Build Advice Budget Gaming - Picking (used) AMD or (used) Intel CPU/Motherboard

NaClKnight

Prominent
Dec 7, 2022
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Putting together a budget gaming build for a friend. After accounting for GPU, Storage, Case, PSU, they have $200 USD left for CPU, Motherboard, and RAM. This rules out new parts, even an intel 12100 + DDR4. They're fine with buying used components but don't know what to buy, and fine with rebuilding in 2-3 years. The goal is playing now.

I quick search of ebay/Offerup/Mercari/Newegg/Amazon suggests that I'm looking at Ryzen 2600, 3600, 3300X, or perhaps an intel 8400 or 10100. Very much in the "Good enough" tier of gaming, which will be more than good enough for the games they want to play (Tekken 7, Street Fighter 5/6, King of Fighters 15, Blazblue etc at 60 fps)

I'm partial to AMD builds and confident I can find a Ryzen 3600 and b450 board within that budget, but I'm happy to hear alternatives that I might not have considered. 8400 + b360 MB? 10100 + b460?

What generation of intel CPUs can realistically run 3200 MHz or 3600 MHz DDR4 RAM?
 
Feb 12, 2023
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You could go on craigslist and find an already built machine with some decent guts and running OS for sale close by. Depending on what you find, then add a powerful new GPU and maybe some RAM.

You'll likely save time and a bit of cash.
 
Intel 6th/7th gen. onwards, any gen. can run 3200mhz with or without XMP but, that should not be the prerogative here.
The real alternatives to AMD 2nd and 3rd gen. ideally starts from Intel 10th gen. onwards. The i3 and i5 chips before 10th gen. are single threaded and better avoided.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Putting together a budget gaming build for a friend. After accounting for GPU, Storage, Case, PSU, they have $200 USD left for CPU, Motherboard, and RAM. This rules out new parts, even an intel 12100 + DDR4. They're fine with buying used components but don't know what to buy, and fine with rebuilding in 2-3 years. The goal is playing now.
For any recommendations, it would be helpful to know what parts you already have or are looking at.