Suggestions for $400 budget gaming build

greenspan76

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Apr 22, 2014
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For reference, this is my current "gaming" system (if you can even call it that anymore - or for that matter could have ever called it that in the first place):

CPU AMD Athon 64 X2 4200+
Motherboard: Abit KN9s AM2 board
Memory: OCZ Gold DDR2 800 4 x 1GB
Video Card: Radeon HD4650
Case/Storage/PS: crap that need replaced


I would like to replace my old system with something that will allow me to play current games and maybe keep up for the next couple years. The games I play most right now are Entropia Universe (runs on CE2 engine), Skyrim, Diablo III, and Civilization, but there are so many titles I would love to play if my system could handle it, even at low/medium settings. (I would like to run at 1080p at least on the games listed, but understand I may have to live with 720p on others)

Excluding the OS, my budget is $400. I have struggled quite a bit with wants vs needs (gaming is a need, right?) and this is what I have come up with so far, but it is still a little over budget. I am looking for suggestions to stay within my budget and/or specific suggestions on improving the build.

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($114.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus M5A78L-M/USB3 Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($54.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: PNY XLR8 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7770 1GB Vapor-X Video Card ($105.38 @ Newegg)
Case: Cougar Solution (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($37.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $484.28
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.) (Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-22 15:11 EDT-0400)



(Edited 4/22/14 14:25 CDT - to post correct parts list)
 
Solution
nobody here will suggest 4300
it is my revision on your build, with the best for the buck parts

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($114.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R7 260X 2GB Video Card ($121.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply:...
nobody here will suggest 4300
it is my revision on your build, with the best for the buck parts

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($114.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R7 260X 2GB Video Card ($121.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $516.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-22 15:11 EDT-0400)
 
Solution

greenspan76

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Apr 22, 2014
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4,510
Thanks, AMD. Apparently, you responded just as I was correcting my OP after realizing I had copied and pasted the wrong parts list. (And then I subsequently had to recorrect because I left off the PS in the second list).

I agree the 6300 is better and I like the R7 260X instead of the HD7770. I wouldn't think the 1866 would be much different than the 1600 for gaming - would the lower voltage make that memory better than what I had listed?
 

greenspan76

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Apr 22, 2014
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4,510
A friend agreed to a barter: NZXT Source 210 case w/Seasonic 430W PSU in exchange for some yardwork. I as going for a little more wattage, but it should run everything just fine for now and that puts me really close to the $400 I was shooting for. I'll use your build with those modfications.