Budget Gaming Build <$550 My 1st build, need advice plz

[Chillimon]

Hi there. Last time I built a gaming rig was 5 years ago. My old PC died and my budget is real tight. Need to something ordered in the next 10 days. My budget is FIRM at $550, that has to include shipping. I will buy at Newegg, so no taxes for me and shipping will be about $25 max. So I have $525 to throw at a budget gamer rig that will need to last a while.

I've been out of the hardware news for so long, I just not sure what I should get.
I want to use the rig for good PC games, mainly use steam, so things like TDU2, Team Fortress 2, and the lastest games, at least be able to run the advanced ones on lower graphics if needed.

So main use is 1.Games 2.Movies 3. Flash stuff. 4.MS Expression web and GIMP 5.The rest

Tall order for $525, but that's all I got for this.

This is what I have come up with so far, and I have changed parts a millions times, so please let me know if all this will work and what might be better to fit to the $525 mark.

My main concern is the graphics card, I really do not know what I am looking at, so I really need advice on the best to fit in this box for the budget. Also is the PSU good enough/too good/compatable for this?


Budget Range: $525 FIRM
Parts Not Required:keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, OS
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg
Country of Origin: United States
Parts Preferences: Any
Overclocking:No
SLI or Crossfire:No


THANKS SO MUCH FOR LOOKING

MotherBoard: GIGABYTE GA-78LMT-S2P AM3+ AMD 760G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128504
$59.99

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ955FBGMBOX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808
$119.99

Graphics Card: ZOTAC ZT-40503-10L GeForce GTS 450 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500187
$124.99

RAM: ADATA XPG Gaming Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model AX3U1600GB2G9-2G
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211409
$32.99

Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-520 520W ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V v2.91 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371047
$68.99

Case: NZXT GAMMA Classic Series GAMA-001BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146061
$35.99

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda ST3500413AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500187
$39.99

CD/DVD: ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204
$20.99

Cables needed for build: SNT 23" 2 x 7-pin SATA Cable for SATA I / II hard drive Model CABLE-SATA23D7 - OEM Model CABLE-SATA23D7 - OEM X 2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812719003
$9.98 (for two)

Case Fans: MASSCOOL FD08025S1M4 80mm Case Fan X2 (cheap and cheerful)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150007
$5.98 (for 2)


TOTAL COST: $519.88 ($5 under budget)

Suggestions Please. Thanks

 

[wintermint]

I would get the 5770/6770 instead of a 450 at that price point. You can usually find them for $120 before MIR and around $100 or so afterward. If you don't mind rebates, you can usually find a GTX 460 near $120, a HD 6850 near $135, and a HD 6870 near $150

As for cables needed for build, you usually get those along with your motherboard. My giga-byte one came with like two sata connectors. Instead of your case and extra case fans. Consider the Rosewill Challenger. It comes with many preinstalled fans. It's $50 by the way.

Everything else looks decent and budget friendly.

 

[mryoink]

Glad I refreshed this thread before I typed a response cause wintermint hit on the main points. I too would suggest the 6770/460/6850. Also same point on the sata cables, your motherboard comes with 2 which is all you need for your HDD and DVD drive so take that 10 bucks and put it towards 1 of the better GPU options

 

[kaweee]

AMD Phenom II X4 925 Deneb + MSI 870-G45 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard : $144.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.700692

COOLER MASTER Hyper TX3: $14.97 after $5 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103064

ASUS EAH6870 DC/2DI2S/1GD5 Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 : $169.99 After $20 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121418

Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-620 620W : $49.99 after $20 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371048

NZXT GAMMA Classic Series GAMA-001BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case: $35.99 + $4.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146061

Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600: $29.99 after $5 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226134

HDD + DVD Burner: $52.48
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.696137

Total : $548.38 with shipping
After Rebates : $498.38

 

[Chillimon]

Nice suggestion Kaweee, appreciate you putting that together. I might tweak it a little, got an extra $25 to the budget now, and rebates, I will probably get them back and buy a new game with them.

Not sure if I want that graphics card though, reviews say it's really big. I have some time to decide, but thanks again for a great suggestion.

Thanks to the other two that posted as well. Great info for me. Appreciate it all.

 

[Zero_]

Y U NO AMAZON?

Check the $600 build in my sig. It has a HD6870 + X4 955BE for $530 without OS. Drop the graphics down to a HD6850 and it'll cost just $500.

Too bad you dont like Amazon. No tax and free shipping for most items.

 

[IH8U]

Could go Intel too.

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811815004
$30 Xigmatek ASGARD II B/B (tool free, and all black interior)
PSU:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139026
$45 CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 430W (80+)
MB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128483
$70 GIGABYTE GA-P61-USB3-B3 LGA 1155 Intel H61
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072
$220 Intel Core i5-2500K
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231423
$25 G.SKILL Value Series 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (OC's well, grab a second one later)
HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148701
$40 (same drive)
DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289
$19 LITE-ON DVD Burner 24x
VID: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130663
$110 EVGA 01G-P3-1351-KR GeForce GTS 450 (Fermi)

Total No OS: $559 + S&H (not counting MIR, or combo/specials) (overall a better Proc)

 

[mobrocket]

good time to do a build... ram prices are dirty cheap right now
and good choice with newegg

 

[Chillimon]

Y U NO AMAZON?

Check the $600 build in my sig. It has a HD6870 + X4 955BE for $530 without OS. Drop the graphics down to a HD6850 and it'll cost just $500.

Too bad you dont like Amazon. No tax and free shipping for most items.

Thanks, Zero. I'll take a look at your build. Why do I not like Amazon? Two simple reasons.

1. I live in WA, so I have to pay taxes on everything from Amazon.com
2. I used to work for Amazon and they screwed me over with such long hours for crap pay that I don't want my money going back to them.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Zero. I'll take a look at your build. Why do I not like Amazon? Two simple reasons.

1. I live in WA, so I have to pay taxes on everything from Amazon.com
2. I used to work for Amazon and they screwed me over with such long hours for crap pay that I don't want my money going back to them.

I think that every single website has those complaints, for example, TigerDirect is just pure worker abuse from what i've read and heard. But idk, I only buy from Amazon because they can ship to the hotels I'm staying in....

Anyways in my opinion you should go with the Intel build or the Phenom x4 Build ^^ And don't go for that GTS 450 for the love of GAWD!

Btw if i were you i would go a Nice P67 Motherboard + i3-2100 so that you can upgrade to ivy bridge when it comes out IF you want Because it'll be backwards compatible with 1155 (what i've heard)... Just my $0.02 because Motherboards are something you use for a loong time while you can change that cpu when you want tbh....

 

[Chillimon]

Best answer selected by Chillimon.