Budget Gaming PC for around $600??

[bharat617]

Hi All

First time builder
Primary use will be Gaming: Usual games I play are BF2 and COD4

I am trying to come up with a rig to play these decently.
The Idea is to get the basics right and then leave room to expansion in the future.

Here's what I have till now.


Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Yorkfield 2.83GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80569Q9550 - Retail
Model #:BX80569Q9550

$229.99 -$10.00 Instant $219.99

CORSAIR XMS2 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-6400C5C - Retail
Model #:TWIN2X4096-6400C5C
$59.99 -$5.00 Instant $54.99

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
Model #:WD6401AALS

$74.99 -$5.00 Instant $69.99

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Model #:GA-EP45-UD3P

$134.99 $134.99
Subtotal: $479.96

So that makes it about $500

This is the case I like Alien Case at Xoxide

So now I dont have any money for a graphics card

Do you guys think I shd cut down on the processor and get a good graphics card or get a cheap card now and upgrade later??

Am I missing anything?? I have a CPU,Case,Motherboard,Hard Drive,RAM, Power Supply (580W enough right??)

Oh yeah the DVD burner but that shd only be about 25 bucks

any suggestions??

Thanks
Bharat

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

Depends on what that 580 watt actually is. Why not consider an AMD phenom 2 rig? I think you could save some money there, and still get great performance out of your rig. But since you want to game, that might be better, and besides that, you would have an upgrade path later.

I would say that in my experience your best system is a balanced system. Why not consider a phenom 2 rig as I mentioned, consider for a processor maybe a tricore, like a phenom x3 720 Black Edition, then you could overclock that for extra performance. If you really want the crossfire capability then you will pay extra for the motherboard. You might consider that you will be able to save money by going with a board that does not have the crossfire capability.

However, I did just find this combo for 200 you might consider.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.203011

If you went with this combo, you will probably spend a little more on the ddr3, but this board actually appears to have the crossfire capability. But it looks like comparing quickly with your other build, you would be shaving off about 130 or so as the cheapest ddr3 kit that board appears to need is only 10 more than what you picked on the ddr2.

Let us know on the power supply what it actually is. If it is decent you might be able to fit one of these puppies into the budget.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131140

If not, then maybe grab one of these so you can leave a little for the power supply.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102770

If you want to shave another 20 bucks, this might be a decent case, although the case you have on there looks pretty nice. The one thing I can say that I like about the cases like the one I listed below is the bigger side fan. I have a different case, but it has a side fan similar to the one I'm listing, and for cooling, it's awesome. I just have an 80 mm fan pulling out the back with the large side fan blowing in, and a pci slot cooling fan. Right now, I'm still running on an Athlon x2 5200+ and a 9600gt OC edition, but with only that cooling, my video card probably does not go over 60 degrees celsius. Usually my video card and chip are typically in the 30's when everything is cleaned out. Considering I'm running all air cooling, I don't think that's too bad.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133069

 

[bharat617]

Well. I have had some bad experience with AMD processor so Im sticking with Intel.

This is the power supply http://www.xoxide.com/casegears-blacksteel-580w-bluepsu.html

what did you mean by

you would have an upgrade path later

??

That I go with this config now and upgrade my graphics card later??

Thank you for ur response

 

[hunter315]

Bad news, your 580 watt PSU is more like 400 watts, it only provides at best 300 watts off its 12 volt rail.

Also if you do go with LGA775 then you have 0 upgrades in the future for processors as no new processors will be coming out for that socket but as games only take advantage of 2 cores right now you can go for an E8400 and save quite a bit. Your best bet on your budget is an AMD-ATI build as suggested but you need a new PSU no matter what if you choose a discrete card.

 

[macabre215]

Bad news, your 580 watt PSU is more like 400 watts, it only provides at best 300 watts off its 12 volt rail.

Also if you do go with LGA775 then you have 0 upgrades in the future for processors as no new processors will be coming out for that socket but as games only take advantage of 2 cores right now you can go for an E8400 and save quite a bit. Your best bet on your budget is an AMD-ATI build as suggested but you need a new PSU no matter what if you choose a discrete card.

I couldn't say it better myself. I would like to know about the bad experience you had with AMD, both have been good to me.

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

Yeah, it would be interesting to hear your experience. Not saying you didn't have a bad experience, but I've been working on computers for almost 11 years, and I've always used AMD in my own builds, as well as for others, and have never had much of a problem, for me, they've always been cheap and reliable, as well as a good bang for the buck.

 

[bharat617]

Well, I've been with computers for about the same time since a kid. I bought a laptop once with an AMD processor and it was so slow that I gave up on playing any kind of games on it.

Anyway I always thought AMD was pretty cool but after that couldn't risk another system.

But now with so many recommendations I will try again. I will post another setup with AMD-ATI with the combo you suggested for your review.

Thanks for your responses.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

This build comes in right around your budget after you add your case:

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649

ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131366

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.203011 $194.99 - $15.00 MIR (CPU + motherboard combo)

OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3RPR16004GK - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227320 $73.99 - $20.00 MIR

Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319 $69.99

XFX HD-485X-YDFC Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150337 $109.99

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005&Tpk=650tx $99.99 - $20.00 MIR

Total - $548.95 - $55.00 MIR's

If you can squeeze it in, this would make a nice upgrade:

XFX HD-487A-ZHFC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150394 $149.99

 

[bharat617]

Thanks so much for the build.

I added all of them to my list.

it runs to about 650 with case and then the mail in rebates so it fits in my budget!!

Dont want to spend a 100 bucks on the power supply but I'll stick to it as all the guru's say its an important part of the system.

I upgraded to that 1GB card instead of the 512 one. Few final questions though.

1. The power supply will fit in the case I was looking at right? I dont know if they have like standard sizes or not.

2. the motherboard has 2 PCI slots, one is used for my video card. If I get a sound card, the other will be used right? So int eh future if wanted to do a corssFire where would I put the new Video card?? No idea what Im talking about here

 

[shortstuff_mt]

You really don't need a sound card since the onboard sound is pretty good on the new motherboards. If you did get one, though, it would go in one of the two PCI Express x1 slots so you would still have both PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots available for GPU's.

Yes, the PSU will fit fine in the case.

 

[bharat617]

oh yeah ...... also applied a 10% off coupon from slickdeals for video cards VGASALE10

 

[bharat617]

And before I could checkout the Video card is out of stock

shd have know slick deals dont last that long

can you suggest another similar one??

 

[shortstuff_mt]

It's still showing in stock for me. Pretty much all the 4850's are very similar. I like the XFX card for the dual slot cooler. If it's out of stock, pretty much any 4850 will do.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=40000048%201067940677&Description=4850&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&Order=PRICE

 

[bharat617]

If you can squeeze it in, this would make a nice upgrade:

XFX HD-487A-ZHFC Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150394 $149.99

I squeezed it in and its out of stock. But thats the 487 right?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Sorry, for some reason I thought you were talking about the 4850. This GPU is $10 more before the MIR and the same price after:

SAPPHIRE Vapor-X Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102825 $159.99 - $10 MIR

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

One last thing to consider, may want to add a pci slot cooling fan to your build to go under your video card to exhaust hot air out. I have one under my 9600gt and it usually runs pretty cool. Maybe something like this one.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835888309

 

[kissmylcd]

Just got this build at Newegg.


11-147-124 CASE ROSEWILL|R5730-P BK 1 $39.99 $39.99

12-119-254 ROSEWILL RC-6-HDMI-MM-BK-2 HDMI 6FT 1 $14.99 $14.99

13-131-366 MB ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 790GX/SB750 RT 1 $139.99 $139.99

14-150-394 VGA XFX|HD-487A-ZHFC HD4870 1G DDR5 1 $146.99 $146.99

17-182-191 PSU ROSEWILL|RG700-S12 700W RT 1 $79.99 $79.99

19-103-649 CPU AMD|PH II X3 720 BK AM3 2.8G RT 1 $119.00 $119.00

20-231-193 MEM 2Gx2|GSK F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ R 1 $64.99 $64.99

22-136-098 HD 320G|WD 7K 8M SATA2 WD3200AAJS % 1 $49.99 $49.99

COM DISCOUNT FOR COMBO #206148 1 ($15.00) ($15.00)
COM DISCOUNT FOR COMBO #205337 1 ($54.00) ($54.00)
COM DISCOUNT FOR AUTOADD #3034 1 ($14.99) ($14.99)
COM DISCOUNT FOR PREFERRED ACCOUNT 1 ($3.99) ($3.99)



Payment Summary:
Payment Term: Subtotal: $567.95Tax: $0.00Shipping and Handling: $24.58Total Amount: $592.53