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Build A Balanced AMD-Based Gaming PC On A Budget
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1. Building An Entry-Level Gaming PC

Although we spend much of our time talking about and testing ultra-high-end hardware, sometimes it can be far more special to create something magical on a budget. Given a shift away from the high-end segment (but an eagerness to remain relevant to enthusiasts), AMD has a handful of inexpensive multiplier-unlocked models that power users can tweak without the burden of on-die graphics eating into the thermal budget.

For example, the Athlon X4 750K sports two modules based on the Piledriver architecture. Each module includes a pair of integer cores and a shared floating-point unit. Typically, you'd expect to find this configuration on AMD's APUs belonging to the Trinity family, with 100 W thermal ceilings and Radeon graphics. In this case, however, the company disables the GPU altogether, dedicating the 100 W ceiling to its x86 cores.

Learn About Piledriver

For more information about AMD's Piledriver architecture, check out AMD FX-8350 Review: Does Piledriver Fix Bulldozer's Flaws?

Newegg sells the Athlon X4 750K for $80, which is a solid bargain since that K suffix indicates an unlocked multiplier that's easy to overclock. And once it's properly tuned, it has little trouble keeping up with the $125 Core i3-3220.

Just that one well-thought-out choice already saved us $30 on our budget-oriented build. We can use that money elsewhere. But how much more can we save if we similarly think through each one of the components in an inexpensive configuration?

It All Depends on the Right Combination

Bottlenecks are a bad thing, regardless of whether you're looking at top-end gear or more mainstream hardware. In fact, a limitation is more likely to adverse the value-oriented setup, since its absolute performance is lower to begin with. We already know that it's possible to build a well-balanced system at a very low price. So, our first order of business after tapping the Athlon X4 750K has to be finding a discrete graphics card able to complement that CPU. The goal is to find something with enough 3D alacrity to let us turn on more advanced detail settings, like anti-aliasing.

Using our Graphics Card Charts, we poked around for the right board able to game comfortably at 1920x1080. And our main requirement is that frame rates remain playable. 

Most CPU reviews are written using high-end graphics cards to deliberately isolate processor performance, alleviating GPU bottlenecks. In theory, that's admirable. But applicability to the real world is limited, since you'd never drop a GeForce GTX 780 Ti into a motherboard with one of these Athlon X4s in it. So, we turn the tables and start at the bottom of the graphics hierarchy instead.

We'll Pick Two Solutions: Bare Minimum Or A Step Up

During the course of our story, we'll naturally be considering the value of the parts we pick. The plan is to present two different configurations at a couple of price points. First, we'll look at the product of using the least-expensive components possible. The second machine puts a bit more emphasis on quality and looks.

Everyone's needs (and budgets) are different, so you may prefer one system over the other. Or, perhaps a combination of their parts is more suitable. Of course, less expensive components don't necessarily have to be lower-quality or ugly. Being frugal can even be a strength, so long as you're exercising that value in the right places, and not indiscriminately across the board.

2. The Quest For The Right Graphics Card

Finding the Right CPU

We narrowed down our GPU choices slowly and carefully. In our newest Graphics Card Charts for 2014, we set AMD's reference-class Radeon R9 290 as the 100-percent mark for 1080p, identifying that as a good entry point into the gaming space.

From there, we used the same benchmarks with less and less powerful graphics cards until the processor stopped affecting the results. The card that emerged as our winner was somewhat surprising, since it enables plenty of 3D performance.

First, let's take a look at the process:

How Far Can We Take Our System?

The benchmark results demonstrate that a Radeon R7 260X performs almost identically on an Athlon X4 750K, Core i3-3220, or even an overclocked Core i7-4930K.

This means two things. First, if a Radeon R7 260X is all you can afford, there's no point to spending more than $80 on your CPU. A faster processor won't make a difference (at least in terms of gaming). Also, if you want to stick with an $80 CPU, you can see exactly how far a platform like that takes you, and at what point buying more graphics muscle stops paying off.

Naturally, the R7 260X makes the most sense if we're going for a well-balanced configuration. A Radeon R9 270 is another option if you plan to switch on anti-aliasing and other more taxing graphics details. Beyond that point, you're probably sinking more money into graphics than you need to. 

If you read our Best Graphics Cards For The Money column, then you know that the Radeon R7 260X currently has Don's recommendation at the $120 price point. Nvidia's GeForce GTX 750 Ti is another option, and frankly, it's a lower-power and more elegant solution. But the cheapest 750 Tis are currently selling for $150. Given the budget levels we're working with, that $30 difference is a lot, even if the GM107-powered card is also quicker than its AMD-branded competition.

Let’s get started on our pricing table, which we'll add to as the story progresses.

Components
Baseline Build
Price
Stepping Up (Red Devil)
Price
Graphics Card
AMD Radeon R7 260X
$120
AMD Radeon R9 270
Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti
$150
Total

$120

$150
3. Picking A CPU, Motherboard, And RAM

CPU: An Inexpensive Choice with Overclocking Potential

As mentioned, AMD's Athlon X4 750K is our insider tip, selling for a scant $80 and easy to overclock. Its base stock clock frequency is 3.4 GHz, and Turbo Core pushes that up to 4 GHz, depending on the load you apply. Of course, the K-series Athlon can also be overclocked through its adjustable multiplier.

There's another way to overclock this chip: configure the maximum Turbo Core clock rate of both modules to increase when temperature, power, and load allow. A default ceiling of 4 GHz is advantageous because it keeps the processor running cooler in the heavily-threaded tasks that hit both modules, while ramping up performance when only one is needed. If you're lucky, it should be possible to push the 750K to a maximum Turbo Core rate of 4.5 GHz with a respectable cooler.

Motherboard: Socket FM2 or FM2+

The Athlon X4 750K fits either processor interface, and the motherboard form factor you pick will probably depend on the case you choose. We chose a mini-ITX platform for our Red Devil built (the fancied-up one), since it includes bundled Wi-Fi and Bluetooth without breaking the bank. MicroATX boards sell for even less. Some cost as little as $40.

And there's another reason to try the Athlon X4 750K. You simply can't get the same level of performance from an Intel-based CPU/motherboard combination (though we're really excited about the upcoming Pentium with an unlocked multiplier, which could very well decimate AMD's entry-level enthusiast advantage). Our efforts to build something similar with a Pentium fell short; it couldn't keep up with this overclocked Athlon X4. It was fast enough to not bottleneck a Radeon R7 260, but that doesn't come close to giving us the performance we need for FHD in our benchmark suite.

Because this story went live in Germany first, our team over there went with an MSI FM2-A75IA-E53 motherboard. While it might have been a best-fit for them, Newegg no longer lists that platform in stock and instead suggests the A88XI AC as an alternative. The A88X FCH is a step up, as is the 802.11ac Wi-Fi controller. But a $100 price tag is higher than even our CPU of choice.

There are plenty of affordable alternatives out there from companies like ASRock, Biostar, and MSI dipping down below $50. A more premium option could be the ASRock GM2A78M-ITX+, which satisfies our mini-ITX requirement and sells for $80.

RAM: Avexir DDR3-1600 8 GB Kit with Red LED

Let's spring for a bit of eye candy, shall we? Avexir's DDR3-1600 CL9 kit is neither too large nor too small, and it generally fits the system well. The Athlon X4 750K’s integrated memory controller could conceivably handle higher data rates. However, our benchmarks have shown that potential gains are in the single-digit range, if they're measured at all. Of course, if you'd like to throw more money at the memory issue, you're more than welcome to.

Remember that our CPU doesn't have integrated graphics, so the benefit you'd normally see from lots of memory throughput feeding an on-die GPU isn't there. Optimizing the timings on a DDR3-1600 kit should yield plenty of performance without hammering your bottom line. And then there's the fact that this kit looks nice as well, especially since the pulsing red lights can be seen from outside of our case through the air vents.

Price Update

Before moving on, let’s take a look at our expanded table (feel free to use it as a shopping list). Prices fluctuate on a daily basis, but we just updated it again to reflect the most recent changes.

Components
Baseline BuildPrice
Red Devil
Price
Graphics Card
AMD Radeon R7 260X
$120
AMD Radeon R9 270
Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti
$150
CPU
AMD Athlon X4 750K
$80
AMD Athlon X4 750K$80
Motherboard
Socket FM2 or FM2+
$45
Mini-ITX Socket FM2+
$85
RAM
8 GB DDR3-1600 Kit
$65
Avexir 8 GB DDR3-1600 LED Kit
$75
Total

$305

$390
4. CPU Cooler

CPU Cooler: Raijintek Themis

We've never been huge fans of AMD's reference-class heat sinks or fans. Typically, they do their job loudly. And this Athlon X4 needs a capable sink with a high-quality fan to keep the Trinity processor cool, quietly. Fortunately, there are some good third-party options in the $20 to $30 range.

Again, this was a pick from our German team, where Raijintek's Themis might be priced a little more aggressively. Here in the U.S., you can find the heat sink selling for $40 on Amazon. Fortunately, it serves up excellent performance without making much noise, and includes a fan that fits our build's color scheme. Naturally that has nothing to do with performance, but we're always down for color coordination.

If you think that the Raijintek Themis looks familiar, you’re right. The designer previously worked at Xigmatek. Three copper heat pipes are integrated into a block and aluminum heat sink. They work just like they should, which is good enough to keep our overclocked Athlon X4 750K cool, even overclocked to 4.5 GHz. At that higher clock rate, noise remains moderate.

CPU Cooler Installation

The Raijintek Themis’ mounting kit should be an example to other vendors, giving us a good reason for us and value-seeking builders to use this particular model. A universal backplate is designed to sit far enough off of the motherboard to avoid conflicts with protruding solder and surface-mount components on the back of the board.

Four bolts are pushed through holes in the motherboard, and each is capped with a plastic nut. The nuts double as spacers on top of the motherboard. Fasten the screws as shown a couple of images down.

When it comes to the brackets, pay attention to the Themis' orientation, since the direction it points has some consequences. If the heat sink is supposed to face the I/O shield, you'll need the AMD mounting clips, which have to be ordered separately (for free, supposedly).

Using thumbscrews, the brackets are simply screwed onto the four bolts that were previously fastened in place.

Finally, thermal paste is applied to the CPU and the Themis is set in its place on top, allowing you to screw in each side. The picture below shows those special AMD clips for the rotated installation with the Themis already secured by two screws.

If you're a sticker for thermal performance, don't use the bundled compound. Instead, we chose to use Gelid's GC-Extreme, which is effective, inexpensive, and easy to apply.

And with that, we're done picking out our motherboard, processor, cooler, and memory. Let's have a look at the updated price table.

Price Update

Components
Baseline BuildPrice
Red Devil
Price
Graphics Card
AMD Radeon R7 260X
$120
AMD Radeon R9 270
Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti
$150
CPU
AMD Athlon X4 750K
$80
AMD Athlon X4 750K$80
Motherboard
Socket FM2 or FM2+
$45
Mini-ITX Socket FM2+$85
RAM
8 GB DDR3-1600 Kit$60
Avexir 8 GB DDR3-1600 LED Kit$75
CPU Cooler
Bundled cooler (overclockable to 3.8 GHz)
---
Raijintek Themis with AM2 Adapter
$40
Thermal Paste
Not Necessary
---
Gelid GC-Extreme$10
Total

$305

$440
5. Choosing An Appropriate Power Supply

PSU: Super Flower Golden Green HX 350 Watt

The merits of using an efficient power supply like the Super Flower Golden Green HX 350 W in an entry-level PC are easy to identify. We're saving money in a number of different places with this build, but this is probably the one place where you want to spend a little more.

Even our more gussied-up Red Devil configuration stays well under 300 W during testing, and we could add a Radeon R9 270 to this setup without breaking past its maximum output.

A PC like this probably won't be tasked with too many long gaming sessions, so it's more important to find a power supply capable of great performance at idle and under light desktop loads. That means consumption in the 80 W range, or even lower. And snagging an efficient PSU pays off big time down there.

The Super Flower Golden Green HX 350 W includes all of the cables needed for our build, cleanly sleeved and plenty long. It’s a typical single-rail PSU, which is more of an advantage than anything, since you don't have to worry about dividing that modest output amongst multiple rails. Because of this, we could theoretically draw 384 W at 12 V, which our build realistically doesn't require. Another advantage of going with an HX-line PSU is its five-year warranty.

The LLC DC/DC converter leaves a good impression, especially since, according to the manufacturer, it should have all major features except Over Temperature Protection (OTP). Short-circuit tests using all available output connectors reliably resulted in the Super Flower Golden Green HX 350 W shutting down.

Surprisingly, we were even able to run a Gigabyte Radeon R9 290 WindForce using an adapter, and it remained stable for prolonged periods of time. That card draws almost 216 W on its own in gaming loads, or just under 260 W under compute-heavy tasks.

Measuring the power consumption across all rails during our stress test yielded a respectable 382 W, with peaks of up to just under 500 W here and there.

Unfortunately, while this specific model is fairly easy to find over in Europe, it's less common in the U.S. We originally had about $65 budgeted for it in our fancier Red Devil configuration, so that was our target for something comparable on this side of the pond. If you can't find the Super Flower power supply, Seasonic has its SSR-360GP, which sells for $60 on Newegg, sports a slightly higher output rating, and is also 80 PLUS Gold-rated. Like the Golden Green 350 W, it's a single-rail design, and we're confident it'd be a solid alternative.

Price Update

As promised, we continue to update the pricing chart:

Components
Baseline BuildPrice
Red Devil
Price
Graphics Card
AMD Radeon R7 260X
$120
AMD Radeon R9 270
Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti
$150
CPU
AMD Athlon X4 750K
$80
AMD Athlon X4 750K$80
Motherboard
Socket FM2 or FM2+
$45
Mini-ITX Socket FM2+$85
RAM
8 GB DDR3-1600 Kit$60
Avexir 8 GB DDR3-1600 LED Kit$75
CPU Cooler
Bundled cooler (overclockable to 3.8 GHz)---
Raijintek Themis with AM2 Adapter$40
Thermal Paste
Not Necessary
---
Gelid GC-Extreme$10
Power Supply Unit (PSU)
350 W, 80 PLUS Bronze
$25
Super Flower Golden Green 350 W 80 PLUS Gold
$65
Total

$330

$505
6. The Right Chassis Is Mandatory

Lady in Red: BitFenix Prodigy

By now you're probably wondering why I keep calling this machine the Red Devil, right? Well, the red BitFenix Prodigy was my inspiration. Add an affordable graphics card and CPU from AMD, a red fan on the processor's heat sink, and memory modules that pulse red, and there you have it.

Installing our parts in the Prodigy turned out to be pretty easy, but I'll give you a few tips anyway. Dispose of the hard drive case in the middle; it's only in the way. Other than that, the case has enough room to fit our mini-ITX-based configuration system. If you'd rather save a few bucks by going with a larger motherboard form factor, be sure to choose a chassis with space for all of your components.

The back of BitFenix's Prodigy exposes some of the small form factor's limitations. A dual-slot graphics card is the most you're able to fit, though that's fine since our motherboard of choice can't accommodate anything else, either. We already illustrated how the power supply fits, fastened in place using a bracket and thumb screws.

The semi-flexible plastic handles come in handy, look good, and fit the Prodigy well. The top cover can be removed, which makes the installation process even easier.

Side Window Showcase? Yes, But …

An optional side panel with an acrylic window is available for $20 more. Unfortunately, the distance between the window and a dual-slot graphics card is less than 1 cm, which effectively prevents higher-performance cards from fitting inside.

The Radeon R7 260X we picked manages to perform its duties without overheating, but a Radeon R9 270(X) won't work, at least not without making a lot of noise. Nvidia's GeForce GTX 750 Ti actually works best in this configuration since it operates so efficiently and draws so little power.

Price Update

Once more, here’s the most up-to-date pricing. The only components we're missing are related to storage.

Components
Baseline BuildPrice
Red Devil
Price
Graphics Card
AMD Radeon R7 260X
$120
AMD Radeon R9 270
Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti
$150
CPU
AMD Athlon X4 750K
$80
AMD Athlon X4 750K$80
Motherboard
Socket FM2 or FM2+
$45
Mini-ITX Socket FM2+$85
RAM8 GB DDR3-1600 Kit$60
Avexir 8 GB DDR3-1600 LED Kit$75
CPU Cooler
Bundled cooler (overclockable to 3.8 GHz)---
Raijintek Themis with AM2 Adapter$40
Thermal Paste
Not Necessary
---
Gelid GC-Extreme$10
Power Supply Unit
350 W, 80 PLUS Bronze$25
Super Flower Golden Green 350 W 80 PLUS Gold$65
CaseCase with USB 3.0
$25
BitFenix Prodigy Red
$80
Total

$355

$585
7. Drives And Installation

Installation: SSD and Hard Drive

The universal 3.5-inch hard drive bays can be used for 2.5-inch SSDs and notebook hard drives as well. The larger form factor is installable without tools, using pins. This setup also enables reasonable sound dampening. You'll need to screw 2.5-inch drives in to a tray.

Inserting drives is as straightforward as it gets. They slide in and snap into place. Even heavy disks sit securely, without any of the give that'd cause you to question the Prodigy's quality.

Installation: Optical Drive

Installing an optical drive takes a bit more work. First, the front and top covers need to be removed.

Second, the cover for the 5.25-inch drive bays needs to come off. Simply unfasten two small screws.

Finally, an optical drive slides in through the front of the case and is manually screwed in place, as shown. There’s no tool-less mechanism, unfortunately.

Caution: Memory Module And CPU Clearance

Normal-profile memory modules fit under the Raijintek Themis without a problem. But the Avexir DDR3-1600 kit we used requires that you push the cooler's fan up a bit so the two components don't collide. Modules any taller would be a problem, and we'd expect this to be true on most small form factor platforms.

Installation: Graphics Card

Thick electrical tape on the side of the CPU cooler helps avoid potential short circuits, should the heat sink and back of the graphics card PCB touch each other. Really, the 3 to 4 mm of space between them should be enough, but better safe than sorry.

It's easy to see how tightly everything fits together. Still, all of the components work well together, even if the optional side window squeezes the parts even more. BitFenix's original side panel has small holes to provide air for the graphics card, but the company doesn't give the windowed version the same treatment.

8. A Small, Stylish Gaming PC On A Budget

Overall Price and Bottom Line

After adding the drives from the previous page, our Red Devil configuration ends up costing about $730. Even when you factor in shipping costs and not getting the best price on every component, should you buy everything from one place, that's still less than $800 for hardware. Not bad for a stylish-looking PC that delivers decent gaming performance.

Perhaps that isn't as impressive as we were hoping, though. After all, Paul Henningsen on our U.S. team built a system with a Haswell-based Core i3-4130, a GeForce GTX 770, and 8 GB of memory for $775 in System Builder Marathon, Q1 2014: The $750 Gaming PC just a couple of months ago. Granted, Paul didn't enjoy the benefit of an SSD.

But we can make the story even more interesting by glancing over at our more barebones configuration. For just $415, we get good value in the form of a nice entry-level PC with reasonable gaming performance. That's where AMD's low-cost Athlon X4 750K appears best-suited, sitting in a well-equipped, yet affordable motherboard, complementing a mid-range graphics card. The performance-per-dollar proposition there simply can't be beat.

We didn’t forget about the operating system. Rather, we're choosing not to factor it into our pricing, similar to the System Builder Marathon. Many enthusiasts have old, but still valid Windows 7 or 8 licenses from previous machines.

If you find yourself biased to the lower-cost option, and can push the Athlon X4 750K to 4.5 GHz, there's always the option to splurge on a Radeon R9 270X or GeForce GTX 750 Ti.

More likely, you'll end up somewhere between our two extremes, trying to decide whether to spend money on looks, performance, or both. Whichever path you take, the destination is easily reachable for less than $800, even if you prioritize speed and aesthetics at the same time. Have fun, regardless!

Components
Minimum Version
Price
Red Devil
Price
Graphics Card
AMD Radeon R7 260X
$120
AMD Radeon R9 270
Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti
$150
CPU
AMD Athlon X4 750K
$80
AMD Athlon X4 750K$80
MotherboardSocket FM2 or FM2+
$45
Mini-ITX Socket FM2+$85
RAM8 GB DDR3-1600 Kit$60
Avexir 8 GB DDR3-1600 LED Kit$75
CPU Cooler
Bundled cooler (overclockable to 3.8 GHz)---
Raijintek Themis with AM2 Adapter$40
Thermal Paste
Not Necessary
---
Gelid GC-Extreme$10
Power Supply Unit
350 W, 80 PLUS Bronze$25
Super Flower Golden Green 350 W 80 PLUS Gold$65
CaseCase with USB 3.0
$25
BitFenix Prodigy Red
$80
Hard Drive
1 TB Hard Drive (3.5")
$60
1 TB Hard Drive (3.5")$60
Solid State DriveNone
---
120 GB SSD
$65
Optical Disk Drive
None
---
DVD Drive
$20
Total

$415

$730