[SOLVED] Budget Gaming System for the Wife

[Axyle]

My wife doesn't do much gaming, but the little she does is starting to outpace her PC, so she needs a small upgrade.

Approximate Purchase Date: As soon as we have the money, just need to know an approximate amount of how much we will need.

Budget Range: As cheap as we can get it realistically

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Overwatch 2, Fallguys, Town of Salem, Surfing the internet/creating social media posts

Are you buying a monitor: No

Parts to Upgrade: (e.g.: CPU, mobo, RAM) Include Power Supply Make & Model If Re-using

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Amazon, but newegg is fine as well

Location: Saint Louis Missouri

Parts Preferences: None

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Video card is so old its not getting driver support anymore, can't log into Fallguys or Overwatch 2, but can log into Overwatch 1. She's just overdue for a new PC but doesn't strain them enough or care enough to go passed a budget PC

This is the build I came up with on the fly, but I know the posters here are much better at this than I am.

CPU: Intel Core i3-10100F 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($69.98 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS10X Performa CPU Cooler ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI H510M-A PRO Micro ATX LGA1200 Motherboard ($79.98 @ Amazon)
Memory: Silicon Power GAMING 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($44.97 @ Amazon)
Storage: TEAMGROUP MS30 512 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($32.49 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6 GB SC ULTRA GAMING Video Card ($212.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Deepcool MACUBE 110 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($59.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Smart BX1 550 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($35.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $566.36
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-09-10 16:46 EDT-0400

 

[Darkbreeze]

What are her CURRENT full hardware specs?

Please include, as closely as possible, the FULL model numbers for each component, ie, exact PSU model, CPU, etc.

 

[Axyle]

Its a Dell XPS prebuilt handed down to her from her sister.

Device manager says:

GPU: AMD Radeon 7500 series ATI-102-C33402(B or 8 cant tell) (Drivers are no longer being developed for it)
CPU: i7-3770 3.40 GHz
Power Supply: HU460AD-01
Memory: 4x4gb I just added 2 in february that are DDR3 1600 MHz Patriot Signature, I can't tell what the old ones are

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yep, nothing there that can be reused. Unfortunately.

What is the resolution of the monitor she will be using, assuming just one monitor of course? What are her expectations for in game settings? For example, is she a lower framerate player who likes to have ALL the eye candy or a more competitive type player who doesn't care too much about the eye candy but likes to see a bazillion FPS, or something in between?

 

[Axyle]

The monitor is 1920x1080. She doesn't have any expectations. Just wants the games she plays to run and not lag. She doesn't care about anything passed that really. Thats one of the reasons shes getting a budget pc and not a decked out one like mine.

 

[Darkbreeze]

So, this is a few bucks more than what you put together, and I was looking at the possibility of going with a Ryzen 5600G with it's integrated graphics instead of a discreet graphics card but I wasn't sure if that was going to be good enough. It does ok but can struggle in some games at 1080p.

But this is worth spending a few bucks more on. Much better motherboard. Much better memory. Better SSD. Better case with more room to work in while building. Way better power supply than that BX1. And a couple of Be Quiet pure wings case fans to be used in front as intake fans. None of this hardware is particularly high TDP but without some airflow even the 1660 super and 10100F are going to suffer. I also did not include a CPU cooler because the stock cooler that comes with the 10100F is sufficient for that CPU, and if you find it isn't good enough for you you can always add a cooler fairly easily later. If you do, avoid the Zalman coolers. They used to be a popular company back in the day, but that was long ago and they are far outshined by products from other companies these days, without all the "what the heck is that!" type designs Zalman is known for.

I really don't think you'll have any problems with cooling but if you do I'm happy to suggest a good budget cooler for you as well.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i3-10100F 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($69.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B560M AORUS PRO AX Micro ATX LGA1200 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($52.49 @ Newegg)
Storage: TEAMGROUP MP33 512 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($33.49 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6 GB SC ULTRA GAMING Video Card ($212.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cougar MX330-G ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower GX2 600 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: be quiet! Pure Wings 2 87 CFM 120 mm Fan ($10.90 @ ModMyMods)
Case Fan: be quiet! Pure Wings 2 87 CFM 120 mm Fan ($10.90 @ ModMyMods)
Total: $590.72
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-09-11 17:27 EDT-0400

 

[Axyle]

Okay, thanks!

 

[Darkbreeze]

👍