Building my children entry level gaming pc

[j.capaldi]

My son and I are thinking about building an entry-level gaming PC. He has about $800 Cdn to spend. We don't know much about PCs... any suggestions would be helpful.

 

[SgtScream]

What games does he play and what monitor is he using? What is the resolution and refresh rate?

 

[j.capaldi]

What games does he play and what monitor is he using? What is the resolution and refresh rate?

OK I forgot to mention that I know nothing about PCs and we are starting from scratch. We don't have one. SO we will have to buy a monitor. So suggestions for that as well would be appreciated. I'm a single mom and like to think I am handy so hopefully we can tackle this project. Of course like all children he is playing FortNite and Counter Strike and a few others...

 

[tennis2]

Does the $800 CDN include price of monitor, mouse, keyboard, Windows license?

If you don't know much about PCs, I'd recommend looking for a "boutique" builder (in the US something like Cyberpowerpc.com or ibuypower.com) so that you can get a PC with higher quality aftermarket parts and have more choice to create a balanced build than an OEM like Dell/HP/Lenovo etc. They generally aren't much more expensive than building yourself. you can cross-check on your favorite CA etailer such as newegg.ca or similar.

If you want to do some things on your own, consider getting a new/refurbished OEM machine and doing a GPU + PSU upgrade. The nice thing there is you get a working system with included Windows license.

For entry level things, something likethis RX570 for $200 along with this Corsair CX450M for $45 would be a good start to making a pretty potent machine. Anything above that is dependent on my first question, and I'm not up-to-date with CA pricing, but I'd imagine you can fit 8-16GB of DDR4-3000 RAM, a 240-256GB SSD, and somewhere between a Ryzen 3 2200G and a Ryzen 5 2600X into your budget.

 

[USAFRet]

My son and I are thinking about building an entry-level gaming PC. He has about $800 Cdn to spend. We don't know much about PCs... any suggestions would be helpful.

Start here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/353572-31-build-upgrade-advice

And here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3800022/500-console-killer-builds-2018.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3800025/000-mainstream-gaming-builds-2018.html

 

[SgtScream]

Do you know anyone knowledgeable on PC's that can help you build it? It's pretty straight forward but it can help a great deal.

 

[j.capaldi]

Do you know anyone knowledgeable on PC's that can help you build it? It's pretty straight forward but it can help a great deal.

My friend's son built his own PC and is in college taking a computer systems technician course. I may be able to bug him for help.

 

[j.capaldi]

Does the $800 CDN include price of monitor, mouse, keyboard, Windows license?

If you don't know much about PCs, I'd recommend looking for a "boutique" builder (in the US something like Cyberpowerpc.com or ibuypower.com) so that you can get a PC with higher quality aftermarket parts and have more choice to create a balanced build than an OEM like Dell/HP/Lenovo etc. They generally aren't much more expensive than building yourself. you can cross-check on your favorite CA etailer such as newegg.ca or similar.

If you want to do some things on your own, consider getting a new/refurbished OEM machine and doing a GPU + PSU upgrade. The nice thing there is you get a working system with included Windows license.

For entry level things, something likethis RX570 for $200 along with this Corsair CX450M for $45 would be a good start to making a pretty potent machine. Anything above that is dependent on my first question, and I'm not up-to-date with CA pricing, but I'd imagine you can fit 8-16GB of DDR4-3000 RAM, a 240-256GB SSD, and somewhere between a Ryzen 3 2200G and a Ryzen 5 2600X into your budget.

Thank you for your response. I will look into the options you presented. I was considering building as some forums say the entry-level gaming computers aren't very reliable and you can do better building your own. Though I will admit my first idea was to just buy. The idea of one-stop shop for warranty and help if things go wrong is a plus of buying.

$800 isn't firm - we would have a little wriggle room for a mouse, keyboard and monitor. I don't have a real reference on how much it should cost - well I'm sure it can cost however much you have to spend... I thought building our own would give him the chance to upgrade in a few years if he needed... And just so you know I had to google "OEM"...

 

[SgtScream]

Are peripherals included in the budget?
Mouse
Keyboard
Headset

 

[Captaingadget]

Here's a suggestion for parts list: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/vCJdfH

You don't have to purchase Windows 10, it will work, albeit with reduced functionality on some settings, unactivated.

 

[SgtScream]

This setup doesn't include peripherals, just the components and monitor. What's great about this system is that it will play those ESports titles like CSGO, League of Legends, and Fortnite and it will allow you to fully upgrade every internal component: the processor. memory and install a graphics card in the future. Right now the processor has vega integrated graphics which is enough for to play entry level ESports titles.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 2400G 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($208.25 @ shopRBC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - B450M DS3H Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($86.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: G.Skill - Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($153.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Western Digital - Blue 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Case: DIYPC - MA08-BK MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - 500 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($61.99 @ PC-Canada)
Monitor: BenQ - GL2460HM 24.0" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor ($177.50 @ Vuugo)
Total: $838.70
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-11-12 15:47 EST-0500

 

[j.capaldi]

Are peripherals included in the budget?
Mouse
Keyboard
Headset

We have a bit of wiggle room in our budget but would really love to keep it around $800-900. But no, he would need to purchase those items as well or hope he gets money for Christmas and his upcoming bday and buy them himself...

 

[USAFRet]

We have a bit of wiggle room in our budget but would really love to keep it around $800-900. But no, he would need to purchase those items as well or hope he gets money for Christmas and his upcoming bday and buy them himself...

You also need to factor in the Windows OS.
Around $100.

 

[j.capaldi]

Here's a suggestion for parts list: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/vCJdfH

You don't have to purchase Windows 10, it will work, albeit with reduced functionality on some settings, unactivated.

Thank you! I will look over all of this information. I am glad I stumbled upon this forum. It has been extremely helpful.

 

[SgtScream]

Ok, I was able to find some better deals and included Windows 10. I also researched the 2200g vs the 2400g and the performance difference didn't justify the additional cost:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($124.99 @ Canada Computers)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - B450M DS3H Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($86.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: G.Skill - Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($153.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Western Digital - Blue 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Case: DIYPC - MA01-R MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: EVGA - BR 500 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Canada Computers)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($119.50 @ Vuugo)
Monitor: BenQ - GL2460HM 24.0" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor ($177.50 @ Vuugo)
Total: $842.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-11-12 19:54 EST-0500

So the price above does not include peripherals, however I can personally vouch for this inexpensive combo by Red Dragon:
https://www.amazon.ca/Redragon-S101-BA-Keyboard-Headset-Programmable/dp/B06ZYMQYCW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1542070391&sr=8-2&keywords=keyboard+mouse+headset+combo
The headset doesn't feel high quality but the function is there.

 

[tennis2]

Here's my recommended list
Ryzen 3 2200G - $125 - Potent little chip. Can be OC'd. Comes with cooler.
Gigabyte B450M mobo - $87 - 4 RAM slots so you can add RAM later without having to throw away the stuff you buy now.
2x4GB DDR4-3000 RAM - $92 - Higher frequency boosts AMD CPU performance.
Crucial MX500 M.2 SSD - $67 - Speedy starter SSD, enough to run a snappy system, get a cheap 1-2TB hdd if you need extra down the road.
MSI RX570 8GB - $200 - Probably overkill, but better price than lower performing cards like the GTX1050Ti.
Cooler Master Lite 3.1 - $45 - Kids like windows and RGB lights.
Corsair CX450M - $45 - Good reliable modular power supply.
LG 24MP59G - $160 - 24" IPS monitor with FreeSync range of 40-75Hz.

My PCPartPicker list total at $873 CAD doesn't seem to be showing mail in rebates (including but not limited the $20 MIR on the GPU and the $20 MIR on the PSU I linked earlier). Which I factor heavily into my purchasing decisions. My total is $825 with MIRs considered.

For Windows license, I'd visit some place like kinguin.net or similar. Toms did an article on this recently (link here)
Try to get a free keyboard and mouse from either your employer (most companies buy Dell/HP/Lenovo and get a keyboard and mouse with every computer purchase, so they've got boxes of new unused keyboards and mice) or try your local e-waste recycling center.

 

[SgtScream]

If you can stretch the budget, this Intel option has a better case and will give you great performance for ESports as well as some Triple A titles mentioned:
CSGO
Fortnite
League of Legends
Overwatch
Call Of Duty Black Ops IIII
Grand Theft Auto

Even though the G4560 is only a dual core, it has four threads and way better single core performance acting as a quad core. This system also has a dedicated GTX 1050 TI graphics card for gaming:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Pentium G4560 3.5 GHz Dual-Core Processor ($73.99 @ PC-Canada)
Motherboard: MSI - B250M PRO-VDH Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($77.50 @ Vuugo)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($87.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Crucial - BX500 240 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($53.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card: MSI - GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB Video Card ($199.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Case: Thermaltake - Versa H17 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($44.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Power Supply: EVGA - BR 500 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Canada Computers)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($119.50 @ Vuugo)
Monitor: BenQ - GL2460HM 24.0" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor ($177.50 @ Vuugo)
Total: $875.44
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-11-13 08:02 EST-0500

Red Dragon Keyboard/Mouse/Headset Combo:
https://www.amazon.ca/Redragon-S101-BA-Keyboard-Headset-Programmable/dp/B06ZYMQYCW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1542070391&sr=8-2&keywords=keyboard%20mouse%20headset%20combo&tag=tomshardware_forum_ca_vgl-20

References:
Performance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbPcQdiKOUM
Comparison - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDflSDAG4Xg&t=65s
Install Guide - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdBgGq4RmSA

 

[j.capaldi]

Ok, I was able to find some better deals and included Windows 10. I also researched the 2200g vs the 2400g and the performance difference didn't justify the additional cost:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($124.99 @ Canada Computers)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - B450M DS3H Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($86.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Memory: G.Skill - Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($153.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Western Digital - Blue 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Case: DIYPC - MA01-R MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($39.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: EVGA - BR 500 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Canada Computers)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($119.50 @ Vuugo)
Monitor: BenQ - GL2460HM 24.0" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor ($177.50 @ Vuugo)
Total: $842.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-11-12 19:54 EST-0500

So the price above does not include peripherals, however I can personally vouch for this inexpensive combo by Red Dragon:
https://www.amazon.ca/Redragon-S101-BA-Keyboard-Headset-Programmable/dp/B06ZYMQYCW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1542070391&sr=8-2&keywords=keyboard+mouse+headset+combo
The headset doesn't feel high quality but the function is there.

Thank you again! I will take some time this evening to go through all this. The price is great and this is very helpful! Cheers!

 

[j.capaldi]

Here's my recommended list
Ryzen 3 2200G - $125 - Potent little chip. Can be OC'd. Comes with cooler.
Gigabyte B450M mobo - $87 - 4 RAM slots so you can add RAM later without having to throw away the stuff you buy now.
2x4GB DDR4-3000 RAM - $92 - Higher frequency boosts AMD CPU performance.
Crucial MX500 M.2 SSD - $67 - Speedy starter SSD, enough to run a snappy system, get a cheap 1-2TB hdd if you need extra down the road.
MSI RX570 8GB - $200 - Probably overkill, but better price than lower performing cards like the GTX1050Ti.
Cooler Master Lite 3.1 - $45 - Kids like windows and RGB lights.
Corsair CX450M - $45 - Good reliable modular power supply.
LG 24MP59G - $160 - 24" IPS monitor with FreeSync range of 40-75Hz.

My PCPartPicker list total at $873 CAD doesn't seem to be showing mail in rebates (including but not limited the $20 MIR on the GPU and the $20 MIR on the PSU I linked earlier). Which I factor heavily into my purchasing decisions. My total is $825 with MIRs considered.

For Windows license, I'd visit some place like kinguin.net or similar. Toms did an article on this recently (link here)
Try to get a free keyboard and mouse from either your employer (most companies buy Dell/HP/Lenovo and get a keyboard and mouse with every computer purchase, so they've got boxes of new unused keyboards and mice) or try your local e-waste recycling center.

Thank you for the info. My son is excited to make some choices and start building! And good idea about the recycling centre.

 

[tennis2]

I'd suggest letting your kid pick out the case since that is what you see and it comes down to personal taste. Get the price of everything else lined out, then go on newegg and do a price bracket of their cases so you're only looking at cases you can afford.
Certainly some cases are better than others. I personally think Cooler Master is one of the better brands to pick in the "budget" range. Feel free to toss out a few selections to the audience and let them/us give you advice.