Budget gaming PC

Soldie

I'm looking to put together a budget gaming PC. It's been close to 8 years since I've built a PC so I'm a bit out of touch as regards how much money I need to part with in order to get a PC that does what I want it to do. I'm into games but I'm not a graphics junkie in the slightest, so what I'm looking for is a PC that'll be able to handle current and upcoming games on low-to-medium graphics settings. Perhaps someone could advise me on what I'd need to spend in order to realise that goal.

1. What is your budget?

I can reluctantly stretch to €800. I'd rather spend less, but at the same time I don't want to skimp if it'll mean the PC doesn't deliver what I want it do.

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? [Gaming/Video editing/3D Modelling/HTPC/Internet] (If gaming include which games)

Gaming.

3. Do you need a copy of Windows?

Yes.

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? [Hard drive/DVD Drive/Case/PSU/etc.] (If possible state brand and model of the parts to ensure compatibility)

No.

5. Do you need a monitor? [Yes/No]

No.

6. Do you need any of these peripherals? [Keyboard/Mouse/Wireless Card/Card Reader/Speakers/etc.]

No.

7. Are you willing to try overclocking? [Yes/No]

No.

8. How can you pay? [Bank Transfer/Credit Card/Laser]

All of the above.

9. When are you purchasing? [In x days]

In the next month or two.

10. If you need help building it, where are you based? [South Dublin City/Cork City/Kerry/etc.]

I'll part with the €20 and have Hardwareversand build it for me.

MRTULES

Maybe something like this?

Item|Price
Intel Core i5-3570 Box, LGA1155|€186.56
8GB-Kit G.Skill PC3-10667U CL9|€33.50
Seagate Barracuda 7200 2000GB, SATA 6Gb/s|€87.14
BitFenix Shinobi Midi-Tower USB 3.0 black, ohne Netzteil|€53.03
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 450W|€42.35
Sapphire HD 7870 2GB GDDR5 PCI-Express|€218.02
ASRock B75 Pro3, Sockel 1155, ATX|€67.19
Microsoft Windows 8 64-Bit (SB-Version)|€86.09
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€792.87

You could probably save a few quid on the gpu by going down to a 7850 or maybe even 7770.
As ever, someone who actually knows about this stuff will be a long to sort the good from the bad here.

areyawell

If you really wanted the cheapest gaming PC possible could build one for around 400 which would play all games on ultra but obviously wouldn't last as long as the 800 PC. Processor and graphics would be probably need updating two years down the line to keep games playing at ultra settings or else drop down the graphics from ultra to high or medium.

That 800 PC would really be top of the range PC and wouldn't be outdated for years on end!

Actually 500 for a decent one, forgot you need windows

areyawell

BitFenix Merc Alpha €34.00
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 450W €42.28
ASUS M5A78L LE, Sockel AM3+, ATX €50.00
AMD Phenom II X4 945 , Sockel AM3 €68.37
4GB-Kit G.Skill PC3-10667U CL9 €16.89
WD Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 3 6Gb/s €53.54
HIS HD 7770 GDDR5 1024MB DVI HDMI 2xMiniDP €107.74
Samsung SH-118AB DVD-RW €13.33
Windows 8 €86.09
Shipping €18.99
Total €491.14

Soldie

Thanks for the advice so far, guys.

Based on your feedback I think I'd be keen on a middle ground between the two, especially now that I'm going to have to factor a monitor into my budget (a deal to get one on the cheap has since fallen through).

As suggested by MRTULES, I can save a bit by dropping the graphics card down to a 7770. Would the 7770 represent the best value for money?

Contrary to what I said in my OP, I would consider some minor overclocking.

With that in mind, can somebody advise me on a revised budget of no more than say €650? Something that'll handle the game's of today on low-to-medium graphics settings, as well as being somewhat future-proof (insofar as that is possible). Basically, I want to go after wherever the value is.

Thanks again; your advice is appreciated.

tuxy

Anything less than a 7850 will not be good in 1080p res.
7770 is ok once you don't mind playing in low res.
Running a non native res for a monitor does look ugly though.

spix

7770 should be fine fine for 1080p (I have one) and plays all games fine at that res once AA is disabled, a good few games will need a few other settings lowered too.

Since you said you don't mind low-mid graphics I'd go for a 7770 but only in the 100-105 euro range, spend anything more and you may as well go for the 7850.

areyawell

spix wrote: »

7770 should be fine fine for 1080p (I have one) and plays all games fine at that res once AA is disabled, a good few games will need a few other settings lowered too.

Since you said you don't mind low-mid graphics I'd go for a 7770 but only in the 100-105 euro range, spend anything more and you may as well go for the 7850.

7770 plays far cry 3 on ultra settings for me 30 - 40 FPS. I know its not the greatest but tis grand

Soldie

Item|Price
Intel Core i5-2500K Box, LGA1155|€191.00
ASRock B75 Pro3, Sockel 1155, ATX|€61.81
8GB-Kit Corsair Vengeance Low Profile schwarz PC3-12800U CL9|€39.88
BitFenix Merc Alpha|€32.04
HIS HD 7850 GDDR5 1024MB DVI/HDMI/2xMini DP|€157.49
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 450W|€42.35
Seagate Barracuda 7200 500GB SATA 6GB's|€52.49
LiteOn iHAS124-04 schwarz SATA|€17.09
MS Windows 8 64bit (SB-Version) Englisch|€86.56
Total|€680.71

Thoughts on the above?

tuxy

Switch the 2500k to a 3570k and it's a perfect build for the price.

tuxy

areyawell wrote: »

7770 plays far cry 3 on ultra settings for me 30 - 40 FPS. I know its not the greatest but tis grand

Depends on what you are used to I guess. 60 fps is really the sweet spot where games are super smooth. But anything over 30 is playable.

spix

No point getting a K cpu with a b75 motherboard as it can't be overclocked on it.

Soldie

spix wrote: »

No point getting a K cpu with a b75 motherboard as it can't be overclocked on it.

Is it worth spending a bit more on a motherboard in order to facilitate overclocking? If so, do you have any recommendations?

tuxy

You would also need a non stock cooler to overclock

4.2 ghz is almost a definite over the stock 3.4 clock. Good chance of getting even higher 4.4 is very likely.

http://lb.hardwareversand.de/DDR3/59322/ASRock+Z77+Pro3%2C+Sockel+1155%2C+ATX.article

http://lb.hardwareversand.de/Intel+AMD/52672/Thermalright+True+Spirit+120+Rev.+A+BW.article

Soldie

Swapping the 2500K out for a 3570K, upgrading to the motherboard suggested by tuxy and throwing in the cooling kit brings me up to €748.92 in total, which is a bit higher than where I'd like to be.

Just how big of a performance boost will I see going from a 3570 with a B75 motherboard to a 3570K with a Z77 motherboard and cooling kit? There's about €75 in the difference and I am unsure if it's worth it.

Gumbi

Soldie wrote: »

Swapping the 2500K out for a 3570K, upgrading to the motherboard suggested by tuxy and throwing in the cooling kit brings me up to €748.92 in total, which is a bit higher than where I'd like to be.

Just how big of a performance boost will I see going from a 3570 with a B75 motherboard to a 3570K with a Z77 motherboard and cooling kit? There's about €75 in the difference and I am unsure if it's worth it.

I don't think it's worth is given your budget. A good setup would probably put you at 4.4GHz, but IMO it eats too much into your budget, especially considering you now have to factor in a monitor.

tuxy

It's a nice overclock but I agree it's not worth going over budget for.

marco_polo

On this budget I would maybe go for either a version of the Phenom II X4 build with decent AM3+ board, or else bear the cost of the z77 board and settle for an i3 CPU for now.

Both would do just fine gaming right now, and leave you with a decent upgrade potential be it next years AMD FX8350 replacements (AM3+ is getting one more CPU generation) or else dropping in and overclocking i5-3570K.

There shouldn't be much performance difference between the two upgrade options (although who knows where intel will by the time AMD catch up to their current gen ), but since Intel are changing sockets next year their next CPU lines wouldn't be an upgrade option for you anyway.