Cheap CAD Budget Gaming Build

[m.q.lannon]

Hey all,

Long time lurker, first time poster.

My gaming laptop has finally bit the dust, and I've decided that I want to come back to the world of desktop PCs, but it's been a long time since I've built anything and I'm getting very overwhelmed by all the new options out there.

I'd like to spend as little as possible (starving student budget) but still be able to run some new-ish games. I don't game a lot, but I'd like to have the option when school allows, so the performance doesn't have to be stellar. I live in Canada, so CAD pricing please. Hoping to spend ~$400.

I'm fine with getting a system that is just barely passable for now, but has the option to upgrade in the future (Running an APU for now and buying a GPU later, adding RAM etc). I should also note that I have a mouse, keyboard, monitor and external hard-drive already that I will be using, so I only need the tower. Also I can adjust the budget slightly if it will future proof the system or allow for better upgrading down the road.



So my question is, can you help me build a system?



I know that pre-built PC's are frowned upon, but do any make decent bases to upgrade from? I've found these two that are interesting, and fit the budget:

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5SC5XW5938&cm_re=A10-7800-_-9SIA5SC5XW5938-_-Product

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883795897&cm_re=Pentium_G4650-_-83-795-897-_-Product



Or I put together this PC from build list on a different website, and it comes in just under budget at $380 CAD from newegg.ca:

Rosewill - Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case with Dual Fans - FBM-01 $29.99

MSI A68HM-E33 V2 FM2+ AMD A68H SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard $64.99

EVGA 450 BT 100-BT-0450-K1 450W ATX12V / EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Non-Modular Active PFC Power Supply $54.99

G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-8GBNT $76.99

AMD A6-5400K Trinity Dual-Core 3.6 GHz Socket FM2 65W AD540KOKHJBOX Desktop APU (CPU + GPU) with DirectX 11 Graphic AMD Radeon HD 7540D $93.86

WD Blue WD2500AAJS 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive $57.99



Any and all suggestions or comments will be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[Finstar]

For a bit more you could buy the Ryzen 3 2200G that's releasing next week, which would perform a lot better than this a8.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - A8-9600 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($78.99 @ PC-Canada)
Motherboard: MSI - B350M PRO-VD PLUS Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($87.95 @ Vuugo)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($110.99 @ PC-Canada)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.00 @ Mike's Computer Shop)
Case: Rosewill - RANGER-M MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($24.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: Corsair - CX (2017) 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($56.99 @ PC-Canada)
Total: $408.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-02-10 17:04 EST-0500

 

[Hellfire13]

This has a better upgrade path...

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Pentium G4560 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($72.99 @ Mike's Computer Shop)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-B250M-DS3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Memory: Crucial - 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($79.82 @ Amazon Canada)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.00 @ Mike's Computer Shop)
Case: Corsair - SPEC-01 RED ATX Mid Tower Case ($58.99 @ PC-Canada)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $410.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-02-10 17:08 EST-0500

Add a GPU down the line.

 

[Finstar]

Because an outdated socket with a 4 core as the best possible cpu is a better upgrade path than all upcoming generations of Ryzen until 2020 LUL.

The A8 also dumpsters the g4560s igpu...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z6XmPr0HBE

 

[ragnar-gd]

For a start, pre-built PCs are quite ok nowadays, IF you don't mind that soemtimes they are a bit too lod for the price, and sometimes you get too old components for to high a price. So, checking the components here is always a good idea.
FM2+ is NOT a futureproof solution, absolutely don't do it, even the best bult systems already show strain with simple games. I talked to many people here already because of this.
The problem is, the CPU of all FM2+ systems is just too inefficient, and additionally, just too slow per core, and does not have enough cores. It is called "4 core", but, from todays point of view, it is more like a dual-core with hyper threading. And it is just too slow for future use.
Please, wait until the Ryzen 3 2200G and Ryzen 5 2400G are out, and complete systems show up (will only take days).
They have onboard GPUs of quite a modern type, so can at least somhow provide you power for simple games, AND, they are powerful enough to provide a later add-on GPU with enough juice.
DDR4 is not cheap, though.
If there appear budget systems with the Ryzen 5 2400G within your limit, that'd be the best thing to do.
This is just my opinion! You might still be better off with a used system, but that's much more difficult to judge, if you aren't experienced with self-built systems.

 

[exroofer]

Yes, one of the upcoming AMD apu's will fit this use case very well.
And have a multi year upgrade path, on the SAME mobo.
All the way up to 3rd gen Ryzen 8 core / 16 thread cpus, if a good mobo is bought initiially.

 

[Hellfire13]

Because an outdated socket with a 4 core as the best possible cpu is a better upgrade path than all upcoming generations of Ryzen until 2020 LUL.

The A8 also dumpsters the g4560s igpu...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z6XmPr0HBE

It was in context to the original post...lol

And wats up with that horrible case and unreviewd PSU. And here comes the Seasonic part... 😀

 

[Finstar]

Because an outdated socket with a 4 core as the best possible cpu is a better upgrade path than all upcoming generations of Ryzen until 2020 LUL.

The A8 also dumpsters the g4560s igpu...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z6XmPr0HBE

It was in context to the original post...lol

And wats up with that horrible case and unreviewd PSU. And here comes the Seasonic part... 😀

What's in the context to the original post? recommending a cpu that can't run a damn thing on it's own without a discrete gpu?

Horrible case? why spend money on something that has 0 impact on performance with a budget of $400?
And the aging Seasonic over the 2017 CX? i guess i'll just let the more educated judge you silently. :lol:

 

[Hellfire13]

Because an outdated socket with a 4 core as the best possible cpu is a better upgrade path than all upcoming generations of Ryzen until 2020 LUL.

The A8 also dumpsters the g4560s igpu...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z6XmPr0HBE

It was in context to the original post...lol

And wats up with that horrible case and unreviewd PSU. And here comes the Seasonic part... 😀

What's in the context to the original post? recommending a cpu that can't run a damn thing on it's own without a discrete gpu?

Horrible case? why spend money on something that has 0 impact on performance with a budget of $400?
And the aging Seasonic over the 2017 CX? i guess i'll just let the more educated judge you silently. :lol:

Are you really that http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Pentium-G4560-vs-AMD-A6-5400K-APU/3892vsm4113 this was the context.

Case has zero impact...really???

 

[Finstar]

Because an outdated socket with a 4 core as the best possible cpu is a better upgrade path than all upcoming generations of Ryzen until 2020 LUL.

The A8 also dumpsters the g4560s igpu...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z6XmPr0HBE

It was in context to the original post...lol

And wats up with that horrible case and unreviewd PSU. And here comes the Seasonic part... 😀

What's in the context to the original post? recommending a cpu that can't run a damn thing on it's own without a discrete gpu?

Horrible case? why spend money on something that has 0 impact on performance with a budget of $400?
And the aging Seasonic over the 2017 CX? i guess i'll just let the more educated judge you silently. :lol:

Are you really that http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Pentium-G4560-vs-AMD-A6-5400K-APU/3892vsm4113 this was the context.

Case has zero impact...really???

So you attempt break my argument by linking a comparison between the g4560 and a completely different APU than the one i linked? LMAO
Not to mention that's a cpu benchmark, not gpu, which obviously matters in this case. :lol:

And no, the case has no impact when there's only a single 65w tdp cpu. Also, the case i linked does come with a fan if that's what you're crying about.

 

[Hellfire13]

Because an outdated socket with a 4 core as the best possible cpu is a better upgrade path than all upcoming generations of Ryzen until 2020 LUL.

The A8 also dumpsters the g4560s igpu...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z6XmPr0HBE

It was in context to the original post...lol

And wats up with that horrible case and unreviewd PSU. And here comes the Seasonic part... 😀

What's in the context to the original post? recommending a cpu that can't run a damn thing on it's own without a discrete gpu?

Horrible case? why spend money on something that has 0 impact on performance with a budget of $400?
And the aging Seasonic over the 2017 CX? i guess i'll just let the more educated judge you silently. :lol:

Are you really that http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Pentium-G4560-vs-AMD-A6-5400K-APU/3892vsm4113 this was the context.

Case has zero impact...really???

So you attempt break my argument by linking a comparison between the g4560 and a completely different APU than the one i linked? LMAO
Not to mention that's a cpu benchmark, not gpu, which obviously matters in this case. :lol:

And no, the case has no impact when there's only a single 65w tdp cpu. Also, the case i linked does come with a fan if that's what you're crying about.

So you attempt break my argument by linking a comparison between the g4560 and a completely different APU than the one i linked?

Read the original post again.

Case thermals impact performance, if nobody has told you.

 

[Hellfire13]

Oh lol i get why you linked the A6-5400k... Loserbenchmark doesn't have the A8-9600 listed :lol:
You honestly didn't even try with that A6 comparison, that's a 4 generations old dualcore on the outdated FM2 platform vs a current gen quadcore on AM4. And do i need to mention the differences between the graphics processors they have?

You are hilarious. :lol:
For the last time...the original poster listed the A6 in his post. And that is the context.
I am done with this stupid discussion.

 

[Finstar]

Because an outdated socket with a 4 core as the best possible cpu is a better upgrade path than all upcoming generations of Ryzen until 2020 LUL.

The A8 also dumpsters the g4560s igpu...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z6XmPr0HBE

It was in context to the original post...lol

And wats up with that horrible case and unreviewd PSU. And here comes the Seasonic part... 😀

What's in the context to the original post? recommending a cpu that can't run a damn thing on it's own without a discrete gpu?

Horrible case? why spend money on something that has 0 impact on performance with a budget of $400?
And the aging Seasonic over the 2017 CX? i guess i'll just let the more educated judge you silently. :lol:

Are you really that http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Pentium-G4560-vs-AMD-A6-5400K-APU/3892vsm4113 this was the context.

Case has zero impact...really???

So you attempt break my argument by linking a comparison between the g4560 and a completely different APU than the one i linked? LMAO
Not to mention that's a cpu benchmark, not gpu, which obviously matters in this case. :lol:

And no, the case has no impact when there's only a single 65w tdp cpu. Also, the case i linked does come with a fan if that's what you're crying about.

So you attempt break my argument by linking a comparison between the g4560 and a completely different APU than the one i linked?

Read the original post again.

Case thermals impact performance, if nobody has told you.

I'd assume OP at this point has realized that the 5400k is a horrible purchase.
And case thermals will never get high enough to matter with a 65w tdp cpu + a low end gpu like 1050 unless the case is completely sealed.

 

[ragnar-gd]

Oh boys.
Please improve this thread by responding directly to the affected user, otherwise he may not be able to make good use of your honed hardware-skills...

 

[m.q.lannon]

Hey all,

Thanks so much for all the info and advice you've shared. Sounds like if I'm not in a hurry, it would be a good idea to wait for Ryzen ro be released. I definitely like the idea of a system that is a little more future proof. I'm definitely more interested in building the system myself than I am in something that is prebuilt, but if something comes up that more or less fits what I want I'm not opposed to going that path.

That being said, what are the best Canadian sites to prowl for both Ryzen prebuilds and the new CPU?

 

[Hellfire13]

vuugo, pc canda, amazon, newegg

 

[Finstar]

Hey all,

Thanks so much for all the info and advice you've shared. Sounds like if I'm not in a hurry, it would be a good idea to wait for Ryzen ro be released. I definitely like the idea of a system that is a little more future proof. I'm definitely more interested in building the system myself than I am in something that is prebuilt, but if something comes up that more or less fits what I want I'm not opposed to going that path.

That being said, what are the best Canadian sites to prowl for both Ryzen prebuilds and the new CPU?

Amazon generally.
Benchmarks of the Ryzen APUs:
https://youtu.be/FntY5rYR4cE
These tests were done with early drivers so performance will likely improve over time.

 

[exroofer]

Videos are out now on Ryzen apu performance.
And they are pretty darn good in their own, with a viable upgrade path.
Get good ram if you go this route. ( 2 x8 GB , 3000 mhz rated , and on the mobo's approved list for compatibility.)
It matters. At least 2 x 4 GB , because dual channel matters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FntY5rYR4cE

Benchmark video.

 

[m.q.lannon]

Benchmarks of the Ryzen APUs:
https://youtu.be/FntY5rYR4cE
These tests were done with early drivers so performance will likely improve over time.

Those benchmark videos have definitely solidified my decision to wait a bit and build a Ryzen based rig. I'm thinking the 2400g as it allows for a bit more power and so I can delay the purchase of a dedicated graphics card a little longer. I like the idea of overclocking as well as it seems that the 2400g really shines with just a few tweaks. Is there anything specific I should be looking for in a MOBO if I plan to mess with some OCing down the road?

Also, what is your opinion of a powerline adapter vs a WIFI card, as most of the MOBOs I've been looking at have only one PCIE slot.

Thanks!

 

[Finstar]

Benchmarks of the Ryzen APUs:
https://youtu.be/FntY5rYR4cE
These tests were done with early drivers so performance will likely improve over time.

Those benchmark videos have definitely solidified my decision to wait a bit and build a Ryzen based rig. I'm thinking the 2400g as it allows for a bit more power and so I can delay the purchase of a dedicated graphics card a little longer. I like the idea of overclocking as well as it seems that the 2400g really shines with just a few tweaks. Is there anything specific I should be looking for in a MOBO if I plan to mess with some OCing down the road?

Also, what is your opinion of a powerline adapter vs a WIFI card, as most of the MOBOs I've been looking at have only one PCIE slot.

Thanks!

Depending on how long you wait, it might be worth it to wait for the 400 series motherboards, as many 300 series boards don't have the bioses needed to support these chips yet from what i know.

If you plan on overclocking then get a B350/B450 or a X370/X470.
The X series will have a higher overclocking potential and more overall features but it'll cost more too.
A320 meanwhile does not allow overclocking.

I personally prefer to have a built in wifi in the motherboard.

 

[m.q.lannon]

Depending on how long you wait, it might be worth it to wait for the 400 series motherboards, as many 300 series boards don't have the bioses needed to support these chips yet from what i know.

If you plan on overclocking then get a B350/B450 or a X370/X470.
The X series will have a higher overclocking potential and more overall features but it'll cost more too.
A320 meanwhile does not allow overclocking.

I personally prefer to have a built in wifi in the motherboard.

Any idea when those boards come out?

 

[Finstar]

Depending on how long you wait, it might be worth it to wait for the 400 series motherboards, as many 300 series boards don't have the bioses needed to support these chips yet from what i know.

If you plan on overclocking then get a B350/B450 or a X370/X470.
The X series will have a higher overclocking potential and more overall features but it'll cost more too.
A320 meanwhile does not allow overclocking.

I personally prefer to have a built in wifi in the motherboard.

Any idea when those boards come out?

They'll be coming at the same time as Ryzen 2 launches, so in about a month or less.

 

[m.q.lannon]

They'll be coming at the same time as Ryzen 2 launches, so in about a month or less.

Awesome! Gives me some time to read up on things and familiarize myself a bit more before the products drop. Thanks everyone, you've been a huge help!