Best Configs - Budget Intel-Based Gaming PC

[jpishgar]

Our editorial team has selected the top builds submitted by users for our Best Configs feature. Please vote on your favorite of the following builds:

Dalauder
Processor: i7-930
Motherboard: ASUS Sabertooth X58 USB 3.0
RAM: 6GB Mushkin Blackline 1600MHz Cas7
Graphics Card: GIGABYTE Radeon 5850
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB
Case: Linkworld Steel ATX Mid Tower
Power Supply: OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W
DVD Burner: (w/ OCZ600MXSP) LG Black DVD Burner

Link to Build

Derbixrace
CPU: i5 750
Mobo: Asus P7P55D EVO
RAM: Mushkin Enhanced Silverline 4GB DDR3 1600MHz CL7
GPU: Asus GTX 470
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1Tb
Case: CM HAF 922
PSU: Corsair VX550
DVD Burner: Lite-On 24x Black SATA

Link to Build

ksampanna
Processor - Intel i5 760
Motherboard - BIOSTAR T5 XE CFX-SLI
Memory - OCZ 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) XMP-Ready Rev.2
Graphics - 2 X Galaxy 60XMH6HS3HMW GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) GC 768MB
HDD + Power Supply : Samsung Spinpoint F3 + OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ550FTY 550W
Case - Antec 300
CPU Cooler - ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 92mm Fluid Dynamic CPU Cooler
Optical Drive - Sony Optiarc CD/ DVD Burner

Link to Build

Wolygon
Intel i3 530
ASUS P7P55
HD5870
G.Skill Ripjaws 1600MHz C7 4GB
Combo: Antec 300 Illusion & Antec EA-750W
Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB
Sony DVD burner
CM Hyper 212+ $50

Link to Build

LuigiVN
Processor: Intel Core i3 530
Motherboard: ASRock H55DE3 LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI ATX
RAM: CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE 100283-3L Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"
Case:COOLER MASTER CM 690
Power Supply: Antec BP550 Plus 550W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.2 Modular Active PFC
DVD Burner: LG Black 22X

Link to Build

 

[Onus]

I think of the first four, only Derbixrace's build doesn't make me shake my head over at least one "sore thumb" issue, from reliance on dubious sources (e.g. eBay) to using one or more substandard and/or potentially under-performing parts.
LuigiVN should get an honorable mention for his interpretation of "budget," but going strictly by the rules, it is considerably weaker than the others.

 

[tognetta]

If the focus is "gaming" 2xGTX460 are way better than a single 470

 

[yose3]

ksampanna is a nice settup in fact i ma just buy those and make one for mys self

2 GTX 460 SLI make the kill right there

 

[t0r012]

please people it is a budget build.

sorry but 5870/470 much less a pair of 460's
backed with a i7 930 and 4 or 6 gigs of ram at 60 bucks per 2gb

luigiVN gets my vote as the only one to build a "budget" system

 

[davcon]

LuigiVN gets my vote

 

[TheEvolution]

Those r budget config ?
Lol.....

 

[Emperus]

How does an i7 930 build qualifies to be a budget build.!

 

[cschuele]

How do $1300+ computers count as budget. Pitting i3 vs i7 930 x58 systems is a joke who put this matchup together, its not even worth voting for

 

[aznshinobi]

Man you guys really should have really been more specific.... All you said was to have a build according to the guidlines haha. But you didn't even say you could have combos.

 

[wifiwolf]

I doubt that system with 2x GTX 460 will do with 550W PSU!!!

 

[Derbixrace]

yeah that PSU is far too weak!! i would say 650w minimum for 460 sli.

something needs to be done to that build before someone goes and buys it!!

 

[nilesh348]

see this
inter workstion board
i7-930
2x hd5770
600 PSU
4gB DDR3 AT 1333
24 samsumg monitor


in india

 

[Soul_analyzer]

I guess some are right saying for "budget" system. So I guess there had to be a price limit when the made the article/post ... Well if there wasn't the price problem I'd defentetily vote for Derbixrace but since this is a budget system my vote goes for LuigiVN!

 

[frederico]

In future please post a price limit for budget PCs

Perhaps $600 (even that is a little generous)

Like the AMD section, with the exception of one entry, these are all far too expensive to be considered budget by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[MisterJohnnyT]

Derbixrace ftw... this is very similar to my upcoming build that I've been researching for some time now

 

[elbert]

ksampanna's build needs to drop down to a 460GTX 1GB or increase the power supply Wattage to 650W.

 

[Onus]

ksampanna's build would likely win on performance at stock, but the PSU is a little too weak. It wouldn't support any kind of overclock, and would likely have a short life even as-is. Also, the Antec 300 (non-Illusion) only has one fan.

 

[sojrner]

In future please post a price limit for budget PCs

Perhaps $600 (even that is a little generous)

Like the AMD section, with the exception of one entry, these are all far too expensive to be considered budget by any stretch of the imagination.

Agreed... the top 4 are not 'budget' beyond the sense that they have a budget that is very high. There is only one on there that tries to adhere to something of a reserved spending limit. That and it really uses a solid, well-balanced build.

 

[culgor]

I voted for Derbixrace's build. ksampanna's build is nice but with two 768M cards I fear you would limit any of the benefits gained from SLI, unless playing games at a lower resolution/detail, thus negating the point of SLI in the first place.

 

[dndhatcher]

Also, the Antec 300 (non-Illusion) only has one fan.

Two fans, 140mm top and 120mm rear. Its fairly acceptable even without a front fan. Its also very common for the Illusion to be the same price or only $5 more than the 300 black model. The timing of this contest was bad for certain parts if you took sale and combo prices.


Like many others here, I did not vote for ksampana's build though it looks on paper to be the strongest. If you actually built it with those brands and models I suspect you would not be a very happy owner.

 

[guardianangel42]

I concur with what others have said. 2x $170 GTX 460s is not budget. Neither is a $200 dollar i5. seriously, with just those three parts you have already reached "budget" range. $600 dollars for a gaming rig is budget with the current rates.

That includes a HD 4870, an i5 processor, 4 gbs of ram, a psu, and the rest.

 

[deletemach_kernel]

see this
inter workstion board
i7-930
2x hd5770
600 PSU
4gB DDR3 AT 1333
24 samsumg monitor


in india

dude nilesh.....where in india do u live? really m8 how much did that config cost u

when i asked ... i7 930 was like Rs13000....tell me where did u source this stuff

 

[gollo]

LuigiVN have my vote, very nice build

 

[lunyone]

I concur with what others have said. 2x $170 GTX 460s is not budget. Neither is a $200 dollar i5. seriously, with just those three parts you have already reached "budget" range. $600 dollars for a gaming rig is budget with the current rates.

That includes a HD 4870, an i5 processor, 4 gbs of ram, a psu, and the rest.

I agree totally. A "Budget" build should be around $500 or so, that is why I voted for the most "Budget" friendly build here. I do like the CM 690 case, but it isn't the most "Budget" friendly, but it is a very nice case to say the least (I have built 2 systems off of the CM 690 case). The PSU is a bit much for a budget build, but definitely allows room for upgrades and some OC'ing too.