Is this a good build for the value?

[Ant Vo]

Hello tom's Hardware community! My friend is currently in the process of building a computer and he wanted me to choose the parts. So my question is, is this the best you can get for the value? The budget is $500 with an operating system. A monitor, keyboard, and mouse is not required. Here is the build:

[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mpWgNG) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mpWgNG/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646g3258) | $49.99 @ Micro Center
**CPU Cooler** | [Cooler Master Hyper T4 70.0 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rrt418pkr1) | $19.99 @ NCIX US
**Motherboard** | [MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97pcmate) | $40.00
**Memory** | [Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-bls2kit4g3d1609ds1s00) | $54.99 @ Micro Center
**Storage** | [Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex) | $53.49 @ Directron
**Video Card** | [Sapphire Radeon R7 260X 2GB Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/sapphire-video-card-1003662l) | $122.98 @ Newegg
**Case** | [Rosewill Galaxy-03 ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-case-galaxy03) | $44.99 @ Amazon
**Power Supply** | [Corsair CX 430W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cx430m) | $49.99 @ Amazon
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit)](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-885370635690) | $92.00 @ B&H
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| **Total** | **$528.42**
| Generated by [PCPartPicker](http://pcpartpicker.com) 2015-03-15 11:01 EDT-0400 |

Thank you for any help!

- Ant Vo

 

[RCFProd]

What kind of performance do you wish to get in games? Which resolution and how much frames per second?

 

[Ant Vo]

What kind of performance do you wish to get in games? Which resolution and how much frames per second?

Well, my friend really only plays League of Legends. He told me that he wanted Ultra settings. I have no idea what resolution his monitor is, but it does use a VGA cable if that helps. He also said that he might be moving on to more intensive games (but that probably will not happen for a while). Thank you for the quick reply!

 

[Archaic59]

The G3258 will only perform well if overclocked. You won't be doing it with a cheap Corsair 430 watt PSU. The good news is the Z97 board will allow you to upgrade later on to a core i5 and the performance will be much better. Either way, you need a better PSU.

 

[Ant Vo]

The G3258 will only perform well if overclocked. You won't be doing it with a cheap Corsair 430 watt PSU. The good news is the Z97 board will allow you to upgrade later on to a core i5 and the performance will be much better. Either way, you need a better PSU.

Do you know any good Power Supply? If you do, thanks! It his to be $60 maximum.

 

[Archaic59]

The G3258 will only perform well if overclocked. You won't be doing it with a cheap Corsair 430 watt PSU. The good news is the Z97 board will allow you to upgrade later on to a core i5 and the performance will be much better. Either way, you need a better PSU.

Do you know any good Power Supply? If you do, thanks! It his to be $60 maximum.

This will work much better:

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-xfxts550w

 

[Ant Vo]

The G3258 will only perform well if overclocked. You won't be doing it with a cheap Corsair 430 watt PSU. The good news is the Z97 board will allow you to upgrade later on to a core i5 and the performance will be much better. Either way, you need a better PSU.

Do you know any good Power Supply? If you do, thanks! It his to be $60 maximum.

This will work much better:

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-xfxts550w

I am probably going to change to that Power Supply. Do you know any good modular Power Supplies for under $60?

 

[Archaic59]

The G3258 will only perform well if overclocked. You won't be doing it with a cheap Corsair 430 watt PSU. The good news is the Z97 board will allow you to upgrade later on to a core i5 and the performance will be much better. Either way, you need a better PSU.

Do you know any good Power Supply? If you do, thanks! It his to be $60 maximum.

This will work much better:

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-xfxts550w

I am probably going to change to that Power Supply. Do you know any good modular Power Supplies for under $60?

This is closest to your price range without mail-in rebate:

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/antec-power-supply-hcg520m

 

[Ant Vo]

The G3258 will only perform well if overclocked. You won't be doing it with a cheap Corsair 430 watt PSU. The good news is the Z97 board will allow you to upgrade later on to a core i5 and the performance will be much better. Either way, you need a better PSU.

Do you know any good Power Supply? If you do, thanks! It his to be $60 maximum.

This will work much better:

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-xfxts550w

I am probably going to change to that Power Supply. Do you know any good modular Power Supplies for under $60?

This is closest to your price range without mail-in rebate:

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/antec-power-supply-hcg520m

Ok, thank you. That might be a bit too expensive as it is going a lot over $500. You can include Mail-in Rebates. Do you believe that this is a good PSU? http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-power-supply-arcm450

 

[Archaic59]

The ones with rebates are $70-80 before rebate. That's why I picked the Antec unit. It's only $65.00.

 

[Ant Vo]

The ones with rebates are $70-80 before rebate. That's why I picked the Antec unit. It's only $65.00.

Ok. I most likely will choose that PSU. However, do you know if this is a good Power Supply?
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-power-supply-arcm450

 

[Archaic59]

The ones with rebates are $70-80 before rebate. That's why I picked the Antec unit. It's only $65.00.

Ok. I most likely will choose that PSU. However, do you know if this is a good Power Supply?
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-power-supply-arcm450

It's a budget PSU. Rosewill Capstone, Lightning and Tachyon series are good units. Quality is more important than modular. Remember that.

 

[Ant Vo]

The ones with rebates are $70-80 before rebate. That's why I picked the Antec unit. It's only $65.00.

Ok. I most likely will choose that PSU. However, do you know if this is a good Power Supply?
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-power-supply-arcm450

It's a budget PSU. Rosewill Capstone, Lightning and Tachyon series are good units. Quality is more important than modular. Remember that.

I will probably go with this PSU: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1550sxxb9
Is there any other suggestions that you have for the build besides the power supply?

 

[Archaic59]

The ones with rebates are $70-80 before rebate. That's why I picked the Antec unit. It's only $65.00.

Ok. I most likely will choose that PSU. However, do you know if this is a good Power Supply?
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-power-supply-arcm450

It's a budget PSU. Rosewill Capstone, Lightning and Tachyon series are good units. Quality is more important than modular. Remember that.

I will probably go with this PSU: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1550sxxb9
Is there any other suggestions that you have for the build besides the power supply?

You can't go wrong with XFX PSU. It's made by Seasonic and very good quality. You may have an issue with the Hyper T4 fitting the case you picked. Check compatibility notes on your build.

 

[RCFProd]

Choose a different case. Something like the Bitfenix Neos or NZXT Source 210 Elite

 

[Ant Vo]

Choose a different case. Something like the Bitfenix Neos or NZXT Source 210 Elite

What are the pros of choosing these cases? (Sorry if I am sounding harsh) Thank you for replying!

 

[RCFProd]

Choose a different case. Something like the Bitfenix Neos or NZXT Source 210 Elite

What are the pros of choosing these cases? (Sorry if I am sounding harsh) Thank you for replying!

Better build quality, cable mangement and so on. Rosewill cases can be one hell of a hassle at times. The Source 210 Elite is a good case. Also, they are wide enough to fit cpu coolers with a larger height.

 

[Ant Vo]

Choose a different case. Something like the Bitfenix Neos or NZXT Source 210 Elite

What are the pros of choosing these cases? (Sorry if I am sounding harsh) Thank you for replying!

Better build quality, cable mangement and so on. Rosewill cases can be one hell of a hassle at times. The Source 210 Elite is a good case. Also, they are wide enough to fit cpu coolers with a larger height.

Ok. I have changed it to the Source 210 Elite. Do you have any other suggestions on the build? (RAM, GPU, CPU, etc.)

 

[Archaic59]

Should be good to go for now. Start saving for a core i5. You'll need it for future games.
So this should be your build as of now:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper T4 70.0 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler ($19.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($40.00)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($54.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R7 260X 2GB Video Card ($102.98 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Source 210 Elite (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($46.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($43.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $500.69
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-03-15 12:06 EDT-0400

 

[RCFProd]

Choose a different case. Something like the Bitfenix Neos or NZXT Source 210 Elite

What are the pros of choosing these cases? (Sorry if I am sounding harsh) Thank you for replying!

Better build quality, cable mangement and so on. Rosewill cases can be one hell of a hassle at times. The Source 210 Elite is a good case. Also, they are wide enough to fit cpu coolers with a larger height.

Ok. I have changed it to the Source 210 Elite. Do you have any other suggestions on the build? (RAM, GPU, CPU, etc.)

Yeah I might have some suggestions. I understand you can get the Z97 PC Mate for 40 dollars then?

 

[Ant Vo]

Choose a different case. Something like the Bitfenix Neos or NZXT Source 210 Elite

What are the pros of choosing these cases? (Sorry if I am sounding harsh) Thank you for replying!

Better build quality, cable mangement and so on. Rosewill cases can be one hell of a hassle at times. The Source 210 Elite is a good case. Also, they are wide enough to fit cpu coolers with a larger height.

Ok. I have changed it to the Source 210 Elite. Do you have any other suggestions on the build? (RAM, GPU, CPU, etc.)

Yeah I might have some suggestions. I understand you can get the Z97 PC Mate for 40 dollars then?

Since I live near a MicroCenter, they are having a bundle with a G3258 and the Z97 PC Mate for $89.99.

 

[RCFProd]

Great deal! Don't miss out on that. Can you afford this you think?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/nJ94mG

Stock cooler is fine for now, you can add something like a Cryorig H7 later on and give it a good overclock. The R9 280 is quality.

 

[Ant Vo]

Great deal! Don't miss out on that. Can you afford this you think?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/nJ94mG

Stock cooler is fine for now, you can add something like a Cryorig H7 later on and give it a good overclock. The R9 280 is quality.

I am pretty sure that my friend can afford this as he said anywhere around $500. However, shouldn't the G3258 be overclocked to run "very decently". Or is a stock G3258 good enough for League of Legends?

 

[RCFProd]

I'd say a stock cooler is enough for that game. However, the R9 280 is overkill if he really is going to be playing just that. That way the build can be balanced by choosing a less powerful graphics card that is still enough for League of Legends, but also a cooler that can be overclocked well on.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($34.50 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($40.00)
Memory: Kingston Fury Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($60.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.97 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 265 2GB Video Card ($140.98 @ Newegg)
Case: BitFenix Comrade ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($53.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($92.00 @ B&H)
Total: $555.41
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-03-15 12:23 EDT-0400

Note: If he also plays Warld of Warcraft, then take the GTX 750 Ti instead.

 

[Ant Vo]

I'd say a stock cooler is enough for that game. However, the R9 280 is overkill if he really is going to be playing just that. That way the build can be balanced a by still keeping a good graphics card but also a decent cooler for overclocking.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($34.50 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($40.00)
Memory: Kingston Fury Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($60.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.97 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 265 2GB Video Card ($140.98 @ Newegg)
Case: BitFenix Comrade ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($53.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($92.00 @ B&H)
Total: $555.41
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-03-15 12:23 EDT-0400

Ok, thank you for the help! I will probably choose this build as he probably will not be playing intensive games for a while. Thank you so much!