My Budget Gaming PC

[tristanncn96]

Hello everyone,

I am currently trying to build a gaming rig on a tight budget. I am an unemployed student that currently has enough money for a $700 PC (I have $1000 but with taxes and shipping where I live in Canada that would go up to $1000).

Here is what i have come up with so far...

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 Ghz Quad Core $99.99 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

GPU: MSI GTX 650 1 gb/OC $113.99 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127701

Mobo: Foxconn A9DA $89.99 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186199

PSU: COOLMAX ZX Series ZX-600 600W $49.99 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817159125

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB $59.99 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231314

Case: Corsair Carbide Series 400R $109.99 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139008

HDD: Western Digital WD Blue 500gb $69.99 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769

Optical Drive: ASUS 24X DVD Burner $19.99 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium $99.99 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986

Total $713.91
Grand Total (Taxes and Shipping) $947.48

What is your advice on this rig, will it work well?

Also what games could I run well on this set up?

 

[tenaciousk]

If i had that price range, i would go with something like this. If you wanted to save a little money, you could drop the gpu down to a 7850, but with the setup i provided you should be able to max out any game.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($133.79 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Arctic Cooling ACALP64 Pro 36.7 CFM CPU Cooler ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 Extreme3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($84.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($43.98 @ Outlet PC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($73.49 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card ($214.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Zalman Z9 ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 520W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $748.17
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-03 08:00 EST-0500)

 

[tenaciousk]

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/548?vs=681

These are the benchmark results between the GTX 650 and the Hd 7870

 

[tristanncn96]

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/548?vs=681

These are the benchmark results between the GTX 650 and the Hd 7870

is there another mobo you would recommend? That one costs $150 in Canada :/

 

[tenaciousk]

Here is a nice custom build that will run most games on ultra; http://pcpartpicker.com/p/BdEM You beat me to it!

Good suggestions but i wouldn't go with this build, spending extra money on the 8 core processor is wasted money. The FX-6300 is a excellent gaming cpu.

Ther motherboard you have chosen, just dosn't really make sense to me.

You have chosen a 5400 rpm Hard drive with 8 mb of cache...
The one i have chosen is 7200 rpm with 64 Mb cache, much faster.

You have chosen the 7770, which is a ok card but not great. For his budget he can easily Fit in a better card. Which is why i went with the just as good cheaper fx-6300, that extra money goes into the gpu budget.

 

[tenaciousk]

Sorry didn't realize you were from Canada here is a revised copy with cheaper motherboard, and the 7850 gpu.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($129.99 @ Canada Computers)
CPU Cooler: Arctic Cooling ACALP64 Pro 36.7 CFM CPU Cooler ($22.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-D3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($79.99 @ Canada Computers)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($48.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.79 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7850 1GB Video Card ($149.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Zalman Z9 Plus ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 520W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($96.99 @ Computer Valley)
Total: $711.70
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-03 09:44 EST-0500)

 

[tristanncn96]

Sorry didn't realize you were from Canada here is a revised copy with cheaper motherboard, and the 7850 gpu.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($129.99 @ Canada Computers)
CPU Cooler: Arctic Cooling ACALP64 Pro 36.7 CFM CPU Cooler ($22.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-D3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($79.99 @ Canada Computers)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($48.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.79 @ DirectCanada)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7850 1GB Video Card ($149.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Zalman Z9 Plus ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ NCIX)
Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 520W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($96.99 @ Computer Valley)
Total: $711.70
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-03 09:44 EST-0500)

Everything you just listed but swapping the 7850 for a 7770 makes the total with shipping and taxes $960, which is right at my budget.

Thats still good enough to max out most games right?

 

[tenaciousk]

ohh definitely, you will be in pretty good shape with this rig, then in the future if it start getting a little behind, just buy another graphics card and crossfire.

 

[tristanncn96]

yeah that is what i was thinking, this summer while working i should make around $3000-4000, i'll upgrade it then

 

[Kamen_BG]

This PC here is a LOT better than the ones mentioned above.
It's cheaper too.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-2120 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($119.93 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P67X-UD3-B3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($49.88 @ Canada Computers)
Memory: Patriot Gamer 2 Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($34.88 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.99 @ NCIX)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($169.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 450W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($50.71 @ DirectCanada)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Canada Computers)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.45 @ DirectCanada)
Total: $654.81
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-03 10:21 EST-0500)

 

[tristanncn96]

This PC here is a LOT better than the ones mentioned above.
It's cheaper too.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-2120 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($119.93 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P67X-UD3-B3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($49.88 @ Canada Computers)
Memory: Patriot Gamer 2 Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($34.88 @ Canada Computers)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.99 @ NCIX)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card ($169.99 @ NCIX)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 450W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($50.71 @ DirectCanada)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Canada Computers)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.45 @ DirectCanada)
Total: $654.81
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-03 10:21 EST-0500)

are you sure about the dual-core processor? i didn't think they were much good for gaming?

 

[tenaciousk]

I would choose the fx-6300 over the i3 any day. Games are stating to come out that utilize more then 2 cores. The i3 is 2 core hyper threaded, but games don't use hyper threading. also they are about neck and neck in the bench, but where the fx-6300 succeeds its succeeds by alot here are the bench marks.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/289?vs=699

 

[tenaciousk]

Not to mention it has 6 real cores.

 

[tristanncn96]

Not to mention it has 6 real cores.

what about this processor? its $20 cheaper and i have seen alot of reviews saying that vishera processors are hard to get to work with some mobo's

 

[tristanncn96]

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103962