I want to build a gaming system with $400

Have a monitor?

Does keyboard, mice, monitor need to be include in $400 budge?

Types of games you want to play?

Yes, I have a monitor. The only game (simulation) I play is iRacing.

Taking it your using an old case you already have as well?

~Death Dream~

Nope, I don't have a case or anything else.

What are you using your computer for exactly? Just internet browsing and emailing. Some word processing?

@kubes
I think the title is a good hint.

You wont need more than a 300 watt psu. I'm not sure how much you can save there, but just so you know 500 is a bit overkill.

4670 is a good choice for the price, but if you have any extra money you should spend it on the graphics card.

Mainly using it for gaming. But iRacing does not require a whole lot. I was using my x1300 pro and amd 3800+ with decent graphics and fps.

I question then if your currently getting good fps playing the games you want, why sell and then upgrade?

I just see building a $400 dollar "gaming" machince being very dificult to build.

You will need a new OS which right there will cost a ~$100 bucks. So I'm not sure if this is even a workable budget with $300.

Here's a setup for you, $388.91 after mail-in rebates (there is a better CPU in there as well...)


LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model iHAS120-04 - OEM
Item #: N82E16827106263
Return Policy: Limited 30-Day Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options|hide options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty Plan
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info27-106-263.0.18)


$20.99

LOGISYS Computer Area 51 CS51WBK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 450W Power Supply - Retail
Item #: N82E16811148030
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options|hide options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty Plan
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info11-148-030.0.18)


$39.99

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Item #: N82E16822148262
Return Policy: Limited 30-Day Return Policy $54.99

GIGABYTE GV-R467D3-512I Radeon HD 4670 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Item #: N82E16814125244
Return Policy: Limited 30-Day Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options|hide options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty Plan
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info14-125-244.0.18)


-$5.00 Instant

$20.00 Mail-in Rebate $80.99

$75.99

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
Item #: N82E16835100007
Return Policy: Consumable Items Return Policy $5.99

SUPER TALENT 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model T800UX2GC5 - Retail
Item #: N82E16820609027
Return Policy: Limited Non-Refundable 30-Day Return Policy $20.00 Mail-in Rebate $26.99

GIGABYTE GA-P31-ES3G LGA 775 Intel P31 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Item #: N82E16813128356
Return Policy: Limited 30-Day Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options|hide options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty Plan
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info13-128-356.0.18)


$64.99

Intel Core 2 Duo E7300 Wolfdale 2.66GHz LGA 775 Dual-Core Processor Model BX80571E7300 - Retail
Item #: N82E16819115132
Return Policy: Processors (CPUs) Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options|hide options)
Service Net Replacement Extended Warranty Plan
The product will be replaced and shipped directly to you at no charge(more info19-115-132.0.18)


$119.99

ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail
Item #: N82E16835186134
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy -$18.00 Instant
$36.99
$18.99

Something like this?

ASUS EAH4670/DI/512M/A Radeon HD 4670 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
Model #:EAH4670/DI/512M/A
Item #:N82E16814121274

$79.99 $79.99

Rosewill R222-P-BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Model #:R222-P-BK
Item #:N82E16811147095

$29.99 -$6.00 Instant $23.99

GIGABYTE GA-EP43-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Model #:GA-EP43-DS3L
Item #:N82E16813128347

$79.99 $79.99

Antec Basiq BP500UB 500W ATX12V Version 2.01 Active PFC Power Supply - OEM
Model #:BP500UB
Item #:N82E16817371019

$39.99 $39.99

Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80571E5200 - Retail
Model #:BX80571E5200
Item #:N82E16819116072

$82.99 $82.99

A-DATA 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model ADQVE1A16K -

Retail
Model #:ADQVE1A16K
Item #:N82E16820211066

$26.99 $26.99

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Model #:ST3250410AS
Item #:N82E16822148262

$54.99 $54.99

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model iHAS120-08 - Retail
Model #:iHAS120-08
Item #:N82E16827106264

$25.99 $25.99

Subtotal: $414.92
============================
This doesn't include a keyboard and mouse; that's another $30-$50 minimum for reasonable quality.
If there's no wiggle room in your budget, you may need to go AMD.

The PSU included with the Logisys case probably wouldn't even make a decent paperweight. It could certainly not be trusted to power a computer, particularly not one with a discrete video card.

Here's an AMD build:

Rosewill R222-P-BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
Model #:R222-P-BK
Item #:N82E16811147095

$29.99 -$6.00 Instant $23.99

BIOSTAR TFORCE TA790GX3 A2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Model #:TFORCE TA790GX3 A2+
Item #:N82E16813138129

$124.99 $124.99

Antec Basiq BP500UB 500W ATX12V Version 2.01 Active PFC Power Supply - OEM
Model #:BP500UB
Item #:N82E16817371019

$39.99 $39.99

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor Model ADO5000DOBOX - Retail
Model #:ADO5000DOBOX
Item #:N82E16819103211

$56.99 $56.99

A-DATA 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model ADQVE1A16K -

Retail
Model #:ADQVE1A16K
Item #:N82E16820211066

$26.99 $26.99

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Model #:ST3250410AS
Item #:N82E16822148262

$54.99 $54.99

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model iHAS120-08 - Retail
Model #:iHAS120-08
Item #:N82E16827106264

$25.99 $25.99

Subtotal: $353.93
===========================
Any extra money should go for a discrete GPU, although the integrated HD3300 is one tier better than your old X1300 PRO. You'll still need a KB and mouse, and possibly an OS.

+1 on either of jtt's builds. Decent FPS with an x1300 screams integrated graphics to me. Also consider the nvidia 9300 or 7100 Intel motherboards.

Heya,

For this price range, why not just go XBox360?

There's a milestone in PC gaming, where you either have what it takes to play all the new games you want nicely, and where you're always stuck on the low end of things and out of some games. If you're on that side, like you're budget is making you essentially (due to GPU basically), then consider a console. Especially if racing is all you care about. Consoles are better for racing games. Honestly, PC gaming is only better for FPS, MMO and some of RPGs we get. Sports, racing, some RPG, etc, are better on consoles.

Cheers,

I like JTT's build but does he really need a dual core? He could shave off some cash and get the Athlon 64 LE-1640 Orleans Single-Core from newegg for $39.99 shipped. That processor is great. I used it in my parents build and it averages about 63 FPS in CS Stress Test with just a x1600 PRO helping it out.

YES! He needs a dual-core. Otherwise, his virus scanner, firewall, anti-spyware, auto-updates, etc. etc. (some can be killed, some are harder or should NOT be killed) will cause stutters in his games. Maybe he uses Xfire, or Ventrillo, or Teamspeak, or...

There are no simulation racing games for consoles. I am sure iRacing is far more demanding than some of these mainstream games. I did get decent fps, but at the lowest level of graphics. There are 6 levels. Only the guys with the newest stuff out are getting 60+fps at level 1 graphics. Check it out (iracing.com).

So is it a MMO racing game in other words?