Budget Gaming, minimal price?

[gelondil]

Hello, friends. I'm tight on cash and finding that I can't play a number of new titles with my very old system that can no longer be upgraded.

I'm looking for something that'll play some of the new titles for the next year- Skyrim, TOR, etc, but for the bare minimum costs. I don't need to play them on high quality or anything, but I want something that won't chug either.

Approximate Purchase Date: by end of year.

Budget Range: needs to be below $300, preferrably as low as possible.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, everything else.

Parts Not Required: HDs, peripherals, case/fans/power supply (might need new PSU as well)

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: amazon.com for the first $100. (have amazon credit saved)

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: none, though AMD will likely be easiest/cheapest.

Overclocking: None, or minimal. unless it's dummyproof with the suggested mobo.

SLI or Crossfire: no - doesn't seem likely in my budget.

Monitor Resolution: 1680x1050

Additional Comments:

I'm thinking my best bet might be something with onboard video, if it's practical for my needs, to save me not having to buy a video card. Maybe with an Athlon X3 455 that I can keep when I can junk the mobo and get a proper SLI/xfire capable one when my purse isn't so thin.

Current power supply is 450w ATX

If what I request is impossible, it doesn't help to tell me that without some reasons why. What components can I get cheaply now and what components should I be saving for?

 

[bobusboy]

http://www.tomshardware.com/system-configuration-recommendation-51.html

Take a look at the budget builds. One of those should be able to give you some direction, but 300$ is pushing it i think

 

[GI_JONES]

Hello, friends. I'm tight on cash and finding that I can't play a number of new titles with my very old system that can no longer be upgraded.

I'm looking for something that'll play some of the new titles for the next year- Skyrim, TOR, etc, but for the bare minimum costs. I don't need to play them on high quality or anything, but I want something that won't chug either.

Approximate Purchase Date: by end of year.

Budget Range: needs to be below $300, preferrably as low as possible.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: gaming, everything else.

Parts Not Required: HDs, peripherals, case/fans/power supply (might need new PSU as well)

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: amazon.com for the first $100. (have amazon credit saved)

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: none, though AMD will likely be easiest/cheapest.

Overclocking: None, or minimal. unless it's dummyproof with the suggested mobo.

SLI or Crossfire: no - doesn't seem likely in my budget.

Monitor Resolution: 1680x1050

Additional Comments:

I'm thinking my best bet might be something with onboard video, if it's practical for my needs, to save me not having to buy a video card. Maybe with an Athlon X3 455 that I can keep when I can junk the mobo and get a proper SLI/xfire capable one when my purse isn't so thin.

Current power supply is 450w ATX

If what I request is impossible, it doesn't help to tell me that without some reasons why. What components can I get cheaply now and what components should I be saving for?

The cheapest CPU worthwhile for gaming would be a triple core AthlonII, about $75. The cheapest AM3 motherboard on Newegg is $40, and 4Gb of RAM is about $25...Thats $140, and since the cheapest hard drives right now are nearly $100, you would have $60 for a case, CD-Rom, powersupply and video card. That is pretty much why it cant be done for 300. If you could re-use your optical drive , hard drive and case, it might be do-able

 

[gelondil]

http://www.tomshardware.com/system-configuration-recommendation-51.html

Take a look at the budget builds. One of those should be able to give you some direction, but 300$ is pushing it i think

Thank you, actually I think the link you mean is: http://www.tomshardware.com/system-configuration-recommendation-55.html for the budget gaming machines.

This I did see, and it would work, as the components I need add up to $283, HOWEVER... I can't find the components for the listed price, and that may not be the best *currently*.

I would buy the mobo right now, but I can't seem to find it for the price listed. (AM3 880 motherboard with onboard video AND xfire support for $55? Why wouldn't I! Would allow me to have a working PC until I actually acquire the games or video card with christmas cash. )

The cheapest CPU worthwhile for gaming would be a triple core AthlonII, about $75. The cheapest AM3 motherboard on Newegg is $40, and 4Gb of RAM is about $25...Thats $140, and since the cheapest hard drives right now are nearly $100, you would have $60 for a case, CD-Rom, powersupply and video card. That is pretty much why it cant be done for 300. If you could re-use your optical drive , hard drive and case, it might be do-able

Thanks much for your feedback, though I think you missed the part of my post that listed the components I don't need. I intend to reuse all these things you mentioned.

I have a hard drive. Two of them, in fact, so I'm good on hard drives. Likewise, my case is a full tower with 3 fans, and I have a DVD player as well as a DVD burner, though honestly I forgot to mention the last two because they haven't been used in a year and a half, as most games nowadays can be digitally downloaded.

So, yeah, that's why I assumed this was doable. Your $140 base + a video card would be easy keep around $250, I presume, under $300 for a new PSU if I need one.



Where can I find a $55 or less mobo as good as the one listed in the above link? Or something comparable?

 

[FinneousPJ]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157199 ASRock 880
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103872 Athlon X3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148419 4 GB RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161384 HD6850

This would be a great gaming system for the money. On paper your PSU should be fine. In reality who knows with these, euh, lower tier brands.

 

[gelondil]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157199 ASRock 880
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103872 Athlon X3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148419 4 GB RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161384 HD6850

This would be a great gaming system for the money. On paper your PSU should be fine. In reality who knows with these, euh, lower tier brands.

Though this setup exceeded my target budget of something under $300 rather than over, it actually comes in well under my budget when I take into account that $150 is the video card. The mobo has onboard graphics that will hold me until I can afford the difference for a good card like the one suggested.

Thank you.

 

[gelondil]

Best answer selected by gelondil.