$500-600 gaming build: not sure to pick up ATX or MicroATX

[MinhQL]

I stay in college dorm so there is a little space for stuffs. I really want to go with a MicroATX Mini Tower case to save some space for myself. But I'm worried about the heat issue and air flow.

I'm still collecting parts. I want to play Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghost, FarCry 3, Crysis 3. I want to stay at $500 but that is nearly impossible so I decide to go to $600 for this build

This is what I have in mind right now. Feel free to edit it. I don't mind spending some few more dollars.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock 960GM/U3S3 FX Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($53.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7850 1GB Video Card ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill FBM-01 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: CoolMax 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $512.91
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-03 03:53 EST-0500)

 

[KillerGamer]

Go for an HD7870. Also, ATX is better.

 

[MinhQL]

Yeah I know ATX is better. But I stay in campus so I want to save space. So do you have any recommendation for motherboard and case (both ATX and microATX)

Ok. I make some change from the 7850 to 7870 GHZ version

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($109.99 @ TigerDirect)
Motherboard: ASRock 960GM/U3S3 FX Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($53.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card ($192.55 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill FBM-01 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: CoolMax 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $575.47
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-01-03 13:28 EST-0500)

 

[KillerGamer]

Save some bucks by getting a WD Caviar Green as they both are almost the same and for a budget build, you won't notice a difference. Look for 1x8GB RAM stick as you may have to scrap the 2x4GB if your motherboard doesn't have 4 RAM slots. Don't bother about a case on a budget build. Also, whenever you overclock, make sure you get a nice aftermarket cooler. Hope this helped

 

[MinhQL]

Well. I don't overclock (in the future maybe but definitely not now).
Why do I have to use 4 RAM slot? I thought I only need 2 RAM slot for 2x4GB?

 

[MinhQL]

And I can buy the Caviar Blue cheaper than Caviar Green.
2x4Gb is for using dual channel.
If I go with 1 stick of 8GB, I might consider go with another RAM stick in the future

 

[KillerGamer]

Well. I don't overclock (in the future maybe but definitely not now).
Why do I have to use 4 RAM slot? I thought I only need 2 RAM slot for 2x4GB?

It's better for the future.

 

[KillerGamer]

And I can buy the Caviar Blue cheaper than Caviar Green.
2x4Gb is for using dual channel.
If I go with 1 stick of 8GB, I might consider go with another RAM stick in the future

Prices change constantly and so when I checked the build, WDC Green was cheaper.

 

[leeb2013]

ATX as they allow you to SLI/Xfire and still have a slot between the cards. If space is an issue, go for a tower and put it on the floor. The height different with an ATX case vs uATX, if there is any, will be small and it'll simply be using space above the case.