Most powerful build for around 500.

ChanceBro16

Honorable
Aug 6, 2013
82
0
10,630
Hi my name is Owen and i am trying to find the most powerful build i can get for around 500, please any advice or tips will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
 

Mike Friesen

Honorable
Apr 10, 2013
310
0
10,860
Do you need an os? What os is your old hp running? And what cpu does it have?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock 980DE3/U3S3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($77.55 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($57.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 260X 2GB Video Card ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case ($33.39 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $493.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-09 23:32 EDT-0400)

This should do well; I'm not well versed on mobos though; but asrock is usually pretty good.
 

exroofer

Distinguished
How much of your old pc can you use, like hard drive, case, psu, etc?
FX 6300/ 7770/7790 fall in to that bracket, and game reasonably well.
Look up the Tom's recommended builds for different price brackets to give you a good idea of what you can do on that budget.
If you can re-use any parts, that will help a lot.

Let us know if you need to get everything, including monitor and OS. That will limit you a lot more.
 


It sounds like it. He didn't say he was building.

*Is this for GAMING? If so, be advised that $500 isn't going to get you very much. I'll have a quick like (United States?) and see if there's anything that's okay.

You should also say what GAMES you expect to play. If it's mainly for games you may wish to think about a PS4.
 

Dark Lord of Tech

Retired Moderator
Decent for $500.00

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus M5A97 LE R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($74.97 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Team Xtreem Dark Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($57.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cougar Solution (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $491.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-09 23:21 EDT-0400)
 
The above build is pretty much exactly what I'd recommend.

You aren't going to build anything that games for $500 with the OS included though.

My advice is get that, and add Windows 8 64-bit OEM ($90). Also get Start8 from Stardock for $5.

FYI, that comes to $600 total and there's NOTHING out there pre-built for that price that is this good.
 

ChanceBro16

Honorable
Aug 6, 2013
82
0
10,630
Well i don't think i can re use anything because i am using a 2 year old HP 3130 HP Micro Tower desktop and it sucks. I don't plan on playing very intense games, the most intense might be skyrim maybe? and Dead Space, also Planet Side 2, but that's a maybe. i can go higher but what i am really looking for is the most powerful rig i can build for the cheapest price in case i do decide to play some planet side or battle field. i also want an SSD, i know they're pretty expensive, but if i do go with an SSD will it boost performance? and i don't really want a console, i already have the PS4, i am trying to get into PC gaming.
 

ChanceBro16

Honorable
Aug 6, 2013
82
0
10,630


Yes around 2, it has an i3 intel core, could i use the same processor? nad OK well than i will just go with a regular hard drive
 

Vic 40

Titan
Ambassador
You could make a system specs list with the next program,
hwinfo32
open it->click run->close the "system summary" (=top window)->click on the left top "save report"and in the next window check=dot "short text report"->click next and copy=click "copy to clipboard"->right click in your next post->paste.



A build already made by me,but it might depend on what you could reuse,

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-4300 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($104.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-78LMT-USB3 Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($44.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Kingston Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: PNY GeForce GTX 660 2GB Video Card ($149.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: Xion XON-560 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $495.91
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-10 08:32 EDT-0400)

for another case,
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/nzxt-case-s210001


You could probably reuse your existing o.s.,you would probably have to reinstall it.With a little luck could you reactivate it if you would use the hdd you already have,
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940315/nl (is for vista,but works the same.)
It still might (probably is) be better to reinstall it.
 

ChanceBro16

Honorable
Aug 6, 2013
82
0
10,630
Computer: Hewlett-Packard HP Pro 3130 Microtower PC
CPU: Intel Core i3-540 (Clarkdale, C2)
3066 MHz (23.00x133.3) @ 1463 MHz (11.00x133.0)
Motherboard: MSI 2A9C
Chipset: Intel H57 (IbexPeak DH)
Memory: 4096 MBytes @ 665 MHz, 9.0-9-9-24
- 2048 MB PC10600 DDR3 SDRAM - Elpida EBJ21UE8BDF0-DJ-F
- 2048 MB PC10600 DDR3 SDRAM - Kingston 9905471-001.A00LF
Graphics: Intel Havendale/Clarkdale Processor - Integrated Graphics Controller [C2] [Hewlett-Packard]
Intel HD Graphics, 1470010 KB
Drive: Hitachi HDS721025CLA382, 244.2 GB, Serial ATA 3Gb/s @ 1.5Gb/s
Drive: hp DVD A DH16ABLH, DVD+R DL
Sound: Intel 5 Series/34x0 Chipset PCH - High Definition Audio Controller [B3]
Network: RealTek Semiconductor RTL8168D/8111D PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Build 7601
 

ChanceBro16

Honorable
Aug 6, 2013
82
0
10,630
Alright well i've been doing alot of thinking and i decided that i was going to up my price range to 800, 830 being my limit. So feel free to change. I also want a really good graphics card to something that can play at least Planet side 2 on medium to high settings with no problem. Also DayZ. Or if it is a possibility could i use a 2-way SLi for my build? would that decrease the price or would that even be a good decision, sorry for all the questions i just never built a PC before and i am doing alot of research because i want my first rig to be a good one.
 

Vic 40

Titan
Ambassador

I've reactivated an (oem) o.s. with a different motherboard for about three times so it can be done.



You could reuse the hdd,dvd player and ram.

About the o.s.,you could download an iso of w7 (32 bit or 64bit,which is it exactly?) and create a bootable disc with it,then install it with the productkey that is on the case you have now.Just make sure you've got all the data you want back-upped and format the drive when installing.
Imo should this work.

For the windows 7 iso,
http://www.w7forums.com/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-image-downloads-t12325.html
(one of the top two depending on the 32bit(=x86) or 64bit questions answer)
you should be able to create the dvd with the next program,
http://cdburnerxp.se/
or
http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download
a "how to" for the last program,
http://www.pcmech.com/article/how-to-create-a-bootable-cd-with-imgburn/

For an eventual other build will i look later,it's already late enough.