Build It: Picking Parts For Your Kid's Entry-Level Gaming PC
Does your child always want to use your PC? Is it time to build him his own? If you don't trust the tier-one vendors to sell you a well-balanced machine, you'll be happy to know that you can piece together your own entry-level box for less than $450.
Benchmark Results: Without Discrete Graphics
We know from personal experience and stories we've published in the past that AMD's APU generally offer passable 3D graphics. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the HD Graphics engine in Intel's Pentium and Celeron processors, which is even slower than the Core i3’s HD Graphics 2000. Naturally, we wonder how the Intel-based builds will fare in our gaming benchmarks. We have to use DirectX 9-based tests because Intel's graphics hardware is not DirectX 11-capable.
Integrated Graphics Benchmarks
We’re looking at several game-based metrics to get a general idea of what we can expect from our entry-level builds. In Crysis 2, the machine hosting an AMD A8-3850 is almost able to deliver playable performance. However, it slows down appreciably in large battles. The game is simply unplayable on the other three builds.
We used two different maps for our StarCraft II benchmark. As long as the scenario isn't CPU-limited, meaning it has fewer units on-screen, integrated graphics are our bottleneck. As soon as there are a lot of units on the map, the CPU holds up performance. Interestingly, this effect is much more pronounced on AMD's APUs, indicating that Intel’s Pentiums and Celerons are better able to cope with StarCraft II, but constrained by their anemic graphics (something we've seen many times in the past).
The performance story will get even more interesting, we suspect, when we start looking at the results with a discrete card installed.
For now, StarCraft II is playable on the AMD-based builds when there aren't too many units on the map. It's barely tolerable on the Intel-based configurations.
We witnessed a few glitches from the systems with Intel's Pentium and Celeron processors in DiRT 3 (transparent textures, for example). Other than that, the game ran on our Sandy Bridge-based setups. That doesn't mean they were playable, though. One again, AMD's two APUs did quite a bit better.
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Last, we went back to a DirectX 9-based classic: Grand Theft Auto IV. Despite its reputation as a processor-limited title, AMD’s A8-3850 is the only contender able to generate playable frame rates.
Bottom Line
AMD’s A8-3850 makes it possible to play certain games at up to 1280x720. The other three candidates fall short.
Even though Intel’s graphics drivers have come a long way to improve image quality, stability, and game compatibility, the company's entry-level hardware (especially) just isn't good enough for gaming. So, if you're looking for a basic build with even some 3D potential, Intel's Pentium and Celeron processors on their own are simply insufficient. In fact, even AMD's A6 is a little light on gaming performance. Instead, the A8-3850 is the way to go.
Maybe Intel's offerings will fare better complemented by discrete graphics, since HD Graphics seem to be the design's weakest attribute (as we saw in StarCraft II).
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velocityg4 Interesting, but I'm assuming most parents that build there own computers, game and read toms hardware would be better suited just giving their kids their old gaming PC's. Since many this enthusiastic will already be replacing them every couple of years. Now they have another excuse to replace them and their kids get computers made from former high end and quality parts that are still very fast and more than capable of playing any kids games and edutacational/edutainment software.Reply
Although I say just give them an Apple IIe so they can learn on what we learned on in school. -
s3anister velocityg4Interesting, but I'm assuming most parents that build there own computers, game and read toms hardware would be better suited just giving their kids their old gaming PC's.I see the reasoning in this, however, for someone like myself I found this an interesting article; as I'm actually about to build a computer for my nieces and they do not need a fully featured gaming rig. It doesn't make sense to give them a machine that doesn't suit their needs and I'm sure many other parents/uncles/aunts are in the same boat.Reply -
JOSHSKORN or at that age, you could just buy an Android tablet or an overpriced iCraplet. Both probably support AngryBirds or other games and you can take them along to trips, dinners, church and other events to shut them up.Reply -
belardo JOSHSKORNor at that age, you could just buy an Android tablet or an overpriced iCraplet. Both probably support AngryBirds or other games and you can take them along to trips, dinners, church and other events to shut them up. So show me a top of the line Android tablet that costs less than the "overpriced" iPad...Reply
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Maximus_Delta iCrap (something for the fashion victims & super creative types to show off whilst sipping their skinny lattes in starbucks whilst facebooking their friends about the fact that are in starbucks, having lattes, and got a new iPad / macbook)Reply -
belardo What *YOU* do is hand your kid the OLD computer when you upgrade. But yeah, since about the age of 1 and a half, my son has had his own PC... keeps if off ours. He did damage his CRT monitor with paint - which was somewhat cleaned up. Fine. His first was a client's out-dated Pentium III-1Ghz which he paid $2500 when it was NEW. Then he got a compaq handme down from mom.Reply
Today, age 7: AMD X4 CPU, 4GB RAM, ATI 4670 card I built from various parts. I use it for background work since its so powerful. He does his educational and game software on it.
When I was age 7, the Apple II was just released and most people didn't know what one was. It wasn't until 1980 that we started seeing these $1200~3000 computers... usually in the school library with 1 or 2 units. My 1985 PC: 1-2Mhz 128k RAM, 360k floppy drive system with a monitor was $900+. I still have it and it works. I forgot how to use it.
Suggestions when building a PC for 3~8 year olds: buy a logitech notebook mouse ($15~20) as these are smaller but perfect for little hands. Use a cheap keyboard as kids tend to be messy and destroy them. if they are real young (1~3yrs old) try to get your hands on a CRT. Harder to knock over, costs $0~5 if you can find one.
Also, a $200~250 netbook makes a good "notebook" for young kids (4~9 years old). Or give your kid your old notebook. My kid was given a 17" notebook a friend gave away when he upgraded.
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acerace 9534995 said:So show me a top of the line Android tablet that costs less than the "overpriced" iPad...
You're feeding the troll, genius. :heink: -
JohnnyLucky Leave out the bling and dedicated video card for a basic pc for grandma and grandpa! I've already built a couple for senior citizens who are not gamers.Reply
BTW - there is an option to dedicate some of the memory to the integrated graphics. I installed inexpensive 8GB memory and dedicated 2GB to the graphics. What I don't know is if it makes a real difference. Would that help gamers? -
amdfangirl JohnnyLuckyLeave out the bling and dedicated video card for a basic pc for grandma and grandpa! I've already built a couple for senior citizens who are not gamers. BTW - there is an option to dedicate some of the memory to the integrated graphics. I installed inexpensive 8GB memory and dedicated 2GB to the graphics. What I don't know is if it makes a real difference. Would that help gamers?More or less dependant on the speed of the RAM.Reply -
Proximon After all that build up a cheap PSU is used based entirely on claims written on the box. No reviews exist and apparently Cooler Master knows it's junk because they haven't bothered to get it certified by 80plus.Reply