Under $600 Gaming Rig (incl. OS)

[blatantlyobvious]

Hello all! This is my first thread posted to the Tom's Hardware Forums, though I have been reading through many posts in an attempt to better understand the thinking that goes into building a PC. I have never built a computer and I would not consider myself knowledgeable past the basics of "what does what," but I am interested in better understanding the reasoning and trains of thought that go into putting a PC together.

I am interested in building a gaming PC on a budget of $600 (including OS) that will enable me to enjoy primarily MMO-type games such as DayZ using moderate graphics settings. While I enjoy a pretty game, I would much rather have a machine that can run games smoothly and reliably. The build I have assembled below is somewhat of a theoretical build and was put together based on what I've read on these forums. It is meant to be a starting point from which an actual build list can be assembled.

I'd appreciate input and suggestions. If you do suggest a change to the list, I would appreciate an explanation of the reasoning behind the choice. The budget cap is a solid $600 (though a few dollars over is acceptable).

Thank you for your time!

Blatantly

Approximate Purchase Date: Within a week of posted date.

Budget Range: $600 after rebates; including shipping and OS

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, internet browsing, work (mostly Microsoft Office applications), watching movies

Are you buying a monitor: No; this will be an upgrade at a later date

Parts to Upgrade: Ground-up build

Do you need to buy OS: Yes

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Reputable sites with preference to as few different sites as possilbe.

Location: TN, USA

Parts Preferences: Intel processors/MOBOs are desirable for later ability to upgrade.

Overclocking: Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: I don't know this off the top of my head; will edit if it's particularly important.

Additional Comments: I plan on using my old monitor and chassis at least until later dates.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: The selection of games I play on my current PC is not particularly vast, and none of the games I play are particularly demanding to a PC. The current computer I use was built in 2006 and up until last Fall was running Windows XP with 2 GB RAM (I upgraded to 4 GB but 32 bit XP caps it at ~3.5 GB). Unfortunately, my PC is at the point of not being able to run games I am interested in such as DayZ and newer MMOs on low graphics.

I am not really looking for a beast of a machine that can run games on ultra settings, but rather something that will comfortably run games on regular settings with an emphasis on MMO-type games (which I believe puts importance on CPU ability). I am also interested in building a long-term machine in the sense that it will enable me to enjoy the next few years of gaming (once again, modest gaming as opposed to ultra-graphics) while also leaving options open for CPU/GPU upgrades.

PC Part Picker List

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($123.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI H81M-P33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.98 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill AEGIS 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($76.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($134.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($47.99 @ Micro Center)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $596.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

 

[Onus]

Another thing I've realized is that it isn't necessary to overthink every detail of a build. As Don (Cleeve) said about graphics cards over a year ago, "There are no longer any bad cards, just bad prices." That is also true of most CPUs as well (Bulldozer excepted; IMO there is always a better choice). Even if you don't manage to get the very best you could, you will be hard pressed to do truly poorly, and obvious compatibility issues will be spotted (and early) by the Hive Mind.
As a purely mental exercise, I came up with a build I called "sufferable;" the cheapest system that would play my own games on "enjoyable" settings (typically medium or better). It was a lot lower-spec'ed than most people would think acceptable, proving my assertion that it is really difficult to come up with a truly bad build. The biggest issues I see are more related to quality (e.g. Corsair "CX" PSUs, AMD mobos with no heatsink VRMs, etc.) rather than speed (a $130-$150 graphics card is sufficient to play any modern game on "enjoyable" [to me] settings). YMMV a little, but only by degree.

 

[WildCard999]

AMD APU solution with aftermarket cpu cooler for O/Cing @ $572.35 >>> http://pcpartpicker.com/p/WPT7GX <<<

 

[Onus]

A gamer truly needs a discrete graphics card, but that APU build would be fit for most any other purpose, for most people.

 

[blatantlyobvious]

Another thing I've realized [snip]

Thank you for adding this to the thread, Onus. I've chosen it as "the solution" because I think it highlights something very important that took me a bit of poking around these forums and reading threads to understand. I feel like a big obstacle I faced (and many people in my position face) when considering building a PC is the intimidating amount of information and knowledge swirling around PC hardware.

After some reading, however, it has become more apparent to me that it's not necessarily about building "the best," but rather about building something that will work for you and enable you to compute happily. I think it's important that others who are in the process of building his/her first PC should read your reply and think it over.

Blatantly

 

[WildCard999]

A gamer truly needs a discrete graphics card, but that APU build would be fit for most any other purpose, for most people.

Ok then this >>> http://pcpartpicker.com/p/HW2LFT <<< Also didn't see that part where he said he already had a case.

 

[TheLastof Me]

Why would he need a new Windows license if he purchased his own license already? Doesn't that only apply if you swap out a HDD from a OEM PC (i.e. HP, Dell).

Lastly, I would never recommend a dual-core CPU for a custom build. Those CPUs are for OEM's to distribute low-priced, bargain laptops and desktops for casual users.

 

[Onus]

That contains an example of an AMD mobo with no heatsinks on its VRMs. That may or may not be a big deal. With a stock FX-6300, it should be fine. Overclock it, or if it is a FX-8xxx (stock or OC), and is a big problem. Few boards can deal with an overclocked FX-8xxx.

 

[blatantlyobvious]

Why would he need a new Windows license if he purchased his own license already? Doesn't that only apply if you swap out a HDD from a OEM PC (i.e. HP, Dell).

I believe the OS license is unique to the MOBO of a system. The original statement regarding the need to buy a new OS license was in the event that I bought a low-priced MOBO now and upgraded to a Z97 in the future (as would likely be the case before/during a CPU upgrade). In this case, a second OS license would be required for the new MOBO.

 

[Vic 40]

Another point to look at with regards too whether an atx motherboard fits your case is looking at the amount of expansion slots,with just four do you have a m-atx case,with >7 you have an atx case.

 

[blatantlyobvious]

Counted seven expansion slots when I checked last night

 

[DateAsultz]

Hi blatantlyobvious

The build you posted at the bottom of the thread looks all right and should comfortably run most games from medium to high, and should do ultra on quite a few games like BF3, one thing I would suggest is switching to an AMD based system, so maybe:

CPU: AMD FX-6300 ( $119.14 @amazon)
Motherboard: ASUS M5A78L-M LX ($49.89 @amazon)

[snip]

Would an AMD-based system such as this still have comparable upgrade paths compared to an Intel-based system, or would I find myself hitting a wall with the MOBO relatively quickly?

With amd's am3+ socket it should last another couple of years before they stop supporting it and even then you could uprade to a FX-8350 which should lst you a few more years at least

 

[LucoTF]

With amd's am3+ socket it should last another couple of years before they stop supporting it and even then you could uprade to a FX-8350 which should lst you a few more years at least

AM3+ is officially end of life Q1 2015 - that's 8 months

But it should still be a good gaming processor for a while longer than that

 

[blatantlyobvious]

Hi all. Thank you again for the trove of information and advice you've provided me.

I will begin ordering these parts in the coming week and have a few questions before I get started:

1. Are mail-in rebates ridiculously difficult to complete? I expect to jump through some hoops, but I'd like to know if I can expect to actually complete them all or if they'll end up being a cost I didn't consider.

2. What are the normal shipping times for sites such as Newegg, OutletPC, SuperBiiz, and NCIX US? I live in the SE US if that makes a difference.

Thanks!

 

[LucoTF]

When you replace a mobo, you typically also need to replace your Windows license (you can't simply move your boot drive and expect it to work); this adds significantly to the cost of upgrading the mobo later rather than getting the better one now.

This is no longer true with windows 8, you can change mobo later without a problem.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($108.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($124.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($21.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($93.95 @ B&H)
Total: $614.86
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-26 13:12 EDT-0400

 

[blatantlyobvious]

Hi Luco,

It appears as if the build you've just proposed offers a more powerful processor at the expense of less room for processor upgrade in the future. Does this more or less sum it up?

 

[LucoTF]

Actually I've got an idea

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-HD3 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.99 @ TigerDirect)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($76.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($124.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Micro Center)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/RSBS DVD/CD Writer ($21.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $618.89
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-26 15:55 EDT-0400

That i5 cpu will last you a few years, so any mobo will do - just upgrade them together when you do upgrade, new sockets will be out by then anyway
Lowered the power supply - just upgrade it when you upgrade the video card. No need for a $60 psu right now

 

[blatantlyobvious]

I've got to say I like this build. I was poking around with an i5 figuring it'd be beneficial to shell out a bit more cash now for a rather large upgrade from the i3. Will the Windows 8 OEM be valid when I do end up upgrading the mobo? That seems to be what you mentioned earlier.

Thanks

 

[LucoTF]

I've got to say I like this build. I was poking around with an i5 figuring it'd be beneficial to shell out a bit more cash now for a rather large upgrade from the i3. Will the Windows 8 OEM be valid when I do end up upgrading the mobo? That seems to be what you mentioned earlier.

Thanks

At the very worst the license will need to be reactivated but you will not have to buy another copy of windows or even reinstall it.

 

[blatantlyobvious]

Hi Luco,

I'm in the process of putting together a finalized build to post for a last-minute suggestions and whatnot. I've looked at the build you proposed with the i5-4670 and the cheaper MOBO, but unfortunately it seems as though the price of the CPU has jumped quite a bit (~$220). With this in mind, would you suggest shelling out the extra $40 for the i5, or would you suggest going to the AMD FX-6300?

Thanks!

 

[LucoTF]

It's jumped $30 and it was already $30 more than an AMD build so an i5-4670 build would be $60 more.

FX-6300 build (needs cooler and not-terrible mobo) = $600
i5-4440 build = $630
i5-4670 build = $660

I think actually in terms of price/performance they're all kinda similar, so the more you spend the more you get. Also, the i5 runs cooler and is more energy efficient. I still think an i5 build is the way to go here and given that you're planning to run a 750ti there's no reason to go higher than an i5-4440.

 

[Vic 40]

there's no reason to go higher than an i5-4440.

The 4460 is often close or the same price.In the partpicker it is the same.

 

[blatantlyobvious]

Thanks for pointing that out Vic. I think I'll end up picking whichever of the two (4440 or 4460) is cheaper (unless they're more or less the same) when I actually put in the order.

 

[Vic 40]

Both should run any card fine.

 

[LucoTF]

but the 4460 is haswell refresh, not guaranteed to work with that mobo out of the box

 

[nikoli707]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($69.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper TX3 54.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI H81M-P33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($48.38 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($68.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk Solid State Drive 64GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($50.40 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 270 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($139.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Thermaltake VL80001W2Z ATX Mid Tower Case ($27.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX Power Supply ($37.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $600.67
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-29 16:33 EDT-0400