$500 Gaming PC

[dark5121]

Approximate Purchase Date: e.g.: this week (the closer the better)

Budget Range: $500 before taxes
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming/ web browsing

Are you buying a monitor: No


Do you need to buy OS: Yes Windows 7 home premium prefered

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: All from NCIX.CA as i am from canada

Location: Canada, British columbia Langley.

Parts Preferences: i3-2120 if that would even be possible, if not anything is fine or an i5 something that is good for sc2

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: I don't even know what it is

Additional Comments: I want this to be able to run sc2 on high graphics smoothly

 

[ScrewySqrl]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ NCIX)
Motherboard: ASRock 960GM/U3S3 FX Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($65.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.60 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Hitachi 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.88 @ Canada Computers)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card ($99.99 @ Memory Express)
Case: Antec Three Hundred ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.88 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: Antec 400W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($29.88 @ Canada Computers)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-222BB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($14.69 @ DirectCanada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($98.99 @ Computer Valley)
Total: $518.89
(Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2012-08-26 09:23 EDT-0400)

edit: forgot case

 

[dark5121]

I heard that sc2 is a cpu intensive game, would the amd quad core make a huge difference to lets say an i5 processor?

 

[rdc85]

i5 is much pricier than pII x4...

pII x4 is better than i3 if the game use more than 2 core, and pII Black Edition can be O.C. -ed very easy (just increase the multiplier).....

edit: and yeah i5 is better than pII x4, but u will had to cut some other part budget for it (GPU usually), it can became unbalanced build..

 

[ScrewySqrl]

the 965 roughly matches i3 2100. in games using 2 threads or less. 4 threads will see the 965 generally ahead, still behind the 4 core i5s, but not horrible. the Phenom II is kinda 'end of life' but the Piledriver, due out late this year will work on the motherboard I listed.

 

[dark5121]

Due to the fact i can ONLY buy from ncix i have switched it up a bit since they don't have evrything you mentioned, PLUS things are more expensive.

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ NCIX)
Motherboard:
ASRock N68C-GS FX mATX AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+ GF7025 DDR3/DDR2 1PCI-E16 1PCI-E1 2PCI SATA2 Motherboard $64.99
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.60 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Hitachi 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive $54.99
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card $129.99
Case: Antec Three Hundred ATX Mid Tower Case $49.99
Power Supply:
Antec High Current Gamer 400W 30A 24PIN ATX12V V2.3 Active PFC 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply 135mm Fan $74.95
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-222BB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($14.69 @ DirectCanada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 $99.99

This totals to $620.25 and im getting it from NCIX so i don't have to deal with shipping costs as there is an ncix near me and i can just pick up the parts there. And i am not going over my budget of over $500 :S

 

[ScrewySqrl]

let me see what I can do at NCIX


Reference ID:1068594111
Del Item Description In Stock Part # QTY Price Ext. Price

G.SKILL Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 8GB 2X4GB DDR3-1600 CL9-9-9-24 Memory
Usually ships in 1-2 business days.
In Stock 57953 $43.95 $43.95

Add NCIX EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN What's this?

Kingston ValueRAM 8GB (2X4GB) DDR3 1333 CL9 240-PIN SDRAM
Usually ships in 1-2 business days.
In Stock 58488 $39.98 $39.98

Add NCIX EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN What's this?

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Quad Core Processor AM3 3.4GHZ 8MB Cache 125W 45NM Retail Box
Usually ships in 1-2 business days.
In Stock 46281 $109.98 $109.98

Add NCIX EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN What's this?

Corsair Builder Series CMPSU-430CXV2 430W ATX Power Supply Active PFC 120MM Fan *3 Year Warranty*
Usually ships in 1-2 business days.
In Stock 60345 $44.99 $44.99

Add NCIX EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN What's this?

LG 18X DVD-ROM Internal SATA OEM
Usually ships in 1-2 business days.
In Stock 57903 $14.99 $14.99

Biostar Motherboard A880GZ AMD AM3+ 880G/SB850 DDR3 PCI-EX16 2.0 SATA USB HDMI DVI VG *IR-$10*
Usually ships in 1-2 business days.
In Stock 71959 $64.99 $64.99

Add NCIX EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN What's this?

Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.C 500GB SATA2 Hard Drive 7200RPM 16MB Cache 3.5IN OEM
Usually ships in 1-2 business days.
In Stock 57878 $74.98 $74.98

Add NCIX EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN What's this?

Visiontek Radeon 7770 1GHz 1GB 4.5GHZ GDDR5 DVI-DL HDMI Minidp PCI-E Video Card *IR-$50*
In Stock 69295 $109.99 $109.99
1 x FREE Colin McRae Dirt Showdown PC Game Electronic Digital Download ** AMD Promo Only **
NOTE: Free gifts can only be claimed in this shopping cart and cannot be added after the order is processed.
All free gifts and promotions are limited quantity only.
Free gifts will only be honored after order is submitted, but may not be available unless you order right away.
Select a FREE GIFT and click Update Cart to remove.

Add NCIX EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN What's this?
Shipping Estimate:
Postal Code:

Check to delete an item
YOUR TOTAL $503.8

 

[Outlander_04]

Due to the fact i can ONLY buy from ncix i have switched it up a bit since they don't have evrything you mentioned, PLUS things are more expensive.

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ NCIX)
Motherboard:
ASRock N68C-GS FX mATX AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+ GF7025 DDR3/DDR2 1PCI-E16 1PCI-E1 2PCI SATA2 Motherboard $64.99
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.60 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Hitachi 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive $54.99
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card $129.99
Case: Antec Three Hundred ATX Mid Tower Case $49.99
Power Supply:
Antec High Current Gamer 400W 30A 24PIN ATX12V V2.3 Active PFC 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply 135mm Fan $74.95
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-222BB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($14.69 @ DirectCanada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 $99.99

This totals to $620.25 and im getting it from NCIX so i don't have to deal with shipping costs as there is an ncix near me and i can just pick up the parts there. And i am not going over my budget of over $500 :S

not that motherboard .
nVidia chipset doesnt perform that well

 

[dark5121]

Well @screwysqrl that totals to be $500 but there's no OS :/

 

[ScrewySqrl]

hmm.


My suggestion, NCIX says they pricematch so take my original build ad see what they'll do.

you might slso consider witching to the Corsair 430W PSU

 

[Outlander_04]

Download a 64 bit copy of Ubuntu Linux
www.ubuntu.com

Its a free operating system , looks more like the Apples OS X with the unity desk top, but you learn it fast

And using WINE you should be able to run windows games with a little bit of extra setting uo

http://tinyurl.com/8lnru5n

 

[Guest]

I've been looking into this, and I'm serious considering doing it. Now, with the very first build posted, what cooling fans and sound card do you recommend?

 

[rdc85]

Todays onboard sound chip is already good enough for most task, u should get it later if u had some extra money, don't cut from 500 budget....

for cooling usually people here recommend cooler master hyper 212 varians (+, evo, tx)

 

[Guest]

Would the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus, Sleeve, 600 - 2000 RPM? How do I install this thing if I get it?

 

[ScrewySqrl]

it has instructions, but basically, you add a mounting plate to the back of your motherboard, put the CPU in, add a thin later of thermal paste, then screw the heat sink assembly into the mounting plate, which will put it right on the CPU. add the fan either before or after you mount the heat sink, whichever is more convenient for your case