Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question
Solved

Ordering Today: $640 Budget Gaming Computer (MMOs)

Tags:
  • SSD
  • Systems
  • Gaming
Last response: in Systems
Share
July 31, 2014 6:50:59 AM

Hi all! I've spent the last week or so poking around these forums and gaining advice and suggestions for a budget gaming computer with an emphasis on MMOs. I've finalized my build and will begin ordering parts later in the day.

I wanted to thank everyone who helped me and gave me advice during this process. I had no knowledge of building a PC prior to joining these forums and am now confident in the choices I have made. Please feel free to comment on this finalized build and I will offer my reasoning behind the choices I've made.

I originally did not plan to include a SSD with this build due to budget concerns, but I am now of the opinion that it would be better to go ahead and get one now as opposed to doing it later and needing to re-install the OS at a later date. If anyone can suggest a well-built SSD at a good price (120 GB should be fine), I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks again!

PCPartPicker Finalized Build

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($187.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-D2V Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.79 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($78.85 @ B&H)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($129.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($25.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($21.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $639.54
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-31 09:44 EDT-0400

Also -- if you're aware of a substitute part that is currently cheaper, feel free to let me know!

More about : ordering today 640 budget gaming computer mmos

July 31, 2014 6:56:51 AM

samsung 840 evo 120Gb is a great SSD.

But.. word of caution.. if there's one thing i've learned, its to never be too stingy on the PSU.. if i were you, i would spend another 30-40$ on it, and get a better one.. a bad PSU can destroy an entire system.
m
0
l

Best solution

a b 4 Gaming
July 31, 2014 7:15:05 AM

Here's a more GPU oriented build which will be better at playing games, as games tend to rely on the GPU lots more than the CPU.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus M5A97 LE R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($104.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 270 2GB Dual-X Video Card ($155.38 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair SPEC-02 ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $725.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-31 10:03 EDT-0400

The R9 270 is a much better GPU than the GTX 750 TI, however the FX 6300 is worse than the i5. The 6300 is still a very good CPU, it has 6 cores @3.5ghz, and in this build can be easily overclocked to 4ghz, or higher if you go with the non LE motherboard.
The CM hyper 212 allows for a nice overclock, and is one of the most popular CPU coolers, and the best available for this price range.
The m5a97 LE is a good mobo, I use this myself, very nice for this price.
Some good budget Corsair memory, nothing more to it.
One of the new Crucial MX100 SSD drives, 250GB of storage, very fast.
A WD 1tb Caviar Blue @7200rpm, very solid reliable hard drives.
One of the new Corsair Spec-02 cases, these come with 2 fans and have space for up to 6 120mm fans. These cases have great airflow, a side window, and look very good.
The PSU is a high quality XFX Pro 550w, as said above, don't skimp on the PSU, this PSU is much higher quality than the EVGA one you picked.
Windows 8 is, well, Windows 8.

This build costs a lot more than yours, but this is because of:
A: You didn't include a case, not sure if this was a mistake or if you already have one. If you already have one, use that, but first make sure all the parts will fit.
B: Higher quality mobo
C: Higher quality PSU
D: More expensive GPU
E: Mine includes the SSD in the price, you can change it to a 120gb if you want to save some cash.
Share
Related resources
July 31, 2014 10:48:09 AM

moozilbee said:
Here's a more GPU oriented build which will be better at playing games, as games tend to rely on the GPU lots more than the CPU.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus M5A97 LE R2.0 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($104.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 270 2GB Dual-X Video Card ($155.38 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair SPEC-02 ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $725.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-31 10:03 EDT-0400

The R9 270 is a much better GPU than the GTX 750 TI, however the FX 6300 is worse than the i5. The 6300 is still a very good CPU, it has 6 cores @3.5ghz, and in this build can be easily overclocked to 4ghz, or higher if you go with the non LE motherboard.
The CM hyper 212 allows for a nice overclock, and is one of the most popular CPU coolers, and the best available for this price range.
The m5a97 LE is a good mobo, I use this myself, very nice for this price.
Some good budget Corsair memory, nothing more to it.
One of the new Crucial MX100 SSD drives, 250GB of storage, very fast.
A WD 1tb Caviar Blue @7200rpm, very solid reliable hard drives.
One of the new Corsair Spec-02 cases, these come with 2 fans and have space for up to 6 120mm fans. These cases have great airflow, a side window, and look very good.
The PSU is a high quality XFX Pro 550w, as said above, don't skimp on the PSU, this PSU is much higher quality than the EVGA one you picked.
Windows 8 is, well, Windows 8.

This build costs a lot more than yours, but this is because of:
A: You didn't include a case, not sure if this was a mistake or if you already have one. If you already have one, use that, but first make sure all the parts will fit.
B: Higher quality mobo
C: Higher quality PSU
D: More expensive GPU
E: Mine includes the SSD in the price, you can change it to a 120gb if you want to save some cash.


Is the ram factoring in the total cost? Because it doesn't have a price by it.
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
July 31, 2014 10:57:09 AM

Your build looks fine as is, if you wanted to add a r9 270 to the build instead of the gtx 750 ti then you would need a bigger PSU. For SSDs some good, affordable options are the Samsung EVO and Crucial MX100/M500 SSDs
m
0
l
July 31, 2014 11:25:57 AM

I've chosen the CPU/GPU combo based on the fact that I do not particularly desire playing games with high graphics. I'd rather have a system that can smoothly run a variety of games with a strong emphasis on MMOs (hence the i5).

Are you suggesting PSU upgrades based on the actual quality of the PSU I've selected? I was of the opinion that EVGA is in the top tier (or just below it) for PSUs.

Also, is the Team Vulcan RAM quality hardware?

I will look into the Samsung and Crucial SSDs, thanks!

Thank you for the input!
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
July 31, 2014 11:37:34 AM

Even in more CPU based games the GPU is still the major decider of framerate. The 6300 can be overclocked and will perform fine in any of the CPU based MMOs, you will be able to max them no problem, and the R9 270 is MUCH stronger than the 750 ti.

Get a better quality PSU, such as the 550w XFX PSU, the best 550w PSU at that price. The EVGA one you picked is pretty low quality. Not terrible, but there are much better choices. EVGA make some good PSUs, that just isn't one of them. Same thing Corsair and the CX series.

The Vulcan RAM is good quality.

Samsung vs Crucial Mx100 is your choice, there's little real world difference.
m
0
l
July 31, 2014 12:23:25 PM

Updated list with SSD + other suggestions.

If I were to swap the 750 Ti for the R9 270, would I also need to invest in an aftermarket cooler? The case I'm using has a 120 mm fan at the bottom front and a large fan on the side panel opposite the MOBO.

Thanks!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($191.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-D2V Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.79 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($78.85 @ B&H)
Storage: Crucial M500 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($72.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($129.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($21.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $749.56
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-31 15:21 EDT-0400
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
July 31, 2014 1:36:20 PM

no.
m
0
l
July 31, 2014 2:12:20 PM

Because tomorrow is the start of a new month, should I expect to see some of the prices/rebates for my hardware change? If so, should I wait and see?
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
July 31, 2014 2:16:31 PM

blatantlyobvious said:
Updated list with SSD + other suggestions.

If I were to swap the 750 Ti for the R9 270, would I also need to invest in an aftermarket cooler? The case I'm using has a 120 mm fan at the bottom front and a large fan on the side panel opposite the MOBO.

Thanks!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($191.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-D2V Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.79 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($78.85 @ B&H)
Storage: Crucial M500 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($72.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($129.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($21.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $749.56
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-31 15:21 EDT-0400


No, you don't.
Here's a tweaked version of your build with a better SSD and GPU for a similar price. Why do you keep not including cases though? Do you already have a case?

Edit: See build below.
m
0
l
July 31, 2014 2:22:26 PM

moozilbee said:

No, you don't.
Here's a tweaked version of your build with a better SSD and GPU for a similar price. Why do you keep not including cases though? Do you already have a case?


Hi Moo, sorry for not responding the first time you asked -- I plan on reusing the case I've currently got.

Thank you for your continued input, but I don't see the tweaked build you're referring to :) 

edit: I've added the R9 270 Dual-X to the most recent build above and it's and additional $25 which I feel is an acceptable increase.
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
July 31, 2014 2:30:41 PM

Oops, didn't add the build, here:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($187.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-D2V Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.79 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($78.85 @ B&H)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($104.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 270 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($21.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $788.54
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-31 17:29 EDT-0400

You can switch the SSD for a MX100 128GB to save some cash, but the extra $30 really is worth it for double the size.
m
0
l
July 31, 2014 3:10:16 PM

Is there a difference between the MSI Radeon R9 270 and the Sapphire Radeon R9 270 other than 20 MHz clock speed and $15?
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
July 31, 2014 3:49:34 PM

The 20mhz will make no difference, however MSI cards tend to have very good coolers, but Sapphire have good all round quality and customer service, since the price difference is quite small I would go with whichever is cheaper, and currently the MSI card is cheaper. Either one will be fine, Sapphire and MSI both make great cards.
m
0
l
July 31, 2014 5:00:00 PM

Here is the final build with the larger capacity SSD:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($191.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-D2V Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.79 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($78.85 @ B&H)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($104.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 270 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($21.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $792.55
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-31 19:57 EDT-0400

Thank you for the continued guidance, Moo.
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
July 31, 2014 5:08:47 PM

Looks pretty good!
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
July 31, 2014 5:31:59 PM

Good build, stay with that.
m
0
l
August 1, 2014 6:01:01 AM

Hi everyone!

I've just finished ordering the build listed above. It's a bit more than the under $600 build I started with, but I'm excited nonetheless and I'll just consider it a late graduation gift to myself.

Moo, I chose your answer as the solution because you kindly offered advice and explained your reasoning. Thanks!
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
August 9, 2014 8:30:53 PM

blatantlyobvious said:
Hi everyone!

I've just finished ordering the build listed above. It's a bit more than the under $600 build I started with, but I'm excited nonetheless and I'll just consider it a late graduation gift to myself.

Moo, I chose your answer as the solution because you kindly offered advice and explained your reasoning. Thanks!


Happy to help :) 
m
0
l
!