# Help me build a 450$-700$ Gaming PC



## jonathan1107 (May 5, 2012)

Hey guys,

I already have a beast computer for myself, but I'm going to help a friend build his own PC... He doesn't have the same type of budget I had for my PC lol....

we're talkin between 450-700$. He plans on using it for:

- Web surfing
- Editing Documents
- Gaming

Here are the parts I need your help with:

- CPU
- GPU
- HDD
- RAM
- MOBO
- PSU

All the other parts we don't need... Speakers, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and other acessories... we got those...

I know where to look for almost everything except for the CPU... I'm used to intel, I don't know much about AMD... Since AMD is cheaper, we should go that way... 

*Let's say this: Let's say we want to be able to play any recent game title @ 40-50FPS @ at least High settings (maybe not Ultra settings...)*

*What type of AMD CPU and GPU combination are we looking @ ?
What type of power draw and therefore, what type of PSU?
What type of MOBO will be compatible with that AMD CPU and GPU combo?
What RAM will work with that combo?
What's the cheapest 500gb-1tb HDD we can find?
*


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## Fourstaff (May 5, 2012)

FX4100/i3 2100 (I personally prefer 2100 since its a tad faster in non-gaming situations. About the same in gaming: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/fx-4100-core-i3-2100-gaming-benchmark,3136.html)
Cheapest Mobo which is not gimped (Whatever you can find for AMD, H61 is fine for Intel)
Cheapest HDD (they are still expensive )
2x2Gb, but try to make it 2x4GB, whatever timing you can get
Quality 400w Corsair, Antec, Enermax, Thermaltake all good brands
GTX560 (Ti) or 6870, if budget still fits


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## jonathan1107 (May 5, 2012)

isn't 400w a bit low for the 6870 and fx4100 power draw?


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## MxPhenom 216 (May 5, 2012)

CPU: i5 2500k
Memory: G. SKill sniper 2133mhz 8GB DDR3
Motherboard: Asrock Extreme4 Z77
GPU: MSI HD6870
PSU: Corsair TX650 V2
HDD: Its hard to find a HDD right now because of the price hikes.


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## Fourstaff (May 5, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> isn't 400w a bit low for the 6870 and fx4100 power draw?



6870 maxes out at 180w, and that is when you punish it. Will not see much higher than 130w in regular gaming, so that leaves plenty of power for the FX4100 (which maxes out at about 140w), you can even overclock both a bit and still be safe (not that I would).


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## techguy31 (May 5, 2012)

CPU: i3-2120
GPU: 77xx series or 78xx
SSD: 120GB SSD (< $120)
PSU: Corsair HX650W
MOBO: H61 (No Overclocking Though)
Memory: Corsair or Kinston 8GB Ram


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## jonathan1107 (May 5, 2012)

Nvidia, can u link the items u listed? Especially the Mobo, can't find it... I find 3 diff models with same name... phase 2 phase 4... have no clue what the difference is


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## Fourstaff (May 5, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> Nvidia, can u link the items u listed? Especially the Mobo, can't find it... I find 3 diff models with same name... phase 2 phase 4... have no clue what the difference is



ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6...
I think its this one he is referring to


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## jonathan1107 (May 5, 2012)

and why are the HDDs more expansive of late ???


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## Fourstaff (May 5, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> and why are the HDDs more expansive of late ???



No, HDDs are expensive since last year due to floods in Thailand and the manufacturers are still very keen on maximising their profits
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165350


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## jonathan1107 (May 5, 2012)

how were the prices be4 ? for instance, the 500gb 7200rpm HDD I'm looking @ are around 55 to 70$...

I think I got my 2x 500gb western digital drives for 100$ (which puts em @ 50$ each if I'm right...)

Also, IS THE SSD worth it ??

The build I like the most up to now, is Nvidiaintelftw's.... 
For that particular build, would an SSD help all that much... I know it speeds up the booting process but aside from that...?


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## Fourstaff (May 5, 2012)

Loading times for games will also improve drastically. If your friend can live with 120GB for now (and possible HDD upgrade in the future) go for it, the difference is pretty major.


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## jonathan1107 (May 5, 2012)

btw THX for all your help and advice, I already know a lot about computers, and I built mine... but I'm not just familiar enough with all the AMD CPU market...

Also is there a clear advantage into combining an AMD cpu with an AMD GPU... or does it not?
As of right now MY pc has a combo of i7 CPU with 2x AMD GPUs... was that a mistake? or it doesn't matter...?

I know usually, nvidia goes well with intel, but do Nvidia GPUs fit in AMD mobos and match AMD cpus?


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## jonathan1107 (May 5, 2012)

Can someone link me the cheapest 64 and 120 gb SSDs ?


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## ShiBDiB (May 5, 2012)

Ur shorting urself by sticking to amd.. intel holds the crown right now and for the forseeable future.


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## jonathan1107 (May 5, 2012)

Yes I understand intel CPUs are better... but what about the GPUs?

Is it terrible to combine a Intel CPU with an AMD GPU? (for instance, i5 2500k and AMD radeon 6870) ? or should the i5 be combined with an NVIDIA card ???


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## Fourstaff (May 5, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> btw THX for all your help and advice, I already know a lot about computers, and I built mine... but I'm not just familiar enough with all the AMD CPU market...
> 
> Also is there a clear advantage into combining an AMD cpu with an AMD GPU... or does it not?
> As of right now MY pc has a combo of i7 CPU with 2x AMD GPUs... was that a mistake? or it doesn't matter...?
> ...



No, there is no clear advantage to go AMD-AMD, or at least not that I know of. Same with all other Nvidia-Intel-AMD combinations. If there is, its probably quite small. What matters more is that Intel's CPU is slightly more consistent than AMD's, and Nvidia posts better min framerates than AMD in general, for the same price bracket. 



jonathan1107 said:


> Can someone link me the cheapest 64 and 120 gb SSDs ?



You can take a look at this: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-storage-value,3184.html

SSDs are a pain to recommend, every few dollars difference will make one option slightly better than the other, especially the low end stuff. Crucial M4, OCZ Agility 3 and Intel 330 are my go-to recommendations right now.


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## jonathan1107 (May 5, 2012)

OK 1 Last important question:

NVIDIAintelFtw's BUILD is my favorite right now, I like it a lot... And I believe my friend will go for it... BUT ----- > the bill goes up to 788$ + taxes and shipping... that's tad bit high...

Here is the build he recommended: 

CPU: i5 2500k
Memory: G. SKill sniper 2133mhz 8GB DDR3
Motherboard: Asrock Extreme4 Z77
GPU: MSI HD6870
PSU: Corsair TX650 V2

Is there a way to reduce the cost?
*Are there CHEAPER options for the 3 following elements:*

*Memory: G. SKill sniper 2133mhz 8GB DDR3
Motherboard: Asrock Extreme4 Z77
PSU: Corsair TX650 V2*


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## Fourstaff (May 5, 2012)

550w is enough

Memory can drop down to 1600Mhz, SB doesn't post significant gains after 1600Mhz (at whatever timings)

You don't really want to cut the motherboard if you are planning to overclock in say 2 years time to squeeze some more usage. Alternatively, if overclock is not really considered ( I would sacrifice this for a slightly better GPU), you can get a H61 board and i5 2400.


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## baggpipes (May 5, 2012)

<<< look at my rig.... its right on with your budget...


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## ShiBDiB (May 5, 2012)

G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR...

^^ RAM

Open Box: MSI P67A-G45 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SAT...

^^MOBO (Yes its open box, and yes it works fine.)


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## baggpipes (May 5, 2012)

and agreed that i5 cant use more than 1600mHz... if you go FX build go with 1866 mHz RAM...


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## Crap Daddy (May 5, 2012)

I'd say 

i3-2120
H61 mobo
HD 7850
Cheap 2x4GB RAM
400W PSU
500GB HDD

Forget the 6870, if it's gaming we're talking about then get the 7850


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## 1nf3rn0x (May 6, 2012)

What resolution of his monitor?..


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## Darkleoco (May 6, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> OK 1 Last important question:
> 
> NVIDIAintelFtw's BUILD is my favorite right now, I like it a lot... And I believe my friend will go for it... BUT ----- > the bill goes up to 788$ + taxes and shipping... that's tad bit high...
> 
> ...



Definitely drop the ram down to 1600 mhz and you don't have to grab an ivy bridge compatible board if he intends to stick with this setup for awhile.


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## xxdozer32 (May 6, 2012)

mines on budget too, look at my specs. nvm havent put the specs in yet


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## jonathan1107 (May 6, 2012)

nvidiaintelftw said:


> CPU: i5 2500k
> Memory: G. SKill sniper 2133mhz 8GB DDR3
> Motherboard: Asrock Extreme4 Z77
> GPU: MSI HD6870
> ...



OK, just to make sure I'm on the right path here:

*Memory: G. SKill sniper 2133mhz 8GB DDR3* ---> Can be switched for a 1600mhz kit right? To save some money... I hear that i5s and i7s generally work better with high freq. Ram (like 2000mhz) tho... but no big deal here for me...

*Motherboard: Asrock Extreme4 Z77* ---> 1 of you said: "You don't really want to cut the motherboard if you are planning to overclock in say 2 years time to squeeze some more usage. Alternatively, if overclock is not really considered ( I would sacrifice this for a slightly better GPU), you can get a H61 board and i5 2400." 

I'm not sure what you mean with Overclock... 
*Do you mean that I need a certain mobo to be able to OC the i5 2500k? *
*What about CPU temps? Do I need a special cooling solution for the i5 2500k OC? or will the stock cooler allow me to reach 4ghz and above?*

*PSU: Corsair TX650 V2* ---> *Appearantly, for the said card (6870), I wouldn't need a 650w PSU, 550w would do... correct?
*

*GPU: MSI HD6870* ---> This sounds like a decent card, but 1 of you said: "Forget the 6870, if it's gaming we're talking about then get the 7850" *Is there a considerable Performance difference between the 2, and what's the price difference?* I REALLY enjoyed ShiBDiB links. I need links to compare the stuff (if you have time to spare 

*So pls, give me links to the best deals you can find for all the items. Keep in mind, the 1 item I will order for sure is the i5 2500k. So the stuff you link has to be compatible with that CPU* (mobo, ram and so on...)

P.S. I live in CANADA, so if you find links from Canada, it's even better


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## jonathan1107 (May 8, 2012)

Would an i3 2120 be good enough to match with the 6870 and perform well with gaming situations, to allow for at least "high settings" ???

or must I really stick with the i5 2500k? Cause that CPU is 100$+ more expensive than i3 2120


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## Rowsol (May 8, 2012)

Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2CCA 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC ...  best money you can spend
Intel Celeron G530 Sandy Bridge 2.4GHz LGA 1155 65...   in gaming is about 75% of an i3 2100
GIGABYTE GA-B75M-D3V LGA 1155 Intel B75 SATA 6Gb/s...  cheapest sata 3 board I could find
Antec EarthWatts Green EA-430D Green 430W Continuo...  cheapest quality psu
PowerColor AX6850 1GBD5-DH Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-...  best single 6 pin card and insane price/performance
get any 4gb ram kit.  

About $450


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## jonathan1107 (May 8, 2012)

What's the cheapest but best mobo I can find for the i5 2500k? (canada link pls)

Is micro ATX too small for this build? or I must find an ATX ???

(***URGENT***)


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## JrRacinFan (May 8, 2012)

Just dropping a line.....

If you go H61, don't bother with getting memory specc'd higher than 1333mhz, as that's the furthest the chipset allows. If you go that route, quad that makes most sense to go with is the i5 2400. Also 450W would be fine, for nearly any single card/single gpu configuration.


jonathan1107 said:


> Cause that CPU is 100$  more expensive than i3 2120


Don't forget the added cost of the board if you wish to utilize the K overclocking features(Z68,Z77,P67).


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## jonathan1107 (May 8, 2012)

I purchased the i5 2500k already, I just need you guys to suggest to me a MOBO that has the lowest cost for the build...


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## Vulpesveritas (May 8, 2012)

What I would recommend for your budget:
CPU: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819106009 
GPU: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150599
or http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161396
Mobo: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157262
PSU: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207014
RAM: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220557
HDD: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236227
or http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769

An i5 wouldn't be much faster, and you'd skimp on the PSU/mobo/GPU with an i5 build, although you could do it in the price range.  Here's my input using newegg pricing (if you have a mirocenter nearby you shouldn't have to skimp on the PSU, given microcenter's lower pricing);
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072
Given it's $90 more, we use this lower end motherboard; http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121512 
and we save $25.  $65 left to save to break even, ~$30 to keep under the $700 limit.
So next we go to the PSU; http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207018 
which is more than enough for this build, but doesn't leave a ton of overhead for upgrades or overclocking.




jonathan1107 said:


> I purchased the i5 2500k already, I just need you guys to suggest to me a MOBO that has the lowest cost for the build...


This is pretty much what you're looking at; http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...CodeValue=757:7619&PropertyCodeValue=757:7618


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## brandonwh64 (May 8, 2012)

baggpipes said:


> and agreed that i5 cant use more than 1600mHz... if you go FX build go with 1866 mHz RAM...



I would def like to know were you herd that? 

Any SB chip can handle over 1333mhz as long as the motherboard will OC the ram higher. Placing a I3/I5 in a P67/Z68/Z77 or whatever will allow the ram to run 1600Mhz or higher. An H61 motherboard however only does 1066/1333 (The main ones I have seen).

Jon

I would go for this board...

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138344


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## jonathan1107 (May 8, 2012)

My friend has an old version of XP. Is there a big difference between w7 and xp


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## JrRacinFan (May 8, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> My friend has an old version of XP. Is there a big difference between w7 and xp



If you're a gamer, quite a big difference to go with Win 7 x64. It's super stable and you get DX11 features.


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## brandonwh64 (May 8, 2012)

Windows 7 Home X64 is what you should get for 4GB+ ram


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## jonathan1107 (May 8, 2012)

What am I NOT getting with xp? 
Dx11?
Ram limit?


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## brandonwh64 (May 8, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> What am I NOT getting with xp?
> Dx11?
> Ram limit?



I can give you a good price on a Windows 7 pro COA if your interested as well.


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## JrRacinFan (May 8, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> What am I NOT getting with xp?



Odds are, 64 bit.


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## jonathan1107 (May 8, 2012)

Is the 6870 goin to work w xp?
While he waits to get money for w7?


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## JrRacinFan (May 8, 2012)

Check this out.
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91260


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## brandonwh64 (May 8, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> Is the 6870 goin to work w xp?
> While he waits to get money for w7?



Only game I can think of that we WON'T be able to play is BF3


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## Aquinus (May 8, 2012)

Don't get a 450-watt PSU. When I was rocking a Phenom II and installed a 6870 upgrading from a 4850 the computer would turn off and turn right back off. The system wouldn't boot with the video card. I replaced the power supply with an 800-watt one and it worked without a hitch. The old PSU is still being used in a C2D E6600 machine with that 4850 and is still running strong. I wouldn't risk it.



brandonwh64 said:


> Only game I can think of that we WON'T be able to play is BF3



Anything that uses DX10 or DX11 and doesn't have a DX9 version.


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## Rowsol (May 8, 2012)

Win 7 brings DX11 (which is irrelevant until the current consoles die) and TRIM for SSDs.


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## TSX420J (May 11, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> Can someone link me the cheapest 64 and 120 gb SSDs ?



Mushkin Enhanced Chronos MKNSSDCR120GB 2.5" 120GB ...

Great R/W speeds, SATA III, reliable and dirt cheap.


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## jonathan1107 (May 11, 2012)

Thanks for the links guys, but I CAN'T order any of those items, because I AM FROM CANADA... (mentionned this before...)

Links have to be from canada... or the company must ship to canada... newegg.com items don't shipt to canada... they have to be from "newegg.ca"


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## Aquinus (May 11, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> Thanks for the links guys, but I CAN'T order any of those items, because I AM FROM CANADA... (mentionned this before...)
> 
> Links have to be from canada... or the company must ship to canada... newegg.com items don't shipt to canada... they have to be from "newegg.ca"



Have regex handy? 
	
	



```
s/.com/.ca/g
```
 NewEgg should use the same product ID between their US and Canada sites. Just change them to .ca yourself.

Mushkin Enhanced Chronos MKNSSDCR120GB 2.5" 120GB ... == http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226236


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## TSX420J (May 11, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> Thanks for the links guys, but I CAN'T order any of those items, because I AM FROM CANADA... (mentionned this before...)
> 
> Links have to be from canada... or the company must ship to canada... newegg.com items don't shipt to canada... they have to be from "newegg.ca"


 just search on newegg.ca for the same item.


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## jonathan1107 (May 11, 2012)

I did search for the said items... but on Newegg.ca it says they're out of stock... except for the mushkin ssd...

The Mobo that the guy linked (open box) is out of stock


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## Naito (May 11, 2012)

jonathan1107 said:


> What am I NOT getting with xp?
> Dx11?
> Ram limit?



The OS is ancient. The system resource management will not take full advantage of newer hardware. It's time people just lay it to rest.


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