Build Advice A $475 Budget Build for a family member, how good is it?

TheUltraMarine

Distinguished
Sep 24, 2016
131
3
18,715
So my cousin has been looking to build or at least get a gaming PC, currently he is running a system with Windows 7, a low powered AMD CPU with integrated graphics, and I can't even remember how low his ram is, long story short, it's not powerful, so I wanted to put together a parts list that is capable of pushing 1080p 60fps for about $475. Here's the list:
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i3-9100F 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($74.99 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI B365M PRO-VDH Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($74.98 @ Amazon)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 Blackout 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($41.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500 GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($27.96 @ Amazon)
Video Card: XFX Radeon RX 570 8 GB Video Card ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill FBM-X2 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($34.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: be quiet! Pure Power 11 400 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($58.49 @ Amazon)
Custom: Windows 10 G2A Key (Lowest Price) ($21.83)
Total: $475.22
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-05-22 19:46 EDT-0400
 
Last edited:

ThatSourMelon

Commendable
Apr 21, 2019
363
12
1,715
Is he using it purely for gaming? Because an AMD CPU at the same price point will beat Intel at literally everything except gaming, and if you want to upgrade with Intel then you will have to get a new Motherboard for most recent and future generations, while AMD is still using the same Chipset (until 4th gen, but after that, it's more of the same), so AMD has the most upgradability, also Intel 10th gen is releasing very soon anyway. Also you can get some reliable 8gb RAM at the same speed for cheaper at https://pcpartpicker.com/mr/amazon/XHc48d, and it's 1 stick too (I recommend 16gb though, maybe an upgrade for the future). Also, for recent builds, I recommend getting an SSD, even if it's a lot less storage than an HDD, especially for gaming. If you have the budget, or find one for the same price (even at less storage) I recommend changing that first.
 

TheUltraMarine

Distinguished
Sep 24, 2016
131
3
18,715
Is he using it purely for gaming? Because an AMD CPU at the same price point will beat Intel at literally everything except gaming, and if you want to upgrade with Intel then you will have to get a new Motherboard for most recent and future generations, while AMD is still using the same Chipset (until 4th gen, but after that, it's more of the same), so AMD has the most upgradability, also Intel 10th gen is releasing very soon anyway. Also you can get some reliable 8gb RAM at the same speed for cheaper at https://pcpartpicker.com/mr/amazon/XHc48d, and it's 1 stick too (I recommend 16gb though, maybe an upgrade for the future). Also, for recent builds, I recommend getting an SSD, even if it's a lot less storage than an HDD, especially for gaming. If you have the budget, or find one for the same price (even at less storage) I recommend changing that first.
I was considering getting an AMD CPU instead, but if we're to consider one that was within the same price point, let's say the Ryzen 3 1400 (14nm), which is the older version with older architecture clocked at 3.1 GHz, which would theoretically be slower. But only ONE stick of RAM? That would entirely disregard dual-channel memory, making it less efficient than if I were to use two sticks. I also specifically went with an HDD because an SSD at this budget would be very bad quality and a lot less storage than what he needs.
 

Latest posts