Cheap Gaming $300

[turtlicious]

Hello, I have $300, I know how to put together a PC (at least enough to know what goes where...) and I want a pc that can run Fallout New Vegas Mass Effect 3 and Starcraft 2. I am ok with playing on the lowest settings, I just want it to run smoothly 90% of the time. Is this possible?

I'd like to buy everything from Newegg since I have that free shipping thing.

any help would be very appreciated, though I can totally understand if I'm asking for too much.

 

[dpflamer]

Do you have any existing parts that you would like to use? Building a new comp with this budget will be extremely difficult, you would be better off buying a refurb from Dell or something..

 

[turtlicious]

Ty, I'll go on new egg. ^_^ that's all I wanted to know.

 

[jjb8675309]

Do you have any existing parts that you would like to use? Building a new comp with this budget will be extremely difficult, you would be better off buying a refurb from Dell or something..

actually you are quite wrong, an am3 dual core build will fall into this catagory, a prebuilt dell is the absolute worst idea ive ever heard in my life no oc'ing ability and crap components, no upgradeability, and certainly not a very decent cpu

If I was the OP id be hunting on ebay for used am3 components and maybe a second hand gpu like a gtx 260 for 60 bucks or so

 

[turtlicious]

I bought this comp: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883147802

added this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814139046

And this power supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817170016

 

[jjb8675309]

:lol: no offense but that is going to be absolutely horrible,not even a dual core and ddr ram a 12 dollar psu have fun with that pile of crap, you are going to be sorely disappointed imo

 

[turtlicious]

Explain why though?

The processor is 3.2 and the video card has 1gb of ram.

The PSU is 12$ but I'm not sure how that changes anything.

 

[jjb8675309]

I can absolutely explain why, but the short answer is that the components you chose are extremely outdated, the cpu is too low for entry level gaming imo and just about the same can be said about the video card

Here is the longer explanation:


if you system doesnt blow up from that crap psu then good luck, I understand your on a tight budget but you gotta do better then a 12 dollar logsys that likely doesnt deliver anywhere near the specs its supposed to and it will degrade your components if they are not being properly fed power, thats right you can easily age your system with a crap psu. You have selected a prebuilt comp with a p4, not even a lowly dual core your system will be severly held back from that as it is, then you have, not to mention that that video card is terrible and extremely outdated, you will get very very low performance overall in most games if they even run at all, save a little more money and ebay some am3 parts at least for low end gaming. Give me your budget and I can piece something together.

You could get a budget gaming rig on ebay for 2-300 dollars with everything you would need, thats what id be on the lookout for given your strict budget requirements.

I saw a desktop with a e8400 and a gtx 260, 4 GB ddr2 go for 180 plus 20 shipping the other day, you should keep your eye opened, I usually search "gaming rig" or "gaming computer" or "gaming pc"... good luck

 

[turtlicious]

well... F***...

I already paid for everything, it seemed like the right thing to do, all of the numbers were adding up I thought that was all that mattered, I mean I don't want to play on max settings, I just want to play smoothly.

 

[aznshinobi]

You bought a very bad machine to upgrade. A small case makes it hard to fit parts especially the fact that it is an OEM makes it even harder, if it was a Silverstone mATX/mITX case totally different case, but that thing is OEM and small. Plus the fact that the machine is running last last gen last gen tech. You'd need a complete system reboot. Like CPU+MB+GPU+PSU+RAM, I think it is better if you try to return it and that would give you $300 again. Hit craigslist, not Newegg.

Your build is at half your budget and fitting an upgrade with $125 super hard. Cheapest MB+AMD 255 is already $100. You'll get at least a CPU+RAM+MB upgrade for the machine but that's about it.

 

[turtlicious]

Can you explain... All those terms?

 

[aznshinobi]

? These are really basic terms for making a build. You should probably do some more research but general definition.

mATX/mITX - Case size (not the only)
OEM - Manufacturer
CPU - Chip
MB - Motherboard
GPU - Graphics
PSU - Power supply
RAM - Memory.

 

[turtlicious]

I can already tell I just wasted 300$...

Awesome.

 

[aznshinobi]

Can you return the parts?

 

[turtlicious]

I can return the Card but not the comp.

 

[turtlicious]

[:aford10:2] FML.

I'm not going to be able to run what I want will I?

 

[aznshinobi]

Return that card at best it is only worth like $20. You could get a card 10x better for that money.

Xigmatek 400w $35
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817815007&Tpk=xigmatek%20400w
Sapphire 5670 1GB $70 ($15 MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102930
Total: $105

You can try to fit it in the case, but it looks like it should fit. Not sure about the PSU though. But it might.

 

[turtlicious]

Oh actually I just cancelled the whole order. That works...

I'm sorry I'm being so retarded, I just assumed...

Well there was my problem...

Anywho, can you talk me through this now? Once my money is refunded I can pick the right thing...

I feel like an idiot...

 

[aznshinobi]

Do you have the OS? Also do you have a local microcenter?

 

[turtlicious]

No, I don't think so, I have a fry's and a best buy.

I have the OS on a flash drive, Windows XP.

I can get a hold of 7 pretty easily though.

 

[aznshinobi]

Asrock A770E3 + AMD Athlon II X3 450 $117
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.699791
Wintec AMPX 4GB DDR3 1333 $26
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820161279
Seagate 500GB $40 (Don't worry SATA III is backwards compatible with SATA II)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148701
Xigmatek 400w $35
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817815007&Tpk=400w%20xigmatek
NZXT Beta $40
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146055
Sapphire 5670 $70 ($15 MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102930
Total: $328 without MIR

A little over but defiantly will give you way better performance.

 

[turtlicious]

Awesome! Thank you SO MUCH.

I'm just glad you guys were hear to save me from my huge error.

 

[aznshinobi]

Check out my sig for the video guide to build a comp!

 

[jjb8675309]

christ, I told you not to buy that crap,

that build aznshinobi linked is worlds better then that prebuilt shite

 

[jjb8675309]

otherwise you are better buying someones old gaming rig off ebay or c-list