€500ish Gaming Pc 1st Build

pcuser · 10-09-2015 12:42pm #1

1. What is your budget? [€500]

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? Gaming =BF4, Crysis 3, FIFA 16, GTA 5 as well as older games
3. Do you need a copy of Windows? [No]

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? No (However if push came to shove i could prob pick up a DVD Drive from my local transfer station

5. Do you need a monitor? [No] Will use the tv for the moment, Will pick one up after Christams

5b. If no, what resolution is your current monitor and do you plan to upgrade in the near future? [1920x1080 [Yes]

6. Do you need any of these peripherals? No

7. Are you willing to try overclocking? Only as a last resort
8. How can you pay? [Paypal]

9. When are you purchasing? [In the next few weeks]

10. If you need help building it, where are you based? [Kerry]

Hi Everyone, I currently have a HP Pavillion G6 laptop. Great processor (i5) Terrible on board graphics HD 4000.

I was looking at PCs in local shops but they seem way over priced, Im hoping to build a PC for about €500 to play modern as well as old games. THe games dont have to be played at max settings but would need to be running smoothly and looking somewhat decent.

Im hoping to have it up and running by Christmas, It will need to be somewhat future proof as i plan an upgrading the GPU within 12 months.

Ideally I would like a quad core, I do not mind which brand it is, But from looking around it seems AMD are that bit cheaper when building low to medium end gaming PCs.

THe HDD size does not really matter for now as i have a few externals lying around the house.

All the parts will be bough online. I usually buy from Ebay but will buy from anywhere you guys recommend.

Basically im looking for a PC with a decent processor and a graphics cards that can run games somewhat smoothly for now and upgrade the card with 12 months to a GPU around the €250 mark.

I know i said the budget was about €500 but if you guys really think that i should push the boat out to the €700 mark then i could just pick up the parts month by month and have it By Jan/Feb.

Also ive noticed a lot of gaming PCs on ebay coming from the Uk with reasonable delivery, I would also be open to buying one of these.

Digital Solitude · 10-09-2015 12:51pm

i3 4160 €120
H81M board €50
8gb RAM €50
1tb HDD €50
Case €50
400w PSU €40
GTX 750Ti €120
Total €480

Add a 250gb SSD for €90 if possible. Intel CPUs are great, dual core is enough for gaming, AMD are a waste of time except for Ultra Budgets.

pcuser · 10-09-2015 6:49pm

Hi Digital,

Thank you for the reply. I have looked around online and computeruniverse seems to be the cheapest and I can combine postage.

This is my shopping cart at the moment
gyazo.com/d4e57e5ac68a43aa57458bf505fdf49d

ASUS H81M-PLUS €58
Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB DDR3 X2 €45
Crucial 250GB SSD BX100 €88
Sharkoon VS4-W PC CASE €32

THats coming in at €223 which seems like a good price.I still havent decided on a GPU I have searched for the GPU that you have recommended but have come up with a few different types. If you had a chance could you take a look and give your opinion. THe search shows computeruniverse.net/en/list.asp?searchname=GTX+750Ti&v=0&o=%5BVKB%5D%2C+%5BN1%5D%2C+%5BN2%5D

Some are 1gb some are 2gb. Im presuming 2gb is better so i think i should get the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 750 Ti OC Low Profile 2.0 GB which brings the price up to €365.

I havent added a psu yet which will bring the price up to roughly €400.Do you think it would be wise to increase my budget to €600 and go for an i5? I know you recommended an i3 but i think if i get an i5 now then i wont have to upgrade anytime soon. That will mean that I will only have to upgrade the GPU and upgrade to 16GB Ram in the future.

For just over €600 it is miles ahead of anything i could buy in the shops at a fraction of the price.

Digital Solitude · 10-09-2015 7:03pm

An i3 with a strong GPU would be much better for the minute, but yeah an i5 right now would lost longer. I'll look at that in a minute

pcuser · 10-09-2015 7:09pm

Thank You.

Digital Solitude · 10-09-2015 7:15pm

No need in the low profile one, just get a full sized. 2gb would be better, might as well go for it for a few euro. They're all grand manufacturers too.

pcuser · 10-09-2015 7:23pm

Il prob go with this Digital,computeruniverse.net/en/products/90544870/palit-geforce-gtx-750-ti-stormx-dual.asp Solely for the facts that it has 2 fans and full size hdmi. Thank you for all your help. Off on holidays next week, After that il start picking up the parts.

.G. · 10-09-2015 8:07pm

My son wants a gaming pc for christmas and I'd be on a similar budget but was wondering how do the gtx 750 ti and the 950 or 960 compare for 1080p gaming Digital? Have most of my parts picked but gpu is doing my head in.

Digital Solitude · 10-09-2015 8:17pm

950 is best IMO, at 960 prices a second hand 290 is a far bigger jump.

950 should be a great card, I've one on the way now

950 is a good bit better than 750Ti iirc

.G. · 10-09-2015 8:37pm

Thanks mate. That's that sorted

pcuser · 10-09-2015 9:44pm

Digital Solitude wrote: »

950 should be a great card, I've one on the way now

950 is a good bit better than 750Ti iirc

Thats that then back to the i3 and the 950 instead of the 750, THanks again

pcuser · 14-09-2015 11:25am

Digital Solitude wrote: »

950 should be a great card, I've one on the way now

Hi Digital,

How are you finding the 950? Has it arrived yet?

Digital Solitude · 14-09-2015 12:34pm

Still waiting :pac: I'll report back my own opinion if you want when I get playing with it

pcuser · 14-09-2015 5:18pm

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Still waiting :pac: I'll report back my own opinion if you want when I get playing with it

Please do,

pcuser · 15-09-2015 9:47pm

I have being reading through a lot of forums the past few days, I just have a quick question.

I will be installing a HDD and SSD and a DVD RW. Will i need a PSU with a minimum of 3 Sata connections for power as well as 3 sata 6gb/s data cables? Im nearly sure i do i just want to be 100% sure

I know il need a PCI-E connector for the GPU. Strangely enough a lot of the "Gaming Case and PSU" listings on ebay do not have a PCI-E connector on the PSU. I suppose you get what you pay for.

Digital Solitude · 15-09-2015 9:56pm

Get separate parts, I.e individual PSUs and cases, you'll get better PSUs.

Most 400-500w PSUs should have 6+ Sata power ports on 2 rails, it should be in the spec

pcuser · 29-09-2015 9:36am

Hi Digital,

These are the parts im going to go with, gyazo.com/063b635d81e6521aac0afc54a9099787

I went with your suggestion and got the i3, I will also be adding a GTX 950. Can you recommend a PSU from Computer Universe if you have time?

Thank You

grindle · 29-09-2015 10:43am

pcuser wrote: »

These are the parts im going to go with, gyazo.com/063b635d81e6521aac0afc54a9099787

No need for the thermal paste as there's some pre-applied to the stock cooler for the CPU.

This PSU would be grand.

Digital Solitude · 29-09-2015 10:53am

That link is asking me to sign into something so I'm not going to do that.

Corsair CX430 is a grand, cheapish PSU.
BeQuiet, SeaSonic, XFX, Corsair all make sound PSUs, any 400-500w from them is fine, Computer Universe should have a good selection

Digital Solitude · 07-10-2015 11:32pm

Probably late for you OP but posting for Superg anyways!

Digi's Benchmarks

i5 and i3 comparing a 950 vs an R9 290, few amonalies of the i3 getting better mins than the i5, but thats likely just how I was moving

pcuser · 08-10-2015 9:43am

Thanks Digital,
I have picked up the GTX 950, I wont be ordering the other parts until the end of the week. I be using an
i3 after looking at that chart. Thanks again for all the help.

pcuser · 08-10-2015 9:43am

Has you 950 arrived yet?

pcuser · 09-10-2015 3:33pm

Another quick question lads regarding the PSU. Should I go with the

"bequiet! Pure Power L8 400"
4x SATA
2x PCIe 8pin, 2x PCIe 6pin

or the

Corsair Builder Series CX430
4x SATA, 3x Molex
1x PCIe 6pin

Im using an i3-4160 and GTX 950

I dont plan on using Dual GPUS (Mobo wont allow it anyway) so i wont need 2x PCIe 6pin that the bequiet has. Also the corsair has 3x Molex. Are these what are used to connect additional fans?

I also dont know which brand hass a better rep as this is all new to me.

Digital Solitude · 10-10-2015 12:27pm

It doesn't really matter, I like BeQuiets because they're...quiet...

I have a Corsair ATM and I had to replace the fan.

No odds in them really though, I think a lot of people prefer Corsairs

pcuser · 27-10-2015 2:19am

Just a quick follow up.

All the parts I ordered arrived last Thursday (From Payment to delivery took ComputerUniverse 1 week with the cheapest shipping available)

Due to work and family visiting I only got to assemble it this evening. It was pretty straightforward as as I had being watching videos on youtube on how to build pcs constantly for the last few weeks.

I did run in to a few problems which I did not come across on the videos but were easily sorted.

(1) Screws with case.
I knew that cases came supplied with screws but i did not realize there were so many and they were different sizes. After a bit of trial and error i figured out which were which and different from factors use either different screws or more or less screws.

(2)The I/O panel can be tricky to install to the pc case (I used a pretty cheap case). WHen you realize you can use a certain amount of force with your comp parts its much easier to install. ( "Certain amount" lets not get out the hammer )

(3) The case I bought came with "Screwless HDD Install" I have to say that the way the HD clicks in is not very secure. Its fine when the case is upright with the side panels connected. But it could easily slide and damage if you turn the PC while still building. It could be the case i was using, or I did not secure it properly however I did spend a while looking at videos to see if i was securing it correctly and Im nearly sure I did.

I literally had just connected the PC to a Monitor and got the BIOS to boot up before i got a call from work to call in as something had come up. It looks like everything is working perfectly. Il finish the cable management and a few other bits tomorrow but overall it was quiet enjoyable and well worth doing yourslef

€500ish Gaming Pc 1st Build

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