500 dollar gaming build with overclocking

[xpeh]

I'm trying to build a gaming desktop with a 500 dollar budget. I don't live anywhere near a MicroCenter and I cannot go over 500 dollars.


Approximate Purchase Date: Any time

Budget Range: 400-500 (No more)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Web Browsing

Parts Not Required: Mouse, Keyboard, Monitor, Operating System (Windows 7 ), CD/DVD Drive, Hard Drive

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg, TigerDirect, NCIX, Ebay

Country: United States

Parts Preferences: None, but a more compact case is preferred

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: No

Monitor Resolution: 1280X1024, 1920X1080

Additional Comments: I would like to play the newest games at Medium-High settings. I figure if I overclock I can save more money.

 

[subrata4web]

Get this beast


Intel Core i5-2500K $229.99 newegg price
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 (1155) $121.99 newegg price
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) $46.99 newegg price

XFX HD-677X-ZNLC Radeon HD 6770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 $110 ($95 in Rebate) newegg price

Total $509

 

[_Pez_]

Get this beast


Intel Core i5-2500K $229.99 newegg price
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 (1155) $121.99 newegg price
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) $46.99 newegg price

XFX HD-677X-ZNLC Radeon HD 6770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 $110 ($95 in Rebate) newegg price

Total $509

very nice and cheap setup, you almost kill other possible setups, but where is the case and psu?.

 

[_Pez_]

XPEH You can build it with AMD

AMD 960T http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103995 $124.99

Motherboard: ASUS M5A99X EVO http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131754R $124.99

G.Skill Ripjaws (2x2) 4Gb 1600MHz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231313 $$24.99

PSU: SILVERSTONE ST50F-ES 500W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256061 $59.99

Case: Antec Gaming Series One Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129181 $54.99

Graphics: HIS H685FN1GD Radeon HD 6850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 comes with a free coupon code of Dirt3 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161384 $139.99


GRAND TOTAL : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $529.94

with this type of setup you have all the goodies of high end systems for a cheap price and a Highly capable gaming system of overclocking and you might even have the chance to unlock 2 dormant cores to have a six core CPU, I pretty much think this setup does not ask anything to those from Intel.

 

[subrata4web]

very nice and cheap setup, you almost kill other possible setups, but where is the case and psu?.

Case -> NZXT Gamma Classic (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($33.99 @ Amazon)

Power Supply -> Corsair 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($41.98 @ Newegg)

 

[Outlander_04]

Antec Three Hundred + BP430 $70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129065

GIGABYTE GA-970A-D3 AM3+ $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128521

AMD FX-4100 Zambezi 3.6GHz $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103996

G.SKILL NS 4GB (2 x 2GB) $23
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231396

SAMSUNG 22X DVD Burner $17
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151244

HITACHI HDS721050CLA362 (0F10381) 500GB $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145299

XFX HD-677X-ZNLC Radeon HD 6770 1GB $103 [ after shipping and rebate ]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150540


$493

The FX processor OC's well on the stock cooler. The case is a quality unit , the PSU is also good .
The RAM could be improved and still stay in the budget .

A 6770 games at 1080p , but not with highest image settings

 

[subrata4web]

Gaming purpose an i3 is enough for beat amd fx series. :lol: :lol:

 

[Outlander_04]

Gaming purpose an i3 is enough for beat amd fx series. :lol: :lol:

wrong!

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1766/
At 1080p resolution the FX wins more than it loses to an i3

and you cant overclock an i3

 

[subrata4web]

i5 2500K is the great processor for OC[By OC it beat i7].


CPU -> Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ NCIX US)

Motherboard -> ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($129.86 @ Newegg)

Memory -> Patriot Gamer 2 Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($24.99 @ Newegg)

Video Card -> XFX Radeon HD 6770 ($109.99 @ Newegg)

Case -> NZXT Gamma Classic (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($33.99 @ Amazon)

Power Supply -> Corsair 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($41.98 @ Newegg)

Total: $540.8
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated 2012-01-29 10:42 EST-0500)


50 dollars over budget but i think worth it- if you ever want to crossfire your going to need a more powerful powersupply though. Like 650 to 700 watts-possible this one ? OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W Modular High Performance Power Supply like 20 dollars more after rebate then the 500 watt power supply

 

[Outlander_04]

I didnt notice he didnt need a hard drive .

The FX 4100 build still

but replace the video card with a 6870 since theres extra in the budget for that

 

[deadjon]

Before anyone reccomends an AMD CPU I strongly suggest you read Tom's latest article for Sub $200 CPUs.

Heres my reccomendation.

Rosewill Challenger ATX Gaming Case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147153

Sapphire Radeon 6850 1GB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908

Seasonic S12II 520W Bronze Cert PSU[ - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151094

Patriot Signiture 8GB (4GB x2) DDR3 1600Mhz - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220570

ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157271

Intel Core i3 2100 3.1Ghz - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115078

Grand Total with Rebates - $531.94

Performance Projection - Any game released and currently in development @ Medium - High Settings

 

[FinneousPJ]

He wanted overclocking so i3 doesn't work.

 

[vitornob]

He wanted overclocking so i3 doesn't work.

The main reason he wants to OC is cause he would likely save some money for the same performance: buying P2 955 and OC instead of buying a P2 980 and leave stock...
BUT, if he can have a better cpu, for the same money even that it won't OC, what's the problem?

As per this review, Picking A Sub-$200 Gaming CPU: FX, An APU, Or A Pentium?, even the OCked FX-4100 @4.2Ghz isn't better than a i3-2100 for gaming. (even considering the 1080p where CPU would be a lesser factor), and as a plus the intel CPU consumes a MUCH less power, pricewise the intel is CHEAPER since the intel is good with stock heatsink, and FX would need an aftermarket cooler to achieve this clock and get the i3-2100 performance.

My recommendation: if you want an AMD based rig, stick with the FX-4100 + aftermarket cooler, just know that it would likely be hot due to high OC and high power consumption.
If you want an Intel based rig, you can't beat the i3-2100 for the price. If you're VERY low in money go for Pentium G860, just check the benchmarks in the article I posted. (As a bonus you could upgrade later to a i5-2500k if needed)

 

[billybobser]

only overclocking you're going to get is on the i5 2500k.

The i3-2100 will most likely beat out the AMD 'competition', not only that, there is an upgrade path from the i3 (to the i5-2500k) or ivybridge, whereas as AMD

it's Phenom-> FX, as the piledrive chip will be a different socket.

Btw, as an extra note - http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-fx-pentium-apu-benchmark,3120-10.html

posted today, the i3-2100 basically batting all AMD offerings out of the park, where even the pentium (dual core, no hyper threading) performed on par with the expensive amd models.

From a gaming point of view, AMD have lost even after overclocking is taken into consideration.

 

[FinneousPJ]

You don't know why he wanted to be able to OC. If you want to play the guessing game it may as well because it's a hobby.

 

[deadjon]

You don't know why he wanted to be able to OC. If you want to play the guessing game it may as well because it's a hobby.

I quote -

I would like to play the newest games at Medium-High settings. I figure if I overclock I can save more money.

Unfortunatly Saving money by Overclocking with AMD Processors simply isnt possible in gaming - As a result I will still reccomend the i3 2100 - Its better value than an OC'd Phenom or FX

 

[xpeh]

Newegg dropped their price on the i3 2100 by 15 bucks. I might as well go the non-overclocking route. I just checked http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-fx-pentium-apu-benchmark,3120-9.html and it says the i3 2100 beats all of AMD's CPU's in most benchmarks. So can I get a build with an i3 2100 and a MicroATX motherboard? I asked for a more compact case, too. I don't plan on Crossfiring/SLI anytime soon. And I won't upgrade to an i5/i7 anytime in the future.

 

[FinneousPJ]

Yeah, I just got my little brother an i3-2120 and a Asus H61 mATX mobo. It works really well. He had a 5770 from his previous system and it now runs games on medium settings. You could probably afford a 6870 which will enable high settings on most games.

 

[Outlander_04]

As per this review, Picking A Sub-$200 Gaming CPU: FX, An APU, Or A Pentium?, even the OCked FX-4100 @4.2Ghz isn't better than a i3-2100 for gaming. (even considering the 1080p where CPU would be a lesser factor), and as a plus the intel CPU consumes a MUCH less power, pricewise the intel is CHEAPER since the intel is good with stock heatsink, and FX would need an aftermarket cooler to achieve this clock and get the i3-2100 performance.

Benchmarks like these are a little misleading .

They pair a $580 graphics card with a $110 processor and a $120 mb . This is not a system anyone would build so you cant make valid comparisons of performance for a computer with a total budget of less than the cost of that graphics card alone .


FX 4100's hit 4.6 GHz on the stock cooler in a decent case with some air flow . No aftermarket cooler is required .
This page
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-fx-pentium-apu-benchmark,3120-8.html
shows quite clearly where a processor like the FX 4100 will outshine the i3 2100 .
This is a graphically intensive game thats probably more like the games we will see released in the future. The FX scores 48 fps at stock speed , the i3 2100 scores 50 fps .
The i3 cant be overclocked . The FX can be OC'ed a massive 30% on the stock cooler

The FX will then comfortably beat the i3

If you only want to play older games then the i3 has advantages , but if you want to play newer games as they are released and you want upgradability then its FX all the way

 

[xpeh]

Well currently, the i3-2100 and the FX-4100 are the same price on newegg. Although I'm kind of leaning toward AMD. If I would like to transcode a video, would an FX-4100 overclocked to 4.6GHz outshine an i3-2100?

 

[Outlander_04]

an i3 is roughly half a i5 2500k

The FX is roughly half an FX 8150

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/windows-7-hotfix-bulldozer-performance,3119-5.html
But your results will vary depending on the program you use .

Shows the quad i5 and FX 8150 having very similar performance . OCing the FX will scale performance perfectly . Clock it 30% higher it will encode 30% faster

 

[xpeh]

So with the FX and the i3 being the same price on Newegg, should I get an FX and overclock, or an i3