Building First PC on a Budget, Need Some Suggestions

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
V

VicariousToast

Honorable
May 21, 2012
46
0
10,530
Hi, I'm looking for some advice on my first PC. It's going to mostly be for gaming and game design. The problem is, I'm 15, and I have a pretty tight budget. I can't get a job until early next year, but I just can't force myself to wait much longer.

I have around $300-$350 right now, but by December(which is when I'm hoping to purchase all of the parts), I'll have made another $75-$100 (or hopefully more). So that puts my budget around $425-$450 (counting the monitor, speakers, OS, etc.)

So yeah, it's not much to work with. However, I'm planning on buying my parts on Cyber Monday, so if I'm lucky I'll find good enough deals to get by with a gaming pc that can play current games at medium/low settings until I'm able to upgrade.

Approximate Purchase Date: Monday, December 2 (Cyber Monday)

Budget Range: $450(Can go up to $500 or so if absolutely necessary, my parents will borrow me some money if needed) Keep in mind that I'm doing my shopping on Cyber Monday, so it would be nice if you could provide some alternatives that are more expensive than my budget allows in case there are some good deals that allow them to fit.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Game Design, Gaming, Surfing the Internet

Are you buying a monitor: Most likely, unless a friend of mine has an unused monitor that they'll give me.



Parts to Upgrade: Doesn't really apply since this is a new build

Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: I don't really know what the best sites are, so I'll just buy from wherever you recommend.

Location: Elk Mound, WI, USA

Parts Preferences: Parts have to allow for easy upgrading later on.

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: Probably not.

Your Monitor Resolution: I would prefer a 1920x1080 monitor, but I'm not going to be too finnicky about it, seeing as how I'm on such a small budget.

Additional Comments: Needs to be upgradeable (CPU should be capable of handling higher-end GPUs when I upgrade in the future). Has to at least be able to run current games like Skyrim, Battlefield 3 (and maybe 4, but I can always upgrade later to play that), Arma 2 (and Operation Arrowhead), Arma 3, League of Legends, DOTA 2 etc. at low/medium settings.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: My only computer is a Toshiba laptop that's like 8 or 9 years old, and my mom's desktop can't handle any newer games. I'm also getting into programming and I like learning about computers, so I'd like to have my own computer to do that kind of stuff on. I want to design videogames eventually, so I figured that as long as I would be starting out small with games, I might as well start out small now with my computer and upgrade later as I get more skilled with game design. I also think it would be fun and pretty rewarding to build a computer that I would be using frequently.

Any kind of advice or suggestions are appreciated, and thank you in advance. If I missed any important information please let me know.

Also, I have a Mouse and Keyboard that I can use, so those won't have to be factored in. Any other parts I might need though, such as fans, speakers, an OS, etc. have to be included in the build.
 
Solution
V
CPU - Picked an AM3+ socket CPU to provide you the best budget-oriented upgrade path. Reference Tom's best CPU's for the money here (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-2.html)

The 750K would actually be faster right now for about the same $$, but the AM3+ motherboard will provide a better "Enthusiast" oriented upgrade path. The 750k is an FM2 socket, which is more oriented to APUs, HTPCs, small budget PCs with graphics, but not much upgrade path.

Motherboard: Simply put, the cheapest AM3+ motherboard that has at least 125W CPU support (this one has 140W). The Athlon II X4 doesn't require that, but anything you might upgrade to might.

Memory: 1 stick of 4GB. Some will tell you you should have 2...
Sort by date Sort by votes
V

vertexx

Honorable
Apr 2, 2013
747
1
11,060
$400 gaming PC including OS and Monitor, future expansion, play BF3, etc on 1080p? That's a pretty tall order!!

Maybe Cyber Monday will have some great deals. Today, about the best you could do is here:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1q9wm
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1q9wm/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1q9wm/benchmarks/

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 645 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($74.34 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus M5A78L-M/USB3 Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Kingston 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Hitachi 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7750 2GB Video Card ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Rosewill FB-03 ATX Mid Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($87.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $427.27
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-08-09 17:08 EDT-0400)

Will post reasoning in a 2nd post.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

vertexx

Honorable
Apr 2, 2013
747
1
11,060
CPU - Picked an AM3+ socket CPU to provide you the best budget-oriented upgrade path. Reference Tom's best CPU's for the money here (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-2.html)

The 750K would actually be faster right now for about the same $$, but the AM3+ motherboard will provide a better "Enthusiast" oriented upgrade path. The 750k is an FM2 socket, which is more oriented to APUs, HTPCs, small budget PCs with graphics, but not much upgrade path.

Motherboard: Simply put, the cheapest AM3+ motherboard that has at least 125W CPU support (this one has 140W). The Athlon II X4 doesn't require that, but anything you might upgrade to might.

Memory: 1 stick of 4GB. Some will tell you you should have 2 sticks for better performance, but you really won't notice the difference. 1 of 4GB is cheaper now than 2 sticks of 2GB, and it will be easier to upgrade to 8GB as soon as you can afford it. 8GB is where you want to get to.

Storage: Cheapest 500GB 7200RPM HDD possible. 1TB is only $10 more. Really, I would try to find a used or aftermarket laptop HDD on ebay for cheaper, or scrounge one off of a friend somewhere. On Ebay, you can probably find a refurbished 500GB laptop HDD for $20-30. Just look for a retailer with lots of volume and rating >99.5%.

Video Card: The 7750 is probably the best you can do for your budget. On Cyber Monday, see if you can find a deal on a 7770 or 7790 that fits your budget. Keep track of this article, which is published monthly: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-2.html

Here is a review of the 7750 - it's actually a great little card for starting out. Keep in mind the review spec's are on 1080p, but my monitor recommendation below will be less than that to get better gaming perf.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7770-7750-benchmark,3135-6.html

Case - Very subjective. When you buy, find the cheapest ATX Mid-Tower case that you like. Check reviews, make sure there is at least 4 stars on Newegg with plenty of reviews.

Power Supply: Right now, Corsair is the value leader IMO. Generally good reputation for quality at a good price. Get the cheapest Corsair 400-500W PSU - target <$30.

OS: Recommend Windows 8 OEM at this point, for the simple reason that Windows 8 OEM license is transferable to another PC. Windows 7 OEM license is not. So, when you eventually upgrade your motherboard, you'll be able to take your OS with you.

Monitor: I didn't list one. My recommendation is to find a used 1440x900 or 1600x900 resolution monitor. That will give you a decent performance boost for gaming, given your entry level GPU. Going full 1080p at this point will bog your card down. Target $30 for a used/refurbished monitor from a reputable seller on eBay.

Optical Drive: Left out. It's not necessary any more. You can download windows to a USB stick, boot the PC on that, install, and then enter the license key from your OEM DVD ROM disk. You can google how to do this when the time comes.

Hope this helps.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
V

vertexx

Honorable
Apr 2, 2013
747
1
11,060
Also, in addition to tomshardware.com, monitor this website: http://www.gamersnexus.net/

They have a lot of sample builds.

(I'm not in any way affiliated with gamersnexus - the website helped me out alot - in addition to Tom's - when I started out with my first build).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

VicariousToast

Honorable
May 21, 2012
46
0
10,530


Thanks for the Reply!

I should have been more clear on the monitor. I would prefer a 1920x1080 monitor, because then when I upgrade my graphics card later on, I don't have to upgrade my monitor for 1080p gaming. I'm fine with turning the resolution down to 720p if necessary. But if the 7750 can handle 1080p that's great!

Do you have any suggestions for a monitor, speakers, etc?

I also forgot, I'm going to need a network card, because this computer is going to be in my room, which is in the basement.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

vertexx

Honorable
Apr 2, 2013
747
1
11,060
The cheapest monitor was about $100. Other than finding the cheapest you can find when you buy, I can't really recommend one, as you'll be working with a budget. But by then, I would think you'd be able to find a 1080p for ~$80, maybe less.

No real suggestions on speakers. For networking - do you need wireless? If so, it's probably best to pick up a wireless USB stick. If you don't need wireless, then the motherboard has built-in Gpbs LAN.

Finally, for the Motherboard, you'd ideally want full ATX. I listed a uATX above, because right now it's cheaper. Keep an eye out for an ATX of the same type. uATX will work fine - you'll just have fewer expansion options. You can look at the different specs to see if you'd really need ATX if uATX is still cheaper when you buy.

Edit: Or if you need wireless, you can pick up something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166047
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

VicariousToast

Honorable
May 21, 2012
46
0
10,530

I'm not sure. I need to be able to connect to the wireless network so that I have internet access, so I'm assuming I need wireless. But I'm not sure what the difference is between LAN and Wireless.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

vertexx

Honorable
Apr 2, 2013
747
1
11,060


All the parts will come with required fans. You'll want to double-check the case specs when you buy - it will indicate the number of fans, and the reviews will give an indication as to whether that's enough.

For CPU, it will come with a fan that should be good enough. You can upgrade for a quieter/more effective one as funds allow.

The GPU fan will be good enough as well. But again, when you pick your exact card, the reviews will tell you if the fan is sufficient or too loud, etc.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

VicariousToast

Honorable
May 21, 2012
46
0
10,530
Okay, well I think those were all the questions I have. Thank you for being so helpful and patient with me!

I'm gonna leave this open in case anyone else has suggestions, or in case I have more questions.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Sangeet Khatri

Sangeet Khatri

Honorable
May 26, 2013
2,640
1
13,460
This is the best build for that budget and needs. Seriously, you should not consider future proofing any build in that budget. Use this build until you are 17 or 18 and then you would start making money on your own and then buy a good PC from your own money. But for now get this one with FM2 socket even if it is not that future proof. But it is damn powerful for the price.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 750K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI FM2-A75MA-E35 Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($56.00 @ Amazon)
Memory: GeIL EVO Veloce Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($53.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Sentey CS3-3340 TAC2.0 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $468.83
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-08-10 11:15 EDT-0400)

And do not go for that old AM3 CPU. You can very easily upgrade the CPU + Motherboard nowadays. And also after 2-3 years there would be likely be an AM4 socket and hence going for the AM3+ socket would not be of any use now. So take my recommendation and go for this FM2 platform even if it is not that future proof. But it is powerful.

I hope this helps.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

vertexx

Honorable
Apr 2, 2013
747
1
11,060
Wouldn't it be nice for someone to stick to your budget, and also listen to your desires for an upgrade path.

Sangeet has a hard-on for the 750k CPU - he always seems to recommend it. Don't get me wrong, the 750k will give you about 5-10% faster gaming performance than 645, but you gave a budget for a reason.

The 750k definitely has it's place. If I were building a mini-ITX gaming rig on AMD, the 750K would be the only choice, as right now, the only mini-ITX AMD boards you can buy are FM2 socket boards.

But for you, this is the difference between getting a top-end CPU for a low-end platform (the 750k/FM2 option), or getting in the door with an enthusiast grade platform, which is what I recommended. Sangeet will come back with all kinds of specs on the 750k, but the bottom line is, if you read the consensus on these forums, the enthusiast-level platform for AMD right now is AM3+.

Here is an example. Let's say you go with the 645/AM3+ solution. The next level CPU right now would be an FX-4300 Vishera CPU. You could upgrade directly to this CPU for an additional $120 - that's today's prices. Next year, you could probably upgrade to that CPU for $100.

If you go with the FM2/750K option, you're at the top of the line. There isn't really a faster/better option at that point on FM2. So, if you wanted to upgrade next year, you'd be out at least $170 for the upgrade of the motherboard and CPU. Plus, the work going into replacing the motherboard and CPU is much more than just popping in a new CPU (5 minute job for replacing the CPU vs. re-building your entire PC for replacing the mobo/CPU).

Bottom line is for the budget and goals you provided, Sangeet's build misses the mark.

Really though, as you get closer to buying, prices and options are likely to change.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

VicariousToast

Honorable
May 21, 2012
46
0
10,530


Thank you for the reply.

I didn't necessarily need it "future proofed,"(unless we define the term differently), I just needed it to be fairly easy to upgrade. I will be getting a job next Spring at the local grocery store, but I need to wait to get my license, and I have been waiting to build myself a computer for a while. I figured that with Cyber Monday coming up, I might be able to get some good deals. So for now, that's what I'm counting on, but since there are no guarantees, I will wait until I have my job if necessary. I'm just starting to get impatient, as I have been waiting for a couple of years now.

But again, thank you for the suggestions! I'm obviously not very experienced with computers, but it looks like I have some good options in case some parts that have been listed are sold out or not on sale when Cyber Monday comes around.

So does the 750k not fit larger motherboards or something? That's what it sounds like to me, but vertexx's last post got just a bit too technical for me (which isn't such a bad thing, as I'll be learning something from this :D)

EDIT:
Sangeet has a hard-on for the 750k CPU
Click to expand...
I lol'd
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

vertexx

Honorable
Apr 2, 2013
747
1
11,060
It's impossible to "future proof" your PC, but if you think you have the possibility of upgrading, then the choice of motherboard is a consideration.

The 750k is just an FM2 socket type. The FM2 motherboards are typically used for AMD APUs (which are combined CPUs and graphics processors on one chip). The problem is, for a certain percentage of APUs, the graphics side doesn't work. So, instead of throwing the chip away, AMD has decided to market these as pure CPUs - hence the 750k on an FM2 motherboard. So, the 750k is just an A10 series APU that has the graphics side disabled. It does make for a great budget gaming CPU, because they have cut the price of a decent processor down to $85 because they have the graphics disabled. This is ideal for budget gamers because you don't need built-in graphics anyway if you're buying a separate GPU.

The AM3+ is the socket for all of AMDs higher powered CPUs. These are mostly CPUs only with no built-in graphics. So, when you buy an AM3+ motherboard, you can fit any of these high powered CPUs. The Athlon II X4 965 is a lower-end processor (not so low - it's still a full quad-core processor), but it plugs into the high-end AM3+ motherboard, giving you an upgrade path.

Having an upgrade path is not "future proofing"; it's just giving you options for upgrading. With the FM2 socket, the 750k is the fastest CPU you can put on that board. With the AM3+ socket, the CPU I recommended is one an entry level CPU on that board, meaning you can easily upgrade to a more powerful CPU for the least amount of $$.

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Sangeet Khatri

Sangeet Khatri

Honorable
May 26, 2013
2,640
1
13,460
Okay, so let's get this thing clear right now and not confuse you anymore.


Some details of both the CPUs
The Athlon II x4 750K has 4 cores and is using the latest piledriver architecture from AMD. It uses the FM2 socket, for which no new CPU's would be launched. Also the 750K uses some newer instruction sets which might come handy in some games.

The AMD Athlon II X4 645 also has 4 cores but is using the two generations older K10 architecture which is not nearly as good and efficient as the piledriver architecture of the 750K. It uses the AM3+ socket for which there are a lot of options to choose from and the next gen AMD CPU's would be launched for that socket but that is it.

So what does it mean for performance
For performance it means that the 750K is sure to perform better on the games as it is using the newer architecture and instructions. Though, the lack of L3 cache might hurt a bit in some games but it is not a deal breaker at all.

Note : The 645 also does not have L3 cache for comparision so in that CPU it is going to hurt even more.

What does it mean for future proofing and future upgrades.
For future proofing if you are getting the AM3+ motherboard then you can have the next gen CPU's without any problem.

And with the FM2 socket you cannot virtually upgrade the CPU. This is the last series of the CPU for FM2 socket

But let's get this thing straight, you are at least going to be using this CPU for at least 2-3 years and after 2 years there might be the newer AM4 socket coming out so if you went for AM3+ right now just for future proofing then you would regret your decision that time when you could have for a much powerful 750K.

What is my opinion on it.
So my opinion is pretty straightforward and I am not a fan of either processor. I am just suggesting the best possible. Here is why you should prefer the 750K :

1. After 2 years the AM3+ socket might be outdated (as it has already been supported for 3 generations now.)
2. The 750K is sheerly more powerful and has newer architecture and instructions.

And yeah, you got me right. I have a hard-on for the 750K as it is the CPU that is bringing quad cores to the masses and to the guys who are at really small budget.

I hope this clears some things on your mind right now. I hope this helps. If you have any other question feel free to ask it below. I would be happy to help.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

VicariousToast

Honorable
May 21, 2012
46
0
10,530
Ok, I think I understand now.

My choice is, essentially, getting a faster CPU at the cost of having to upgrade the motherboard when I want to upgrade the CPU, or getting a slower CPU that allows for upgrading without buying a new motherboard. But either way, I would have to upgrade the motherboard to get a next-gen AMD CPU.

What would be the approximate cost of a next-gen AMD CPU? If I could get a rough estimate I think I would have an easier time deciding.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

vertexx

Honorable
Apr 2, 2013
747
1
11,060
Looking at some of the latest posts on rumors coming out of AMD, there is starting to be some uncertainty whether there will be a next gen AM3+ CPU. There are conflicting reports, so it's anyone's guess at this point.

Plus, the Athlon II x4 645 was just discontinued on Newegg, and others available are at the same price point as the 750K.

Based on this, I'm shifting my recommendation over to what Sangeet is recommending - the 750K with an FM2 motherboard.

Bottom line is for gaming at your budget, you will want the cheapest CPU that will allow you to put as much money as possible into a GPU.

Keep an eye on this article, as it is updated monthly: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-2.html. Focus on the <$100 section. But the whole article provides a good education on recommended CPUs for gaming, often with links to relevant more in-depth reviews.

And by the time you are ready to buy, things are likely to change, so you'll probably want to re-post at that point.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

VicariousToast

Honorable
May 21, 2012
46
0
10,530
I guess that saves me the trouble of having to decide.

Well, thanks again guys, I think I should be all set for now. I'm gonna leave this open for a couple more days (again) in case I come up with more questions or something.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

VicariousToast

Honorable
May 21, 2012
46
0
10,530
I have another question now. I googled it, but the answers were too technical for me, and there wasn't really a clear answer.

When I buy my GPU, should I get a card with 1 GB of GDDR5, or 2 GB of DDR3?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Sangeet Khatri

Sangeet Khatri

Honorable
May 26, 2013
2,640
1
13,460
1 GB DDR5 anyday.

Only lower end cards come with DDR3 RAM and they are not powerful enough to utilize even a gig completely with the power of that card.

So the 1GB GDDR5 graphics card offer significantly better performance. You are looking at around 25-30 percent performance difference.

It is good that you asked us rather than just going for the 2GB that most people do without any adequate knowledge. It is good that you asked otherwise you would have needed to compromise with a much slower DDR3 RAM.

Anyways get the GDDR5 version. It should perform much better.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
V

VicariousToast

Honorable
May 21, 2012
46
0
10,530
Well, I'm glad I asked then, thank you for explaining that to me.

It's a little strange that the 7750 with GDDR5 only costs a little bit more (I think it was only like $5-$10 more) for much better performance. Not that I'm complaining or anything. It just seems a little odd.

I guess if the GDDR5 tech doesn't cost much more to manufacture than the DDR3 stuff that would explain it.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom