Build A $500(ish) Gaming PC.

[Duplicity]

DISCLAIMER:

You build your computer. Not prebuilt crap. You must know some extensive knowledge to building your own computer. How parts go together, installing the OS, and risks when building a computer. All prices are current, and may change.

ALSO: SHIPPING IS NOT COVERED! BECAUSE ITS DIFFERENT FOR YOU AND I. MOST ITEMS HAVE NO SHIPPING. BUT SOME DO. SO PUT SOME MONEY INTO SHIPPING!

Always wear an Anti-Static Wrist Strap!

Now, thats said, lets start! All links are from US vendors. Sorry EU. Maybe you can find similar parts from another website.

Here is your checklist:

1. Motherboard
2. CPU
3. Videocard
4. RAM
5. Hard Drive
6. Optical Drive (DVD/CD Drive)
7. Case + Powersupply

Please note, I DO NOT INCLUDE AN OS. Hopefully you can find a windows 7 beta, or some pirates around. *Cough*.

CPU - Intel Pentium E5200 2.5GHz Wolfdale (Dual Core) Click

Price: 71

Originally, I would've picked the AMD Phenom 9500 @ 2.2Ghz Quad, but I heard good reviews for this. If you would like the AMD Phenom, I will link it at the very end.


Motherboard - MSI P43 Neo3-F LG 775 - Click

Price: 90* (80 after Rebate)

VideoCard - Powercolor AX 4870 (ATI) 512MB - Click

Price: 175* (154.99 after rebate)

I started off picking a GPU first. This is really up to you. If your just playing WoW, you may want a lower rate card such as 9800 GT (If they have any left) or 9600. This is mainly up to you. Research what you want.


Memory - Crucal 2GB DDR2 SDRAM 800 - Click

Price: 23.

Well, I was skeptical at first. But you WILL have money to upgrade your ram to 4GB IF you don't get an optical drive. Maybe drop an HDD if you want to reformat your own HDD. Upgrade if you need.

If you want to upgrade. click This is 56* (31 after rebate)

Hard Drive - WD Caviar 320GB 7200 RPM - Click

Price: 50

320GB is fair enough for a gaming PC. You could drop this if you already have one and reformat it.

Optical Drive - Samsung Black CD/DVD - Click

Price: 25

Again, you could drop this IF you already have one. Just transfer it.

Case/Power Supply - Rosewill TU-155 Black, Steel ATX Mid Tower with 500W PSU - Click

Price: 75* (FREE SHIPPING! I WOULD BUY IT! Shipping can go up to 15$!)

Sources: Maximum PC.

~~~

Total: $509*. 479 after rebate.

Hope this helps you decide. If you have suggestions, please post!

Note: When putting your old HDD in, you must back everything and put in the OS. 99.99% of the time, it won't work if you just stick it in with a new Motherboard. Because it doesn't have the drivers. And overlapping drivers is bad.

For the AMD Phenom x4 @2.2Ghz, NewEgg doesn't sell it for some reason. But you can try TigerDirect.

AMD Phenom x4 9500 @2.2GHz (Can OC to 2.4Ghz) - Click
Price: 90.

ASUS M3A78-CM - Click
Price: 75

Grand Total will be: 488

[Dragonshadow]

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE At the processor.

[Duplicity]

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE At the processor.

You don't need an i7 920 CPU for a budget gaming rig. Personally, I made myself a 550 gaming righ with 2.2GHz Phenom 9500, and its decent. I get 60FPS in WoW, 35FPS on Crysis.

[Dragonshadow]

I'm pretty sure you'd get better performance from an e2200 OC to 3ghz (Which is what I own for my -budget- gaming machine.)

[Duplicity]

With the e5200, you can OC that too. I'm thinking about swaping my Mobo/CPU with intel based, since AMD sucks at OC. e5200 can OC higher easier.

I almost have enough to build an i7 ;D

[Dragonshadow]

Core i7 920 can oc to 4.2GHZ! ;D

[Duplicity]

920 can be OC'd past 3.5GHz air cooled! ;D

[Dragonshadow]

I think its max with air cooling is ~3.8 iirc

[Grasi]

Instead of the HD4870 I'd buy a HD4850/9800GTX for about 120~ $ (don't know the hardware dollar prices :P) and spend these 70-90 saved dollars for 4GB Ram/better CPU :P.

[Duplicity]

9800 GTX are now 250 GT(S)X

[Apple Pi]

My phenom 940 with 8 gigs of wonderful ram is at 3.81GHZ Under AIR WHAT NOW!!!! Suck it Intel =D

[Dragonshadow]

And any intel overclocked to the same speed would destroy it in games/benchmarks/etc

[MelonFarmer]

QQ Here's my specs : 1 Ghz processor, 40 GB HDD, 2 GB RAM, And the video card is so old it didn't come with specs ROFL...

[Dragonshadow]

Ow .

[epx]

Build a Kick-Ass $500 Gaming PC, Play Crysis at 40FPS! - Page 1 | Maximum PC