- Joined
- Dec 15, 2009
- Location
- CA
This was extremely helpful, thanks!
-
Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!
The Overclocking Buyers Guide
- Thread starter splat
- Start date
Budget PC build
Hey guys. I'm not exactly new to this, but I've been out of the loop for quite a while. I need to build a budget gaming rig...and fast. This only needs to hold me over for 6 months or so, while I save up some moolah for a decent one. I'm only working with about $400 or $500, but I don't need everything. I need a CPU, MOBO, RAM and GPU. I might need another PSU...haven't decided yet. Everything else I have.
My goal is to be able to play anything currently out there at medium settings (no AA, no AF). If I could come in under budget, that would be helpful too. My theory is to skimp as much as humanly possible on everything but the video card. I was thinking about an E8400, cheap as hell mobo, cheap but not value OCZ DDR2 memory 2GB and then go almost all out with a GTX275 or better. What do you think? Does that even make any sense, lol? Could I even skimp a little more on the CPU?
Anyway...I'd appreciate any help on the matter. Thanks in advance for any and all advice.
Hey guys. I'm not exactly new to this, but I've been out of the loop for quite a while. I need to build a budget gaming rig...and fast. This only needs to hold me over for 6 months or so, while I save up some moolah for a decent one. I'm only working with about $400 or $500, but I don't need everything. I need a CPU, MOBO, RAM and GPU. I might need another PSU...haven't decided yet. Everything else I have.
My goal is to be able to play anything currently out there at medium settings (no AA, no AF). If I could come in under budget, that would be helpful too. My theory is to skimp as much as humanly possible on everything but the video card. I was thinking about an E8400, cheap as hell mobo, cheap but not value OCZ DDR2 memory 2GB and then go almost all out with a GTX275 or better. What do you think? Does that even make any sense, lol? Could I even skimp a little more on the CPU?
Anyway...I'd appreciate any help on the matter. Thanks in advance for any and all advice.
OP
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2002
- Thread Starter
- #104
you've got the right idea, you'll want the best vid card you can afford, so start with that and then fill in the other pieces with what money you have left. Buying a budget mobo and budget ram will limit the amount you can overclock the processor but you'll still be in good shape.
OP
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2002
- Thread Starter
- #106
You can browse around the net to see reviews and make sure you can get the frame rates you want, but the CPU won't make a huge difference. But that all depends on what vid card, what game, etc etc, so look for reviews or CPU charts to compare (tomshardware.com has cpu charts but they haven't been updated in a while)
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2009
- Location
- Pleven, Bulgaria
Needs to be updated again.
You can buy a 300$ PC that will have an AM3 dual-core AMD CPU, 2GB of DDR2 800mhz ram and a decent low-end HTPC graphics card like the 9500GT or the HD4550.
You can buy a 300$ PC that will have an AM3 dual-core AMD CPU, 2GB of DDR2 800mhz ram and a decent low-end HTPC graphics card like the 9500GT or the HD4550.
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2010
I wish I were more qualified to contribute, but I'm not. Changes hapen so fast its difficult.
I just ordered the EVGA Classified SR-2 (Super Record 2) 270-WS-W555-A1 LGA 1366 Intel 5520 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 HPTX Intel Motherboard for my x5560's. I'm sure I'm "over my head" but hey I hope I have fun and don't burn it up!
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2002
- Location
- Rootstown, OH
That's good advice coming from someone who wasn't an expert when they started writing this guide years ago. 
OP
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2002
- Thread Starter
- #116
there was a guide released on teh front page in october. I might be able to get another updatespecifically on this thread before christmas but i've been busy with other front page stuff
http://www.overclockers.com/amd-intel-buyers-guide-102010/
http://www.overclockers.com/amd-intel-buyers-guide-102010/
I have a budget of 1000$ for Building a New Rig(Excluding Monitor)
So far I have come up with the following configuration
I know i can do better I need youre help
Case
Azza Spartan Gaming Case Black
Processor
AMD Phenom™ II X6 1055T Six-Core CPU
Processor Cooling
Liquid CPU Cooling System [AMD] - Standard 120mm Fan
Memory
4 GB [2 GB X2] DDR3-1600 Memory Module - Corsair
Video Card
ATI Radeon HD 5770 - 1GB - Single Card
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-770T-USB3 -- AMD 770
Power Supply
600 Watt -- Standard
Primary Hard Drive
640 GB HARD DRIVE -- 64M Cache, 7200 RPM, 6.0Gb/s - Single Drive
Optical Drive
24X Dual Format/Double Layer DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Drive - Black
Sound Card
3D Premium Surround Sound Onboard
Network Card
Onboard LAN Network (Gb or 10/100)
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium + Office Starter 2010 (Includes basic versions of Word and Excel) - 64-Bit
So far I have come up with the following configuration
I know i can do better I need youre help
Case
Azza Spartan Gaming Case Black
Processor
AMD Phenom™ II X6 1055T Six-Core CPU
Processor Cooling
Liquid CPU Cooling System [AMD] - Standard 120mm Fan
Memory
4 GB [2 GB X2] DDR3-1600 Memory Module - Corsair
Video Card
ATI Radeon HD 5770 - 1GB - Single Card
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-770T-USB3 -- AMD 770
Power Supply
600 Watt -- Standard
Primary Hard Drive
640 GB HARD DRIVE -- 64M Cache, 7200 RPM, 6.0Gb/s - Single Drive
Optical Drive
24X Dual Format/Double Layer DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Drive - Black
Sound Card
3D Premium Surround Sound Onboard
Network Card
Onboard LAN Network (Gb or 10/100)
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium + Office Starter 2010 (Includes basic versions of Word and Excel) - 64-Bit
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2002
- Location
- Rootstown, OH
PiaKanuga, that is a good start listing your components but the detail is insufficient for some items.
I can't tell what cooling product that is for the processor - it sounds like a generic name, and I would not buy anything generic. You want to buy things which you can look at reviews for, so you know what sort of performance to expect in real world situations.
The power supply also doesn't list a brand, and you cannot go by wattage ratings because they are notorious for being garbage. In a PSU, brand name and model number is everything, and if you can't find reviews on the PSU, then it probably uses poor quality components and only delivers a portion of the wattage it claims it can. I would not run the PSU if it comes with the case either, anything included with a case is also notorious for being garbage... Remember the PSU gives power to every other component you spend money on - trying to save a few bucks on the PSU might cost you in the long run.
Your motherboard is not what I would get, you can get good 890FX chipset boards for a decent price, so the 770 chipset likely isn't your preference unless you selected that for a specific reason. Otherwise, you want to find a 890FX/GX board for yourself.
Everything else looks pretty reasonable. Don't forget
I can't tell what cooling product that is for the processor - it sounds like a generic name, and I would not buy anything generic. You want to buy things which you can look at reviews for, so you know what sort of performance to expect in real world situations.
The power supply also doesn't list a brand, and you cannot go by wattage ratings because they are notorious for being garbage. In a PSU, brand name and model number is everything, and if you can't find reviews on the PSU, then it probably uses poor quality components and only delivers a portion of the wattage it claims it can. I would not run the PSU if it comes with the case either, anything included with a case is also notorious for being garbage... Remember the PSU gives power to every other component you spend money on - trying to save a few bucks on the PSU might cost you in the long run.
Your motherboard is not what I would get, you can get good 890FX chipset boards for a decent price, so the 770 chipset likely isn't your preference unless you selected that for a specific reason. Otherwise, you want to find a 890FX/GX board for yourself.
Everything else looks pretty reasonable. Don't forget
The reason I dint put up any specific names for the PSU is because i dont really know whats good and i really need youre suggestions because ive build only one pc and that was 4 years ago.If I am looking for a computer I wanna run atleast for say 3 years I should have a good processor and motherboard right.I definately dont wanna lag so i believe the processor is an essential component should i keep it the same or should i upgrade.As far as Ive seen hows the Asus M4A87TD as a motherboard as its the essential part for expansion right.
OP
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2002
- Thread Starter
- #120
as was said before, you want to get a board with the 890fx chipset. not the 870, not the 770. one of these for instance: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...600008296 600008420&IsNodeId=1&name=AMD 890FX
