Micro-ATX Gaming Build

[shadowhuntur]

Hey guys! I have a friend who wants to build a pc for gaming but he wants it in the micro-atx form factor. I have chosen a few components for him, and would like to know what you guys would suggest really.

Approximate Purchase Date: This week.

Budget Range: £400

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Making Gameplay videos, Surfing the internet, Coursework.

Parts Not Required: Monitor, Mouse, Keyboard.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Amazon, PC World.

Country: United Kingdom

Parts Preferences: Intel

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: No

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

Additional Comments: He says he wants quite a quiet pc without too many lights. He would prefer a Mini-Tower rather than the Micro-ATX Cubes. Note he does not want to play games at Maximum detail therefore a high-end graphics card isn't needed.

Here is my list of parts:

Intel Core i3-2100 Dual Core CPU 3.1 GHz /w hyper threading
Asus P8H67-M LE Micro-ATX Motherboard
Performance CPU Fan £139.99
Corsair XMS3 8 GB 1333 MHz Ram £37.38
Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB SATAIII 6 GB/s 16MB Cache 3.5 inch Internal Hard Drive £58.62
Antec Earthwatts Green Continuous ATX Power Supply 500 £29.97
Fractal Design Core 1000 Micro-ATX Case £29.49
XFX Radeon HD 6770 £69.99

Total Price £365.44

Also as added note what do you guys think of Micro-ATX Gaming builds? I quite like them!

 

[quilciri]

If you want to stick with the i series, a 2120 is $3 more than the 2100 for 200 mhz more.

However, the build is unbalanced as a gaming rig, the video card will run out of steam long before the processor. If that's ok with you, then you're good to go, but that card will struggle some @ 1920x1080.

If you'd rather build a balanced machine off the bat (where neither the processor nor the graphics card bottleneck the other), then you want to spend 2-3x as much on the card as you do on the processor. I would suggest dropping the processor to a G860 and bumping up the video card as much as you can. A 560 ti/ HD 6950 would be balanced with that processor, but that would be out of budget unless you downgraded other components as well.

 

[jmsellars1]

There's a bigger price difference between these CPU's in the UK. The i3-2100 is usually the equivalent of $10 cheaper.

I agree though that you will want a better graphics card. You don't really need the upgraded CPU fan, the stock one is fine since you can't overclock. You also don't need 500W for that build. As it stands, 400W would be more than fine. I would drop the CPU cooler and change the PSU to something like the Corsair CX-430 or XFX Core 450W then change the graphics card to the HD 6850.

EDIT: Or if you can afford it, the HD 6870. If you go for the HD 6870 then you will need 500W, that Antec would be fine.

 

[shadowhuntur]

Okay, well If I bump down the power supply to the corsair one, and then buy a HD 6850 I'd be good to build my friends pc? I've spoken with him and he doesn't mind paying extra for the graphics card, I am urging towards nVidia GTX 560 Ti as suggested earlier. Any big differences between the HD 6850 and the GTX 560 Ti I should know about? And again thanks for the advice, I seem to be doing a lot of new builds lately for friends and family! This forum has helped alot! Thankyou.

 

[gary1]

560TI is like 70$ more than the 6850 here.

 

[jmsellars1]

The GTX 560Ti would be a lot better than the HD 6850, if you can afford it then go for it. Again though, you will want 500W for the GTX 560Ti as it consumes more power and needs 2 PCI-e connectors.

 

[shadowhuntur]

Hmm, just thinking what would be best for my mate, he plays a lot of games but there really not too demanding... I mean he doesn't play Battlefield 3 which everyone seems to think is a amazing game but personally... its just another FPS! Anyways... I think I will chance it and recommend the 6850. He plays a lot of games but doesn't want a hugely powerful machine. So seems just right. Thanks!