$500 Gaming Build

[Lysia]

Approximate Purchase Date: next week

Budget Range: $500 before rebates

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming (specifically Wildstar and Diablo 3)

Are you buying a monitor: No

Parts to Upgrade: CPU, mobo, SSD, GPU

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: amazon.com, newegg.com

Location: San Jose, CA. USA

Parts Preferences: Intel CPU, Nvidia GPU

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 1600x900

Additional Comments: I was planning to use his 450W PSU, HDD and 4GB RAM from his old computer. Not sure if that's a good move but I was trying to limit the parts to be upgraded so I can get him a better GPU, CPU and mobo.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: My cousin wanted a gaming computer with a budget of $500. I'm helping him build one.

 

[vixl2ds]

its hard to say... if you are planning on using his 4gb ram... it might be DDR2... new mobos are all about DDR3... so you will have to check it...

well I'd guess I'd recommend the same thing I recommend to anyone on a budget...
amd FX-6300 cpu (get the gigabyte mobo on top of that... i dont remember the name... 970 something)
sapphire 260x
adata XPG SX900 128gb SSD

 

[vixl2ds]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/WN9DkL

 

[vixl2ds]

oh dammit, if you want intel nvidia then I dont even know... get a haswell i3, pretty much the cheapest one will do... as for gpu, either gtx 750, or 750ti if you will have enough money... both will do fine

 

[Lysia]

I messed up the memory part. It was a DDR2. Additional $50 shouldn't be that bad for RAM.

 

[vixl2ds]

then for ram get 1600mhz value ram.... 2 stics by 4gb ... motherboards have dual channel memory slots... so you need 2 sticks... and buying 2x4gb sticks is a little more pricey than 2x2gb sticks.. 2gb sticks will soon be obsolete

 

[z_4]

Here an alternate Intel CPU/AMD GPU based build taking into consideration that you do not intend to overclock. Also there is a power supply as well included. Feel free to ignore it , if you think that the PSU that you will be reusing is atleast 80+ certified from a decent company.

CPU : Intel i3-4150 ($125)- http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1658128
Motherboard: Asrock H61M ($60) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157451
GPU:- Sapphire R9-270 ($160) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157451
SSD: Kingston V300 240 GB ($100) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820721108
(Slightly old model but at a good bargain price , if you don't like then alt will be $80 120 GB SSD from Samsung 840 Series)
RAM: GSKill 4GB ($40) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231717 (To keep cost into consideration by incl. PSU , used one 4 GB stick , get another 4GB stick later. Alt 8GB - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231635 )
PSU- EVGA 430 80+ Certified ($40) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438015

Total (Excl. Rebates,promo): 513 USD

Rebates: $25

Hope you like it!