It's not bad, but honestly, it’s not quite there yet.
If you've got $700, you really ought to be pushing for a GTX 960 / R9 280—they aren't much more than an R9 270 x, but the performance jump is actually noticeable. You're also missing an aftermarket cooler, and honestly, anything above an FX 8300 isn't really worth it since they're basically the same chips just with tiny tweaks to clock speeds and TDP. Definitely swap out the case, too; it's pretty dated and you can get way better value with some properly equipped Cooler Master cases in that same price range. And if you're dead set on a TV, maybe just grab a USB tuner... or if it has to be a monitor-TV combo, look for something a bit nicer than an Apple.
Here's an idea:
FX 8300 LC CC 95 GIGABYTE 970A-DS3P Kingston Fury 8GB 1866 MHZ SEAGATE 3,5 1TB SATA 3 BARRACUDA GIGABYTE R9 280 3GB WF 3X OC FORTRON RAIDER 550W 80+ SILVER Cooler Master Z3+ MIDI ATX USB 3.0 Apple Samsung PLS 24" 1080p / -II- TV
= $2248.
By saving a little on the case, the RAM, the HDD, and the power supply, you should easily have enough left over to squeeze in a decent 120Gb ssd.
Everything looks solid with what you've already got, so just round out the build like this:
Intel Pentium G3258 box AS ROCK H81M HDS CRUCIAL 8GB 1600 MHZ ZALMAN Z3+ MIDI ATX USB 3.0 PLEXY
= $647.
- You don't need a high-end motherboard just to overclock a Pentium. - Since the case has decent airflow, you won't even need an aftermarket cooler—the stock one should handle you up to 4.2GHz just fine.
Robert Rodriguez2
He doesn't need to go all out just for wow. Honestly, Intel is probably the smarter move here—especially if he's looking at those types of games or older titles—and plus, he gets a pretty decent case out of it.
So, what kind of case are you rocking right now? And what about the PSU—what brand, model, and wattage are we talking? Also, are your drives and optical drive running on SATA or PATA?
If you're looking at the 250 x, you'd probably be better off going with that Athlon that Timothy Kim60 linked. Personally, I found that the G1620 (which is basically the same deal as the G1840) was a total bottleneck for my HD7750—pretty much the same situation as with the 250 x.
It runs at high settings with +40 fps (that's at 1080p, by the way).
Sam Murphy
There's barely any difference—it’s almost unnoticeable. Honestly, if you're planning on doing a lot of multitasking, the G3220 is probably the better call since that slightly higher clock speed and extra cache actually start to matter then.
In that same ballpark, you’ve got the BB Zalmani options: Z3+ & R1. Honestly, don't even bother looking at extra fans—especially those tiny 80mm ones—since you're already getting 3 or 4 pre-installed 120mm fans right out of the box.
It’s alright, but honestly—in that same price range—you can find way better options that come with a beefier warranty: like the EVGA SuperNOVA 550 or an XFX TS 550W 80+ Bronze.
@Alexander Moore67 don't even go there 😁 I you’re seriously out here recommending that ancient copper low-profile Zalman for an i5 overclock? That HAF case is basically a relic at this point compared to everything else out there—there’s no way it’s going to be quieter than the FD or the Enth.
It’ll fit without any issues—I used to run a CM Elite 431 back in the day (which was only 192mm wide) and I had plenty of room for a Cooler Master Hyper 212 (159mm) click. Since yours is actually wider at 197mm, you could potentially squeeze in a cooler up to 160mm, but honestly? I’d stick to 155mm just to leave some breathing room. Just wanted to give you something to compare it to—if you check out your case's official specs, you'll see that even a TT Contac 39 (160mm) fits in there just fine.
Honestly, if I were choosing between the R4-ke, I wouldn't bother going any further than the R5—especially since the price is such a steal right now. But hey, if the R4 isn't really doing it for you, you should definitely check out the Phanteks Enthoo PRO instead.
It’s an easy call—go with the Fractal Design Define series. It's basically a Noctua sub-brand, comes with a 5-year warranty (not that it matters much, but hey, it's nice to have), and it's pretty much just a quieter version of the NH D14.
Honestly, neither—the V300’s performance totally tanked after I messed with the NAND and updated the FW, and while HyperX is decent, there's just no point getting it when you can snag a better ARC 100 for basically the same price depending on where you shop.
Bottom line? You should probably look at the ARC 100 (here's my quick take). If you're hunting for a 240GB SSD, there isn't a better or cheaper option out there right now—though the patriot Blaze might be a similar contender if you find a good deal.
edit: oops, looks like JeffreyChavez6 beat me to it 😉