to play everything on high and have anti aliasing or at lease most things on high with anti aliasing. I just don't like jaggies really at all. lol

 

[Dangman]

I recommend this setup if you're playing at 720P:
$195 - Intel Core i5-2400 CPU + LG GH22NS90B DVD Burner Combo
$55 - Biostar H61MGC Intel H61 mATX Motherboard
$37 - G.Skill Value Series F3-10600CL9D-8GBNT 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$170 - XFX HD-687A-ZHFC Radeon HD 6870 1GB PCI-E Video Card
$140 - Corsair CX500 500W PSU + Western Digital WD5000AAKX 500GB Hard Drive Combo
$50 - NZXT Source 210 Elite Black ATX Case
---
Total: $647 shipped.

 

[punkmanmatthew]

Thanks for the build. I'll research it.

Also is there a good AMD processor and motherboard I could get that would be just as good as the i5 and be a little cheaper?

 

[Dangman]

Also is there a good AMD processor and motherboard I could get that would be just as good as the i5 and be a little cheaper?

No. For a gaming PC, a lot of times AMD CPUs trail behind similarly priced or lower priced Intel CPUs. The few times an AMD CPU can beat an Intel usually requires extensive overclocking as well as the added cost of a 3rd party HSF.

 

[punkmanmatthew]

Is there a little bit better graphics card that I could run with this power supply?
$140 - Corsair CX500 500W PSU + Western Digital WD5000AAKX 500GB Hard Drive Combo

6870 is good but maybe I could run the 560 ti or something else is better?

 

[silent-circuit]

I'd recommend buying a used 6950 2GB off of someone for around $200. People are dumping them left and right to get 7970s lately.

 

[Dangman]

Is there a little bit better graphics card that I could run with this power supply?
$140 - Corsair CX500 500W PSU + Western Digital WD5000AAKX 500GB Hard Drive Combo

6870 is good but maybe I could run the 560 ti or something else is better?

The 560 TI should be doable off that PSU. However I wouldn't trust the HD 6950 on it.

 

[silent-circuit]

My system pulls around 650w at the wall under full load with dual 6950s. I think a single is within the range of possibility for a quality 500w PSU.

 

[E4g1e]

My system pulls around 650w at the wall under full load with dual 6950s. I think a single is within the range of possibility for a quality 500w PSU.

Actually, the CX500 v2 does not have as strong of a +12V rail as other 500W-class PSUs of at least decent quality: Whereas some have as much as 40A on the +12V rail, the CX500 v2 has only 34A on the +12V rail. What's more, the CX500 v2 is based on a platform that's only rated to hit its rated output with an internal PSU operating temperature of 30°C (86°F) instead of the more realistic 50°C (122°F).

 

[silent-circuit]

I'd be looking at a different PSU, then. Buy something used off the boards here, wouldn't run you much if any more.

 

[punkmanmatthew]

I was checking this out on Ebay and it would lower my price even more.

Do you guys trust this auction? He said he only used it for around 3 months.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sapphire-AM...eo_TV_Cards&hash=item2ebb29a74b#ht_500wt_1287

 

[silent-circuit]

I'd never buy a GPU off eBay. Buy from trusted sellers here in FS/FT. Prices should be similar and you're much less likely to get screwed.

 

[E4g1e]

I'd never buy a GPU off eBay. Buy from trusted sellers here in FS/FT. Prices should be similar and you're much less likely to get screwed.

I agree with the advice to stay away from eBay, for the following reasons:

1) The OP will never be sure what he will be receiving. Sometimes, the card turns out to be a dud, or its condition turns out to be much, much poorer than the seller claims.

2) Even if the seller were trustworthy, the bids on such coveted items will usually go all the way up to much higher than what the item is really worth by the time that particular auction is completed. In fact, sometimes the winning bid is actually higher than what that same item costs brand new at a trusted computer retailer! (And that's not to mention that several times I've bid the full MSRP or ERP on a given item and still got outbid at the end.)

3) The seller, although he has a 100% positive rating, also has a relatively low feedback score (say, less than several thousand). This simply means that the seller in that listing has not sold enough items for his trustworthiness to be judged.

So in other words, the OP has a much greater chance of getting totally ripped off by bidding on an eBay auction.