$500 Gaming PC

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ArnavN

ArnavN

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Apr 27, 2016
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So my previous thread was on if my computer components were compatible. Glad I did that one, some parts were severely out of date and was informed, thanks guys :)

I now know for 500 bucks you can't get a pc that can play modern games for years to come at 60 fps 1080p. I am sticking to titles such as GTA V, Minecraft, CS:GO, or anything that is still relevant in the community and I don't plan to play modern games that are made in like 2018 on this pc . My budget is $500, Anyone have any ideas? Leave a suggestion for a pc build if you have an idea. Thanks :)
 
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damric

damric

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Sep 17, 2010
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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G4400 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($58.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock B150 GAMING K4/HYPER ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($88.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: GeIL EVO POTENZA 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($42.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ TRION 150 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($55.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 950 2GB Video Card ($112.99 @ Newegg)
Case: DIYPC Solo-T1-R ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.88 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Rosewill 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $434.80
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:09 EDT-0400
 
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Solution
Hlsgsz

Hlsgsz

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Feb 29, 2016
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This. You have to stretch it a bit if you really want it to be viable for a while. And don't decare your list of games closed. You never know what'll come out.
Also, salvage a case from somewhere, i dont know :)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: *Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: *Crucial 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($28.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.49 @ OutletPC)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX Power Supply ($33.69 @ Directron)
Other: GTX 1060 6GB ($250.00)
Total: $521.15
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:12 EDT-0400
 
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Supahos

Supahos

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Nov 11, 2013
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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($30.88 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.49 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 950 2GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill FBM-02 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($33.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.88 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($83.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $499.08
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:13 EDT-0400

Capable of running any game on the market pretty smoothly, if you don't need an OS spend the money to upgrade to a gtx 960 or equilivent amd video card. (They are priced correctly just whatever fits your budget)
 
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damric

damric

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Sep 17, 2010
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If you don't mind rebates, this is better.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock Z170A-X1/3.1 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($92.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: GeIL EVO POTENZA 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($42.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ TRION 150 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($55.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 950 2GB Video Card ($112.99 @ Newegg)
Case: DIYPC Solo-T1-R ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.88 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX Power Supply ($33.69 @ Directron)
Total: $484.50
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:16 EDT-0400
 
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CTurbo

CTurbo

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Aug 27, 2013
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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B150M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($57.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($33.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: OCZ TRION 150 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($55.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 950 2GB FTW ACX 2.0 Video Card ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Case: DIYPC M89-R MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($23.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($58.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $451.82
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:17 EDT-0400
 
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ArnavN

ArnavN

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Apr 27, 2016
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Since I can't reply to posts, I'll state your name lol.

Damric, do you have a suggestion on where I can make the money a bit higher? I have an OS, But I appreciate you leaving room for that :D Thanks for taking time and suggesting a build :D.

Hlsgsz,

Thanks for the advice, from a logical view, you're probably right :p I took what you said and plan to use some case I found on amazon unless something better comes up. thanks :D It really means a lot that someone would take time to help some random person on the internet :D

**Update** Lol I posted this and in that time I got like 6 others. I decided to go with Damric's, thanks :D
 
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damric

damric

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Been hearing that for over 10 years from the AMD camp, but they are yet to put out anything that can surpass a dual core in majority of games.

But I do agree with you that under extreme budgets, a case is not needed. I've built plenty of shoe box rigs :p
 
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Hlsgsz

Hlsgsz

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GTA V, Witcher 3 and not to mention Far Cry 4. The latter won't run natively on dual-cores and if you get it to run "somehow" it's a stutterfest from what i've heard.
 
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damric

damric

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All of those games run better on a dual core i3 than on a quad core AMD.
 
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Hlsgsz

Hlsgsz

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Well, i said teh future is bleak for pure dual-cores like teh Pentium Gs. Not hyperthreaded ones like the i3. HT does an excellent job in gaming.
 
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ArnavN

ArnavN

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Apr 27, 2016
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Damric, I was planning to go with your solution now but I had a question. I am willing to break the 500 dollar by 30 bucks. Any recommendations then?

And thanks to everyone who helped as well, it really does mean a lot :D
 
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Hlsgsz

Hlsgsz

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Well, you already know mine if you go over 500. You sould have to wait a bit for the 1060 though. Good luck!
 
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CTurbo

CTurbo

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An extra $30?


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B150M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($57.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($33.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: OCZ TRION 150 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($55.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 380 2GB Video Card ($153.98 @ Newegg)
Case: DIYPC M89-R MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($23.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($58.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $495.81
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 21:58 EDT-0400
 
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damric

damric

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Sep 17, 2010
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An extra $30 would get you a nicer case, OR 16GB RAM, OR a better PSU, OR a higher capacity SSD, OR better CPU cooler (for overclocking). Of those options, I'd rather spend extra on a modular PSU or a better case, as you can always add more RAM, more SSD storage, or aftermarket cooling in the future.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock Z170A-X1/3.1 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($92.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: GeIL EVO POTENZA 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($42.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ TRION 150 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($55.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 950 2GB Video Card ($112.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cougar Volant (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.88 @ OutletPC)
Power Supply: Rosewill 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $500.80
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-18 23:21 EDT-0400

That's really $550 before rebates, but I upgraded the case AND PSU.

There are a lot of good builds in this thread. It's amazing how good of a gaming PC you can build on $400-600 these days. It used to be $800 or go home.
 
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Hlsgsz

Hlsgsz

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Hopefully, AMDs Zen will bring with it the possibility of getting a higher tier GPU whithin a 500 budget. An $80 2c/4t CPU or pure 4c with good single threade performance is what's needed here. I know I'm going against what everybody else has been saying here, but i just wouldn't get a GPU under 150-200(theoretically RX 470-480) and especially not a 2gb one, even for a budget build.
 
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