500-700$ Budget Mini ITX Gaming Rig

[bholmes754]

Thanks for taking the time to read my post since its asking for a lot. For starters let me just say that I am completely new to building my very own rigs, even though I have a huge passion for computers. I basically need help as far as what parts I should go with to get the best bang for my buck. So please feel free to correct and criticism me on what I've gathered so far..

Currently I have looked around and have come up with:
Case: Bitfenix Prodigy Mini ITX (up for change)
CPU: Intel i5-3570 (up for change)
Motherboard: Stumped, would Really like one with built in WiFi, but cant seem to find any that are reliable

Approximate Purchase Date: Sooner the better, within the next few months


Budget Range: Really shooting for anywhere between 500-700$


System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Movies, and other small media usage


Are you buying a monitor: Yes


Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred websites: Anywhere reliable, Newegg, Amazon, etc..

Location: Elyria, Ohio, US


Parts Preferences: I definitely would like to go Intel as I hear their i5's out preform AMD's of the same range


Overclocking: Maybe, if do-able for the right price


SLI or Crossfire: Maybe


Your Monitor Resolution: 1600x1200 would be perfect, a little lower would be fine as well

Additional Comments: I will be away at college for most of my gaming so I wanted something that is small and portable enough to take home without a hassle and I heard the Bitfenix is quite awesome for that. I have a laptop right now for my school stuff, so this rig will be almost completely for gaming (if not, maybe web surfing and other small stuff). I would like it to run today's more modern games such as BF3, The Old Republic, Starcraft II and such on anywhere from Medium to Ultra settings without a problem if possible. Like I've said, I am fairly new to this so please give me advice. Thanks again for taking the time to help me out!

 

[sooyong94]

Thanks for taking the time to read my post since its asking for a lot. For starters let me just say that I am completely new to building my very own rigs, even though I have a huge passion for computers. So please feel free to correct and criticism me on what I've gathered so far..

Currently I have looked around and have chosen:
Case: Bitfenix Prodigy Mini ITX (up for change)
CPU: Intel i5-3570 (up for change)
Motherboard: Stumped, would Really like one with built in WiFi, but cant seem to find any that are reliable

Approximate Purchase Date: Sooner the better, within the next few months


Budget Range: Really shooting for anywhere between 500-700$


System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Movies, and other small media usage


Are you buying a monitor: Yes


Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred websites: Anywhere reliable, Newegg, Amazon, etc..

Location: Elyria, Ohio, US


Parts Preferences: I definitely would like to go Intel as I hear their i5's out preform AMD's of the same range


Overclocking: Maybe, if do-able for the right price


SLI or Crossfire: Maybe


Your Monitor Resolution: 1600x1200 would be perfect, a little lower would be fine as well

Additional Comments: I will be away at college for most of my gaming so I wanted something that is small and portable enough to take home without a hassle and I heard the Bitfenix is quite awesome for that. I have a laptop right now for my school stuff, so this rig will be almost completely for gaming (if not, maybe web surfing and other small stuff). I would like it to run today's more modern games such as BF3, The Old Republic, Starcraft II and such on anywhere from Medium to Ultra settings without a problem if possible. Like I've said, I am fairly new to this so please give me advice. Thanks again for taking the time to help me out!

From what I've known, the Bitfenix Prodigy is massive for a mini-ITX case.... There are microATX cases that are smaller than that. Take a look at the Silverstone SUGO SG09 instead. It is smaller than the Prodigy, despite it's a microATX case. (23 liters, which is in fact smaller than the Prodigy, 26 litres) If portability is a concern, take a look at the Sugo SG05/SG08. (very small ITX cases that comes with a PSU).

 

[bholmes754]

From what I've known, the Bitfenix Prodigy is massive for a mini-ITX case.... There are microATX cases that are smaller than that. Take a look at the Silverstone SUGO SG09 instead. It is smaller than the Prodigy, despite it's a microATX case. (23 liters, which is in fact smaller than the Prodigy, 26 litres) If portability is a concern, take a look at the Sugo SG05/SG08. (very small ITX cases that comes with a PSU).

Oh okay thanks for the info! I do like the Silverstone Sugo SG09 and I might actually go with it instead. I was mostly interested in the prodigy because of the look lol but im not sure if I really want to go as small as the SG05/08s. Whichever case I decide on, my biggest thing is that I'm lost when it comes to what other parts I should go with

 

[Coldice54]

The i5 will be too expensive for a 500-700 USD price range. I would also rather go with a MicroATX. I have a pdf with a build I made in google docs I could upload here as well.

 

[bholmes754]

The i5 will be too expensive for a 500-700 USD price range. I would also rather go with a MicroATX. I have a pdf with a build I made in google docs I could upload here as well.

Yes could I see the build?

 

[Goodeggray]

If you live near Columbus OH you can get the i5 3570k for $170 and the Asrock Z77e-itx mobo for $145 and if bought you sale additional $40. The cpu and mobo for$275. Newegg has a lian li pc-Q18a itx case for $75. The case is silver aluminum and the Asrock is one of the few itx mobo that will allow overclocking.

 

[Coldice54]

GPU Sapphire Radeon 7770- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102993

CPU i3-2105 Dual Core Processor LGA 1155 - http://www.amazon.com/Intel-I3-2105-Dual-Core-Processor-Cache/dp/B0051YS85O/ref=sr_1_16?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1356851638&sr=1-16&keywords=intel+i3

Case - CM Elite 430 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119227

Motherboard ASUS P8Z77-V LK - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131837

Power supply Antec NEO ECO 400W PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371029
Memory Kingston Hyper X Blu 4 GB 1600 Mhz - http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-1600MHz-Non-ECC-KHX1600C9D3B1-4G/dp/B0057Q4AGW/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1356852405&sr=1-2&keywords=4+GB+ram+1600

Hard Drive Seagate Barracuda 1 TB - http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Barracuda-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST500DM002/dp/B005CT56R6/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1356852548&sr=1-3&keywords=500gb+hard+drive

Monitor Acer G5 Full HD Monitor - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009442&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=4238077&SID=skim7917X667306X230a1768832a426da70fdf6062cfa39c

Keyboard - Do you need one?

Mouse - Do you need one?

Optical Drive ASUS Optical Drive 24x DVD-RW - http://www.amazon.com/Asus-24xDVD-RW-Serial-Internal-DRW-24B1ST/dp/B0033Z2BAQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1356854193&sr=1-1&keywords=optical+drive

The monitor is reliable, and is only 100 dollars for full HD

After rebates and savings, the total is 693.56.

 

[Coldice54]

You won't be able to max out most of these games, but probably can go to medium. If you want to go to high you will have to have at least an 800 dollar build, probably 900-1000.

 

[Onus]

I have an ASRock Z77E-ITX (currently inactive). It has built-in wireless, AND a mSATA slot on its underside (which is great for a SSD). BUT...if you use the mSATA slot, it may obstruct the mounting area for the backplate of an aftermarket cooler.
Be VERY CAREFUL of heat in a mini-ITX box; not just of the CPU, but of the whole system. The reason my mini-ITX board is inactive is because it is actually a return from an RMA of the same board, which may have overheated during a gaming session. The system was stock, but my HD7870 was radiating a lot of heat into my little case. I would strongly suggest getting a graphics card that exhausts its heat, such as one of the HIS "Black Hole" cooler models like this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161424 which ought to just fit into your budget.

 

[Onus]

Coldice, you've specified an ATX mobo for a microATX case.

 

[bholmes754]

If you live near Columbus OH you can get the i5 3570k for $170 and the Asrock Z77e-itx mobo for $145 and if bought you sale additional $40. The cpu and mobo for$275. Newegg has a lian li pc-Q18a itx case for $75. The case is silver aluminum and the Asrock is one of the few itx mobo that will allow overclocking.

Wow the i5 deal sounds great. Could you link where you found it??

You won't be able to max out most of these games, but probably can go to medium. If you want to go to high you will have to have at least an 800 dollar build, probably 900-1000.

hmm. My pops just built himself a rig for Christmas. He said he spent just almost 700 on it. But all I know he has is an i5-3570k and the Bitfenix prodigy case so he must have gotten some parts on super sale.

I have an ASRock Z77E-ITX (currently inactive). It has built-in wireless, AND a mSATA slot on its underside (which is great for a SSD). BUT...if you use the mSATA slot, it may obstruct the mounting area for the backplate of an aftermarket cooler.
Be VERY CAREFUL of heat in a mini-ITX box; not just of the CPU, but of the whole system. The reason my mini-ITX board is inactive is because it is actually a return from an RMA of the same board, which may have overheated during a gaming session. The system was stock, but my HD7870 was radiating a lot of heat into my little case. I would strongly suggest getting a graphics card that exhausts its heat, such as one of the HIS "Black Hole" cooler models like this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161424 which ought to just fit into your budget.

Yeah exactly. That's the biggest thing my pops warned me about too. His is mostly for work, but he does game from time to time so its not as stressful on the system. He told me I might be able to build one close to the same price range that can run games close to High and suggested I shoot for the Bitfenix case and try to get at least the i5 3550 or 3570. The graphics card does seem like an option, though it is a bit more, I'll do some more research on it but has there been any know issues? there doesn't seem to be many ratings on it

 

[Goodeggray]

Go to microcenter.com.

 

[amdfangirl]

Keep in mind the Prodigy is about as large as the microATX Coolermaster 431.

 

[bholmes754]

Best answer selected by bholmes754.

 

[Coldice54]

I put the wrong MoBo, you mgiht not want to buy that since it will only fit an ATX case, unless you are ok with that

 

[Coldice54]

Nvm, the elite 430 is ATX as well, but get a 431 if you want USB 3.0. That is, for the front ports.

 

[Coldice54]

However, keep in mind this will not be as easy to carry as the bitfenix prodigy, but will not have the same heat problems.