$450 Budget Gaming Build

[andy22096]

Hi everyone, just wanted to get your thoughts on this quick little build that I made.

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=24364668

PS: Please disregard the blank DVD I got on there!


My personal thoughts are that with a little overclocking of the CPU and ram, the GPU component of the APU processor could really shine, and give budget gamers a very good performance for only a $450 build. The only issues I have is that the motherboard isn't AM3+ and I might have gone a little overboard with the power supply, but other than that I'm not sure what I'm missing.

 

[gkay09]

If gaming, then I would suggest a setup like this, which is also AM3+ ready and with USB 3.0,... Though costs about ~$35 more, but IMO is a better gaming setup,...
X3 720 + Patriot 1600MHz DDR3
- Unconfirmed reports that it will unlock to a Quad, but I would say its a hit or miss,... But for gaming, tri-cores are well suited,...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.695289

CPU Cooler - So you can overclock that X3 pretty high,...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

GIGABYTE GA-880GMA-USB3 AM3+ AMD 880G HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128490

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

CASE
NZXT Gamma
http://www.amazon.com/GAMMA-Classic-Interior-Chassis-Black/dp/B002UDK9U6

Corsair 500W + HD 6770
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.718318

Total - ~$486

 

[andy22096]

Wow...when I linked my build I thought the reaction would be "OMG WHAT AN FANTASTIC BUILD, WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT". But, alas, I cannot deny that the build you just put together is excellent, and with the rebates + the fact that I don't need a DVD drive atm, it is right around the same price. My hat is off to you good sir.


EDIT: Although I can't help but wonder, even overclocked, will that tri-core be on par with a stock quad core?

 

[gkay09]

^ Yes,... In most of the cases, it would hold up,... Also like I said, there is a high probability that it would get unlocked to a Quad-Core,...

 

[008Rohit]

1. Cut the costs on the PSU and Case. A 700W PSU is not needed by your PC for sure.

Otherwise your build seems just fine. Don't ever think of buying Phenom II X3/4 instead of a Llano.

 

[gkay09]

^ Could you care to explain why not to buy a X3/ x4 instead of a Llano ?

 

[008Rohit]

^^

Read the title of the thread. He needs a "Gaming PC". Llano has a power GPU built in it. Plus its a 32nm chip which produces lesser heat and consumes lesser power than the Phenom or Athlon.
Also, the price difference between a 955BE and Llano A3850 is very small and llano saves you the cost of buying a discrete graphics card. Understand?

 

[gkay09]

^ I think you would need to understand first that for a "Gaming PC" you would need a powerful GPU...Though the onboard on the Llano is good, but it is far from being a "Gaming grade" GPU,... Understood?
Just dont read bits and pieces about a product and give suggestions like these,... Read more about that CPU and you will know where they stand,...

 

[Outlander_04]

Llano is more efficient per core , and has 4 vs the 3 of the 720 . Its also clocked higher .
The 720 , with an AM3+ mb = "a maybe" at best

Llano with a top end graphics card nearly matches the i5 750 or Phenom 980, and is only a fraction behind the 2500k.
http://www.techspot.com/review/418-amd-a8-3850-apu/page10.html

Even without the discrete graphics its sensational dollar for dollar
http://www.techspot.com/review/418-amd-a8-3850-apu/page10.html

 

[gkay09]

^ Am sure you have checked the IGP vs Discrete graphics chart in that review,...
The X3 is about ~$65 cheaper than the Llano, also if it is going to be a gaming PC, a X3 + a discrete card like say even the HD 5670, would offer better performance in gaming,...
http://www.techspot.com/review/418-amd-a8-3850-apu/page12.html

 

[IH8U]

My $.02

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811815004
$30 Xigmatek ASGARD II B/B (painted interior, tooless, get a cheap 120mm fan for the front later)
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371047
$59 Antec High Current Gamer Series HCG-520 520W
MB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128521
$100 GIGABYTE GA-970A-D3 AM3+ AMD 970 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808
$120 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314
$45 G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148767
$35 Seagate Barracuda ST500DM002 500GB 7200 RPM
DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289
$19 LITE-ON DVD Burner
VID: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102952
$80 SAPPHIRE 100326DDR3L Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit DDR3 ($10 more for an XFX GDDR5 version)

Total no OS: $488 + S&H (not counding combo, specials, or MIR's)

 

[gkay09]

^ Nice build,...
Without the DVD which the OP doesnt want and with the GPU + PSU combo that I have linked, it would be very good,...

 

[Outlander_04]

Very nice IH8U

 

[008Rohit]

For 450$ you can't get a system with GTX 590's.. He'd get a mid end gfx card if he gets a phenom or athlon. So thats what Llanovoffers at reduced cost.

 

[Onus]

GKay09 > 008Rohit by far; the latter's comments are entirely out of context. Llano is good for a mainstream system to ALSO be able to play some games (on lowered settings, but it can play), but for a GAMING system, you'll want a more powerful discrete GPU. In that case, the L3 cache and overclocking of the Phenom II will blow Llano away.
The only thing I'd change in GKay09's build is the mobo. Get a 900-series chipset socket AM3+ board, as it will support a Bulldozer upgrade (if you ever want it), and can do SLI as well as Crossfire. I'd probably choose this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157262 because unlike its slightly cheaper competitors (e.g. the one IH8U linked), it can do Crossfire or SLI at x8,x8, which is a lot better than x16,x4.

 

[008Rohit]

Which AWESOME GPU can you get along with a X3 720 under 450$?

Just FYI, Llano has a much better onboard GPU than my i3 2100. And My i3 2100 can play games like FIFA 11 or Virtua Tennis 4 or GTA San Andreas at highest settings. So Llano should be able to play even Crysis or CoD:Black Ops at medium/high settings.

Also, Don't forget its a 32nm chip. And its overclockable too, right?

 

[IH8U]

^^ How about a 6670, and an X4 BE (beats Llano handily), Or GKay09's combo of a Corsair PSU, and a 6770? (Llano has at best a 6250, if you get low CAS Latency RAM).

 

[zooted]

The llanno APU, while the best igp out there, will get destroyed by gkay's suggestion.

 

[008Rohit]

You're only considering the graphics part. If you really need that high 1080p Highest Settings gaming, get a HD 6990 or GTX 590. Price is a big factor here and I beleive the A8 3850 is the best CPU+GPU Combo for the price.

Also, processor-wise the Llano is better than a X4 BE as its a 32nm chip. So what about that?

 

[zooted]

No its not, it lacks l3 cache separating the athlons and phenom II's It is essentially an athlon II x4.

 

[zooted]

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/399?vs=88

 

[008Rohit]

Ooops,
I didn't know it lacks L3 cache.

 

[andy22096]

Wow, okay, let me give my reasoning about the APU in the first place. It seemed like a nice affordable option for a budget minded gamer, like myself. I also chose it because at any point I could pop in a an 80 buck 6670 and crossfire it (which is also partly why I had the 700w PSU up there). While, IH8U's build is pretty nice, the phenom quad core doesn't make up for the little 6670 doing all of the graphics. If I was to buy right now, I would choose gkay's build with the case that IH8U linked, instead of the one from amazon that gkay linked.

Gkay's is better all around in my opinion, especially because there is a cpu fan included, which would allow me to get the most out of the tri-core (possibly quad-core?).

Finally, I'd like to ask everyone a 'what if' question. If I wanted to upgrade my system, wouldn't it be easier to upgrade the APU set-up, due to the powerful power supply and the fact the APU can crossfire with a 6670? Not to mention, that build has a better case also, so overheating would probably not be an issue.

 

[gkay09]

^ From the above various links am sure you must have a good idea now how the Llano and the X3 perform,...So its upto you to decide which one you want,...

Dont worry about the CASE and PSU, they both can handle much more than what you want to do,...
PSU - That Xig no doubt looks good, but I am a bit naive so I suggest sticking with Tier 1 brands if given an option,...
Corsair 650TX - 5 years
$20 off w/ promo code EMCKBJB36, ends 8/24
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020

Antec EA 650 - But it has only 3 years warranty
$15 off w/ promo code EMCKBJD39, ends 8/22
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371044

PCP&S 650W- 5 years
10% off with promo code PCPowerAug, ends 8/22
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703026

 

[andy22096]

Okay so I revised my build a little bit, and here is what I've come up with.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811815004 $30 Case

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148764 $45 1TB Hard Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128490 $93 AM3+ Mobo

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104203 $31 4GB DDR3 1600 RAM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.718318 CX500 + 6770

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.710798 Phenom II QUAD core + cpu fan


Now this totals out to $489, with the rebates and other savings, it drops to right around 450. Is the quad core worth losing 4 gigs of ram?