Posts by wearywolf7

If you want to drop $3000 then go with this:

1 x Sapphire TRI-X R9 290 4GB GDDR5 512bit, 28nm, 2xDVI + HDMI + DP
1 x Intel Core i5-4440 (3.10GHz,1MB,6MB,84 W,1150) Box
1 x Gigabyte GA-B85-HD3, Socket : 1150, Intel ® B85, 4xDDR3 1333/1600
1 x XFX Core edition 80 650W PSU, Warranty : 5 years
2 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x Kingston SSD 120 GB HyperX Fury, 2.5", SATA 3 6G
1 x HDD WD 1TB, Caviar Blue 10EZEX, 1000 GB, SATA3,64 MB, 3.5", 24mo
1 x LG GH24NS, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x Zalman CPU mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard
1 x LG 22MP65HQ-P IPS, 21.5", 16:9, 1920x1080
1 x CoolerMaster Devastator keyboard+ mouse, gaming, US layout
1 x Logitech S-150, 2 satellites, black, USB, 1.2 W RMS
1 x D-Link DWA-125 Wireless N USB Adapter, wireless, USB, 802.11b/g

Total:$2990 Free assembly and shipping from Best Buy!
Everything is included. You have a top-tier graphics card, a high-quality power supply, a solid SSD, and a backlit keyboard and mouse combo for gaming in the dark. Plus a decent monitor...
Regarding Windows, just let Timothy Kim60 install it for $33 instead of blowing 100 bucks on new copies. Make sure he puts 8.1 Pro 64-bit on there—it runs faster than Windows 7. He can also set up your drivers and test the rig with some games immediately.
Also, I'd suggest picking up an Xbox 360 controller because some games are a pain with a mouse and keyboard. It’s about $83. Eventually, grab some headphones when you save up, but don't buy anything under $133 if you actually care about sound quality and comfort.

Here’s my take. I figured you don't have a cooler for that CPU yet, so I included one. Also, I picked a power supply with plenty of headroom for any GPU, even if it isn't pinned at full load.

1 x Intel Core i5-4690K Processor (3.50GHz,1MB,6MB,88 W,1150) Box
1 x Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 3, s1150, ATX, Intel Z97 Express
1 x Thermaltake Contac 39, Intel Socket LGA 2011
1 x XFX Core Edition 80 650W PSU, Warranty: 5 years

Total:$1240 Free shipping via Amazon!

fadedorca66 said:If you go the Intel route, the cost is pretty much on par with AMD (the cheapest i5 is around $433, and you can probably snag a motherboard for about 400-$167). You don't really need anything fancy since Intel chips have lower TDP, so even an i7 would run fine on a $100 board.

FX8320 vs i5: well, the FX-8320 has 8 cores (doesn't mean much right now, I guess, but we'll see in a few years), but the FX-8320 runs hotter and pulls more power. Plus, that stock cooler for the FX-8320 is pretty loud, though you can overclock it—but then again, the Intel overclocking options usually end up costing more.

If you're planning on going with a non-overclockable i5 and a cheap motherboard, then I'm definitely leaning toward the FX-8320. Otherwise, I'd pick an overclockable i5 over the FX-8320 any day—even if it means getting an AMD build just to afford an SSD at the same price point. Besides, you can always add an SSD later. Honestly, they're both just minor headaches... 😁

AMD option:

1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 3.5GHz,16MB,125W,AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x Asus M5A97 R2, AM3+, AMD 970/SB950, DDR3, 4 slots
1 x Thermaltake Contac 39, Intel Socket LGA 2011 Intel Socket
1 x MSI GTX770 gaming 2 GB GDDR5, Dual-link DVI-I x 1, Dual-link
2 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x XFX TS Series 550W PSU -P1550S-XXB9
1 x Samsung 120 GB 840 evo Basic, SSD, 120 GB capacity, 2.5"
1 x WD 1TB HDD, Caviar Blue 10EZEX, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24ms
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. ATX standard

Total:$2326 Free assembly and shipping from Best Buy!
This build is more complete than the Intel one because it includes an SSD. That’ll give you much faster responsiveness in apps, quicker game loading, and faster Windows boot times. Your FPS won't be higher, but the whole system will feel snappier. Regarding raw gaming performance, the Intel setup is slightly better since the i5 is a higher quality CPU, but with this AMD build, you get the SSD and it's cheaper by about $67, so decide for yourself. You can bump the price of either build up by $67 if you opt for the Sapphire R9 280, but I'd stick with the GTX 770; it's faster, stronger, and has better features, which matters...
One more thing, I haven't included a burner in any of these builds because I think it's useless. You can do everything via USB, from installing Windows to playing media. Anyway, that would add about $43.

David Chase2 said:Look, we're talking about used builds here.

My budget is $1500. This is just for the tower (I've already got my monitor, speakers, and peripherals ready to go).

Every time I've put together a new rig, it ends up costing me around $6,000. Honestly, that feels a bit steep 🙂

When I was putting this list together, I was looking at:

CPU : AMD X8 8320 (3.5GHz,16MB,125W,AM3+) $383
Mobo : Asus M5A97 R2.0 $200 or an M5A97 EVO R2.0 ($250)
GPU : SAPPHIRE AMD Radeon R9 280X 3G GDDR5 PCI-E DVI-I / DVI-D / HDMI / DP DUAL-X OC VERSION (the one they have over in Austria $667 ) or the Sapphire R9 280 3G GDDR5 Dual-X with boost (available locally $533 ) --> I'm not entirely sure if the more expensive one is actually worth the extra cash.
RAM 🙂Kingston DDR3 HyperX Fury,1866MHz,8GB(2x4GB)Blue($212)
HDD : WD blue 1 Tb cc $140
Cooler : LC POWER LC-CC-95 $33
Case : Zalman Z3 $108
PSU: FSP Raider 750W $207 (maybe I could get away with something weaker, like maybe 600W, but I'm not positive)
Cheaper version: $1817 ; Pricier version: $2000

There's always the option to just buy everything brand new and finance part of it, but right now I'm aiming for used gear that still has some warranty left. That way, in about 6 months, I can pick up a new monitor. My current setup uses a 22-inch screen, and that's what the next one will be too 🙂.

I've mostly stuck with Intel in the past, but in this specific case, the Intel CPU and motherboard combo would drive the price up, forcing me to settle for a weaker graphics card—which, honestly, doesn't make sense for what I need (unless I'm totally missing something here).

Thanks,

Cheers!

p.s. Just so you know, all the combos mentioned in the first post are in the same price range.

If I were in your shoes, I’d just go all new. I wouldn't bother messing around with used parts or trying to hunt them down on Craigslist—you never know who's trying to scam you. It’s better to just pay cash for some components and finance the rest so you can sleep easy at night. What resolution is that monitor of yours? If it’s Full HD 1920x1080, there's really no reason to swap it out yet. But if you do need an upgrade, build the rig first like I suggested, then just hang tight until the New Year. Once those holiday sales hit and prices drop, grab a new monitor then. You'll have everything brand new and be set for good...

The Intel build:

1 x Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz, Haswell
1 x Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming 3, s1150, ATX, Intel ® Z97 express 1 x
1 x Thermaltake Contac 39, Intel Socket LGA 2011 Intel Socket 1 x MSI GTX770 gaming 2 GB GDDR5
1 x MSI GTX770 gaming 2GB GDDR5, Dual-link DVI-I x 1, Dual-link
2 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x XFX TS Series 550W PSU -P1550S-XXB9 - Active PFC 1 x
1 x WD 1TB HDD, Caviar Blue 10EZEX, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 240nm
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard

Total:$2394 Best Buy free assembly and shipping!
Just toss in an SSD later for about $200 and you're all set.

David Chase2 said:Hey there,

I’m looking for some help picking out a rig. It’s mostly for gaming—mostly online stuff—but I also need it for watching movies, listening to music, and the occasional session in Microsoft Excel.
My main goal is to get something that won't become a paperweight for at least the next 3 to 5 years.
I don't have any interest in overclocking unless I absolutely have to just to keep up with modern games in about two years.

I'm trying to figure out which of these two setups will give me better performance and actually last longer.

The Intel build:
CPU: Intel Core i5 4440 Motherboard
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3
GPU: Nvidia GTX 680 Lightning 2GB

Or this one:

The AMD build:
CPU: AMD FX 8320 (16mb)
Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 R2
GPU: Sapphire Dual-X R9 280X 3Gb

Thanks a ton!

🤷

If you're thinking about going with an Intel CPU for overclocking, you have to get one with a "K" at the end, because these others won't let you overclock. That GTX 680 is ancient news; it only makes sense if you're grabbing a used one on eBay, otherwise, if you're looking at new parts, go for a GTX 770—it's stronger, faster, and the current best buy. I'll put together an AMD offer and an Intel offer for you. I'm assuming your budget is around $650...$2333 and you're paying cash?