Building A Balanced Intel-Based MicroATX Gaming PC On A Budget

[kamhagh]

coolest best motherboard place of all time!

 

[kamhagh]

budget case for billgates?! water cooling and sdd:|

 

[SkyBill40]

That case sure leaves a lot to be desired in terms of appearance. If it cools well, that's great... but it wouldn't be for me. Cheap doesn't have to equate to hideous.

 

[g-unit1111]

Here's how I would do a budget build based around Cooler Master's excellent N200 case:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($67.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($31.87 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($78.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($86.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked Video Card ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12G 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($15.00 @ Newegg)
Total: $669.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-06 17:44 EDT-0400

 

[filippi]

w/ that money i think i could build two rigs

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($67.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper TX3 54.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($16.98 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI H81M-E33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 265 2GB Video Card ($107.50 @ Newegg)
Case: Thermaltake VL80001W2Z ATX Mid Tower Case ($24.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer ($13.50 @ Newegg)
Total: $431.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-06 20:59 EDT-0400

 

[TheMentalist]

Here's how I would do a budget build based around Cooler Master's excellent N200 case:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($67.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($31.87 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($78.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($86.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked Video Card ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12G 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($15.00 @ Newegg)
Total: $669.79
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-06 17:44 EDT-0400

I second that case, amazing for the price.

 

[RedJaron]

Since the two 16x PCIe slots are amply spaced, a CrossFire setup seems possible.

Unless MSI has done something tricky, I don't believe the H97 chipset can split the PCIe for real-world multi-GPU setups. That bottom slot is only PCIe 2.0 x8. Yes, technically Crossfire is supported, but that's only because AMD certifies a x16/x4 split acceptable. SLI requires at least x8/x8. Even if the bottom headers weren't an issue, you're not going to get decent XFire working on anything but a Z board.

 

[Raheel Hasan]

that case looks like some kind of a steam engine

 

[Nuckles_56]

Since the two 16x PCIe slots are amply spaced, a CrossFire setup seems possible.

Unless MSI has done something tricky, I don't believe the H97 chipset can split the PCIe for real-world multi-GPU setups. That bottom slot is only PCIe 2.0 x8. Yes, technically Crossfire is supported, but that's only because AMD certifies a x16/x4 split acceptable. SLI requires at least x8/x8. Even if the bottom headers weren't an issue, you're not going to get decent XFire working on anything but a Z board.

The other catch is that with the card that they put in there, (the gtx 750ti) it doesn't support SLI anyway

 

[m32]

This guy is worrying about the case and cooling too much. Spend more on best bang-for-buck and less on crap you don't need.

 

[Christopher1]

AIO watercooler, $100 case, $150 SSD in a budget build? Nice joke.

Not a joke. A budget build for most people is under 400 dollars. You can get the motherboard, graphics card, etc. for 150 dollars in a package if you are savvy enough.
A better thing to call this might be a budget enthusiast case.

 

[Guest]

I would go with i3 + stock cooler for a budget pc lose the ssd and replace the 750ti with 270 or 270x.But that's just me

 

[ralanahm]

honestly I have helped friends build some more then fast enough cheap pc's and you can save a ton using about half used parts. like I have seen CPU last decades one PC from a year or so ago ended up under $400 with a WIE over 7 not that is the only thing but he just swapped to a new 770 he found with rebates for under 250 and now he plays any game on the tv at 1080p with everything max he is happy as heck and even his wife was proud of him being that is not the most technical.

 

[masmotors]

worst idea ever make it a cheap case and i5 or cheaper case and fx 8320 but i5 would be better than that weak cpu

 

[terroralpha]

the guy who wrote this, Igor, needs to get fired. if he wasn't paid to do this, hire him then IMMEDIATELY fire him and bad him from this website.

you have to be completely BRAIN DEAD and just totally retarded to stick a water cooling unit on a intel pentium CPU. i have intel's latest 5930K CPU, overcloked to 4.2GHZ and air cooled just fine.

and $100 on a budget build case? you can get a good enough microATX case for $30-$40.

 

[Onus]

Ok, I can let the case slide; I personally don't like it, but whatever, it's such a subjective, personal-preference item.

I will not, however, consider a G3258 until/unless stuttering turns out not to be a problem; I've heard that it is, so please convince me that it isn't, before recommending this CPU for games.

 

[TheMentalist]

AIO watercooler, $100 case, $150 SSD in a budget build? Nice joke.

Not a joke. A budget build for most people is under 400 dollars. You can get the motherboard, graphics card, etc. for 150 dollars in a package if you are savvy enough.
A better thing to call this might be a budget enthusiast case.

The title says "well balanced". This clearly isn't. I know the case can be a personal choice, but not in an article like this.

 

[g-unit1111]

I second that case, amazing for the price.

I have one that I built around a bunch of spare parts that I had and I'm planning to turn it into a server. It really is an excellent case for the $40 I paid for it. SSD support, plenty of drive bays, and can house a full size PSU. Not too shabby.

 

[LookItsRain]

Budget? Whats your definition of budget? This build has so much wasted money all over it.

 

[noobzilla771]

The moment I saw a $100 case and water cooling on a "budget" micro-ATX with a $75 CPU... that is just plain (&$(*#@&$)(@#. I'm glad the author isn't handling my finances. Like holy &*($#)@)($&

 

[BlasterX]

If someone would waste 100$ on a PC build, he should rather get the Fractal Design Define R4 or Corsair R400, not this POS.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Ok, let me see if I understand this correctly. This article is supposed to be about a budget gaming build but there aren't any grand totals or price breakdowns for the entire build like there should be. There are also no charts whatsoever of gaming performance, again, like there should be. It seems to me that Tom's Hardware has done this kind of article before. It's called an "infomercial" article and is really advertising space bought and paid for by Intel, nVidia, MSi and Deepcool. I refuse to believe that Tom's would hire such incopentent writers which is what they would have to be in order for this farce to be called an honest article. It makes me sick how they think that we're so stupid that we'd fall for this BS. It's a shame, I used to take Tom's Hardware's articles seriously. Tom's Hardware was king. Now it's just another Motor Trend or Car&Driver-type magazine. He who offers the most advertising dollars gets the most praise. End of line.

 

[Amdlova]

Tomshardware Just deleting my post! because i say that is promoted by Deepcool and msi. LOL!

 

[TheMentalist]

I have one that I built around a bunch of spare parts that I had and I'm planning to turn it into a server. It really is an excellent case for the $40 I paid for it. SSD support, plenty of drive bays, and can house a full size PSU. Not too shabby.

Nice, is it possible to do a push/pull with a 240mm rad in front? I haven't tested that (yet)?

 

[cmi86]

I know it has been said about 800 times already but heck I'll throw my 2 cents in anyways. First off, ugliest case ever made. 2nd, It's 100 bucks ?? In a budget build ?? And if that wasn't out of character enough you slap a $100 AIO on it to boot ??

1-Ditch the ugly overpriced case for something value line from antec/corsair. Less expensive, build quality is much better and obviously look much nicer.

2-Ditch the AIO. This CPU needs nothing more than an Evo, tops.

3-Drop the SSD, this is a value gaming build not a mid-upper range enthusiast machine. Go for an SSHD in the 64GB/1TB flar to keep the best of both worlds and the cost down.

4-Yeah yeah yeah the 750Ti sips power and doesn't totally suck, great go scale it down in to a laptop. Value gaming isn't the place to sacrifice gpu power for efficiency. This is about bang for buck and there are much faster options for less money.

That about sums it up i think.