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Is this PC build the best it can be for $500?

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October 17, 2014 4:53:15 PM

I watched this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAAzc-VXnIQ

I was wondering if it is the best it can be for 500. I would use it for gaming, recording, minimal video editing, and MAYBE streaming.

Thanks! And feel free to make changes, or show me a completely new build.

More about : build 500

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October 17, 2014 5:13:31 PM

This build is MUCH better than the one in the video:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($62.27 @ TigerDirect)
Motherboard: ASRock H81 Pro BTC ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($51.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($73.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 270X 2GB Dual-X Video Card ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($37.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $510.20
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-17 20:13 EDT-0400
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October 17, 2014 5:13:34 PM

His build is fast and compatible - from the video
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October 17, 2014 5:17:25 PM

Is it what you would recommend for someone going for a gaming pc and recording?

Or should I go with zeyuanfu's build?
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October 17, 2014 5:21:32 PM

I would go with the Intel, no questions asked, as:
1, Intel has 22 nm manufacturing tech while AMD has 32 nm, which is worse
2, The G3258 has the upgrade path to the 4690K, which CRUSHES the best CPU you can upgrade to in the vid's build, the Athlon x4 860K
3, It has a better stock HSF, which is good for overclocking
And much, much more.
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October 17, 2014 5:28:35 PM

Yeah I know lol
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October 17, 2014 5:28:48 PM

BIOS updates shouldn't be a thing to worry about as the G3258 supports BOTH 8-series and 9-series boards.
You don't need a cooler as:
1, That would be 30$ for a few degrees lower temps
2, You'll have to get worse parts.
The stock G3258 HSF is already good as it's the one that comes with the i5-4690K and the i7-4790K, which has copper in it.
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October 17, 2014 5:29:02 PM

was pointed at _rockie
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October 17, 2014 5:30:06 PM

What would be a good monitor to go with this build? 100 dollars at most.
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October 17, 2014 5:30:34 PM

Ohh, I see...
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October 17, 2014 5:32:16 PM

zeyuanfu said:
Ohh, I see...

What would be a good monitor to go with this build? 100 dollars at most.
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October 17, 2014 5:38:38 PM

zeyuanfu said:
If you can stretch your monitor budget by 15$, here's what to get:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Monitor: BenQ GW2265HM 60Hz 21.5" Monitor ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $114.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-17 20:35 EDT-0400


Thanks! By the way, I must ask you a question.

Is it worth getting windows 7 for free on a new pc? Spending 90 dollars is outrageous. Would it be smart to install it on a flash drive?
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October 17, 2014 5:40:11 PM

Umm, if you're saying to get Windows 7 for free, that's not allowed on the Tom's Hardware forum...
If you're saying to buy it and install from USB, that's legal and good.
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October 17, 2014 5:41:35 PM

zeyuanfu said:
Umm, if you're saying to get Windows 7 for free, that's not allowed on the Tom's Hardware forum...
If you're saying to buy it and install from USB, that's legal and good.


Oops sorry. You know places to get Windows at a really discounted price?

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October 17, 2014 5:43:43 PM

Not really...
I would say use Linux if you want to save 100$.
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October 17, 2014 5:44:28 PM

zeyuanfu said:
This build is MUCH better than the one in the video:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($62.27 @ TigerDirect)
Motherboard: ASRock H81 Pro BTC ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($51.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($73.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 270X 2GB Dual-X Video Card ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($37.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $510.20
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-17 20:13 EDT-0400


Would go with everything but the PSU on this build, the Antec HCG 620W is only $49.99 or something like that, get that instead, especially if he wants to overclock.
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October 17, 2014 5:47:25 PM

zeyuanfu said:
Not really...
I would say use Linux if you want to save 100$.


Would Linux impact performance levels compared to Windows? I might just start with Linux

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October 17, 2014 5:50:45 PM

I don't know as I never used Linux, except when a friend showed it to me for five minutes...
It never hurts to try something new!
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October 17, 2014 5:52:47 PM

sparestuff said:
zeyuanfu said:
This build is MUCH better than the one in the video:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($62.27 @ TigerDirect)
Motherboard: ASRock H81 Pro BTC ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($51.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($73.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 270X 2GB Dual-X Video Card ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($37.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $510.20
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-17 20:13 EDT-0400


Would go with everything but the PSU on this build, the Antec HCG 620W is only $49.99 or something like that, get that instead, especially if he wants to overclock.

WRONG. the HCG 620 is about 70$ and is maybe 50$ AFTER mail-in rebate, which does NOT apply to the current purchase.
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October 17, 2014 5:58:39 PM

zeyuanfu said:
I don't know as I never used Linux, except when a friend showed it to me for five minutes...
It never hurts to try something new!


One last question, what is a simple gaming keyboard you'd recommend? Don't need anything fancy, just a simple one :3

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October 17, 2014 6:04:57 PM

zeyuanfu said:
The keyboard you used to create and write in this thread:) 


On a laptop :D  Thanks, you've been amazingly helpful. I will build this on December 1st(birthday) and get the keyboard/monitor. Once again, truly, thank you! :) 

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October 17, 2014 6:08:24 PM

Linux loses about 10-40% performance depending on the game and only like 30-50% of games run on Linux. It is NOT designed for gaming at all. It is an OS built and meant for learning programming.

OP if you want to record and edit gameplay DO NOT get the Pentium. You WILL regret it. Get an Athlon x4 860k build instead. It will edit, render, and record MUCH MUCH better. Some games you won't even be able to record with the Pentium because the stutter is so bad. This is a well known and documented issue. Streaming will be nearly impossible.
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October 17, 2014 6:09:35 PM

tiny voices said:
Linux loses about 10-40% performance depending on the game and only like 30-50% of games run on Linux. It is NOT designed for gaming at all. It is an OS built and meant for learning programming.


Do you know where to get Windows at a cheap price?
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October 17, 2014 6:10:55 PM

Nope. you must buy it for $90.

I also edited my post adding more info. Please read it again.
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October 17, 2014 6:14:16 PM

tiny voices said:
Nope. you must buy it for $90.

I also edited my post adding more info. Please read it again.


What is the "Athlon x4 860k build"? I will record and do some editing. I will go with the original Pentium build if I decide not to record. I will still get that monitor and keyboard :D 

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October 17, 2014 6:16:04 PM

All you would change is the CPU to an Athlon x4 860k and the motherboard to a compatible FM2+ board. It will allow for recording and editing and streaming no problem. There is much less upgrade path though. That is the only drawback. You would haveto buy a new motherboard if you wanted to upgrade to an i5.
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October 17, 2014 6:17:09 PM

Also, DO NOT but the motherboard in the link you selected as BA. IT is for bitcoin mining, NOT normal computing. change it to an ASUS H81 board.
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October 17, 2014 6:25:29 PM

tiny voices said:
All you would change is the CPU to an Athlon x4 860k and the motherboard to a compatible FM2+ board. It will allow for recording and editing and streaming no problem. There is much less upgrade path though. That is the only drawback. You would haveto buy a new motherboard if you wanted to upgrade to an i5.


This would be appropriate? I don't know about the mobo. I had no idea :S

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/zbXpVn
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October 17, 2014 6:44:25 PM

I wouldn't get that build if you're looking for long-term performance i.e. a good upgrade path. The 860K is the best FM2+ CPU, so you can't upgrade it.
If the 500$ build is only temporary, the 860K build would be good, though.
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October 17, 2014 6:46:07 PM

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-4300 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI 760GMA-P34(FX) Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($52.66 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($43.98 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 270X 2GB Dual-X Video Card ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Thermaltake VL80001W2Z ATX Mid Tower Case ($24.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($32.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $464.58
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-17 21:45 EDT-0400
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October 17, 2014 6:53:14 PM

zeyuanfu said:
I wouldn't get that build if you're looking for long-term performance i.e. a good upgrade path. The 860K is the best FM2+ CPU, so you can't upgrade it.
If the 500$ build is only temporary, the 860K build would be good, though.


So what should I go with for performance with recording, gaming, and livestreaming? This build would be insufficient?

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October 17, 2014 6:59:35 PM

Also, if you play not-too-demanding games, you MIGHT be able to cut the RAM down to 4GB...
Just a suggestion, not telling OP to do anything...
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October 17, 2014 6:59:39 PM

@zeyuanfu I wouldn't recommand a motherborad as cheap as you choose but it fits a g3258 so its okay.

But my build defenitly beat yours
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/64sByc

And costs WAY less.
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October 17, 2014 7:01:20 PM

Dude... You took my build and just put a cheap 280 in it...
I just said the i3-4150 would be a better CPU. The G3258 might not be enough for streaming.
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October 17, 2014 7:04:52 PM

You shouldn't even consider buying i3 when their is a CPU like the G3258
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October 17, 2014 7:14:32 PM

I have to stay in this price range because I still need Windows 7(90 bucks), and a monitor. So this is the build
( http://pcpartpicker.com/p/YGcP7P ) any change ideas?
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October 17, 2014 7:31:39 PM

That build isn't actually half bad...
You're going to have to buy a new computer when that won't be enough, though.
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October 17, 2014 7:40:27 PM

Exclusions said:
I have to stay in this price range because I still need Windows 7(90 bucks), and a monitor. So this is the build
( http://pcpartpicker.com/p/YGcP7P ) any change ideas?


Get a cheaper motherboard and upgrade the GPU to a R9 280.
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October 17, 2014 7:42:14 PM

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-4300 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($88.69 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI 760GMA-P34(FX) Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($52.66 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($73.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 270X 2GB Dual-X Video Card ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Thermaltake VL80001W2Z ATX Mid Tower Case ($24.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($32.99 @ NCIX US)

Base Total: $522.62
Mail-in Rebates: -$35.00
Shipping: $5.67
Total: $493.29
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