Would this be a decent gaming rig?

[walboy96]

I am building my first gaming computer for under $550 (to play games like BF3 and Counter Strike on decent graphics level), and was wondering if this would be a good rig.

-TOPOWER TP-3030BB-450 Black SGCC 0.45mm MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case 450W Power Supply------ $43.99

-Refurbished: Hitachi GST Ultrastar A7K1000 HUA721050KLA330-PULL 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive ----- $54.99

-GIGABYTE GA-B75M-D3V LGA 1155 Intel B75 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard----- $64.99

-Intel Core i3-2120 Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I32120----$124.99

-(2 of these) Pareema 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model MD313C81609L1----- $39.98

-HIS iCooler H775F1GD Radeon HD 7750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card----- $109.99

-SONY Black SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model DDU1681S-0B-----$18.99

-Rosewill RNX-G300LX IEEE 802.11b/g PCI Wireless Adapter Card Up to 54Mbps Data Rates 64/128bit WEP WPA WPA2 802.1x, 802.11i-----$14.99

-ZALMAN ZM-M300 Black 7 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Wired Optical Mouse-----$19.99

-(Not too worried about a keyboard right now, this is just a cheap backup) V7 KM0Z1-5N6P Black USB Wired Slim Multimedia Keyboard---- $7.99




-----So that brings my total to around $500.89 on NewEgg. Any feedback is helpful, and I am open to any possible changes to keep it under that $550 mark.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

the TOPOWER case + Power supply is iffy, mostly the powersupply. I also wouldn't get the refurbished hard drive. also, why a G instead of N-class wifi card?

here's a different build, with generally better parts

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-2400 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($178.35 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H61MA-D3V Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: PNY Optima 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($37.98 @ Outlet PC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill R101-P-BK MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec 380W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($38.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Gigabyte GK-KM5200 Wired Standard Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($12.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $529.76
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)

this includes a rebate on the 7770, it is $549.76 before that. either use the wired connection, or spend the rebate on a $20 wi-fi card.
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-08-11 10:58 EDT-0400)

 

[TheBigTroll]

1: id get a board like this
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/GIGABYTE+-+Intel%AE+mATX+Motherboard+1333MHz+(Socket+1155)/3088271.p?id=1218377120582&skuId=3088271&cmp=RMX&ky=2oh0NrwOl4j1qjMx3Oy2gXfVGhMUl0WiJ&ci_src=11138&ci_sku=3088271&AID=10474050&PID=3938566&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2FGIGABYTE%2B-%2BIntel%25AE%2BmATX%2BMotherboard%2B1333MHz%2B%28Socket%2B1155%29%2F3088271.p%3Fid%3D1218377120582%26skuId%3D3088271%26cmp%3DRMX%26ky%3D2oh0NrwOl4j1qjMx3Oy2gXfVGhMUl0WiJ%26ci_src%3D11138%26ci_sku%3D3088271&ref=39&CJPID=3938566&loc=01

2: id get a psu like this

http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=65317&vpn=PPCMK3S400&manufacture=PC%20Power%20%26%20Cooling&promoid=1145

3: id get a case like this

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006TVQU6C/?tag=pcpapi-20

4; id get this ram

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226249&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

5: id get this video card instead. 144.99 after MIR (its a american express gift card)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150561&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

6: get a good mouse. dont cheap out on it as it is the thing that you use the most

7: id get this keyboard. its very nice

http://us.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=38405

 

[iDaveeFTW]

id go for a i5 or higher and change the power supply 600+

 

[TheBigTroll]

he isnt rich

 

[iDaveeFTW]

but to play bf3 you will need a computer build more then 600 Pound as he not going to get a decent Graphics Level as he said so hes going to have to save up a bit more

 

[TheBigTroll]

if you use a n adaptor, its usually faster

 

[walboy96]

Thanks for the feed back. And like I said this is my first build, so I'm kind of out of the loop on this type of thing haha. But what exactly is wrong with the power supply I had selected? I really chose it because it came with the case and my video card needed a minimum of a 400 watt power supply. I chose the refurbished hard drive because it had more cache for the money, but I could flex my spending a little bit for that. And I chose the G class because we have a Verizon wireless hotspot, and figured I could use it to connect to that easily. Would it be better for me to use the N class?

 

[TheBigTroll]

a 6870 can play bf3 at ultra broski. you dont always need a 670 or something of that calibre to play the latest games

 

[ScrewySqrl]

but to play bf3 you will need a computer build more then 600 Pound as he not going to get a decent Graphics Level as he said so hes going to have to save up a bit more

nonsense.

You don't have to have a 600W PSU for any single card any more, and $500-700 gaming machies are perfectly good - usually compromising on upgrades and mid-level graphics, but still playable. the 2400 + 7770 I posted will play BF3 n medium settings just fie at 1920x1080

 

[walboy96]

That's a pretty good build, both yours and screwysqrl's are something I'll look into. And what would be a good mouse to use for gaming then? I have looked at a few, and I've heard a lot of good things about the Logitech G500. That was the mouse I had originally looked at, but kind of set it to the side because of price.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

Thanks for the feed back. And like I said this is my first build, so I'm kind of out of the loop on this type of thing haha. But what exactly is wrong with the power supply I had selected? I really chose it because it came with the case and my video card needed a minimum of a 400 watt power supply. I chose the refurbished hard drive because it had more cache for the money, but I could flex my spending a little bit for that. And I chose the G class because we have a Verizon wireless hotspot, and figured I could use it to connect to that easily. Would it be better for me to use the N class?

well, if your router is only G, no need to go N. as for the TOPWER power supply, TOPOWER is a bargain-basement company known for false labeling and poor quality parts. As I said, they have 'to pow' right there in the name, and that's what their PSUs will do.. go pow and take your other components with them.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bHRMdiTl3c

 

[nekulturny]

nonsense.

You don't have to have a 600W PSU for any single card any more, and $500-700 gaming machies are perfectly good - usually compromising on upgrades and mid-level graphics, but still playable. the 2400 + 7770 I posted will play BF3 n medium settings just fie at 1920x1080

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPbqPc80XiM

 

[nekulturny]

In all seriousness...

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5541/amd-radeon-hd-7750-radeon-hd-7770-ghz-edition-review/17

BF3 is an all-around GPU killer, which in the case of the 7700 series doesn’t help matters. Keeping in mind our benchmarks typically trend high, even at 1680 with Medium settings we’re not cracking 60fps with anything less than a GTX 460 1GB. In this case the 7770 should be playable, but intense firefights will definitely drop through the 30fps floor.

In any case the performance of the 7700 series is starting to show some consistency. Once again the 7770 underperforms the 6850, this time by 5%, elsewhere the 7750 noticeably trails the 5770. Nothing on the AMD side is anywhere close to the GTX 560 however.

Looking at our data, I’m a bit worried about the amount of VRAM the 7770 has. 1GB is already not quite enough for some games at 1920 with high quality settings, but BF3 is especially punishing. If we see more games like BF3, I have to wonder if 1GB will be enough for even 1680 in a year’s time.

Final summation. Save more money. Get something you'll be happy with for a couple years, even if it takes a month or two extra of saving up to get it. BF3 btw, is optimized for Nvidia cards, even though AMD cards beat the pants off of Nvidia's 5xx series, this is the one exception to the rule.

 

[walboy96]

well, if your router is only G, no need to go N. as for the TOPWER power supply, TOPOWER is a bargain-basement company known for false labeling and poor quality parts. As I said, they have 'to pow' right there in the name, and that's what their PSUs will do.. go pow and take your other components with them.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bHRMdiTl3c

I appreciate it, I didn't know that. But would I need to have a higher PSU for the video card though? Even with the HD 7770 that you recommended, the specs say it needs at least 450 watts to run it.

 

[nekulturny]

The recommended specs are assuming you're using a cheap, crappy power supply. Ideally you should bear them in mind, but an antec 380D is a quality power supply, and watts alone are not the only consideration to take into account. Amps have to be considered as well. The 380D has sufficient amps to power a 7770. But as I pointed out, unfortunately Squirrels claim about a particular game wasn't really entirely accurate.

BF3 multiplayer and Single player are very different in terms of system usage. I can tell you right now, that you will not be happy with BF3 MP running a 7770 video card. Single player, yea ur fine.

 

[walboy96]

The recommended specs are assuming you're using a cheap, crappy power supply. Ideally you should bear them in mind, but an antec 380D is a quality power supply, and watts alone are not the only consideration to take into account. Amps have to be considered as well. The 380D has sufficient amps to power a 7770. But as I pointed out, unfortunately Squirrels claim about a particular game wasn't really entirely accurate.

BF3 multiplayer and Single player are very different in terms of system usage. I can tell you right now, that you will not be happy with BF3 MP running a 7770 video card. Single player, yea ur fine.

Well, what kind of video card would you recommend to buy then? I am trying to keep it on a budget, but when I said "decent graphics" I meant that they didn't necessarily have to be on the highest setting. I'm honestly not too worried about that. I just want them to be hanging around the mid settings.

 

[nekulturny]

How about this video card, yes it will cost you a little more money. Its yours to spend, but why settle for low-mid settings when you don't have to?

$180 with mail in rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500196

This power supply is $25 with mail in rebate, and yes its good quality:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139026&Tpk=cx430

 

[walboy96]

How about this video card, yes it will cost you a little more money. Its yours to spend, but why settle for low-mid settings when you don't have to?

$180 with mail in rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500196

This power supply is $25 with mail in rebate, and yes its good quality:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139026&Tpk=cx430

I saw that you had a zotac, and I actually looked this one up

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500217

Do you know anything about it?

 

[ScrewySqrl]

or, alternately, a 6870 (about $160)

 

[nekulturny]

I have the amp edition of the 550 TI, its overclocked 100mhz from the reference card. Its not a bad little budget card, but I definitely want better myself. This fall/winter I'm looking into a Sapphire 7870 GHZ edition and sticking the 550 TI in a cheap build for my mother as a gift. The 560 TI amp edition I linked you to is quite a bit better. But in general, yes, Zotac is actually a very good company, I think gets lost in obscurity by bigger video card manufacturers like EVGA, MSI and Asus.

 

[nekulturny]

or, alternately, a 6870 (about $160)

Normally, I would recommend it, I dunno. BF3 definitely does like Nvidia cards better. But if you want to go that route, this is what I suggest:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102948&Tpk=sapphire%206870

 

[ScrewySqrl]

5550 is weaker than the 7770.

here's my rough estimate:

HD 6450
GT 430
GT 440
GT 530
HD 6570
GT 540
GT 640
HD 6670
GTS 450
GTS 550
HD 7750
GTS 550 ti
HD 6770
HD 7770
GTX 560 SE
HD 6850
GTX 560
Hd 6870
GTX 560 ti
HD 6950
GTX 560 ti 448
HD 7850
GTX 570
GTX 580
HD 7950
HD 7970
GTX 670
HD 7970 GHz ed
GTX 680

 

[TheBigTroll]

yeah. that list is more or less correct. the 7970 ghz beats the 680 from tests though.

 

[walboy96]

Well I will definitely take in all of this, make some changes, and hopefully it'll all work out. I appreciate everybody's help, because from the looks of it I really needed it. I'll post when I think I have a decent idea for everything.