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Old-timer back and hoping to build gaming desktop for under $1000.

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doc6886

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2003
Hey crew,

Used to be super into this stuff but haven't done anything for quite a while as I've been pursuing an advanced degree. However, finally got that finished and now I'm looking to get back into gaming.
Can anyone suggest some configurations for a gaming desktop for under $1,000?

Seems like Intel CPUs and Nvidia graphics cards are the way to go now; back in the day I had an overclocked AMD XP 2500+ mobile overclocked with a Radeon 9800 Pro and some Corsair BH-5 memory. That machine was sick! But totally out of the loop on good hardware now.

Any help would be appreciated!
 
I had a very similar PC back int he day, those 9700 and 9800 Pro's were the bomb ....

You can get in under 1K if you shop, sure one of the members here will config something for you

I think 1.5K is more realistic for a competent gamer though
 
$40 will help, which makes that pcpartpicker.com list $100 under budget... but the 1070 is easily $200+ more. So the budget is still blown.. but... worth it imo.
 
I agree on the 1070 but remember he still needs to fit a case into the budget.



Oh and I would contend that the Extreme 6 is the better board based on a higher quality vrm section as well as reviews showing a better OC ability of both the cpu and ram as compared to the Extreme 4.
 
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Is a higher end VRM section even worth it anymore? You can find relatively solid boards in ITX form factors or otherwise with very minimal VRM solidity and they can still hold an OC due to the small power required these days. 8+ used to be the 'preferred required' for VRMs, now 4 is easily enough? I've got a Z87i Pro from Asus with a nice VRM extension, but then I also have a Gigabyte Z97n Wifi with fairly poor VRM implementation and it can still OC just fine 24/7.

Everything else though +1.
 
Why/how would would the board affect GPU overclocking?

Also, is that at the extreme end or where 99% of people are going?
 
Sorry that was supposed to read Cpu, I will fix that now, I am more taking about the quality of the components versus say the number of phases.

I will have to try and dig up the comparison I was reading but the Extreme 4 was lagging behind the 6 overclocking the same chip at the same voltages due to voltage variations under load.

-------------------

Here is an excerpt from the review.

"Both boards would get the CPU to 4.6 GHz, but the Z170 Extreme4 wouldn't hold a 1.30V CPU core under changing loads regardless of settings. Sticking to the "all boards get the same voltage limit" rule for the sake of fairness, the lower setting with a 1.30V peak resulted in a second-place maximum clock rate."

Full review here,

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/asrock-z170-extreme4-atx-motherboard,4337-3.html
 
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I'm surprised at that, honestly... wondering if it was a one off (voltage). Memory is a non issue really.
 
On the list pending on the type of gaming to be done a single 500GB SSD might prove all you need instead of having that evil spinning drive in the system, might save a few bucks too.

One thing that wasn't mentioned was monitor, considering if the existing system might be a bit dated you can say the monitor might be as well. I know you can catch deals for decent 1080p screens from 21-25" for around $100-140 but just wanted to mention it.
 
If you really want to stick under $1k, I cut a few corners where I could and put this together on PCPARTPICKER.COM for just over $1k. With some smart shopping, I was able to find all these pieces together for about $975. (Gotta go beyond pcpartpicker's reach).

http://pcpartpicker.com/list/KdYzPs
 
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I just wonder when/if he'll come back to check out the responses. Why do people ask for advise and then not return for the answers?
 
Sure he'll be back....last time he posted the same kinda thread ('12) there was a 9 or so day spread between responses. He never posted back as to ultimate build though. :shrug:
And, yes...he has a MC near. :)
 
Wow, thanks for all the help everyone! Sorry for delayed response. Never ended up building that rig four years ago but this time I'm definitely doing it.

I do have a MC near me--but the prices look to be about the same to the PC Part Picker aggregations, right?
I have a 21" LCD monitor from about 8 years ago but should probably replace it since it's super bulky and I'm sure the technology has improved a lot since then.

Primarily play FPS like Overwatch and upcoming Battlefield 1. Also might try Legion. Budget can go up a bit if the 1070 is really that much of an improvement!
And I generally don't need a ton of storage so sticking with 500 SSD is definitely sufficient.
Is 2x8GB memory a big performance upgrade over 2x4GB?
 
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