Hi all. Budget $500 Gaming Build (my first). Review before I purchase?

[toucansam]

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wDSz
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wDSz/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wDSz/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock H77M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Samsung 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $479.94
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-09 18:49 EST-0500)

My first build!

In this build I'm trying to accomplish a solid gaming platform within a $500 budget. I already have an HDD and optical drive.

Any improvements i can make before i buy?

Let me know what you think!

 

[tiny voices]

You have $20 left in the budget and your 7850 is a bit overpriced. You could go over budget by only about $10 if you switched to a gtx 660 and you would gain a decent performance increase.

 

[glitch20]

Asrock is bundled with a free app Called ASROCK FAST RAM it is a ram drive since ram is dirt cheap these days I suggest getting 16gb for ram then assigning around 8 to 10 gb to your ramdrive for a ssd like perfomance boost

 

[djangoringo]

It's good, get cheaper ram : http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-bls2kit4g3d1609ds1s00

And a 660 gtx for just a bit more : http://pcpartpicker.com/part/zotac-video-card-zt6090110m

 

[jonjonjon]

Asrock is bundled with a free app Called ASROCK FAST RAM it is a ram drive since ram is dirt cheap these days I suggest getting 16gb for ram then assigning around 8 to 10 gb to your ramdrive for a ssd like perfomance boost

your better off buying a ssd then dealing with ram drives. also on a $500 budget another $35 for 16GB isn't cheap.

 

[tiny voices]

your better off buying a ssd then dealing with ram drives. also on a $500 budget another $35 for 16GB isn't cheap.

Agreed. Stick with 8gb which will be plenty. On this type of budget, you want to allocate as much $$$ to the GPU as possible.

 

[toucansam]

Agreed. Stick with 8gb which will be plenty. On this type of budget, you want to allocate as much $$$ to the GPU as possible.

yeah that seems to be the general consensus around the web. thanks for your input i appreciate it.

so cheeper ram and 660 gtx ftw?

 

[toucansam]

It's good, get cheaper ram : http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-bls2kit4g3d1609ds1s00

And a 660 gtx for just a bit more : http://pcpartpicker.com/part/zotac-video-card-zt6090110m

thanks for the links! that helps a ton.

 

[toucansam]

It's good, get cheaper ram : http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-bls2kit4g3d1609ds1s00

And a 660 gtx for just a bit more : http://pcpartpicker.com/part/zotac-video-card-zt6090110m

Btw with that 660 I'm still under budget (which is fine really) but just for the heck of being right at $500 or maybe just a little over, is there a better 660 I can buy? Just curious... And again, thanks a ton for the help.

 

[djangoringo]

There's the four more : http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-n660tf2gd5
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/galaxy-video-card-66nph7dn6zvz
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn660oc2gd
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-02gp42662kr

Or a 7870 since you can pay a bit more :

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-video-card-fx787acnfc

 

[toucansam]

There's the four more : http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-n660tf2gd5
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/galaxy-video-card-66nph7dn6zvz
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn660oc2gd
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-video-card-02gp42662kr

Or a 7870 since you can pay a bit more :

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-video-card-fx787acnfc

Bull's Eye!

Cant thank you enough django

Here's the final build!


PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wMHI
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wMHI/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wMHI/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock H77M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Samsung 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card ($217.55 @ Newegg)
Case: BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $507.50
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-09 21:50 EST-0500)

Buying Parts Friday!

but wait....newegg is out of stock....

this 7870 worth waiting for??

 

[djangoringo]

It could be in stock, at that time, it's the cheaper 7870, the second one cheaper that's available is this : http://pcpartpicker.com/part/his-video-card-h787q2g2m

See if the card is available on the day you're gonna buy, if it's not, then get the 660 gtx it's also a good card.
Also you can change the ram for the crucial 5$ cheaper, you can't oc the ram with that board, you'll get higher timmings with the samung, get the crucial ram.

 

[jonjonjon]

don't worry on friday the prices will most likely have changed.

 

[toucansam]

ok cool. thanks for the reassurance.

i decided to go with the "double d" version of the XFX HD 7870 (which they are ALSO out of stock on )...solely on ratings sadly but hey its only $5 difference from that last total anyways when i changed the ram to the crucial.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wN5N
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wN5N/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wN5N/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i3-3220 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock H77M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card ($227.55 @ Newegg)
Case: BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $512.50
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-09 22:27 EST-0500)

and who knows? maybe if I'm lucky if the prices change like ya'll say they might it might be cheeper! *crosses fingers*

 

[djangoringo]

Wait and see, one of those two will probably be on stock, and i don't think the price will change.

 

[jonjonjon]

how can you not think the price will change? all you have to do is go to http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wN5N and look at the bottom for the price history. its pretty much changed daily.

 

[toucansam]

gotcha... well you can always hope! lol

well django wish i could thank you more than in words honestly.....can't wait to purchase

see ya around!

if i remember i'll post an update friday!

 

[toucansam]

how can you not think the price will change? all you have to do is go to http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wN5N and look at the bottom for the price history. its pretty much changed daily.

thanks for your help too jon

now im gonna split before it gets too hectic in here.... :lol:

come back friday for an update!

 

[djangoringo]

Sometimes yes, but the 7870 needs to be at that price to sell, if they put anything higher, either people will go with a 660 gtx or 660 ti.

 

[jonjonjon]

i was talking about the whole build in general not just the 7870.

 

[djangoringo]

The i3, psu,mobo and case is for a long time that price, the ram, it could change, but it's also a good time there, until friday, it's probably gonna be at the same price.
But then again it's a question of checking the prices.

 

[toucansam]

hey I'm about to buy. the two cards they have in stock are this one:


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161404

HIS IceQ Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB

$239.99
$219.99 after $20.00 rebate card

and this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150606

XFX Double D Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition Black Edition 2GB

$269.99
$239.99 after $30.00 rebate card

think the black edition is a good $20 investment or no?

 

[toucansam]

oh and this one is in stock as well:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150604

XFX Core Edition Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB

$229.99
$209.99 after $20.00 rebate card

 

[djangoringo]

Get that one(the xfx at 210$), no point in spending more than that, unless you can get a combo with other card.

 

[toucansam]

Get that one(the xfx at 210$), no point in spending more than that, unless you can get a combo with other card.

good to know. thanks.

ohand they ran out of the Crucial Ballistix sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory $39.99

this a good substitute? :

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600

$46.99