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Need Build suggestions for ~$500 Gaming PC

Last response: in Systems
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Hello Everyone,

I'm going to be building a new gaming pc soon and need you to suggest builds. This will be the first computer that I've ever built. The maximum price is $525. This price doesn't include: a monitor, keyboard, and speakers as I already have these items.

Approximate Purchase Date: June 2012

Budget Range: 525 after rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Watching High quality movies/tv shows, gaming, web browsing

Parts Not Required: keyboard, monitor, speakers

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: AMAZON.COM , if not newegg.com

Country: USA

Parts Preferences: Intel>AMD and nvidia>AMD as well

Overclocking:Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: No

Monitor Resolution: 1024 x 768

Additional Comments: I need a copy of windows 7 included in the price and please link to all parts.

EDIT: I NEED AN INTERNAL NETWORK ADAPTER AS WELL AND ETHERNET IS OUT OF THE QUESTION

Thanks Everyone,

Connor
Homebuilt system Expert

In order to hit that budget you might have to be willing to shop over a period of weeks in order to take advantage of sales. If it's over by $30-$40, but has rebates bringing the price to within budget is that ok?
Homebuilt system Expert
Gaming Expert
Monitor Expert

luckily i have a tiny build i had for this sorta, wait till i post it =X

Rosewill FBM-01 Dual Fan as bare of a budget as you can get

Pentium G260 2.6ghz + Asrock h61m-vs combo 114.98

Lite On 24x dvd burner 16.99

Seagate 500gb 7200 rpm 79.99

Gskill ns 2x2gb 22.99

Windows 7 Home Premium 100$

Antec Earthwatts 380w 45$(serious note, if you dont have a power cord, you will also need to buy one if you buy this)

woops forgot hte gpu, it was a hd 6670

Total 454.92 before taxes(if applicable depending on state) and shipping. gave you headroom if you need to upgrade a single specific part in this build

edit: br getting wireless card

Rosewill pci 1x wireless card 11.99 - 3$ with coupon code EMCNFHF65
Related ressources
Homebuilt system Expert

This build is $5.91 over after the $10 promo code HARDOCPX425B that comes with your CPU. don't forget this!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... CD/DVD Combo $17.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... Rosewill Dual Fan case $29.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... 500GB HDD $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... 6670 $64.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... Corsair 430W PSU $44.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... $GB Ram Kit $22.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... H61 Motherboard $54.99 $124.99-$10 w/ promo Code = $114.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... i3-2120 USE PROMO CODE HARDOCPX425B AT CHECK OUT.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... Windows 7 $99.99

total = $530.91

ASRock H61M/U3S3

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1681315723...

Intel Core i5-3450 Ivy Bridge

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1681911650...

ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1682713520...

Samsung by Seagate Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ/ST500DM005 500GB 7200 RPM

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1682215218...

CORSAIR 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 Desktop Memory Model

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1682014532...

CORSAIR Builder Series CX600 V2 600W

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1681713902...

NZXT GAMMA Classic Series GAMA-001BK Black Steel ATX Mid Tower

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1681114606...

Made some changes acording your needs
Homebuilt system Expert

With the i5-3450 and the H61m MOBO, you will 95% chance have to flash the bios before hand, which will require another CPU to use the 3450, so I wouldn't suggest that option.

Pezcore27 said:
With the i5-3450 and the H61m MOBO, you will 95% chance have to flash the bios before hand, which will require another CPU to use the 3450, so I wouldn't suggest that option.


Explain?
Homebuilt system Expert
Gaming Expert
Monitor Expert

THE UNKNOWN said:
Explain?


the h61/z68 mobos have the correct socket for ivy bridge, but in order to use ivy bridge you have to flash the bios. not all manufacturers will update their bios to support the processor, and if it does, not all of them will flash it for you. To flash a bios, you will need the basic components of a computer at boot up, meaning cpu, since an h61 board doesn't innately have the ivy bridge compatibility, you need another processor to flash the bios because the mobo will not read the processor until you do. That's one of the few mistakes people have when building a brand new comp with an h6x or z67 board at the moment with a ivy bridge is that they forget that you may have to flash the bios, and if your computer is brand new, you are out of luck.

dudewitbow said:
the h61/z68 mobos have the correct socket for ivy bridge, but in order to use ivy bridge you have to flash the bios. not all manufacturers will update their bios to support the processor, and if it does, not all of them will flash it for you. To flash a bios, you will need the basic components of a computer at boot up, meaning cpu, since an h61 board doesn't innately have the ivy bridge compatibility, you need another processor to flash the bios because the mobo will not read the processor until you do. That's one of the few mistakes people have when building a brand new comp with an h6x or z67 board at the moment with a ivy bridge is that they forget that you may have to flash the bios, and if your computer is brand new, you are out of luck.

thanks for that but why nedded 2 processors
Homebuilt system Expert

THE UNKNOWN said:
thanks for that but why nedded 2 processors

Because the Motherboard will not have the correct BIOS loaded or flashed onto the board to recognize the processor, so the computer will not POST with the i5-3450 without the correct bios. you would need another Socket 1155 processor to flash the bios first, then install the new processor.



Please stop. You are suggesting the OP buy a $200 processor and a $130 board, which eats up over 1/2 his available budget, seeing as he still needs the Case, PSU, Ram, HDD, and GPU...

Honestly, to suggest this didn't help at all.
Homebuilt system Expert

lga1155/h2 is the socket type, so you need a compatable CPU that will fit into that socket. The i5-3450 is a socket 1155 CPU and will fit into that socket, but the problem is that the bios will not recognize the board as it is a newer Processor than what the board was manufacturered to support. With a new bios from the manufacturer, the board will recognize the newer processor. The new bios are released from ASRock's website, but may not actually be put on the board, especially if it is an older board that may already be in a companies stock to sell. So it would require a bios flash or update to recognize the new processor. You would need an older socket 1155 processor like an i3-2100 or a G620/850 for the board to properly POST to allow you to update or flash the bios on the board. Then you would need to remove the older processor and place in the new one and the board will work just fine.

It is a lot of extra work, not to mention an extra expense on the owners part right now, especially with a tight budget.
Homebuilt system Expert

chughes13x said:
Bump...kelthic your build is good, but I need it to be a bit more upgradeable for when I have the money..


Well there are plenty of things you could do to make it more upgradeable, but these cost $$.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... is a better motherboard that gives you pcie 3.0 for future gpu upgrades and SLI/Crossfire capability. This motherboard will support upgrades to ivy bridge cpus also (the h61 board may or may not depending on whether a bios update will allow the upgrade)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... is a better psu to power an sli/crossfire setup.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... is a decent 8GB ram kit.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... is a better case that has much better cooling and will leave you more room for upgrades later on.

The Graphics card could be changed out.

Again, all these options cost more money than you have available, so you will probably have to spread the purchase out over a couple months or save up more money to get them. The build i posted was for a "buy-now" build. Hope this helps!

I agree with kelthic. If you want to have upgradeability it is going to cost money. The things that you should focus on in the initial build is getting a quality motherboard and PSU since upgrading a CPU and GPU will be felt the most. Having an extra power supply lying around because your initial build didn't take into account you want to add a GTX 680 or even SLI just sucks.

Kelthic's build for 500 is right on but you are limited in the future if you can't possibly stretch or save money to increase your budget later.

Now if you were more willing to build an AMD APU system then you could probably shave off $50 or so.
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