Gaming PC Builds for all budgets (2/2014) ($300,$400,$500,$600,$700)

[ahmedkhalifa1999]

■300$ Build
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Celeron G1610 2.6GHz Dual-Core Processor ($42.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H61M-S1 Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($37.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($43.20 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($36.94 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Galaxy GeForce GT 640 1GB Video Card ($76.98 @ Amazon)
Case: Cougar Solution RSB400 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case w/400W Power Supply ($44.99 @ TigerDirect)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $300.07
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-27 13:13 EST-0500)



■400$ Build
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 651K 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($72.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper TX3 54.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($16.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI A55M-P35 Micro ATX FM1 Motherboard ($55.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($43.20 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.94 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R7 260 1GB Video Card ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Thermaltake Commander MS-I ID ATX Mid Tower Case ($32.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $399.05
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-27 13:23 EST-0500)



■500$ Build
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-4300 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($100.00 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper TX3 54.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($16.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI 970A-G43 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($59.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Kingston Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 260X 1GB Video Card ($120.98 @ Best Buy)
Case: Thermaltake Commander MS-I ID ATX Mid Tower Case ($32.99 @ Microcenter)
Case Fan: Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm Fan ($2.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $500.88
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-27 13:03 EST-0500)



■600$ Build
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($118.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus M5A78L-M LX PLUS Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($44.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Kingston Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R9 270X 2GB Video Card ($223.99 @ Staples)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $599.40
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-27 13:30 EST-0500)



■700$ Build
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($180.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H81M-HD3 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($52.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($259.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Microcenter)
Case Fan: Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm Fan ($2.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $700.42
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-27 13:39 EST-0500)


Here are some builds for different budgets (will be adding more budgets soon)
any comments and modifications on those builds will be much appreciated (I may change any of those Builds based on comments) (send them to me in private messages)

 

[Saga Lout]

This isn't a genuine Tom's Tutorial and so has now been reclassified as a Forum Discussion. Folks who wish to debate it with you can do so on the Forum and not in PMs.

 

[ahmedkhalifa1999]

This isn't a genuine Tom's Tutorial and so has now been reclassified as a Forum Discussion. Folks who wish to debate it with you can do so on the Forum and not in PMs.

sorry, I am new to the site

 

[tiny voices]

The $300 build would be much better off as an APU build.

 

[ahmedkhalifa1999]

The $300 build would be much better off as an APU build.

but an APU won't be good for gaming except if you disable the iGPU and add a discrete GPU and also an APU with a dedicated card will cost more than $300

 

[tiny voices]

No, the new APUs have integrated GPUs that can rival the gt640.

The Celeron will hold you back alot. For example the gt640 and celeron might not be able to play BF4 at all, but the APU will because even though the GPU is no better or even slightly worse than the 640, the CPU is ALOT better for games coded for 4 cores.

 

[ahmedkhalifa1999]

No, the new APUs have integrated GPUs that can rival the gt640.

The Celeron will hold you back alot. For example the gt640 and celeron might not be able to play BF4 at all, but the APU will because even though the GPU is no better or even slightly worse than the 640, the CPU is ALOT better for games coded for 4 cores.

They will play it at medium settings with 30 fps (but this rig can't run games on 1080p, better on 720p)
note : I have a GT640 (but with a Core2Duo E7500) and my friend has the same system too and he was able to play battlefield 4 on high settings, 720P with 25 Fps and i played assassin's Creed IV with Max settings and 2XTXAA with 20 fps on 1280x720

 

[tiny voices]

Also consider that most people do not consider 20fps to be playable. It would be a MUCH more enjoyable experience to play at medium settings and get 60fps.

 

[isaiah davis]

For your $400 build, i reccomend changing the cpu to amd athlon ii x4 750k and the motherboard to a Asus
A55BM-E, also with the motherboard i had recommended, there is a upgrade path, to a kaveri apu such as the 7700k or 7850k.

 

[ahmedkhalifa1999]

Also consider that most people do not consider 20fps to be playable. It would be a MUCH more enjoyable experience to play at medium settings and get 60fps.

medium settings give only 25Fps with FXAA (CPU bottlenecks)

 

[tiny voices]

For your $400 build, i reccomend changing the cpu to amd athlon ii x4 750k and the motherboard to a Asus
A55BM-E, also with the motherboard i had recommended, there is a upgrade path, to a kaveri apu such as the 7700k or 7850k.

Agreed. The 750k/760k is MUCH better than the 651k.

 

[Harry Rushworth]

What would be the average build for the $500 one on a game like FFXIV? At medium, low, and high settings?

 

[tiny voices]

What would be the average build for the $500 one on a game like FFXIV? At medium, low, and high settings?

I would make a new thread about what your needs are. We will help you build the best computer for your needs.