Under $500 AMD or intel gaming pc

[ANAND_55555]

hello
i want to build a pc under budget of $500 with preferably AMD processors and ATI RADEON GRAPHICS.
I zeroed upon fx 6100 processor but got some really bad reviews and it also escalated the price.
i intend to include HD 6670 graphic card . and 1 TB hard drive ........please suggest me with what kind of configuration should go with. I am not a hardcore gamer but like to play latest games.
pc confg i thought :
AMD FX-6100 PROCESSOR
ATI SAPPHIRE HD 6670 GRAPHIC CARD
G.SKILL RIPJAW 4GB RAM
WD 1TB HDD
i have no idea which motherboard to go with
so please help me out ...........
thank u

 

[Outlander_04]

Fx 4100 , or 4300 $110 or $130
Asrock 970 mb $70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157319
2x 2 gig of 1600 MHz RAM $26
500 gig hard drive $80
Corsair cx 430 psu $24 after rebate
dvd drive $17
radeon 7770 $110 after rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125396
antec ONE case $55

$492 ,
or $512 with the FX 4300

This will game much better than using a 6 core processors and the much weaker 6670 graphics card

 

[ANAND_55555]

thank you !!
won't FX 4170 be a better choice to go as it has more processing speed i.e 4.2Ghz with turbo boost to 4.3Ghz......

 

[the great randini]

for a limited budget such as yours This pc on NewEgg it has the cpu you want although i think the above suggested build is a bit better unless you need an o.s. included in the 500 budget.

 

[Outlander_04]

thank you !!
won't FX 4170 be a better choice to go as it has more processing speed i.e 4.2Ghz with turbo boost to 4.3Ghz......

The 4100 and 4170 are identical parts . AMD set the 4170 to run faster . You can do that yourself so its best to buy the 4100 and then set it to 4170 speeds

The 4300 is an updated chip and its faster than a stock 4170 and uses less power . It can also be overclocked to get even more speed

 

[ANAND_55555]

n how about third generation i3-3220 .....going with intel

 

[Onus]

At stock speeds, you'll get better performance in games out of an Intel i3 CPU. You can overclock an AMD to get similar performance, but then you'll be sucking down a lot more power, and producing a lot more heat, requiring faster and louder fans, including an aftermarket CPU cooler. If you're not interested in overclocking, or fan noise bugs you, then stick to Intel.

 

[Onus]

This is probably the cheapest system I'd build today for games.

Rosewill Blackbone Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Model #:Blackbone
Item #:N82E16811147023
$49.99 -$10.00 Instant $39.99
I've generally liked any Rosewill case I've used. I've built in this one. It comes with more fans than near competitors, and they are quiet.

ASRock B75 PRO3-M LGA 1155 Intel B75 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Model #:B75 PRO3-M
Item #:N82E16813157329
$79.99 -$10.00 Instant $69.99
I've also had good results from ASRock, especially on a budget.

MSI R6770-MD1GD5 Radeon HD 6770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
Model #:R6770-MD1GD5
Item #:N82E16814127599
$79.99 $79.99
This is a great deal for this card right now. It is notably better than the HD6670 you were considering, and actually may be cheaper than some.

Antec NEO ECO 400C 400W Continuous Power ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Model #:NEO ECO 400C
Item #:N82E16817371029
$59.99 -$15.00 Instant $44.99
Unlike the Corsair V2 Builder, this is a Seasonic-built PSU. Be aware that it does not include a power cord, so you'll need to re-use one or buy one.

Intel Pentium G850 Sandy Bridge 2.9GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623G850
Model #:BX80623G850
Item #:N82E16819116397
$69.99 $69.99
There's wiggle room in the budget to move up to an i3 here (and what I would do), but like I said this is the cheapest system I'd consider building for games. Even this Pentium performs as well or better than most stock AMD CPUs in games.

G.SKILL NS 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-4GBNS
Model #:F3-10600CL9D-4GBNS
Item #:N82E16820231394
$19.99 $19.99
I've had good luck with G.Skill. 4GB is enough on a budget, but I've seen some pretty good deals on 8GB.

Western Digital WD Blue WD5000AAKX 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Model #:WD5000AAKX
Item #:N82E16822136769
$79.99 -$10.00 Instant $69.99
If you prefer a five year warranty, get a WD Black series drive. They also perform a little better, although if it's performance you want, I'd suggest getting a SSD (minimum 120GB to 128GB; you WILL use the space on it).

LG DVD Burner Black SATA Model GH24NS90 - OEM
Model #:GH24NS90
Item #:N82E16827136247
$17.99 $17.99
Meh. One optical drive is much like another.

Subtotal: $412.92
Like I said, there's wiggle room. A better CPU would likely be my first upgrade, especially for MMOs or multiplayer games.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

at undfer $500, you're goiing to do best with an A10-5800K and 6670 together, rather than anything listed here;


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($119.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75M-DGS Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($60.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston HyperX T1 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($25.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital RE2 750GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Agility 3 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($74.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 6670 1GB Video Card ($48.40 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cougar Solution (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $476.31
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

note this is only about $400 if you remove the SSD.

As is, you get an SSD for your OS and main games, a 750 GB drive for other storage, the A10 crossfired with the 6670, a case with USB 3.0 front panel and a mounting point for your 2.5-inch SSD, highly reliable power supply and a hogh quality parts all around.

 

[Outlander_04]

Here is a performance comparison between intels i3 and the FX 4170
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/fx-4170-core-i3-3220-benchmarks,3314.html
The 4170 is pretty much identical in Dx10 and 11 games ,
behind in older DX9 game engines [ which no future games will use ]
and better pretty much everywhere else .

Remember the 4100 can be overclocked to become a 4170 [ or even faster ]
The 4300 is faster still than the 4170

The AMD build will use more power under load . At idle they use about the same . Gaming its going to cost about 1 cent for every hour
Not something you are going to notice on your power bill . And when you compare JTT's i3 build with a slower but more power hungry graphics card the difference would probably be less

At all costs avoid the pentium . It might be cheap but its not a good gaming processor
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/medal-of-honor-warfighter-performance-benchmark,3336-7.html
See how the pentium keeps up at light load ........and falls flat on its face with low frame rates under load .
DO NOT use a pentium for gaming

 

[stickg1]

Meh I had a nice build listed and then my internet crapped out on me when I hit submit. It was a mix between Squirly and jtt283s post anyway. A10 trinity, 6670, 4GB kit of ram, but NOT the corsair builder series. Antec neo eco all the way. Pay $10 more and get something quality.

 

[Outlander_04]

at undfer $500, you're goiing to do best with an A10-5800K and 6670 together, rather than anything listed here;

Got a link comparing graphics performance of the A10 and 6670
vs
the other alternatives?


One reason I would avoid the A10 APU for a gaming build is the limited processor range . The top end chips are only 4 core . With the FX and a 970 mb you have support for the 6 and 8 core processors , and also the ability to update to the next generation of AMD processors when they are released in late 2013

 

[grumbledook]

hello
i want to build a pc under budget of $500 with preferably AMD processors and ATI RADEON GRAPHICS.
I zeroed upon fx 6100 processor but got some really bad reviews and it also escalated the price.
i intend to include HD 6670 graphic card . and 1 TB hard drive ........please suggest me with what kind of configuration should go with. I am not a hardcore gamer but like to play latest games.
pc confg i thought :
AMD FX-6100 PROCESSOR
ATI SAPPHIRE HD 6670 GRAPHIC CARD
G.SKILL RIPJAW 4GB RAM
WD 1TB HDD
i have no idea which motherboard to go with
so please help me out ...........
thank u

Have you considered Trinity? It's integrated graphics when paired with decent ram should be around a 6670.

CPU- a10-5800k 130$ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113280
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75M-DGS 55$ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157331
Memory- Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 43$ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220736
Case/psu- HEC 6T Series 6T10LOH400 Black SECC Steel MicroATX Mini Tower Computer Case with E-SATA included 400W Power Supply 52$ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121118
Hard Drive- Seagate Barracuda Green ST1000DL002 1TB 5900 RPM 60$ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148764

That should put you around 340$, which leaves you plenty for OS and maybe even an ssd(highly recommended, makes it a lot snappier)

 

[Onus]

at undfer $500, you're goiing to do best with an A10-5800K and 6670 together, rather than anything listed here;
.
.
.
As is, you get an SSD for your OS and main games, a 750 GB drive for other storage, the A10 crossfired with the 6670, a case with USB 3.0 front panel and a mounting point for your 2.5-inch SSD, highly reliable power supply and a hogh quality parts all around.

I am sorry, but I need to disagree here on a few things. Two relatively weak GPUs in Crossfire will experience microstutter; not to mention those games that are still glitchy with multiple GPUs. On the case, no argument, but it is a highly personal-choice item. I definitely disagree on the quality of the Corsair V2 "Builder," it's made by CWT (not Seasonic) using inferior Samxon capacitors from a line known to experience early failure. Start here and follow the link onto the badcaps.org forum: http://forums.hardwaresecrets.com/not-so-tough/8805
The Agility 3 is one of the OCZ Sandfarce drives plagued with failures; I would not trust one at all. I was seeing 128GB Samsung 830 drives for around $70 recently on both Tigerdirect and Newegg; check for one of those deals.

Here is a performance comparison between intels i3 and the FX 4170...
And when you compare JTT's i3 build with a slower but more power hungry graphics card the difference would probably be less...

At all costs avoid the pentium . It might be cheap but its not a good gaming processor
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/medal-of-honor-warfighter-performance-benchmark,3336-7.html
See how the pentium keeps up at light load ........and falls flat on its face with low frame rates under load .
DO NOT use a pentium for gaming

I don't get the first part; my build has a HD6770 in it, which is much faster than a HD6670; did I read something wrong, or did you?
No argument about the Pentium though, and I did specify I'd use the wiggle room I had left over to get an i3. Yes, we saw that Tom's got good gaming performance out of a little Celeron and a HD7970, but the build was woefully unbalanced for anything but games. I think picking one game though doesn't reflect accurately on numerous other reviews showing that same Pentium keeping up with more expensive AMD Phenom IIs. Still, I do (and I did) recommend a step up to the i3.

 

[Hiii]

Look at this build

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mh9p

Anything wrong with it?

Edit: I just noticed it's like $50 over budget in Newegg.

 

[Outlander_04]

I don't get the first part; my build has a HD6770 in it, which is much faster than a HD6670; did I read something wrong, or did you?
No argument about the Pentium though, and I did specify I'd use the wiggle room I had left over to get an i3. Yes, we saw that Tom's got good gaming performance out of a little Celeron and a HD7970, but the build was woefully unbalanced for anything but games. I think picking one game though doesn't reflect accurately on numerous other reviews showing that same Pentium keeping up with more expensive AMD Phenom IIs. Still, I do (and I did) recommend a step up to the i3.

The FX 4100 build I suggested in my first post includes a Radeon 7770 . 28 nm . very low power consumption
And considerably stronger than the 6770

The reviews that I have seen that show good gaming performance from the pentiums and celerons are all unbalanced builds with expensive graphics cards , and running at low resolutions . They are not helpful to anyone who wants to game unless they have a CRT monitor made in 1995 .
And then the pentium chokes when the going gets tough anyway

 

[Onus]

Ah, ok; I missed that you had a HD7770 in yours, I thought you were referring to one of the other builds with a HD6670 and thought maybe the one I linked had gimped clocks or something.
I thought the builds with the weak CPUs were run at the really high resolutions, to tax the GPUs instead of the CPUs. Toms' target in the SBM was good 1920x1080 gaming. I agree that the builds were extremely unbalanced, and nothing I'd build, but they did teach some interesting lessons. Perhaps I should have put the i3 in my build from the outset, but I used it to show the cheapest I thought feasible, with parts of a high enough quality that I'd consider them myself. Actually, the remaining $85 of wiggle room almost buys an i5.

 

[ckholt83]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B75M-DGS Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($61.97 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($35.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($116.97 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill REDBONE ATX Mid Tower Case ($32.00 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $487.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

 

[Onus]

^That works.