System Builder Marathon, Sept. 2011: $500 Gaming PC
Tags:
- System Builder
-
Gaming
- Product
Last response: in Reviews comments
pauldh
September 22, 2011 4:00:05 AM
A few months ago, we built our $500 gaming PC using Intel's Sandy Bridge-based Core i3 processor, and it was a real screamer. This time around we're switching back to an overclockable Phenom II X4 and hoping threaded performance helps our case.
System Builder Marathon, Sept. 2011: $500 Gaming PC : Read more
System Builder Marathon, Sept. 2011: $500 Gaming PC : Read more
More about : system builder marathon sept 2011 500 gaming
alchemy69
September 22, 2011 5:05:01 AM
Anonymous
a
b
4
Gaming
September 22, 2011 5:05:47 AM
Related resources
- Help! System Builder Marathon, Q2 2014: Our Budget Gaming PC - Forum
- WEIGH IN: $1200 AMD system for Sept. System Builder Marathon - Forum
- $500 Gaming PC (From recent builder marathon) - Forum
- Looking at System Builder Marathon (or any other PC) for New Build - Forum
- Sept 2011 $500 PC vs $1250 Sept 09 PC - Forum
slicedtoad
September 22, 2011 5:18:18 AM
Anonymous
a
b
4
Gaming
September 22, 2011 5:22:16 AM
Zero_
September 22, 2011 5:28:20 AM
zooted
September 22, 2011 5:38:35 AM
mayankleoboy1
September 22, 2011 5:38:51 AM
bobfrys
September 22, 2011 5:44:51 AM
This is probably the ONLY $500 build (except for the very 1st one) that I've agreed on mostly (not liking the case too much, but it works in this budget).
The last $500 build just was crap generally (micro-ATX and not many options on the mobo, IMHO).
This budget gaming rig is really close to what I'd build for a friend/family member that wanted to have a gaming rig. I'd change a few things, of coarse, but the overall direction (and selection of parts) is SPOT ON, IMHO!! Good job guys at TH!!!
The last $500 build just was crap generally (micro-ATX and not many options on the mobo, IMHO).
This budget gaming rig is really close to what I'd build for a friend/family member that wanted to have a gaming rig. I'd change a few things, of coarse, but the overall direction (and selection of parts) is SPOT ON, IMHO!! Good job guys at TH!!!
Score
11
hmp_goose
September 22, 2011 5:59:28 AM
Tijok
September 22, 2011 6:17:26 AM
_Pez_
September 22, 2011 6:19:38 AM
Rizlla
September 22, 2011 6:34:05 AM
Its a good $500 build .except it cost $520 and the motherboard is a dead end part .
For another $30 you can include an AM3+ board with the latest 970 series chip set that is fully compatible with Bulldozer.
As it is this build is a dead end , and its out of date in 3 weeks
But its still a better computer than the previous intel build
For another $30 you can include an AM3+ board with the latest 970 series chip set that is fully compatible with Bulldozer.
As it is this build is a dead end , and its out of date in 3 weeks
But its still a better computer than the previous intel build
Score
17
It was a good comparison, and the right build to do, because we got an honest look at the differences and advantages to each platform.
That said, I would have to say that it's not the right $500 system for most gamers. The P II X2 555BE would perhaps let you get a better board, making it a smarter buy at $520, and of course some excellent Rosewill combo deals (that are always on) would help out with the case and PSU.
That said, I would have to say that it's not the right $500 system for most gamers. The P II X2 555BE would perhaps let you get a better board, making it a smarter buy at $520, and of course some excellent Rosewill combo deals (that are always on) would help out with the case and PSU.
Score
1
cobra5000
September 22, 2011 6:56:29 AM
Martell77
September 22, 2011 7:56:47 AM
@Cobra5000 - Are you really that happy that a stock SB I3 is beaten by a P-II x4 OC'd just past the AMD X4 top end proc? Ya, its 2 years old but the I3 isn't exactly a high end part. If the P-II had kept up or beaten a I5, then you should be cheering. I think you meant "the tiny charts hiding how the 6780, DOMINATED, the 6850 at high resolutions." The wins the 955 got were in productivity apps due to its 4 physical cores.
I'm hoping that bulldozer will finally give Intel something to worry about. Some pricing wars would be really nice. But I'm not holding my breath.
I think it would be interesting if they changed the video card to a 6850 and show how much the processor change actually made a difference.
I'm hoping that bulldozer will finally give Intel something to worry about. Some pricing wars would be really nice. But I'm not holding my breath.
I think it would be interesting if they changed the video card to a 6850 and show how much the processor change actually made a difference.
Score
4
cypeq
September 22, 2011 8:18:27 AM
Quote:
Are you really that happy that a stock SB I3 is beaten by a P-II x4 OC'd just past the AMD X4 top end proc? Ya, its 2 years old but the I3 isn't exactly a high end part. If the P-II had kept up or beaten a I5, then you should be cheering. I think you meant "the tiny charts hiding how the 6780, DOMINATED, the 6850 at high resolutions." The wins the 955 got were in productivity apps due to its 4 physical cores.I think the overall options that the AMD build for the $ is a much better build. Yes the PII x4 is older and doesn't dominate that much, but it's a smarter build for the $, IMHO. Yes the mobo is dated too, but it has much better options than the Intel based build last time. The 6870 does make a difference overall for gaming, so that should be no surprise. This is the main reason for going with a more economical and budget friendly AMD based build. The whole point of sticking to the budget (which this build went over the limit by $20) is what this build is about. I would GLADLY recommend the $20 more for a better GPU, than to give a customer a slightly gimped mobo (as the Intel build had). I don't know if it's just me, but this build is in line with what I think most people would build for a $500 build price (minus any OS prices/issues). I would probably get a AM3+ based mobo for possible upgrades later, but it all depends on the customer that would be getting this build.
Score
2
koogco
September 22, 2011 9:56:11 AM
Ever since core 2 duo, AMD has only been able to compete on gang for the buck rather than raw performance, but they have been doing so quite well.
And this is another example of that. It is a bit sad about the upgradeability going forwards however, I tend to prioritize a motherboard that will fit a much better CPU than what i am getting, that way one can easily upgrade CPU and GPU as appropriate.
But this is a good build overall, definatly worth a think by anyone that is buying a system in this pricerange.
And this is another example of that. It is a bit sad about the upgradeability going forwards however, I tend to prioritize a motherboard that will fit a much better CPU than what i am getting, that way one can easily upgrade CPU and GPU as appropriate.
But this is a good build overall, definatly worth a think by anyone that is buying a system in this pricerange.
Score
0
DSpider
September 22, 2011 10:03:05 AM
JustPlainJef
September 22, 2011 10:06:10 AM
Quote:
Jumping back up to the old $625 pricing point would allow us to explore many new performance options and features, though. We certainly appreciate reader feedback concerning this current build, and would value input in what direction you’d like us to take next time around.Personally, I'd really like to see multiple builds around a price point. I understand the budget, but if I can get 50% more performance out of another 25% on the cost, it's a worthy investment.
What about having three people on staff pick different builds that all cost within $100 or $150 of each other. Comparing a $500 build to a $2000 build isn't very helpful. Three builds between $500 and $625 would be more helpful. Then, maybe 3 builds in the neighborhood of $1000, and three builds around $2000.
Finally, I’d like to somehow factor in the longevity of these builds. How will the $500 build compare to the $1000 build in a year. Is it better to buy a new $500 PC every year, or get two years out of the $1000 PC? Maybe it’s best to dump $2000 into a new rig every 4 years!
Score
7
hameem 1
September 22, 2011 12:44:16 PM
pro-gamer
September 22, 2011 12:56:00 PM
I'm with lunyone on this one. This is the budget PC I would have recommended last year. Today, the only thing I'd really try to convince someone to change is to get an AM3+ board.
Adding a game like Starcraft might expose weaknesses in the CPU, but in general, a limited budget is better spent on the GPU. The thorough comparison to June's i3 build really showed this.
Adding a game like Starcraft might expose weaknesses in the CPU, but in general, a limited budget is better spent on the GPU. The thorough comparison to June's i3 build really showed this.
Score
-1
vishalaestro
September 22, 2011 1:33:57 PM
amd radeon cards may be powerful than nvidia ..but their drivers are a crap amd has still to work on the drivers..focussing on intel and amd with their processors amd cannot come near to intel.. but i bet u that the bulldozer cpu will beat the core i5's and i3's ..as amd is manufaturing 32nm processors they will beat intel 32nm processors but again intel building their ivy bridge which is 22nm processors will again beat the bulldozers because amd are slower in their development procesors they will take more time to build a 22nm processors ..
Score
-10
salgado18
September 22, 2011 2:26:56 PM
Outlander_04Its a good $500 build .except it cost $520 and the motherboard is a dead end part .For another $30 you can include an AM3+ board with the latest 970 series chip set that is fully compatible with Bulldozer.As it is this build is a dead end , and its out of date in 3 weeks But its still a better computer than the previous intel build
Agreed. This is a full system, designed to be a great machine from the start, but if I would build it, I'd save on processor to get an AM3+ mobo, just so when Bulldozer comes the option to upgrade would be a lot cheaper.
Score
3
AppleBlowsDonkeyBalls
September 22, 2011 2:32:00 PM
Great job, guys. Looks like you took my and others' recommendations to heart.
This has been the best $500 SBM build ever, from the CPU to the GPU to the motherboard.
The Phenom II X4 955 was overall the same speed as the Core i3-2100 stock, but overclocked it gained a good advantage. A 3.8GHz OC with a stock cooler is impressive, and the 2200MHz CPU-NB gave it a good boost in gaming and file compression.
At the target 1680x1050 and 1920x1080 gaming resolutions, much of the CPU limitations were eliminated and the Radeon HD 6870 shined through, especially when overclocked. All games were playable at both resolutions, though for titles like Metro 2033 you'd need to step down the settings a bit.
The motherboard is a much better choice than the one in the previous SBM, as it has a lot more features and expansion, not to mention a great price. The only negative thing I can say about it is that it won't support Bulldozer, while the other one would probably have support for Ivy Bridge.
The Power Supply is a great choice for only $45 and has much more headroom given the build, even though it had a lot less efficiency than the last, only consumed 317W at the wall for full system load.
I still find it impressive that you can get Memory for so cheap now. 4GB DDR3 is available for the price you could get 2GB earlier, and provides a good boost in multitasking and gaming. Overclocking the Memory doesn't provide a noticeable speed boost in anything other than synthetics, so I think it not going to DDR3-1600 speeds is not much to worry about.
The Hard Drive is standard fare and provides decent capacity, so not much to mention there. 500GB should be enough for a lot of games and media, and down the road an SSD could be bought to improve system responsiveness while having the Hard Drive for storage needs.
The Optical Drive is good, but I recommend for the next build you take a look at the Sony Optiarc as well. It has better read/write speeds as well as lower noise than the Samsung thanks mostly to its NEC chipset.
About the only thing I'd say was bad was the case, though I do understand that you're trying it out to see if it'd be better than the last one. The Xigmatek Asgard II is overall a better choice, and the HEC Blitz seems like a better choice than it though it costs $5 more. It comes with an intake and exhaust fan, and has many features.
Overall, I would have no qualms recommending a very similar system to a friend or family member looking for a cheap PC that can handle almost anything you can throw at it. Thanks for the great article.
This has been the best $500 SBM build ever, from the CPU to the GPU to the motherboard.
The Phenom II X4 955 was overall the same speed as the Core i3-2100 stock, but overclocked it gained a good advantage. A 3.8GHz OC with a stock cooler is impressive, and the 2200MHz CPU-NB gave it a good boost in gaming and file compression.
At the target 1680x1050 and 1920x1080 gaming resolutions, much of the CPU limitations were eliminated and the Radeon HD 6870 shined through, especially when overclocked. All games were playable at both resolutions, though for titles like Metro 2033 you'd need to step down the settings a bit.
The motherboard is a much better choice than the one in the previous SBM, as it has a lot more features and expansion, not to mention a great price. The only negative thing I can say about it is that it won't support Bulldozer, while the other one would probably have support for Ivy Bridge.
The Power Supply is a great choice for only $45 and has much more headroom given the build, even though it had a lot less efficiency than the last, only consumed 317W at the wall for full system load.
I still find it impressive that you can get Memory for so cheap now. 4GB DDR3 is available for the price you could get 2GB earlier, and provides a good boost in multitasking and gaming. Overclocking the Memory doesn't provide a noticeable speed boost in anything other than synthetics, so I think it not going to DDR3-1600 speeds is not much to worry about.
The Hard Drive is standard fare and provides decent capacity, so not much to mention there. 500GB should be enough for a lot of games and media, and down the road an SSD could be bought to improve system responsiveness while having the Hard Drive for storage needs.
The Optical Drive is good, but I recommend for the next build you take a look at the Sony Optiarc as well. It has better read/write speeds as well as lower noise than the Samsung thanks mostly to its NEC chipset.
About the only thing I'd say was bad was the case, though I do understand that you're trying it out to see if it'd be better than the last one. The Xigmatek Asgard II is overall a better choice, and the HEC Blitz seems like a better choice than it though it costs $5 more. It comes with an intake and exhaust fan, and has many features.
Overall, I would have no qualms recommending a very similar system to a friend or family member looking for a cheap PC that can handle almost anything you can throw at it. Thanks for the great article.
Score
5
AppleBlowsDonkeyBalls
September 22, 2011 2:55:04 PM
For the next one, since you've been doing $500 systems for quite a while now, I think $650 is a good price point. You'd be able to step up to a significantly faster Core i5-2400, and that CPU can be overclocked using Turbo to 3.8GHz on all cores/4GHz on a single core. To enable this you'd have to get a Z68 or P67 motherboard, and for ~$105 there's great choices like the AsRock Z68 PRO3 and the Gigabyte GA-P67A-D3-B3. They're also ATX and have many more modern features like SATA 6Gbps and USB 3.0 in comparison to budget H61 choices. Price would be $115 more in total than Phenom II X4 and AsRock M3A770DE, but you'd get much higher performance, efficiency, and features; it could end up being much better in bang-for-buck. The graphics card I think should be left the same. The GeForce GTX 560 Ti is a bit of a step up from the Radeon HD 6870, but the HD 6950 1GB is notably faster than the GTX 560 Ti and is only $10 more. At $240, though, it costs too much to be included. The remainder of the budget should be used to get a higher capacity Hard Drive like the Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB, a case that's a bit better, and perhaps 8GB DDR3 RAM if it fits the budget.
Score
-3
I'd like to see the budget stay at $500. Since many people will still need to buy the OS and peripherals, you're probably looking at a $750-$800 overall budget, mostly depending on the size of the monitor; that's fairly steep in a tight economy. You might suggest where another $50-$100 could go, but otherwise I'd keep the hardware budget as low as possible.
Score
3
Just stupid. The i3-2100/H61 makes much more sense for less moeny. Also gives Ivy Bridge upgrade path later down the road.
Instead they pick a non upgradeable motherboard. To make ANY sense at all this build would have to be on a AM3+ motherboard, which they could have found at the same price and give the platform an upgrade ability.
Instead they pick a non upgradeable motherboard. To make ANY sense at all this build would have to be on a AM3+ motherboard, which they could have found at the same price and give the platform an upgrade ability.
Score
-6
mt2e
September 22, 2011 3:59:24 PM
Anonymous
a
b
4
Gaming
September 22, 2011 4:14:41 PM
I like this discussion (so far). I do think many of us would be well served by including two extra pages of suggestions from the builder.
First, a discussion of plausible performance upgrades in the +$150 range, that might be incorporated in the original build.
The second, a discussion of likely future upgrade options, as budget or developments permitted.
The difference between the two pages would be what you could likely accomplish with an extra $150 right now, vs what one might likely accomplish down the road, before, say, the MB with its registered OS became hopelessly dated.
Some of this is already being done by the author, and in discussion, but a more considered exploration of these options would be helpful.
First, a discussion of plausible performance upgrades in the +$150 range, that might be incorporated in the original build.
The second, a discussion of likely future upgrade options, as budget or developments permitted.
The difference between the two pages would be what you could likely accomplish with an extra $150 right now, vs what one might likely accomplish down the road, before, say, the MB with its registered OS became hopelessly dated.
Some of this is already being done by the author, and in discussion, but a more considered exploration of these options would be helpful.
Score
1
I like the choice of a 6870 by going to a 955. I'm jealous you got 3.8Ghz with the stock cooler when I'm at 3.6 with a riffle cooler on my older C2 chip
. It's a good value proposition for gaming as its generally a step up from an i3 with a 6850.
Even so, when you think about it AMDs Phenom IIs can really only compete with an i3 and pretty much leave he i5s and i7s untouched. This isn't going to change till Bulldozer comes out. Despite the fact that AMD integrated the memory controller onto the CPU die before Intel, it's disappointing to keep seeing them be behind in that area. I do hope that's one of the things improved in Bulldozer.
. It's a good value proposition for gaming as its generally a step up from an i3 with a 6850.Even so, when you think about it AMDs Phenom IIs can really only compete with an i3 and pretty much leave he i5s and i7s untouched. This isn't going to change till Bulldozer comes out. Despite the fact that AMD integrated the memory controller onto the CPU die before Intel, it's disappointing to keep seeing them be behind in that area. I do hope that's one of the things improved in Bulldozer.
Score
0
Anonymous
a
b
4
Gaming
September 22, 2011 4:31:16 PM
feeddagoat
September 22, 2011 4:34:26 PM
This just solved a question someone asked me =D they're looking for a new gaming rig and are trying to decide between a laptop and desktop. The biggest problem is convincing them what's better for their need, ie. intel i5 quads, aren't necessary for 1080p gaming and 2gb ram on the GPU isn't important at that res compared to the product number (core and shader count). I specced him a sandybridge pentium since I donno if he'll want over clocking and it strikes a nice balance, but thanks to this, switching to AMD and upping the GPU would be better if gaming is his primary concern is still a valid option especially if overclocked
Score
1
iceveiled
September 22, 2011 4:42:40 PM
zilnicra
September 22, 2011 5:59:54 PM
This 500 build is very similar to the build i put together last year. It was about 780 usd Shipped with win7. differences was i added a cpu cooler, a seasonic s12II 520 psu, and 880g mobo, a caviar black, a 5770 gpu, and (thankfully) a rosewill blackbone case. my mobo (ASUS) also oc'd the cpu to 3.85 automatically, and installed windows oc'd (there is an OC switch that I had apparantly left in the o/c position). Either way, its a solid build, quiet (near silent operation is important to everyone, regardless of what they "say") efficient and cool. plays every game i've thrown at it at 1080p and works just fine. BF3 might be a problem... time shop for a 6950
Score
0
clonazepam
September 22, 2011 6:08:36 PM
hmp_goose
September 22, 2011 7:05:40 PM
JustPlainJefPersonally, I'd really like to see multiple builds around a price point. I understand the budget, but if I can get 50% more performance out of another 25% on the cost, it's a worthy investment. What about having three people on staff pick different builds that all cost within $100 or $150 of each other. Comparing a $500 build to a $2000 build isn't very helpful. Three builds between $500 and $625 would be more helpful.
How where the price points picked, again?
If there were builds every $200 from $400 to $1k, what would we learn?
Score
0
decembermouse
September 22, 2011 7:58:36 PM
Thank you for undervolting. There really needs to be more focus on this in general; we could save so much on our electric bills, as well as lower our CPU temps (and thus the need for fans to spin so much), but I just don't see a large fraction of builders focusing on it these days. You really thought this build out, and I like the options you put forth.
I agree with both of you. Yes, it's an older CPU, but even today the i3-2100 costs $5 more than the Phenom II 955BE. I would say that cheering for a less-expensive processor beating a more expensive competitor is reasonable. I disagree that we should be comparing the Phenom II 955BE with any i5, as the cheapest i5 available costs $50 more than the 955BE. I mean, you're right in that a $125 CPU beating a $125 (or more) CPU would be reason to get excited, but I'm just pleased that a $120 CPU can beat a $125 CPU with a newer architecture, because of the implications. It's an indicator that AMD is still relevant and competitive, albeit a small one, but still encouraging.
Martell77@Cobra5000 - Are you really that happy that a stock SB I3 is beaten by a P-II x4 OC'd just past the AMD X4 top end proc? Ya, its 2 years old but the I3 isn't exactly a high end part. If the P-II had kept up or beaten a I5, then you should be cheering.
I agree with both of you. Yes, it's an older CPU, but even today the i3-2100 costs $5 more than the Phenom II 955BE. I would say that cheering for a less-expensive processor beating a more expensive competitor is reasonable. I disagree that we should be comparing the Phenom II 955BE with any i5, as the cheapest i5 available costs $50 more than the 955BE. I mean, you're right in that a $125 CPU beating a $125 (or more) CPU would be reason to get excited, but I'm just pleased that a $120 CPU can beat a $125 CPU with a newer architecture, because of the implications. It's an indicator that AMD is still relevant and competitive, albeit a small one, but still encouraging.
Score
3
AppleBlowsDonkeyBalls
September 22, 2011 8:05:03 PM
GeekApprovedJust stupid. The i3-2100/H61 makes much more sense for less moeny. Also gives Ivy Bridge upgrade path later down the road. Instead they pick a non upgradeable motherboard. To make ANY sense at all this build would have to be on a AM3+ motherboard, which they could have found at the same price and give the platform an upgrade ability.
Completely wrong. One, it costs more money since the i3 2100 costs $5 more than the X4 955, and two, the motherboards available from Intel have almost no features. For example, the most popular option now (AsRock H61M-VS) costs $55 but you get a Micro-ATX form factor and you give up a lot in terms of features. It only has one PCIe 2.0 slot, one PCIe X1, three audio ports and no optical/coaxial, 10/100 LAN, and USB 2.0 only. With the M3A770DE you get two PCIe 2.0 (one X16, one X4), three PCI, six audio ports AND optial/coaxial, 10/100/1000 LAN, USB 2.0 and eSATA. It's easily a better motherboard.
People that only have $500 to spend on a PC are not very likely to upgrade the CPU, especially when the upgrade is for a $150+ CPU (about the price BD will start at). Ivy Bridge support is nice on LGA 1155, but in reality it'll only have 5% higher or so IPC than Sandy Bridge, not to mention clock speeds won't go up significantly.
Score
2
dark_lord69
September 22, 2011 8:26:07 PM
WOW! The $500 budget gaming PC is almost exactly like mine.
Same CPU
Same Motherboard
Same amount of RAM
Same size hard drive
Differences
My case is an Antec 300 -Better case (if you ask me)
My Power supply is 610w PC Power and Cooling -More Power
My RAM runs at 1600MHz -Mines a little faster
My video card is a 4870 -so mine is a little slower than this one
But hey... this way I can see what my frame rates would be if I installed a 6870!
Same CPU
Same Motherboard
Same amount of RAM
Same size hard drive
Differences
My case is an Antec 300 -Better case (if you ask me)
My Power supply is 610w PC Power and Cooling -More Power
My RAM runs at 1600MHz -Mines a little faster
My video card is a 4870 -so mine is a little slower than this one
But hey... this way I can see what my frame rates would be if I installed a 6870!
Score
1
elbert
September 22, 2011 8:47:06 PM
Nice test but I would have used the Athlon 631. It can match a 45nm athlon 640 with a 400MHz advantage. Being it can overclock a full 1GHz maybe it can match the 955 at 3.8GHz. Next round try it with a 6950 1GB. Newegg currently has this CPU for $89.99.
http://en.expreview.com/2011/08/26/athlon-ii-x4-631-wor...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
http://en.expreview.com/2011/08/26/athlon-ii-x4-631-wor...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
Score
-3
decembermouse
September 22, 2011 9:20:28 PM
The expreview site won't load, but the Athlon 631 has a lower clock speed than the PII 955BE, and it lacks the 6MB L3 cache. However, the 631 does have 4MB L2 cache, where the 955BE only has 2MB. Still, I don't think it's going to beat the PII in any of these benchmarks. I can't argue for its value as a place-holder in an FM1 mobo until better processors are released, however, but the point of the build here was to get as much performance as possible for $500. Personally I might've gone with a strategy similar to what you suggested though, elbert.
Score
0
Anonymous
a
b
4
Gaming
September 22, 2011 9:58:14 PM
On the tests that are comparable, this machine and the $2000 Sept 2010 SBM (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/overclock-cpu-build...)seem to be basically equivalent. Maybe the 2010 was just a horribly awful build, but I think it shows how much value is in this one.
Score
0
Ameloma
September 22, 2011 10:05:16 PM
- 1 / 2
- 2
- Newest
Related resources
- Solved$500-600 gaming pc build (Build in Sept.) Forum
- System Builder marathon $500 Forum
- Multiple Issues with $500 Gaming Rig (From: Builder Marathon) Forum
- System Builder Marathon, August 2012: $1000 Enthusiast PC Forum
- New $1000 gaming system or System Builder Marathon, Q4 2012: $1,000 Forum
- With Tom's System Builder Marathon in mind: Build a Infinite Budget PC Forum
- System Builder Marathon, May '09: $1,300 Enthusiast PC Forum
- System Builder Marathon: Sub-$4000 PC Forum
- Toms hadware system builder 2010 December 500 gaming pc Forum
- SolvedHelp with a ~£1,500 gaming PC - first time builder Forum
- SolvedFirst time builder, will this work? (£500 gaming PC) Forum
- Solved~$500 Gaming PC (PC Builder Virgin) Help Forum
- October. 2011: $500 Gaming PC ? Forum
- ~$500 Gaming PC. Should I use the Mar. 2011 SBM? Forum
- 3rd Time Builder: ~$1,500 Gaming PC -i7's - Need Reviews Forum
- More resources
!