650-800 USD all parts build

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danielstern96

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Dec 7, 2011
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hey everyone,
im looking for a build i can do in under 800 dollars that is really geared towards music and movies, and that can handle light gaming and foldingAThome. thats really it. i dont want something too crazy, but i want to know im really getting added benefit over buying a computer or laptop.
regards,
daniel.
 
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Estix

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I am a very strong advocate for this site: http://www.logicalincrements.com/

It has basically all the resources you'd need to spec out and build a computer, it's oriented for gaming, but the stuff's still good :)
 
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slomo4sho

slomo4sho

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($109.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 120M 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Biostar TA970 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($65.45 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 1GB Video Card ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($45.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDC-207DBK Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($37.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.73 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $769.08


OR

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 750K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($79.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 120M 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Biostar Hi-Fi A85W ATX FM2 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($65.45 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk Ultra Plus 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($64.99 @ Microcenter)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7790 1GB Video Card ($99.80 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($45.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDC-207DBK Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($37.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.73 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $789.42
 
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g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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It's a good site with a lot of good info but I found this particular part troubling:

Which:

No OC: Stock.
Good performance: CM Hyper 212+ ($25), CM Hyper 212 Evo ($35)
Great performance: Corsair A70 ($40), Scythe Mugen III/Ninja 3 ($50), Thermaltake Frio ($60), CM TPC-812 ($66)
Excellent performance: Thermalright Silver Arrow ($85), Phanteks PH-TC14PE ($85), Noctua NH-D14 ($90)
Water cooling: Too advanced for this guide
Click to expand...

They couldn't include info about closed loops like the H100 or X60? Anyone can install those. An open full loop would indeed be a bit too complicated. :heink:

Get an FM2 board, A10 6800k, 8gb 1866mhz ram ballistix sport, then wd 1tb Blue, CX500w.. Generic case. Good to go! This will be under 600.
Click to expand...

Well actually for the OP's uses I would agree that an AMD A10 would suit quite nicely, but "generic case" is usually a bad idea because there's a lot of crap out there in the under-$50 case category.

Maybe something like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A10-6800K 4.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($134.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H60 54.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A85X-ITX Mini ITX FM2 Motherboard ($105.38 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Case: BitFenix Prodigy (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($65.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $598.30
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-31 15:52 EDT-0400)

Alternate mITX case suggestions:

- Fractal Design Node 304: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352027
- Silverstone SG01B: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163230
 
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slomo4sho

slomo4sho

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I am perplexed by this build. If you remove the OS and Monitor from my above build and replace the Case with a 300R you still end with a vastly superior build below the cost of this build so I am unsure why you decided to go the mITX route...

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 120M 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Biostar TA970 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($65.45 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 1GB Video Card ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($45.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDC-207DBK Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($37.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $586.36

 
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g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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Well the BD-R drive is a waste of money especially when you take into account that the software costs an extra $100 per license and is very picky with displays. But since the OP has clearly stated that games are a low priority, do you really need an FX-6300 and Radeon 7850? :heink:

I decided to go the mITX route since people who have this kind of budget to work with probably don't care about long term expandability, and the trend seems to be going that way anyways.
 
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slomo4sho

slomo4sho

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I think the extra $15-20 on a BD-R drive is worthwhile for a PC geared towards movies. There are plenty of software options available that would support BD playback without requiring a $100 investment. In addition, OP did mention light gaming and a 7850 is perfect for light gaming :lol:

I am looking forward to AM2+ and its greater selection of mITX boards. But this would be my current choice for an mITX build:


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 750K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($79.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Seidon 120M 86.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A85X-ITX Mini ITX FM2 Motherboard ($105.38 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($65.45 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7790 1GB Video Card ($99.80 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case ($35.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($14.94 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.73 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $606.30
 
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g-unit1111

g-unit1111

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I bought a BD-R drive for watching movies on my PC and I usually wind up watching the digital copies that come with the BD-R movies that I buy.

But even for light gaming a Radeon 7850 is definitely not a light card. A light card would be something like a Radeon 7750 or lower. Sure it will handle anything you can throw at it, but I'm arguing that an AMD A10 is perfect for this build since the two main uses the OP wants won't really require a lot of horsepower under the hood. And if they start playing much heavier games the option for adding a future GPU is there when they need it, not there if they don't. That would be like using a Ferrari for doing a job that a Chevy Cruze can do. :lol:
 
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danielstern96

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also- is it bad that im not focused on upgradability? i dont know where life will take me after senior year, and i dont want to invest so much in a big desktop that i may not have room for in college and such. i was thinking of maybe getting a nice laptop, but i already have a tablet for computer portability. getting an inexpensive but great for the money desktop seems to be the best bet, and i can always try and sell it later.
 
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adimeister

adimeister

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I'd sugget the first one, the one with the 7790. But I'd suggest to change your ram to a lower latency, 1666 would be enough. Then get a cheaper mobo, 75 chipset instead of the 85 you have. Then all the money you can save, upgrade your GPU to enjoy your rig more. :)
 
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danielstern96

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But with gaming not being a huge concern, is that the best rig for me? I want the most inexpensive build I can get, but without knowing im giving up hugely on performance. Its mainly just going to be for folding@home, music/movie storage, some programs and light gaming. $500 dollars is the sweet spot (if you were to ignore monitor, OS, and peripherals).
 
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