Best $450 gaming pc

Solution
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3lArB

OK, that worked out far better than I thought it would. Here's a Summary Benchmark so you can compare video cards but I think the one I chose is best for the price:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/R7_260X/26.html

I recommend Windows 8.1 64-bit OEM ($90USD) and Start8 ($5) for software.

Other:
- do NOT get a system with an APU.
- may wish 8GB DDR3 at some point (not in the budget). Get another IDENTICAL kit. That's why I wanted FOUR DDR3 slots so you could get 2x2GB right now as you MAY lose performance with a SINGLE stick (Dual vs Single-Channel).

Summary:
I think I managed the best system. I appreciate constructive criticism. It's mostly about:
a) getting the best GRAPHICS, while having a...
You need to specify if that includes Windows or not and other things, or if it's just the CASE plus internals.

If you don't have a game controller you may wish to get one as well as many titles work much better with one (Assassin's Creed series etc). $40 for a wired XBOX 360 controller.

*I'll see what I can build for fun WITHOUT the OS as I don't think it's possible with Windows...
 
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3lArB

OK, that worked out far better than I thought it would. Here's a Summary Benchmark so you can compare video cards but I think the one I chose is best for the price:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/R7_260X/26.html

I recommend Windows 8.1 64-bit OEM ($90USD) and Start8 ($5) for software.

Other:
- do NOT get a system with an APU.
- may wish 8GB DDR3 at some point (not in the budget). Get another IDENTICAL kit. That's why I wanted FOUR DDR3 slots so you could get 2x2GB right now as you MAY lose performance with a SINGLE stick (Dual vs Single-Channel).

Summary:
I think I managed the best system. I appreciate constructive criticism. It's mostly about:
a) getting the best GRAPHICS, while having a reasonably good CPU, and
b) ensuring parts of reasonable quality

I would have personally spent a little more on the Motherboard.
 
Solution

DarkAddo

Honorable
Jan 20, 2014
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0
10,760
I think it might be a better idea to spend a little more on an AM3+ build because you'll have better overclock potential and better future upgradability. Just swap out the processor for an FX-4300/6300 and get (just my recommendation) either an ASRock or MSI Micro-ATX board and the rest looks pretty solid.
 


Hey,
1. This is almost four weeks old so I doubt he's interested anymore.

2. Getting a good overclockable motherboard at this price might be difficult. I also didn't like any of the budget AM3+ boards for quality.

3. The AM3+ appears to be end-of-line so I don't know if it's more upgradeable. If AMD does make new CPU's (who knows) then FM2+ appears to be the best socket.

The FM2+ socket is still getting new APU's and CPU's so they will improve. AMD tends to keep sockets around for a while but AM3+ is dead in the sense that no new CPU's are coming. If you want the best AMD has it's the FX-8350 (ignoring the 5GHz model) and they'll just keep making them until demand dies.

4) It all came back to BUDGET, and the best balance IMO was with the slightly cheaper CPU and better graphics. When you've got only $120 left for a graphics card you need every dollar.

Feel free to post an FX-6300 build that doesn't exceed $450 and has the same graphics, and a motherboard that's reasonably good quality. It's challenging.

Basically you have $40 to buy an AM3+ micro-ATX motherboard that doesn't suck (and ideally has USB3, and more than two DDR3 slots so he can add more memory).
 

DarkAddo

Honorable
Jan 20, 2014
195
0
10,760
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3C4DE

The MSI board in this does support overclocking, however as neither you or I put in an aftermarket heatsink, then he won't be doing any OC's for a while. Either way, he won't really need to for a while anyways as the FX-6300 is an extremely capable gaming CPU at stock clocks. The FM2+ socket is getting new APU's because AMD currently has no other sockets that take APU's. As for needing 4 RAM slots, that's not true at all. Right now the most you'll ever need for gaming is 8 GB, and it'll be a long time before you need more than 16 (which this board can handle). This MSI board also has USB 3 and SATA 6 ports.