Posted: 10/5/2014 7:39:47 PM EDT
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I have a son building a gaming computer. He has looked online and at different resources including stores such as TigerDirect and BestBuy. We drove over to TigerDirect and has a employee help us look at the best options for a $750 budget based on store prices.
The employee has his own experience using and building gaming computers, plus he has taken many college courses on building and using different computers and parts, but I want to check with the AR15 community before I make the purchase with my son. The computer parts he listed to my son and I are as follows: AMD FX-6300 MSI 970A-646 Cougar Solution (case) Ultra 650w V2 LSP Geforce 6TX 750TI PNY Windows 8.1 Corsair 8gb 1600mHz ASUS OEM Optical WD Blue 1TB Keep in mind this is a step up from an almost four year old Windows 7 HP Pavilion. I also wanted to ask about any recommendations or tips about building or using any certain parts to this custom computer. Thank you for your time, thought, and consideration. Red 
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he has taken many college courses on building and using different computers and parts I'd laugh at the salesman when he said that. If his college classes included building consumer grade PC's from parts, either he's a moron taking remedial classes, he's a liar, or he's getting a degree from some no-name community college that isn't worth the paper it's written on. I got a B.S. in Computer Science and I was one class away from completing a second major in Computer System Administration. Building PC's was less than three hours of class time across four years of classes. ETA: after looking at that list of parts, I'd find the processor questionable but the rest looks solid. FWIW, my current gaming machine cost me $1100, and if I were to do it again, knowing what I know now, I could do it for less. I bought a base machine that included the video card (nvidia 650 at the time...this was late 2013) and CPU (i5-4xxx), and then replaced the drives (and power supply) so that I could use it as a DVR also. Building a PC from parts doesn't really save you any money. Unless you have very specific or unusual requirements, you're probably better off with a pre-built machine. ETA2: I may be biased, but I'd go for a current gen i5 processor if you can. Most modern games are built with low system requirements so that they can be sold to people running $300 walmart PC's, which rarely have discrete graphics. It may be worth sacrificing a little bit of video card to get a better CPU. YMMV, and I'm very out of date on AMD processors...last time I bought one it was around 2004. |
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Bigger power supply and an ssd drive. I would keep the WD 1TB. SSD at this price point is more trouble then its worth. PS...meh maybe. Video card choice drives this. I would look at more ram. Its cheap and makes a big difference in experience. Make sure you get 64 bit windows. |
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Bigger power supply and an ssd drive. And look at the 8320 CPU for a few more dollars. SSD drive is not going to fit in that budget but you could easily add one later. With a nice motherboard and CPU, the rest of the stuff is easily upgraded. If I were only going to get 8GB of RAM I would make sure it was only on a couple sticks and I had empty ports to add more later. |
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My recommendation: DONT buy the WD 1TB blue. I had mine die on me after 2 years of serious use, and i lost a lot of files. They aren't designed to hold up to constant use. You would want to get the more expensive WD black series for that. Alternatively, I would advise in favor of buying a decent solid state drive and then using an external drive to hold long-term data. This is what I do now. The SSD holds Windows and other programs (and some games) while an external, portable hard drive holds my long-term files like movies, music, PDF files, ebooks, etc. I also have a 3rd drive which I use solely to hold a backup image of the first two drives in case one of them were to fail. I purchased a 1TB external drive from craigslist for about $40, and it was almost brand new. There are some deals out there if you're willing to look. Check newegg or tiger direct for a good CPU heatsink and fan. It is very important for you to keep the computer as cool as possible. I also recommend Cooler Master Mechanical keyboards. I use one with Cherry MX Brown keys, and it's like typing on air. I love this thing. Their mice are really good, too. I prefer them over Razer's stuff. |
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I would go Intel before AMD any day of the week. You don't need to build a space heater. My last and only AMD build would make the room boiling hot at stock clocks after a few hours of gaming. That is my only critique. I have a similar setup but prefer Intel and do not like MSI products. I usually go ASUS for the motherboard, but tried a cheaper Gigabyte this time and am liking it so far. |
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Building a PC from parts is way cheaper than buying a pre-built computer.
The build you have him will play pretty much any game on the market right now. it might not play them at max settings but it will last him a while. the guy at the computer store has lead you in the right direction. If he wants to up grade his CPU later on i would look into a bigger power supply. Running a power supply in its top 80% range is hard on it and can shorten the life span. When a power supply blows up it normally takes the mother board and CPU with it. Here is a really good websight for figuring out how big of a power supply you will need to run. http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp if you want to look at other parts you can get take a loot at Newegg and ibuypower. if you want to build a liquid cooling set up for over clocking check out FrozenCPU. My build that i made in 2011 for 800 bucks AMD FX-6100 Zambezi 6-Core 3.3GHz Socket AM3+ 95W Desktop Processor Saphire Tech AMD Radion HD 6770 1GB DDR5 RAM Cooler Master Extreme Power Plus - 700W Power Supply COOLER MASTER Storm Scout (CASE) G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) X2 =16Gb MSI 990XA-GD55 AM3+ AMD 990X + SB950 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard Western Digital WD VelociRaptor WD1500HLHX 150GB 10000 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive Hitachi GST Deskstar 7K1000.D HDS721075DLE630 (0F13179) 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive I have changed my power supply to a 1000W, added a second video card for gaming, water cooled my CPU, and over clocked my CPU. As of right now i'm sitting at $1300 in my computer including my initial buy in cost. EDIT Quoted:
My recommendation: DONT buy the WD 1TB blue. I had mine die on me after 2 years of serious use, and i lost a lot of files. They aren't designed to hold up to constant use. You would want to get the more expensive WD black series for that. *SNIP* +infinity |
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Bigger PSU is a waste. Why run a bigger internal? You can buy a 4TB external for a hundred bucks. an external HDD that is using USB 3.0 is only 5 gbps and a SATA internal hard driver drive is 6 gbps. plus, you can RAID and do a lot of other things to a internal drive that an external cant do. I also guess you never have had an under powered power supply before that took out a computer?? and no 4TB $100 external hard drive is going to be up to the task of being used like a main system drive. |
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Quoted: Double check that everything is compatible. Start with the motherboard and work your way out (processor, ram, video card) Building it is the easy part. Finding the parts and making sure they are compatible is the time consuming part. Have fun! |
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an external HDD that is using USB 3.0 is only 5 gbps and a SATA internal hard driver drive is 6 gbps. plus, you can RAID and do a lot of other things to a internal drive that an external cant do. I also guess you never have had an under powered power supply before that took out a computer?? and no 4TB $100 external hard drive is going to be up to the task of being used like a main system drive. Quoted:
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Bigger PSU is a waste. Why run a bigger internal? You can buy a 4TB external for a hundred bucks. an external HDD that is using USB 3.0 is only 5 gbps and a SATA internal hard driver drive is 6 gbps. plus, you can RAID and do a lot of other things to a internal drive that an external cant do. I also guess you never have had an under powered power supply before that took out a computer?? and no 4TB $100 external hard drive is going to be up to the task of being used like a main system drive. correct. 5 gbps is a theoretical max, real transfer rate is much lower |
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Not trying to get into a pissing match about SSD....
Consumer grade SSD have little benefit to the average user. The big thing they change is how fast a computer boots...the average person almost never reboots anymore... They may impact how fast an application loads , but again in modern computers most people leave their main apps up all the time. What you do get is drive and data failures at a much higher rate. INVEST IN RAM. Its the best bang for the buck. |
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Quoted: Not trying to get into a pissing match about SSD.... Consumer grade SSD have little benefit to the average user. The big thing they change is how fast a computer boots...the average person almost never reboots anymore... They may impact how fast an application loads , but again in modern computers most people leave their main apps up all the time. What you do get is drive and data failures at a much higher rate. INVEST IN RAM. Its the best bang for the buck. If you're a gamer, it makes a huge difference how fast maps load. |
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an external HDD that is using USB 3.0 is only 5 gbps and a SATA internal hard driver drive is 6 gbps. plus, you can RAID and do a lot of other things to a internal drive that an external cant do. I also guess you never have had an under powered power supply before that took out a computer?? and no 4TB $100 external hard drive is going to be up to the task of being used like a main system drive. Quoted:
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Bigger PSU is a waste. Why run a bigger internal? You can buy a 4TB external for a hundred bucks. an external HDD that is using USB 3.0 is only 5 gbps and a SATA internal hard driver drive is 6 gbps. plus, you can RAID and do a lot of other things to a internal drive that an external cant do. I also guess you never have had an under powered power supply before that took out a computer?? and no 4TB $100 external hard drive is going to be up to the task of being used like a main system drive. I'm not insinuating that he ONLY use an external. To me an internal bigger than 1TB is a waste. He's not going to have every game known to man downloaded onto it. When I used to be into gaming I ran Cs, WoW and the ES games just fine off my external. Realistically the biggest factor in MMOs is your internet connection. You can have the most beefed up rig in town and still have your match crippled by shitty DSL. And no, I've never ran anything higher than 700w and never had any PSU failures. The 4TB for $100 is a Seagate, I assume that would be up to any task any other external would. |
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Here is the build I whipped up quick for $750. If you do the MIR he can get a $40-$50 case.
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/lordec911/saved/KHdG3C You could also save $15 bucks by going with a Corsair CX430 power supply instead of the 600w. That system will barely use 200w at load. Quoted:
Not trying to get into a pissing match about SSD.... Consumer grade SSD have little benefit to the average user. The big thing they change is how fast a computer boots...the average person almost never reboots anymore... They may impact how fast an application loads , but again in modern computers most people leave their main apps up all the time. What you do get is drive and data failures at a much higher rate. INVEST IN RAM. Its the best bang for the buck. That is basically the exact opposite of anyone with any first hand experience will tell you. SSDs, yes consumer models, are one of the biggest upgrades that an average user will notice. It makes the overall experience much more smooth with faster application loading and boot times. SSD reliability has much improved over the last 6-7years and if you stick to the big names, like Intel, Samsung and Crucial, you are just as likely to have a HDD fail as a SSD. Ram makes little to no difference to the average user's experience as long as they have at least 4-8GB. Ram speed and timings don't matter much overall unless you are using an APU/IGP. Anything over 16GB is a waste unless you have specific application requirements, professional/workstation tools/editors. |
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Hey all, Wanted to say thank you for the replies and bump it back to the top to see if anyone has any thing to add. Red did you check the ibuy website? Like I said, they have decent deals, mine has been working for about a year, troublefree. Also they have/ had a 6 months/ same as cash deal when I bought |
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I like to read Tom's system builder marathon articles:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/system-build-pc-value,3946.html Gives me a starting base, then I can customize up or down from there depending on requirements and budget. |
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If he is using it primarily for gaming, here is what I would do for $750.
PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kxFsvK Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/kxFsvK/by_merchant/ CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($69.99 @ Newegg) CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 3 113.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ NCIX US) Motherboard: MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Newegg) Memory: Mushkin Stealth 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($65.99 @ Newegg) Storage: Corsair Force LX Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($114.99 @ Amazon) Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.98 @ OutletPC) Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 760 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($184.99 @ Newegg) Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Micro Center) Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($66.66 @ Newegg) Total: $726.57 Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-08 12:01 EDT-0400 |
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Quoted: Not trying to get into a pissing match about SSD.... Consumer grade SSD have little benefit to the average user. The big thing they change is how fast a computer boots...the average person almost never reboots anymore... They may impact how fast an application loads , but again in modern computers most people leave their main apps up all the time. What you do get is drive and data failures at a much higher rate. INVEST IN RAM. Its the best bang for the buck. |
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Here is what I came up with:
PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/WQ7Rqs
CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($194.99 @ NCIX US) Motherboard: MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Micro Center) Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($73.80 @ Newegg) Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Amazon) Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 270X 2GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($144.99 @ NCIX US) Case: Cooler Master N400 ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Micro Center) Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 620W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($68.78 @ Newegg) Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC) Total: $772.51 Why I picked each part: CPU: i5 because it is better all around than the AMD and will beat it at gaming too. I would consider the 4690k for a little more $ so that you have the option of overclocking in the future.
Motherboard: decent price and expandability Memory: Fan of G.Skill don't buy more than 8gb though. if you ever need more than that you can upgrade it later. Storage: solid hard drive for cheap. add an ssd later for Christmas or something Video Card: better gpu than the 750Ti. Case: reviews ive seen say it has good room for working in. you will want to keep the case through a couple builds so pick a good one. Power Supply: i went a little overboard here so you have room to overclock the GPU and possibly the CPU Operating System: Get windows 8.1 and install classic shell. better performance while still looking "normal" I went a slightly higher on price but IMO you are getting a better system then Tigerdirect was giving you. Better CPU, GPU etc. If the price is really a sticking point, I would scale back the motherboard and CPU to a z87 instead of z97. Stick with Intel though. |
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That statement is insane. An SSD upgrade from a mechanical disk is the single most notice noticeable upgrade you will ever do. Also, RAM is possibly the worst component to dump money into. One, RAM speed doesn't make much or any noticeable difference. Second, once you have a decent amount, about 8GB, adding more gives you zero benefits unless you are doing a few specific tasks. Quoted:
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Not trying to get into a pissing match about SSD.... Consumer grade SSD have little benefit to the average user. The big thing they change is how fast a computer boots...the average person almost never reboots anymore... They may impact how fast an application loads , but again in modern computers most people leave their main apps up all the time. What you do get is drive and data failures at a much higher rate. INVEST IN RAM. Its the best bang for the buck. Agree with this. SSD will make a huge improvement but I would still add it later. Build the initial system and live with a normal hard drive for a little while keeping an eye out for sales. It's easy to add later. IMO spend the money on stuff that can't be as easily upgraded. Don't get more than 8gb unless you specifically have an application that uses tons like Photoshop. Faster RAM might get you a few FPS in games. Not enough to worry about. |
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Not trying to get into a pissing match about SSD.... Consumer grade SSD have little benefit to the average user. The big thing they change is how fast a computer boots...the average person almost never reboots anymore... They may impact how fast an application loads , but again in modern computers most people leave their main apps up all the time. What you do get is drive and data failures at a much higher rate. INVEST IN RAM. Its the best bang for the buck. Lol, I turn off my machine at night, like a normal person. Same goes for the work box, too. SSD matters. It makes everything snappy if you load the OS to it. My current SSD could do with a replacement, but that is due to a now "custom" Sata cable connector. The middle part of the connector broke off of the drive, but the pins are still good. Somehow, I managed to superglue the rest of the connector into the cable, so now that cable works only with that drive. 
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Quoted: I like to read Tom's system builder marathon articles: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/system-build-pc-value,3946.html Gives me a starting base, then I can customize up or down from there depending on requirements and budget. Tom's is a great resource.
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| Alot of good info has been added. All I would like to say is you leave a lot to be desired with the 750. It is a very budget oriented card, and if the build is just for gaming, then you are going to want to spend a little extra here. If your gaming computer is an AR15, consider the GPU to be the Barrel. It's one place you really don't want to skimp on. I would recommend at least a GTX760, or the AMD equivalent, which someone else will have to chime in on because I typically stick to the NVIDIA cards. It's what I am using, and with mostly other budget components (I built the whole computer for under $900 this past spring), I have yet to come across a game I can't run at full settings. |
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I would advise against the AMD FX6300. I have two gaming systems one with a FX 6300 and one with an Intel 7 2700 (?). They were the same price when I purchased both.
Anyway, bottom line up front - the Intel is miles ahead and I even have a better video card in the AMD than the intel. And I would chose nVidia over Radeon - mainly because I have Radeon in both and I have had some problems. Edit: And if you want it really easy to build your own PC - get the case + power supply + mother board combo. It'll come all put together and you'll just snape some pieces in an bam, you are G2G!! |
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Quoted: Not trying to get into a pissing match about SSD.... Consumer grade SSD have little benefit to the average user. The big thing they change is how fast a computer boots...the average person almost never reboots anymore... They may impact how fast an application loads , but again in modern computers most people leave their main apps up all the time. What you do get is drive and data failures at a much higher rate. INVEST IN RAM. Its the best bang for the buck. Otherwise, the rest of the stuff you said is not valid for a gaming machine. Especially online ones. Loading maps to start play? Needs fast drive. Running swap file for textures, save games, background stuff? Needs fast drive. While RAM helps, it's not true that SSDs are not useful for gaming. Plus, if you aren't restarting your computer and closing all your apps before playing (which is what SSDs will shine at) then you are not doing it right. |