Budget AMD build... Is it good?

[EvilByTheNugget]

I have an craptastic HP laptop that cant really play games on it and can't do much of anything else, so I decided to go on pcpartpicker.com to make a new computer, and I wanted I budget under $650, and since Intel is expensive, I decided to use AMD, I have the build below (I somehow crammed a 960 in)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($68.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A88M EXTREME4+ Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($78.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 960 2GB Video Card ($184.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($40.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($50.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($46.39 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.89 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm Fan (Purchased For $0.00)
Case Fan: Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm Fan ($6.89 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm Fan ($6.89 @ OutletPC)
Speakers: Logitech LS21 7W 2.1ch Speakers ($26.99 @ Amazon)
Other: Ubuntu install DVD ($5.49)
Total: $627.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-18 10:47 EST-0500
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Is the build any good? Will it play games at a stable rate? Does it need any changes?

 

[aeko97]

I have an craptastic HP laptop that cant really play games on it and can't do much of anything else, so I decided to go on pcpartpicker.com to make a new computer, and I wanted I budget under $650, and since Intel is expensive, I decided to use AMD, I have the build below (I somehow crammed a 960 in)

[url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/vrCcJx]PCPartPicker part list[/url] / [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/vrCcJx/by_merchant/]Price breakdown by merchant[/url]

[b]CPU:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-ad860kxbjabox]AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor[/url]  ($68.89 @ OutletPC) 
[b]Motherboard:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-fm2a88mextreme4]ASRock FM2A88M EXTREME4+ Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard[/url]  ($78.98 @ Newegg) 
[b]Memory:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f31600c9d8gab]G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory[/url]  ($29.99 @ Newegg) 
[b]Storage:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex]Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive[/url]  ($49.98 @ OutletPC) 
[b]Video Card:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-gtx9602gd5toc]MSI GeForce GTX 960 2GB Video Card[/url]  ($184.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
[b]Case:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-nse200kkn1]Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case[/url]  ($40.99 @ NCIX US) 
[b]Power Supply:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seasonic-power-supply-s12ii520bronze]SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply[/url]  ($50.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
[b]Optical Drive:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/lg-optical-drive-wh14ns40]LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer[/url]  ($46.39 @ OutletPC) 
[b]Wireless Network Adapter:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-wireless-network-card-gcwb867di]Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter[/url]  ($29.89 @ OutletPC) 
[b]Case Fan:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-fan-r4l2r20agr2]Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm  Fan[/url]  (Purchased For $0.00) 
[b]Case Fan:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-fan-r4l2r20agr2]Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm  Fan[/url]  ($6.89 @ OutletPC) 
[b]Case Fan:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-case-fan-r4l2r20agr2]Cooler Master SickleFlow 69.7 CFM 120mm  Fan[/url]  ($6.89 @ OutletPC) 
[b]Speakers:[/b] [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/logitech-speakers-980000058]Logitech LS21 7W 2.1ch Speakers[/url]  ($26.99 @ Amazon) 
[b]Other:[/b] Ubuntu install DVD ($5.49)
[b]Total:[/b] $627.35
[i]Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available[/i]
[i]Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-18 10:18 EST-0500[/i]

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Is the build any good? Will it play games at a stable rate? Does it need any changes?

Yes. That budget is the beast in my opinion for a budget rig. Just one tip: If you are planning on improving it at some point, I'd recommend you going for a AM3 socket motherboard / cpu since the Athlon X4 860K goes for one of the best FM2+ CPUs in my opinion. It is close to the AMD FX 4300 (AM3 socket) one perfomance-wise and it costs just about almost the same I think. If you got that, eventually you could upgrade to a better AM3 CPU in the future but that's just a thought. Everything looks great and will work just spot on altogether. Best of luck!

 

[QuadRings]

I wouldnt go AM3. Those processors will be dead in a few months, and since you want MATX, there is no good motherboard for them. None. Seriously. They are all bad for overclocking. Id stick with FM2 and upgrade to a new socket later. Good build overall though

 

[QuadRings]

Even better after I checked the link. This thing with the speakers and stuff only costs $587! That is some good price to performance, especially since there is about $50 or more of unneeded stuff. That's probably all ya need for 1080p today.

 

[geofelt]

I think not.
There is no cpu upgrade path for your build.
For gaming, the X4-860K is bested by the G3258:
http://www.techspot.com/review/1017-best-budget-gaming-cpu/

Here is my stock discussion for a budget build:

------------------------------ budget skylake build ---------------------------
For a budget gaming build, I like to recommend that one builds for future expandability.
That means paying a bit more up front for some parts that allow for an easier future upgrade.
A good rule of thumb is to budgettwice as much for the graphics card than for the cpu.

Let me start where you might not expect:

1. Buy a good 500w psu or better. 500w will run a card as good as a GTX970. 600w will run a GTX980ti.
Future graphics cards will be built on smaller 14nm so they should not need more power than today.
I would normally suggest Seasonic 620w: Expect to pay around $65.
Look for a tier 1 or 2 quality unit on a list such as this:
https://community.newegg.com/eggxpert/computer_hardware/f/135081/t/45344.aspx?Redirected=true

2. Buy a Z170 based motherboard. Z170 will allow you to install a overclockable cpu and even permit a future Kaby lake processor upgrade.
You should find one for under $100. Lesser lga1151 chipsets will work for the truly budget constrained but at the expense of future upgrade optiions.
Here is a M-ATX example: ASRock Z170M Pro4S for $99: http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm

3. I suggest a I3-6100 @3.7. About $130. If you are truly budget limited, you can buy a g4400 dual core for $60.
In time, you can upgrade to any I3/I5/I7 cpu that you want and market theoriginal processor.

4. The intel stock cooler will do the job. Skylake runs cool.
If you want, you can use a cryorig H7 cooler with a 120mm fan. $35. It will be quieter.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4UF2DZ6565
One can always add a cpu cooler later.

5. For ram, speed is not important. Buy a 8gb kit of 2 x 4gb DDR4 1.2v 2133 speed ram.
Avout $40 for this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148858
Heat spreaders are marketing and generally useless.
Faster ram is not worth it for skylake:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1478-page1.html

6. Cases are a personal thing. Buy one you love. Most will do the job for <$50.
Here is a silverstone PS08 for $35:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163223

7. The graphics card is the most important component for gaming.
I like the GTX750ti and EVGA as a brand.
Here is a superclock version:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
You could go stronger in the video card if your budget permits and your games need it.
On the other hand, you could build using the integrated 530 graphics which is quite good and see how you do.
By deferring on the graphics card, you will get a better idea of what you really need.
Integrated is fine for sims, but not fast action games.
8. Lastly, I will never build again without a SSD for the "C" drive. It makes everything you do so much quicker. 120gb will hold the OS and a handful of games.
With 240gb you may never need a hard drive at all. Defer on a hard drive until your ssd approaches 90% full.
Currently, I like samsung 850 EVO best.

-------------good luck------------

 

[QuadRings]

A. Who builds with an SSD at this price, not worth it
B. The G4440 is dual core, and therefore highly obsolete. Some games dont work anymore on dual cores
C. Giving up a 960 for an SSD and a slightly better processor is just stupid. How an i3 with a crappy GPU is worth it over an AMD that will run any game today and a powerful GPU I dont get.
D. "Budget twice as much for graphics as processor" 750Ti=$90, i3=$130
E. By the time the 860K is absolutely useless (Remember, Overclockable Quad Core), the next Intel socket will probably be out.

 

[EvilByTheNugget]

I wont be overiding until the cpu becomes REALLY obsulete, and the x4 is pretty good once you overclock it. I didnt want an Intel because a really good ones are over $200, and a G3258 is only dual core and for it's price you can get a qaud core AMD.

I also do not want an SSD

 

[geofelt]

Re: a ssd.
Ask ANYONE who has a ssd if they would ever build again without one.

On the build, it is fine, so long as the X4-860K will do the job.
Once the cpu will no longer cut it, both the cpu and the motherboard need to be changed out.

 

[QuadRings]

If you dont need an SSD, try this
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($68.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A88M EXTREME4+ Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($58.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 960 2GB Video Card ($164.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($40.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($50.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: LG WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($46.39 @ OutletPC)
Wireless Network Adapter: Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($29.89 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Xigmatek CLF-F1253 68.3 CFM 120mm Fan ($5.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Xigmatek CLF-F1253 68.3 CFM 120mm Fan ($5.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Masscool FD12025B1H3/4 81.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($4.89 @ OutletPC)
Other: Ubuntu via USB ($0.00)
Total: $557.96