Help on a $650 gaming build

[Chief7285]

I am building a budget gaming rig for my brother. He wants to play BF3 @1080p with at least low - medium settings @40 fps at least. He wants to play on 64 player servers on maps like Caspian border so from that basically eliminates all dual cores from the build. knowing that I put 3 builds together please rate them and help me decide.

BTW no overclocking at all

#1

CPU = AMD FX-4300 Vishera $120
MoBo = BIOSTAR A880GZ AM3+ AMD 880G $60
RAM = G Skill Value 8gb ddr3 1333 $34
GPU = EVGA GTX 660 $220
Case = CM Haf 912 $55
PSU = Rosewill Hive 650w 80+ bronze $80
HDD = 1TB seagate $80
DVD = Lite on $15

Total about $640 after rebates

#2

CPU = i5 3450 $195
MoBo = AsRock H77M 1155 $60
RAM = G Skill Value 8gb ddr3 1333 $34
GPU = ASUS GTX 650 ti OC $160
Case = CM Haf 912 $55
PSU = Rosewill Hive 650w 80+ bronze $80
HDD = 1TB seagate $80
DVD = Lite on $15

Total about $660 after rebates

#3


CPU = AMD Phenom II X4 955 $95
MoBo = BIOSTAR A880GZ AM3+ AMD 880G $60
RAM = G Skill Value 8gb ddr3 1333 $34
GPU = Galaxy GTX 660 ti GC $250
Case = CM Haf 912 $55
PSU = Rosewill Hive 650w 80+ bronze $80
HDD = 1TB seagate $80
DVD = Lite on $15

Total about $630 after rebates

Now about the GPU in #3 Newegg has it on sale so it will go back up to about $300 meaning about $680 after the sale

now which build would you all go for?

The bulldozer sacrificing performance but not cores (because of BF3 in MP) while going for a strong GPU?

The Intel build having a Strong CPU keeping 4 cores and while sacrificing GPU performance?

Or Going for the Old reliable phenom II 955 keeping 4 cores and blasting away in GPU?

Which build is more optimized for a better BF3 multiplayer experience?

And if so what is wrong with these builds?

Edit #1

I have to have a complete Build so no recycling parts because I don't have spares

Edit # 2

I prefer NVIDIA cards only because BF3 prefers NVIDIA cards

 

[Outlander_04]

none of those

FX 6300 $140
Asrock 970 extreme4 $105
2 x4 gig of 1600 MHz RAM $38
Radeon 7870 $195
500 watt psu $60

 

[Chief7285]

You have to remember I have to have a complete build.... Case and all. I can't recycle old parts due to not having any.

 

[Outlander_04]

You have to remember I have to have a complete build.... Case and all. I can't recycle old parts due to not having any.

you already have those parts listed in your builds above

 

[Chief7285]

I did research and it seems like the 7870 performs far less than the gtx 660 in BF3

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/548?vs=660

look at the BF3 only because my brother wants a PC only for BF3

if you compare the 7970 and the GTX 660 it trades blows back and forth because BF3 is Heavily NVIDIA optimized

 

[Outlander_04]

I have always been a bit suspicious of the anandtech benchmarks .

So I checked here on Tomshardware
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-660-geforce-gtx-650-benchmark,3297-7.html
and
http://www.legionhardware.com/articles_pages/gigabyte_geforce_gtx_660,4.html
A difference so small you wouldnt notice it .

The radeon is $195
the cheapest GTX 660
is $210

 

[chamnaplong]

All of your configurations works great on almost every game

 

[JJ1217]

+1 to the guy's 7870 build with your other things like HDD and case and what not. But out of the ones you made, the 660 will blow them out of the water and play on Ultra too.