Help me build a 400$ gaming PC ...

[Goshko]

Hi guys, a friend of mine is asking me to build the best gaming PC for gaming ...

We need a HDD, a CPU, a MOBO, memory and a PSU.

Will be paired to a gtx 750ti GPU.

We have case, monitor, keyboard, mouse and OS.

I kind of feel like im gonna have to go with amd on that one.

I live in Canada btw.

Thank you,

 

[krusha03]

Is that 400 cad or usd? You can get this for 470 CAD which is about 380 USD.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($218.32 @ TigerDirect Canada)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($77.95 @ Vuugo)
Memory: G.Skill NS Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.62 @ NCIX)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($57.98 @ DirectCanada)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($66.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $470.86
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-02-14 18:21 EST-0500

Going with an AMD FX is not much cheaper since a good 8+2 phase board is more expensive plus I am not sure what the 2nd hand market is like in canada but it might be worth having a look there

 

[Caring1]

Or go with an AMD combo of motherboard and CPU which is a lot cheaper:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.2187433

 

[krusha03]

Or go with an AMD combo of motherboard and CPU which is a lot cheaper:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.2187433

That is for US not canada and I would recommend against a 4+1 board

 

[xfia]

I would say a 750ti really only needs a i3 but i5's are like the best to get for gaming so if your planning on a stronger gpu in the future then it could be the way to go.
should really just avoid AMD on the cpu side when your talking gaming because of the weak single core performance that a lot of games depend on and lack of upgrade ability.
AMD makes a better gaming gpu for sure especially with limited funds.. a stronger r9 270(X) might fit your budget if you don't already have the 750ti.

 

[newtekie1]

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/JMLBWZ

The G3258 is a little on the weak side, but it actually should pair nicely with the 750Ti. Also, it is overclockable to usually 4.2GHz pretty easily with basic air cooling(which I included) and it should easily keep up with the 750Ti once overclocked. Plus he can start saving and be in the perfect position to upgrade to a decent i5 Broadwell when it is released.

 

[Goshko]

That is for US not canada and I would recommend against a 4+1 board

what do you mean by 4+1 board ?

 

[krusha03]

what do you mean by 4+1 board ?

4+1 phase board as the vrm may overheat sooner when overclocking. A 8+2 phase board is recommended if you want to use the AMD FX to full potential

 

[Goshko]

I forgot to mention but my friend has no idea on how to overlock so that wont happen ... ever lol

 

[Jetster]

Just get an i3 and good motherboard 8Gb 1600 Ram. And a good 500W PSU.

That's the easy choice

 

[newtekie1]

I forgot to mention but my friend has no idea on how to overlock so that wont happen ... ever lol

Then do it for him. It is so insanely easy thanks to unlocked multipliers, anyone can do it.

 

[Schmuckley]

PSU: $64 http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=33_1238_442&item_id=040842
Hdd: $54 http://http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=33_1238_442&item_id=040842
RAM : $80 http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=24_311_312_612&item_id=035786
Mobo: $114 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...408&cm_re=biostar_1150-_-13-138-408-_-Product

CPU: $71 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117374

Total: $383

 

[Jetster]

Better PSU and cheaper

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=33_1238_442&item_id=056810

 

[Fourstaff]

Then do it for him. It is so insanely easy thanks to unlocked multipliers, anyone can do it.

At 1080p, cpu is no longer the bottleneck, its the monitor resolution. Overclocking will net little benefit and lots of frustration when things go wrong.

 

[krusha03]

At 1080p, cpu is no longer the bottleneck, its the monitor resolution. Overclocking will net little benefit and lots of frustration when things go wrong.

With his 750Ti this is true but if upgrades to more suitable vga for 1080p like the R9 280/7950 overclocking an FX-6300 / x4 760K can make a difference

 

[newtekie1]

At 1080p, cpu is no longer the bottleneck, its the monitor resolution. Overclocking will net little benefit and lots of frustration when things go wrong.

With the G3258, it is necessary to overclock it. Maybe not with the 750Ti, but definitely with anything higher.

Not to mention the overclock on the G3258 helps outside of games a great deal, making the system definitely snappier.

 

[Rowsol]

I'm using a g3258. Managed 3.8 ghz @ 1.2v (gigabyte h81 limit) using the stock cooler. Hits about 65c at max load. Literally the only thing I changed was the multiplier. Kept all the voltages on auto. Anyone can do that.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Brand new psu
Second user evverything else.

Cheap, cheerful and potentially powerful.

 

[bihboy23]

Don't get AMD if you can afford intel. I learned that the hard way

 

[xfia]

Don't get AMD if you can afford intel. I learned that the hard way

I learned the hard way too

 

[krusha03]

Don't get AMD if you can afford intel. I learned that the hard way

Not necessarily, if you overclock and if you can get the AMD much cheaper. My FX 6300 at 4.55GHz matches / slightly outperform 3570 in multi threaded benchmarks and single threaded is slower about 20-30% (matches i5 2400). That's why i would recommend an i5 4xxx if you buy new and depending on the prices on the 2nd hand market AMD FX or older generation i5

 

[Dent1]

I learned the hard way too

Don't get AMD if you can afford intel. I learned that the hard way

If you are building a budget gaming PC wouldn't you take a highly overclockable AMD chip and pair it with a beefy GPU????? Rather than blowing your budget on an Intel and settling for integrated video?

Been running my Athlon II X4 @ 3.4GHz since 2009. Haven't ran across a single game it can't play because I was sensible and paired it with 5850CF beasts. I could have bought an Intel and a lesser GPU but I would have been forced to upgrade sooner.

In the space of 6 years I've been doing well with my Athlon II X4. Whilst some guys on here are pissing money left, right and center upgrading every 5 minutes for little gain.

 

[Caring1]

If you are building a budget gaming PC wouldn't you take a highly overclockable AMD chip and pair it with a beefy GPU????? Rather than blowing your budget on an Intel and settling for integrated video?

What he said ^^^
Why blow a large wad of the small budget on a Processor that costs twice as much?

 

[xfia]

yes being pretty well informed now compared to when I got a fx6350 I would take a i5 and use the integrated graphics till I could get a nice gpu and have recommended to do so to people with limited funds.

even a fx9590 blazing at 5ghz is not going to keep up with a newer i3 in a game like skyrim or one my favorites.. vindictus

 

[Dent1]

yes being pretty well informed now compared to when I got a fx6350 I would take a i5 and use the integrated graphics till I could get a nice gpu and have recommended to do so to people with limited funds.

You would buy an I5 with integrated whilst you save for a good GPU??? During the saving period the gaming PC would be rendered useless indefinitely, so the i5 would be a wasted investment. By the time (if ever) you afford a "nice GPU" the i5 may have dropped in price, hence making the rash purchase of the i5 even more of a bad purchase.

Also during that saving period the i5 performance is depreciating relative to newer CPUs, and you are stuck unable to play games whilst it ages because of the bad choice to go i5+integrated!

even a fx9590 blazing at 5ghz is not going to keep up with a newer i3 in a game like skyrim or one my favorites.. vindictus

This is 100% incorrect. Newer games are more likely to be multithreaded. An area the i3 is poor, an area the FX excels in.

People used the same argument with the Core 2 Duos being faster than my Athlon II X4 and over the last six years games got more multithreaded intensive and they were forced to upgrade, whilst my CPU performed better with age

Also this isn't about YOUR favourite games. It's about what's best for the OP.