$700 Gaming build, buying tomorrow morning.

Dannc · Mar 18, 2013

I'm not sure what else to say, the questionaire thinger from the sticky seems to cover all areas, so I'll just jump into that, and if I leave anything out please let me know, and I'm sorry.

Approximate Purchase Date: Tomorrow morning.

Budget Range: (e.g.: 300-400) $720 after shipping, cannot go over at all.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, surfing internet, watching movies, maintaining media collection (mostly music)

Are you buying a monitor: I currently have a 19" widescreen that's not too great, so I'd like to, but if the price of one puts a noticeable dent in the performance of the computer I can stick with this one for now.

Parts to Upgrade: (e.g.: CPU, mobo, RAM)
Everything but the power supply and optical (i'd like a new optical, but again, if it cuts into power, its not necassary at all)

Power supply is RAIDMAX HYBRID 2 RX-530SS link:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817152028

Can upgrade if needed, but I assume it's okay and I'd like the extra money to give the computer more oomph.

Do you need to buy OS:
No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts:
newegg.com

Location: City, State/Region, Country
Charlotte, NC USA

Parts Preferences: by brand or type (e.g.: I would like to upgrade to Intel CPU)
No preference, whatever is best.

Overclocking: Yes / No / Maybe
Maybe, but probably not

SLI or Crossfire: Yes / No / Maybe
I don't think so, seems I wouldn't be able to afford 2 good video cards on this budget.

Your Monitor Resolution:
1400x900, but I'd like to go up to 1920 if possible.

Additional Comments:
Mostly games on steam (currently playing Anno 2070, Borderlands 2, Farcry 3, Diablo 3, Starcraft 2 and Simcity mostly, but have many more)

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading:
My comptuer is 6 years old and doesn't run things very pretty, it's time to upgrade it.

Include a list of any parts you have already selected with descriptively labeled links for parts. Please do not post only links.

Case: Xigmatek ASGARD PRO USB 3.0 CCC-AE37BS-U02
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811815014

Harddrive: Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148840

Motherboard: ASUS M5A99X EVO R2.0 AM3+ AMD 990X SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131874

Videocard: GIGABYTE GV-N660OC-2GD GeForce GTX 660 2GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125443

RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model BLS8G3D1609DS1S00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148540

Processor: AMD FX-6300 Vishera 3.5GHz (4.1GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 95W Six-Core Desktop Processor FD6300WMHKBOX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286

None of these are set in stone. I don't even know if they all work together, and I for SURE don't know if I can get anything better for the same price or less. It's been a long time since I've built a machine (over 10 years, medical problems etc etc, not the place to talk about it) and don't know much at all about newer technology, which is why I came here.

Thanks a ton in advance for any advice and help any of you can give me.

lxgoldsmith · Mar 18, 2013

based on your budget and use, try AMD's A10 APU, best iGPU in the market

cyphacipher · Mar 18, 2013

You live in Charlotte, I'm sure there's a Compusa/Tigerdirect near you that you can purchase the parts from, and their prices are comparable to newegg (except you get the satisfaction of getting your stuff immediately). Also, a AMD cpu can cut your price down to that of your budget.

Dannc · Mar 18, 2013

cyphacipher :

Is there any way you could tell me which processor I should get? Also, what else I'd have to change to make that work?

Like I said, I don't know much about what I'm doing here.

lxgoldsmith · Mar 18, 2013

Dannc :

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-ad580kwohjbox
you'd have to change the motherboard

ehanger · Mar 18, 2013

Hey. First what I would do is consider if that $140 motherboard is really necessary. It's very possible that a 60 or 70 dollar mobo would do the job just fine (the reason why people buy more expensive boards is for more features like additional slots, OC ability, etc).

AMD is good for some applications but in many instances having an intel i7, i5, or even an i3 will yield better performance. It really depends on the game/ software that you run.

The GTX 660 is a good card. Most people have been recommending AMD cards lately, but currently at the 200-230 price point it doesn't really matter. However a 7870 LE is only slightly more expensive while being marginally faster than the 660/7870 standard edition so you should look into possibly getting one of those.

The last thing I would consider is that your PSU isn't by a very well regarded brand, so maybe getting a better one would be worth the money. Raidmax PSU's are known for having reliability issues and shorter lifespans.

Dannc · Mar 18, 2013

ehanger :

Thanks a bunch for all that.

One question though, the power supply I have that you said is known for badness, I've had it for 6 years running the current machine I'm on and never had a problem. It should be fine running this new one for a few weeks until I can muster up a little money to replace that part too, yes?

Also, is the 530 watt on it good enough to run what I have listed? I have no clue how to calculate that.

edit: Apparently I lied, one more question. Do you have any reccomendations for a cheaper motherboard to replace the one I have? The motherboard selection has been the most confusing part of this process for me by far.

edit again because apparently I can't keep my thoughts straight today:
Any idea which brand/model or whatever of the 7870 LE I should get? I searched "7870 LE" on newegg and it gave me 2 returns, and I have no idea what I'm looking for there.

Sorry, I'll try to make this the last round of questions.

mikerockett · Mar 18, 2013

Something like the below should suit you well.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($149.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock H77M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($53.30 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 XT 2GB Video Card ($248.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($15.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $688.20
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-18 13:01 EDT-0400)

cyphacipher · Mar 18, 2013

Mikerocketts machine looks sound. And if you dont want to buy from a bunch of different vendors you should be able to find the same parts at newegg for similar.

ehanger · Mar 18, 2013

Dannc :

ehanger :

Thanks a bunch for all that.

One question though, the power supply I have that you said is known for badness, I've had it for 6 years running the current machine I'm on and never had a problem. It should be fine running this new one for a few weeks until I can muster up a little money to replace that part too, yes?

Also, is the 530 watt on it good enough to run what I have listed? I have no clue how to calculate that.

edit: Apparently I lied, one more question. Do you have any reccomendations for a cheaper motherboard to replace the one I have? The motherboard selection has been the most confusing part of this process for me by far.

edit again because apparently I can't keep my thoughts straight today:
Any idea which brand/model or whatever of the 7870 LE I should get? I searched "7870 LE" on newegg and it gave me 2 returns, and I have no idea what I'm looking for there.

Sorry, I'll try to make this the last round of questions.

Dude, ask as many questions as you'd like. Asking/answering is pretty much what everyone is here for.

Anyways, it doesn't really matter which "vendor" of 7870 LE you get as they are all the same GPU, just different packaging and heatsink art and design. As long as its a Tahiti series 7870, you're all good.

I would get this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131487

because its the same price as the other one after shipping and comes down to $205 after rebate.

ehanger · Mar 18, 2013

mikerockett :

This is a good build, but I have a bit of a vendetta against Asrock motherboards. Just had my first experience with them about a month ago in a budget build and had a problem with the computer not fully powering on during a cold boot unless I cleared the CMOS first. Replaced it with a Gigabyte board and everything works fine now.

Dannc · Mar 18, 2013

ehanger :

Cool deal, so now I've got the following in the cart:

Case:
Xigmatek ASGARD PRO USB 3.0 CCC-AE37BS-U02 Black Steel ATX Mid-Tower Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811815014

Storage:
Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148840

Videocard:
PowerColor AX7870 2GBD5-2DHPPV2E Radeon HD 7870 GHz EZ Edition (Tahiti LE) 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 Video Card (UEFI ready)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131487

Memory:

Crucial Ballistix 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model BLT2KIT4G3D1869DT1TX0
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148560
(My cousin suggested I replace the original with this one, something about the MB being able to handle 1600 or something, I don't know)

Processor:
AMD FX-6300 Vishera 3.5GHz (4.1GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 95W Six-Core Desktop Processor FD6300WMHKBOX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286

And motherboard:
ASUS M5A99X EVO R2.0 AM3+ AMD 990X SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131874

The last thing I think I need to know, unless you have other suggestoins, is what motherboard I should switch to? You said a cheaper one would be fine for what I've got up there, but I don't really know where to go from there.

Also, is there some way to be sure the stuff I get fits in the case I selected?

Thanks again, you've all been really helpful

(Also, thank you mikerockett for that build. Unfortunately the processor there is $30 or so more expensive anywhere I could order it from, the cheaper price listed is only for in-store pickup, with no stores anywhere near me, and that and a few other peices I'd want to get at newegg for convenience puts me about $100 over budget)

g-unit1111 · Mar 18, 2013

based on your budget and use, try AMD's A10 APU, best iGPU in the market

Definitely NO. You will hate life gaming on an A10 especially if you want any sort of decent frame rates. Pay a bit more and get a i5 3350P, that would be a wiser investment.

Do not purchase a Raidmax PSU - they are absolutely terrible power supplies. The FX-4130 is a really low end CPU.

This is a litlte bit more but it will be a far better use of $700:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($175.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock Z75 Pro3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($84.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($60.27 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7870 XT 2GB Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($72.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($15.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $769.73
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-18 13:28 EDT-0400)

ehanger · Mar 18, 2013

Dannc :

ehanger :

Cool deal, so now I've got the following in the cart:

Case:
Xigmatek ASGARD PRO USB 3.0 CCC-AE37BS-U02 Black Steel ATX Mid-Tower Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811815014

Storage:
Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148840

Videocard:
PowerColor AX7870 2GBD5-2DHPPV2E Radeon HD 7870 GHz EZ Edition (Tahiti LE) 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 Video Card (UEFI ready)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131487

Memory:

Crucial Ballistix 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model BLT2KIT4G3D1869DT1TX0
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148560
(My cousin suggested I replace the original with this one, something about the MB being able to handle 1600 or something, I don't know)

Processor:
AMD FX-6300 Vishera 3.5GHz (4.1GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 95W Six-Core Desktop Processor FD6300WMHKBOX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286

And motherboard:
ASUS M5A99X EVO R2.0 AM3+ AMD 990X SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131874

The last thing I think I need to know, unless you have other suggestoins, is what motherboard I should switch to? You said a cheaper one would be fine for what I've got up there, but I don't really know where to go from there.

Also, is there some way to be sure the stuff I get fits in the case I selected?

Thanks again, you've all been really helpful

(Also, thank you mikerockett for that build. Unfortunately the processor there is $30 or so more expensive anywhere I could order it from, the cheaper price listed is only for in-store pickup, with no stores anywhere near me, and that and a few other peices I'd want to get at newegg for convenience puts me about $100 over budget)

mikerockett's and g-unit1111's builds are both good. IF you live near a microcenter, the i5 at $149.99 is a great deal and will beat the AMD 6 core in games. Otherwise its about $180, but still worth it IMO. I would only go with AMD if you absolutely could not pay for than ~$130, but even then you could still make the argument for an i3.

Like I said before, I don't like ASrock motherboards and wouldn't recommend them, but a lot of people will. Chances are you won't have issues though.

Here's an ASUS B75 micro atx board which I PERSONALLY would buy instead. It has pretty basic features (pci-e 3.0, sata 3, usb 3.0, no OC features, and 2 memory slots) but is from ASUS which is a well known and respected brand.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131887

g-unit1111 · Mar 18, 2013

ehanger :

You can't really dismiss an entire brand because of one bad experience (although I'm one to talk :lol: ), but the thing is Asrock actually started out as an Asus subsidiary and they've recently got a lot better. I don't really like B75 because it has outdated ports that you will never use like Parallel and Serial. Pretty much everything is USB these days.

However if you really want AMD the FX-6300 is a far better CPU for the $130 range than anything else you could get.

Dannc · Mar 18, 2013

g-unit1111 :

Thanks a bunch, i think this is the one i'm going with except the PSU.

Suppose i didnt really make clear what i was saying, sorry.

I'm not BUYING the raidmax psu, i already have it, and have used it for 5+ years. Once i take the other psu off of this build, im right at budget(which i cannot go over at all)

So unless theres another solution, the raidmax stays at least for a few weeks until i get more money.

Problem, though, is that this video card apparently requires 2 pcie cords from the psu, and i only have one (lost the extras years ago). Will the following work on my raidmax?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812162021

Thanks again everyone, this is awesome.

cyphacipher · Mar 18, 2013

Can probably use a cheap Molex to PCIE adapter like this one...or something similar. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812887001

Shudnt push you over your budget.

Dannc · Mar 18, 2013

Awesome, think i have everything i need now. Thanks a bunch, all of you, its been really helpful.

Lee Harvey · Mar 18, 2013

Ignore this, miss read.

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$700 Gaming build, buying tomorrow morning.

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