Well, if that's the case, maybe they just shouldn't buy a new graphics card at all. They could just stick with the integrated graphics on their Pentium processor; I've mentioned before that it's actually more powerful than an HD 5450 and isn't much weaker than any dedicated card under $400.$150
I’d honestly go with used gear. For $300—$133any new card at that price point is probably going to be weaker than the integrated graphics on your CPU anyway. You might want to look for an HD 5770/6770 (~$117), a GTS 450 ($300—$117), a GTX 460, or maybe an HD 7750/7770 (~$133).
graniteharbor85 said:Look, we totally get what you're trying to do with your budget, but you gotta realize we haven't just popped up out of nowhere—we aren't suggesting this stuff for no reason. It seems like you haven't really done much digging yet, and honestly, if you don't know your way around current HW trends and components, it's easy to mess up. Grace Kern gave you some solid advice, but if you try to DIY this without a plan, you're just going to end up tangled in a mess and buying the wrong parts. Is there a specific reason you're even looking at HG Srot? I ask because their specific parts—like the motherboard and the GTX 970—are pricier, and they don't even have the R9 290 you were looking for. Plus, their service just isn't on the same level as futur or Adm, who are basically the gold standard for US web shops when it comes to custom builds, hardware selection, and actually handling returns.
Fortron power supplies have had a great reputation for years—specifically the FSP group behind them. Right now, the Hyper / Raider deals are absolute best buys; they have zero competition because they offer a lower price point than everyone else while providing a rock-solid platform, better warranties, plenty of connectors, high efficiency, and stable voltages. There’s really no need to blow extra cash on something more expensive if you specifically asked for a budget build that can still handle everything you need.
Kimberly Gomez34 said:Do you need peripherals too?
Are you planning to build it yourself?
Regarding the laptop, it really depends on whether you can find a buyer. I'd suggest aiming for about 20-30% less than what you originally paid when it was brand new.
Alex Sullivan4 said:You’re right about the laptop. As for the budget—I don't necessarily have to blow through the full 18,000 USD. I’d really like to stick to the components I listed, or maybe upgrade to a better processor and motherboard if possible. Let's just say 18,000 USD is more of a ceiling. I don't need any peripherals, just the "box" itself. 😉
Jason Campbell70 said:We saw a few instances where drivers were just stuck in the wake of the car ahead, and they just couldn't find any way to make an overtake happen.
It was a bit of a mess, especially for Perez...
Daniel Ricciardo couldn't get past him because the Renault is just garbage 😁
And Perez? Well, Formula 1 has terrible understeer here, which only gets worse with all that dirty air 🙂
EVGA AMD Radeon R9 280 x, 3 GB GDDR5 Kingston Fury 8 GB DDR3, 1600MHz, DIMM memory. It's a 1 TB hard drive—specifically a Western Digital Blue ST1000DM003, spinning at 7200 rpm, 3.5", SATA III. I guess that's all there is to it. It’s an Intel Core i5-4460, based on the Haswell architecture, running at 3200 MHz on a socket 1150. I guess we're looking at an ASUS GA-H81-D3 on a socket 1150. The Fortron Hexa Plus 500W 80+ power supply—it’s an active 12cm unit. I guess it gets the job done. ZALMAN Z3 case, no PSU included.
Total cost: $2030
You could probably throw in a 120GB SSD as well.
Found this at Home Depot. Looks like they have it in stock.
There’s a difference of over $333 for the exact same parts between Links and some webshop in New York City. You could also try Best Buy if they're nearby, though I guess their customer service isn't always the best when it comes to returns.
Why Links? Are you paying in installments or using a credit card? Unless there's some specific financing deal I'm missing, I don't see much point in shopping at Links—they seem to be about 20% more expensive than everyone else.