Recommend a good HTPC build for under 500 dollars

[xpeh]

I'm looking to build a gaming/htpc system for under 500 dollars without rebates.

Approximate Purchase Date: Any time

Budget Range: 400-500

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, watching HD movies, web browsing, photoshop

Parts Not Required: Keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, Hard drive, Optical drive, Operating System

Preferred Websites for Parts: Newegg, NCIX, Tigerdirect, eBay

Country: United States

Parts Preferences: A nice looking, small (cube preferred) case, and a decent video card (6850 most likely)

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: No

Monitor Resolution: 720p, 1080i

Additional Comments: I already have a hard drive, and optical drive, and Windows 7. I'd like to play Skyrim and Battlefield 3 on medium to high settings with or without AA.

 

[xpeh]

Bump

 

[g-unit1111]

Try this:

Case + PSU: SILVERSTONE Sugo Series SG07-B Black Aluminum / SECC Mini-ITX Desktop Computer Case 600W 80+ Bronze Certified / Single +12V ... - $189.99
Motherboard: Intel BOXDH67GDB3 LGA 1155 Intel H67 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 - $99.99
CPU: 3.1GHz Intel Core i3-2100 - $124.99
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) - $44.99

Total: $541.93

 

[samuelspark]

Try this:

Case + PSU: SILVERSTONE Sugo Series SG07-B Black Aluminum / SECC Mini-ITX Desktop Computer Case 600W 80+ Bronze Certified / Single +12V ... - $189.99
Motherboard: Intel BOXDH67GDB3 LGA 1155 Intel H67 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 - $99.99
CPU: 3.1GHz Intel Core i3-2100 - $124.99
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) - $44.99

Total: $541.93

mATX mobo doesn't fit in mITX.

 

[g-unit1111]

mATX mobo doesn't fit in mITX.

Brain fart. :lol:

Maybe try this board instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121507

 

[samuelspark]

Use this http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/332547-31-2012-super-budget-build#t2483005 , but upgrade the gpu to a 6870 and upgrade the CPU to the 2.9 GHz counterpart.

 

[xpeh]

Oh, I forgot to mention I don't need RAM either. I cannot go over 500 dollars.

 

[samuelspark]

I3 210 Sandy Bridge 3.1 GHz ($124.99)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115078
Asrock H61M-GE LGA 1155 H61 mATX 4 DIMM Slot Motherboard ($62.99)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157256
Gigabyte GTX 560 Ti ($209.99) ($2.99 shipping)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125401
Antec NEO ECO 400w ($44.99) ($5 rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371029
Rosewill Future ATX Case ($59.99)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147108&Tpk=rosewill%20future

Cut down the mobo to http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128527&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=4176827&SID=2384ic4bkr11 . If you HAVE to be under $500 no exceptions.

 

[xpeh]

I don't need a DVD burner, and I'd prefer a 6850/6870. So I'll probably need a 500w power supply.
I read that the case you linked has the HDD bay blocking the RAM and the Video Card going over the Sata ports

 

[samuelspark]

I don't need a DVD burner, and I'd prefer a 6850/6870. So I'll probably need a 500w power supply.
I read that the case you linked has the HDD bay blocking the RAM and the Video Card going over the Sata ports

You know a GTX 560 Ti is as powerful as the 6950 1gb? http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-560-ti-gf114,2845-16.html
And I changed the case.

 

[samuelspark]

I don't need a DVD burner, and I'd prefer a 6850/6870. So I'll probably need a 500w power supply.
I read that the case you linked has the HDD bay blocking the RAM and the Video Card going over the Sata ports

And you don't need a 500w PSU. http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/phenom-ii-overclock-graphics-card,review-32280.html Tom's hardwire fired up a PC with over twice the TDP of the i3 and a 6870 WITH overclocking.

 

[xpeh]

You know a GTX 560 Ti is as powerful as the 6950 1gb? http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-560-ti-gf114,2845-16.html
And I changed the case.

I know that the GTX 560 Ti is as powerful as the 6950, but the 6850 is significantly cheaper considering my low budget. But would the 400w power supply be sufficient for a GTX 560 Ti? I wouldn't want to overload my Power Supply. And yes, I have a budget with 500 dollars as the absolute maximum. Since I already have a dvd burner, I can shave 20 bucks off of the build. Can I use a cheaper AMD cpu and an AM3 motherboard instead?

 

[samuelspark]

There's no upgrade path with AMD and i5 beats all of AMD's CPU's in gaming.

 

[xpeh]

So would the i3 you linked be better than this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103912

This one is 30 dollars cheaper

 

[samuelspark]

A lot better. http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/187?vs=289

 

[xpeh]

I see... How about this build?

MOBO : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157280
CPU : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103995
GPU : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102948
PSU : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151096
CASE : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147144

IT's 499 without rebates, and I can unlock the CPU.

 

[WR2]

Monitor Resolution: 720p, 1080i

What monitor resolution do you really have?

 

[WR2]

and I can unlock the CPU.

An unlocked Phenom II X4 960T 3.0Ghz won't be as good @ gaming as the Phenom II X4 955 3.2GHz overclocked to 3.6Ghz.

 

[xpeh]

I'm gonna use a 1920X1080 monitor. Would the Phenom II X4 965 be as good as the 955?

 

[WR2]

It would be a little bit better - but in your case with the HD 6870 graphics card I think you go with the lower cost CPU.

 

[xpeh]

It would be a little bit better - but in your case with the HD 6870 graphics card I think you go with the lower cost CPU.

Newegg doesn't seem to have the 555 in stock

 

[WR2]

You don't happen to live near a MicroCenter, do you?

 

[xpeh]

You don't happen to live near a MicroCenter, do you?

I don't live anywhere near MicroCenter. The nearest one is several states away lol. I can try on eBay

 

[samuelspark]

I wouldn't go AMD right just because there's nowhere to go from phenom and i5 will stomp any cpu amd has in gaming.

 

[xpeh]

But I wouldn't want to spend more than 500. I still want a video card like the 6870.