I want to build VERY cheap. (Few questions)

[Soluix]

I was looking to build something that just runs games smoothly. They don't have to be max settings or Maybe not even decent mid settings. I just want a smooth frame rate when i play something like Tera. What I'm stuck with now isn't cutting it.

-Sincerely Someone using a laptop to play games.

 

[marshallbradley]

Well what are you using now? And what resolution are you comfortable with? Finally do you have a more specific budget than 'very cheap'? $500 = very cheap or $300 = very cheap??

M

 

[Soluix]

Well what are you using now? And what resolution are you comfortable with? Finally do you have a more specific budget than 'very cheap'? $500 = very cheap or $300 = very cheap??

M

No more than 400 bucks I guess. If 300 is possible then I'm down for it. My resolution now is 1600x900

Processor AMD A4-3300M APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics 1.90GHz
HP Pavilion g7 Notebook PC 64-bit
6.00GB(Ram)

I bought a laptop for convenience then discovered steamy greatness and started playing more graphic heavy games.

 

[marshallbradley]

This is probably about the best you can go for. I haven't included a monitor or an OS, since these are really personal choices, but it will game very well at anything less than 1080p (1600x900 and 1366x768).

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($72.74 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI 760GM-P34(FX) Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($42.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Value 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($26.47 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($39.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7770 1GB Video Card ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($34.90 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $367.07

I haven't included a CD drive, since you can always install the OS off of a USB key.

M

 

[burritobob]

Here is an ultra budget PC:

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($72.74 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI 760GM-P34(FX) Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($42.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($39.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7790 1GB Video Card ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($34.90 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($16.97 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $417.56
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

The 7790 is probably the best value on the market right now. Performs close to a 7850 at a fraction of the price, you can game 1080p without to much problem.

I know for sure that you should be having a smooth gameplay in Tera with this card. I cannot guarantee that with the 7770. I have a friend who plays Tera with myself and he has a 7770 is drops or is constantly below 60fps.

This includes an optical drive, which you need to install your operating system. Doing things off a USB is a hassel...

 

[marshallbradley]

@burrito Yeah the 7790 looks pretty decent, personally the 650 Ti Boost (review released today) looks even better. If you want to wait a bit (I don't normally recommend waiting, but in this case I think the card is being released in the next week or so) you the 650 Ti looks like a monster of a card given the price. It's probably going to be a bit more expensive than the 7790 though.

If you're playing at less than 1080p though, I doubt you'll need as much power as the 650 Ti boost, or even the 7790.

M

 

[Soluix]

I won't be building for another few months anyway so it looks like I'll be using the second build but instead get the 650 Ti boost instead of the 7790.

I also need to know if I'll need a "CPU Cooler".

 

[marshallbradley]

The builds are basically exactly the same, just whether or not you want a DVD drive .

No you won't need a CPU cooler, the stock one supplied by AMD will be more than ample for your needs.

M