Low budget ~700$ rig for BF4.

[silicity]

made 2 threads i don't know how. disregard this one.

 

[ZeroGravity780]

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/H3JvYJ
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/H3JvYJ/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($94.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.75 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI 970 GAMING ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($99.89 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Fury Red Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($75.79 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 280 3GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($169.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master HAF 912 ATX Mid Tower Case ($42.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($47.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer ($19.75 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $720.89
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-31 23:26 EST-0500

 

[tiny voices]

^That build has some problems:
-fx6300 is on a dead socket.
-PSU is not good quality.

Plus that build is $808 before rebates.

 

[tiny voices]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($174.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M Anniversary Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Apotop 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($51.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 280 3GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($152.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair SPEC-01 RED ATX Mid Tower Case ($41.20 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSB0 DVD/CD Writer ($19.75 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.75 @ OutletPC)
Total: $713.52
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-01 00:29 EST-0500

Much better build, and $770 before rebates.

 

[plywrlw]

This is over budget a bit but if you use some of the available rebates the price is $700 with a couple of changes

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-8320E 3.2GHz 8-Core Processor ($134.98 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($84.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($71.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($15.00 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 290 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($262.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Thermaltake Versa H21 ATX Mid Tower Case ($30.59 @ Directron)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 620W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($92.00 @ B&H)
Total: $761.51
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-01 00:28 EST-0500


Rebates. http://pcpartpicker.com/p/PLtVHx

 

[tiny voices]

^ I would definitely still go for an i5 here. Buying an FX chip this late is really a poor choice.

 

[plywrlw]

I think considering its for BF4 the fx will be fine and it has allowed a much better GPU.

An i5 4460 and H97 motherboard shouldn't come to much more though and the i5 is a more refined chip on a more up to date platform I'd agree, I just disagree that for the intended purpose its worth dropping to an r9 280 to get the i5

The price skyrockets to $900 without rebate, $760 with if an i5 is used and if the FX is overclocked it'll be just as good in bf4.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/VLhnCJ

 

[tiny voices]

IF this was to play BF4 ONLY and never do anything else I would agree. But this will surely be used for other games in the future and possibly upgraded, and for those reasons the i5 is the clear choice. The FX use a dead end 5 year old socket. The i5 will be able to be upgraded to the next line of Intel CPUs without a motherboard swap. This is confirmed.

 

[plywrlw]

Though it doesn't really look like broadwell is going to be earth shattering and the fact that skylake is out in the same year probably doesn't bode well for broadwell either. A h97 board certainly won't be compatible with skylake. If the budget was bigger, sure i5 all the way.

There are people who literally just play bf4 you know, I know a few myself!