Posts by Drew Young2

Timothy Kim60 said:Then just swap in this:

Seagate BarraCuda 1TB, 64MB, 7200rpm, High-Performance

That's pretty much it.$133 Since an SSD is technically considered a drive, you've got all the parts covered, which means you'd still qualify for free assembly at the shop. Micro Center doesn't put stickers on everything, so you can easily pop the HDD in yourself, or just bring it along to them.

If you take out that monitor and the cable (Naviatec DisplayPort), you save about $500. So, roughly $1500, some of those components are total best buys and you could grab them right now. If you decide on a more expensive PC that isn't based on a Pentium G4560, then you'll be waiting for the Ryzen release next
.

Thanks so much for all the effort and advice!👍

I see people mentioning that wait time a few times now, so I won't go rushing in blindly. For what it's worth, my current rig is 6 years old and runs an AMD "who-knows-what," but I've been really happy with it—even though from what I've been reading lately, Pentiums seem to dominate and have the edge for gaming builds. An i5 feels like the best fit for my budget.

Actually, I do know which one it is:

Intel Athlon II X3 445 3.10 GHz

And the GPU:

NVIDIA GeForce GT 550 1GB DDR2

So yeah, I'm a satisfied user, and my heart still leans toward AMD.

Timothy Kim60 said:It’s not really about the technical specs; even with an RX 480 (or something weaker), you could max out any LEGO game easily. The real issue is the refresh rate—basically, how many frames per second (FPS) you’re actually seeing (the smoothness of the gameplay). I’m not sure exactly what 50Hz on a TV translates to in real-world feel (it isn't quite the same as 50Hz on a monitor), but standard PC monitors run at 60 or 75Hz, meaning they push 60 or 75 frames per second. Anyway, you'll see. Otherwise, for under $600 $0.00, you can easily grab a PC and a monitor (around $750-$500), especially if you aren't playing the most demanding titles where FPS
actually matters.
Take a build like this, maybe using a FreeSync monitor (which would be a slightly pricier option than the one for $500)

1 x Intel Pentium G4560 (3.5GHz, 3MB, S.1151, HT) Kaby Lake, box
1 x MSI H110M PRO-D (S1151, DDR4, USB3.1, SATA III, DVI, Audio, LAN) mATX Retail
1 x Crucial DRAM 8GB DDR4 2133 MT/s (PC4-17000) CL15 SR
1 x Toshiba P300 1TB, 64MB, 7200rpm, High-Performance
1 x SanDisk Z400s 256GB SSD, 2.5” 7mm, SATA 6 Gbit/s - 60mj
1 x MSI RX 470 Armor OC, 4GB GDDR5, DX12
1 x Fortron Hyper 600W, 80+ - 60mj.
1 x Zalman Z3, USB3.0 black, 3x120mm
1 x LG 24" LED IPS, 24MP68VQ VGA, DVI, HDMI, FreeSync
1 x NaviaTec Display port plug to HDMI plug 1,0m

Total: $2142

Install Windows and your main apps on the SSD. You could technically skip it entirely (which would save you about -$220 off the total price)

For a cheaper monitor, check this link (and just ditch the DisplayPort cable from the list above). Basically, if you go with the G4560 Pentium (which is a total best buy right now), there's no need to wait around for Ryzen processors.

In any case, here is how that specific game you mentioned would perform on this setup - click here

To be honest, I'm more tired of dealing with monitors than I am worried about being unable to afford one. Generally, unless I'm listening to music or watching movies, I "turn" my PC into a console. I play with controllers on the living room TV. But hey, I use Steam because you can get games for way less money than on a PS4, and besides, I don't want to get the kids hooked on consoles.

I'm definitely getting an SSD. I already have two 500GB HDDs lying around, so theoretically, I could build the rig without adding an extra HDD, and I can skip the DVD drive too since I still have that from my old computer.

Timothy Kim60 said:The issue might be that the refresh rates on a standard TV and a dedicated gaming monitor aren't the same. That's why using a TV isn't exactly the best setup for gaming, though you can always pick up a proper monitor down the road.

https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/08/h...tv-for-gaming/

I'm not exactly a hardcore gamer myself—I'm more of a LEGO enthusiast, so I mostly play those. Because of that, I don't sweat the small details too much.

Larry Ortiz5 said:The actual size of your TV screen doesn't matter at all; what counts is the resolution. You mentioned it's Full HD, which is 1920x1080, and that's pretty much the standard for gaming these days. Honestly, it's probably the most popular resolution among gamers right now, so if that future card ends up being an RX 480, it should run just fine on ultra settings in basically any game out there..

It's definitely Full HD—I actually went up to the attic to double-check the box myself.

Thanks👍

Timothy Kim60 said:If you aren't in a massive rush, I'd suggest waiting a few weeks for the Ryzen processors and the AM4 platform to drop so you can see what's actually out there. Based on all the current leaks and official speculation, it looks like you could get some serious bang for your buck within your budget if you go that route.

If that was meant for me—thanks.👍

Just to give you more context, I don't actually have a monitor. I've been running my PC through a Grundig TV that's about 58 inches, using Xbox 360 wireless controllers. I'm not sure how much any of this matters,🤔 but the TV is basically a "smart" TV that isn't actually smart. It's 1920x1080 at 50Hz.🍿

Will that be an issue for gaming? Specifically when considering the graphics card I might get?😵

Hey everyone,

I’ve got a killer question for you all that I bet hasn't come up here before!

I'm looking to put together a gaming rig in the $600-$700 range, though I can stretch it by about $67 if needed. What I really want to know is how much "shelf life" a build like this actually has in today's gaming landscape?

How long can I expect to run things smoothly without hitting a wall? 2? 3? Maybe 5 years?

I’m not exactly a hardcore enthusiast; right now, I’m struggling through Dynasty Warriors 8 on a 1GB DDR2 Sapphire card 🤣 that looks about as grim as an empty fridge in a tiny studio apartment during a recession.☕

My current setup dates back to January 2011—back when some of you weren't even born yet. 👏

And the best part? I was even able to run games like Shadow of Mordor on it. 🎉

Back when I first bought this thing, it cost me roughly $1167.

To cut to the chase: Is it realistic to build a machine for around $900 that can handle modern titles for at least the next five years without needing major upgrades? And if so, what should I be looking at?🕺