cheap casual game rig

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DarkSable
Nope, that computer is kinda a POS and requires a "low profile" graphics card... if its PSU can even handle one.

Honestly, save more. You aren't going to get a computer for gaming for less than $500. You can scrape a decent one together for ~400-450, if you build it yourself.

That being said, what does "casual gaming rig" mean to you? If you just mean flash games at armor games or something, you don't even need a graphics card, just a decent office PC.
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emdea22

emdea22

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Oct 25, 2011
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How about a decent PC for the price rather than an weak office pc?
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD A8-5600K 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($80.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A58M-HD2 Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($50.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($34.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Rosewill FBM-02 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($21.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 350W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($38.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($92.00 @ B&H)
Total: $368.33
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-18 22:07 EST-0500
 
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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Sep 27, 2012
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Nope, that computer is kinda a POS and requires a "low profile" graphics card... if its PSU can even handle one.

Honestly, save more. You aren't going to get a computer for gaming for less than $500. You can scrape a decent one together for ~400-450, if you build it yourself.

That being said, what does "casual gaming rig" mean to you? If you just mean flash games at armor games or something, you don't even need a graphics card, just a decent office PC.
 
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Solution
damric

damric

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Sep 17, 2010
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Drop Windows 8 and use the Windows 10 Preview free from Microsoft. Put that money in somewhere else.
 
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royalcrown

royalcrown

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May 31, 2006
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Sorry it won't work because you need "low profile" card for a desktop that size. You cold get a low profile card, but they don't usually make good gaming cards, they are intended for basic use only.

Other options are get a MATX form factor, they are bigger and can physically fit the card you chose, or get something something like what you chose before with a AMD A10 series APU (it's what they call their CPU with onboard graphics). They are honestly not too shabby and it might cost less because you won't need the separate video card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA27Z2H21863

Here is some game demos with the same APU as in the system I linked above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj6C0mawdKM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IselnCU7984
 
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C

cramerklontz

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Feb 18, 2015
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thanks for the info everyone. casual gaming to me means playing first person shooters at medium settings on an HDTV. sounds like I should save up a bit more like 500$ range? I'm fine with parting it together. I have done it before around 2004. I am just not up to speed on the latest and greatest parts.
 
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emdea22

emdea22

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This build has awesome upgradability:
You can add another 4gb of ram or even 8gb for a total of 12gb ram in the future
You can add a custom cooler for overclocking
You can upgrade to a dedicated graphics card in the future.

As it is (using integrated graphics) it can play:
battlefield 4 at high settings @ 720p resolution.
Dota2 at max @ 1080p
LoL aqt max @ 1080p
Minecraft @ 1080p
4k video playback
Most modern games will run at medium-ish settings quite well.


Windows 10 preview ill soon end and he'll be left without an OS. I personally would just install ubuntu and put that 100 into more ram and a faster APU but he clearly stated he needs a gaming pc and linux isn't quite there YET.
 
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emdea22

emdea22

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Oct 25, 2011
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You don't need to save $500 to get a decent gaming pc as long as you go with an APU. Right now the only gaming i'm doing is on an $350 desktop based on a APU weaker than what i recommended you (it is overclocked however). And its not like i don't have a choice as i have two systems with dedicated graphics right next to it. It does its job well enough for me to not bother turning on my main PC...
 
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RookieOfTheYear

RookieOfTheYear

Honorable
Feb 18, 2014
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For under $400, emdea22 built the best rig for you. However, you are correct. You should try to come up with another $100 and go with something like this.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($65.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M Anniversary Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($68.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($56.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 260X 2GB Core Edition Video Card ($118.98 @ Directron)
Case: Fractal Design Core 1100 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($28.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($41.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($92.00 @ B&H)
Total: $518.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-18 22:16 EST-0500
 
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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Sep 27, 2012
8,890
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That's a great build - the only thing I would change is seeing if you can get Windows through your school (Mine actually gives disks away for free from their IT department to students who express an interest in building a computer.)

That would let you spend $200 towards the graphics card.
 
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royalcrown

royalcrown

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May 31, 2006
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If he buys 7 or even better 8.1 he'll get a free upgrade to 10 anyhow, at least that is the current MS thinking:

http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-to-deliver-free-windows-10-upgrades/




 
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I

IamTimTech

Admirable
Oct 13, 2014
1,685
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A solid Casual Gamer:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Motherboard: ASRock H81M-HDS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: Team Elite Plus 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($56.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.99 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($192.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Core 1300 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($37.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($33.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $416.83
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-18 23:16 EST-0500

Now you can decide if you want a Pentium, i3 or i5.
 
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