Is this $400 Build good?

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Vincent_Jonathan

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Here's the build:

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($64.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Rosewill RCX-Z90-CP 62.5 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($12.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($72.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($53.10 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($46.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: PNY GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Enthusiast Edition Video Card ($119.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Sentey CS1-1398 PLUS ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($12.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $413.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-16 10:58 EDT-0400


Should i get better PSU?
 
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quilciri

quilciri

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For a gaming system, I strongly suggest springing for 4-thread processing, else you'll be itching to upgrade almost immediately. overclocking the 3258 isn't cutting it anymore in some titles. (and a couple outright refuse to run on two threads).

My humble suggestion:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor ($109.98 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M Anniversary Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($68.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($53.10 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($46.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R7 260X 2GB Video Card ($92.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Thermaltake VL80001W2Z ATX Mid Tower Case ($21.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($26.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($12.99 @ Newegg)

Total: $434.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-16 11:15 EDT-0400

Cheers!
 
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AdviserKulikov

AdviserKulikov

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First off: do you live near a microcenter? If you do, make sure to take advantage of their CPU/Mobo combo deals. The FX-6300 is only $89 with motherboard before taxes, and is still a pretty darn good CPU.

You could get a better PSU, allowing you to reuse it for longer when you upgrade, but that one is acceptable middling quality (if overkill for this build in terms of wattage)

The build is a fairly standard $400 NIB parts build. Hunt down some open box/refurb parts, take advantage of some obscure combo deals and you can step up a little more.
 
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RobCrezz

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Unfortunatly the games that wont run on the pentium, wont run on the i3 either. Far cry 4 for example will run on a quad core, but wont run on a dual core with HT...
 
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Vlad Rose

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I know they had some issues that required a small bug fix that changed what core the game would initialize on, but it has since been corrected. i3's (2 core + HT) are currently supported by all games; including Far Cry 4. If not, there would be a ton of laptops that wouldn't have support since the i5 mobile and most i7 mobiles are 2 core + HT.
 
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Tom Tancredi

Tom Tancredi

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Honestly, if your going to stick to that low end GO CONSOLE.
http://www.ign.com/wikis/xbox-one/PS4_vs._Xbox_One_Native_Resolutions_and_Framerates
With any 'under $700' desktop system you get will NOT be able to play 1080P 60FPS at HIGH as a Console can on many and NEW TITLES. You wouldn't be able to play much with yours especially something like GTA V that just came out (for example) because your hardware is incapable to support it. But if you have so little money, then a console is the best answer because GTA V and other games WILL always work on them, as the consoles are optimized for gaming.
 
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Vlad Rose

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You do realize most console games are running at 30fps right now, not 60fps; outside a few exceptions? And most new titles they've either given up hitting 60fps, are struggling trying to hit it, or are trying to maintain compatibility between the 2 platforms.
http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Witcher-3-PS4-Xbox-One-Framerate-Resolution-Revealed-69722.html
http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Project-CARS-Aims-1080p-60fps-PS4-Xbox-One-63867.html
http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Destiny-Isn-t-60fps-PS4-Xbox-One-Due-Being-Cross-Gen-64733.html
 
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AdviserKulikov

AdviserKulikov

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30FPS at 900p for some.
 
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quilciri

quilciri

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Consoles don't run demanding titles at 1080p and 60 fps. GTA V runs at 30 fps on consoles as does Far Cry 4. Battlefield 4 runs at 900p on the PS3 and 720p on the Xbone.

The $400 PC beats both consoles handily.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4GgEaOPK4M
 
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TNT27

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Plus pc games tend to be a lot more cheaper. Tune to settings you like. Etc.

the g3258 @ 4+ ghz (easy to achieve on stock cooler) will keep pace with i3/i5/i7 in almost every title out there.

Only game refusing to play on 2 threads is Dragon Age Inquisition, but with the unofficial mods moving heavy thread to core 0/1, that game actually runs decently on the little pentium.

Gets better frames in almost every game out there compared to amd alternatives. Dirt Cheap too, and allows upgrade to i5/i7 down the road if needed.

I have this little chip at my parents house for gaming, and I though I would upgrade it later to i5/i7, but I still havent been botherd enough to do so, it does its job very well.

For GPU I highly suggest grabbing r9 270. About same prices as 750ti, but much better performer. though the 750ti is nice, I would only use it for upgrading a pc with old/crap/low wattage psu.

 
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con635

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Consoles dont play pc games though and graphics aren't everything, Pc has much better exclusives, more exclusives, mods of games, better communities. Id take my old a8 5600k and 720p monitor over any console tbh.

 
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RobCrezz

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On the first release of far cry 4 it at least wouldnt run on dual core + HT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVl8Eupbr_E
 
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Vlad Rose

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I'm aware, thus why I mentioned a bug fix was released.
 
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Tom Tancredi

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Actually you have it backwards. There is less than a handful of older titles ONLY on PC, even Minecraft is on Consoles. That can't be said the otherway, Halo ONLY XBOX, Uncharted ONLY PS, Etc. (here is more on the matter http://www.primagames.com/games/order-1886/feature/10-ps4-exclusive-games-get-excited-about). That said while PC USED to mod games (back when COD3 and such were out) the way games are now produced VERY FEW are modifiable anymore and instead the 'MapPacks' are now a revenue stream from the companies, as well as all the 'mods' (aka DLCs to get armor, guns, etc.) and exclusive.

I personally can't play controllers, but for those 'under $700' gamers out there, that is the BEST Cost VS Performance you can get for that little amount of money. The extra benefits and lower risk (ever fry your Video Card accidentally during install? I have seen plenty thanks) just makes it for 'Joe/Jane' I had no TechieMuboJumbo clue (the other 90% out there from you or I) it is the best and simpliest answer.

IMHO I feel spending $400 on a console to get Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag playing 1080p @ 30fps on HIGH graphics
rather than your A8 playing at 1024x768 low graphics just to get the same 30FPS is much more WORTH my hard earned $400.
 
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con635

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I'm sorry I've no figures but just as observation over the years I would have thought there was many, many more pc exclusives than console ones and lots of backwards compatibility I still play syndicate sometimes among other games I played on my pc/amiga/c64 over 2 decades ago, I don't talk strictly aaa games btw I don't even play many. Consoles have there place for sure and I'm not a hater I've bought most of them over the years when they've got cheap enough just for certain games/friends owned them but atm its games like the arma series and its mods, h and g, the forest, counter strike etc, emulators and keyboard and mouse that would make me take the low end pc every time. Fwiw the a8 mentioned would be much less than $400 and the build above with the i3 would beat the current consoles performance with some tweaks.
 
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TNT27

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Pc my favorite right now is Subnautica, there are many others too.

screw console exclusives, Only reason I ever get consoles is because my friends get them, and its usually gaming COD (which imo is better on consoles)

They do have adaptaers to allow mouse and keyboard on consoles, but since I am decent with controllers, I see no point of getting one.



 
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Kitt Sue

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And 30 FPS is really "30" fps :p
Tons of "30 FPS" games are actually running at 20-25 fps on PS4/Xbox One, like Assassin's Creed Unity and GTA V.
 
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Kitt Sue

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5m4El7jwk8
Here the guy is playing it a couple days before it came out just fine on an i3-4130
 
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TNT27

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Note that prices between a decent gaming rig of same price to a brand new console will be about the same costs down the road.

Pc games tend to be a lot cheaper, and there are a lot more pc games out there.
Also pc can be used for many other things than just gaming.

Downside is you cant really play split screen, and like in my case most my friends have console.
 
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Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163

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Yup most PC games are console ports, why do you think majority of the PC community complain during release due to terrible optimisation to name one. You can't build a PC that is on par with console, and why did someone above mention the PS3. The PS4 is 400 dollars sure, but used is around 200. Hardware wise unless you go with a GPU that is equivalent to the 'next gen' console using a modified "hybrid" 8 GB VRAM which lands inbetween the 7850 and 7870. Stop comparing PC to console I don't get it. Literally no one using a console complain about 'low FPS' or something along those lines, it's the PC users thinking they own something much more powerful when in reality they don't. Yes it's true that you can obviously change your settings on PC but can't match quality of the console for the same price and same specs...

Consoles have a browser too, and a 3d blu ray player which amazes me. The price of console game is cheaper than PC, at gamestop a used brand new game is instantly half price while PC new release will stay at 50-60 euro, it's true that discs do break but definitely not blu-ray discs...
 
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con635

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Modern consoles are low end pcs, their only performance advantage is the api which goes away soon and can only go away because they're now x86/gcn ie low end pc hardware, there is no witchcraft in the ps4.
 
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Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163

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Can't buy the same parts so it's obviously unique. Nothing will ever beat the PS4 when it comes to specs at the same price, you need to add a 3d blu ray player, I've seen builds where people add the cheapest non 3d blu ray player they could find and it's still not below 400, not to mention the included controller which is about half the price of the entire console itself. It's obvious... Now if we only talk performance for the same money then that means no octa core CPU etc then yes but it still won't stomp on the console even if you choose to go with that route, better but no stomp.
 
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AdviserKulikov

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Just wondering, is there actually such a thing as a "3d" blu ray player? Blu ray players for PC are $40, and totally unnecessary considering everything is going digital in distribution. Discs are only necessary on consoles because of their tiny hard drives.
 
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Kitt Sue

Kitt Sue

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PS4 is basically $450 unless you plan to only play offline.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/gFmFrH

Or without relying on mail-in rebates ($466 without rebates):
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/BV2bf7


Having said that, I don't see how a blu-ray player is an advantage... it's just the only way console games can fit on the discs these days with modern textures and whatnot... blu-ray movies are inferior quality to streamed/downloaded movies.
 
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