Budget PC build under $450

Greetings, 😁
By the end of this week, I intend to purchase a desktop PC with a budget of roughly $1000 dollars, primarily intended for gaming. I have identified one option that appears to be the most cost-effective
( http://www.bestbuy.com/example-pc-listing )

I am curious to hear your professional assessment of this machine. Furthermore, if you can locate a superior alternative, please provide the link.

Honestly, just skip those pre-built setups—they’re usually absolute junk when it comes to how they're put together. It's way better to pick out your own parts one by one, especially since most shops will throw in free assembly anyway if you buy everything from them.

For that kind of budget, here's what I'd aim for:

AMD FX 6100
LC CC 95
GIGABYTE GA-78LMT-S2 AM3+
CRUCIAL 4GB 1600 MHZ
Seagate BarraCuda 3.5" 1TB SATA 3
NVIDIA GTX 750 Ti 1GB DDR5
FORTRON HEXA 400W 80+ ACTIVE
MSI Carbon MIDI ATX

graniteharbor85 said:Forget about those pre-built configurations; they are assembled terribly. Build your own by selecting individual components, especially since most local shops offer free assembly anyway.

Within that budget, look at this:

AMD FX 6100
LC CC 95
GIGABYTE GA-78LMT-S2 AM3+
CRUCIAL 4GB 1600 MHZ
Seagate BarraCuda 3.5" 1TB SATA 3
NVIDIA GTX 750 Ti 1GB DDR5
FORTRON HEXA 400W 80+ ACTIVE
MSI Carbon MIDI ATX

Ah, I see. In that case, I'll go ahead and ask around about that... but could you just give me a comparison between these two setups? Specifically, which one handles games better and how would my performance compare to yours? (And isn't a 2GB card better than a 1GB one simply because it has more memory?)

Honestly, you can't even call that first build a "gaming" rig given the GPU they threw in there—that NVIDIA GT 730 is barely enough for light stuff like The Sims and things in that ballpark. Anything else is going to be a total struggle, or you'll be stuck playing everything on low settings at some tiny resolution—just steer clear of it entirely. Plus, it comes with a pretty weak processor, which really limits your upgrade path later on; unlike other options, the AMD FX 6100 actually has enough juice to handle much stronger cards without becoming a massive bottleneck.

graniteharbor85 said:That initial setup doesn't even qualify as a gaming rig once you look at the GPU—an NVIDIA GT 730 is fine if you just want to play stuff like The Sims, but anything else is going to be a total struggle. You'll be stuck playing everything on low settings at a tiny resolution; honestly, just steer clear of it entirely. On top of that, it comes with a weak processor, which limits your upgrade path too. Unlike other options, an AMD FX 6100 can actually handle much more powerful cards without becoming a massive bottleneck.

Aha, thanks! 😁
The only real issue is that the price of your $167 is way too high :/

? I think you messed up the math a bit 😁

How exactly is $167 too expensive? If it ends up being $3,200 in the cart—which happens to be your entire budget and basically hits that $3k mark—then what's the issue?

graniteharbor85 said:I think you've miscalculated something there. 😁

What's the angle here? $167 That’s way too expensive. If you're looking at $3,200 in your cart, you've already hit your entire budget—and that's basically the price of a high-end workstation.

I was calculating everything based on my credit card fees, but honestly, I’ll most likely be able to pick up a few more of those anyway. $100Thanks for the help. 😉

Hey, that’s actually a whole different story—it really depends on which card you were looking at. With them, if you use an American Express 6-month plan, the price stays the same as paying cash, but for any other card, they tack on an extra 10%.

Just one more thing

1. If I order this entire setup, would they automatically assemble it for me at no extra charge, or am I just getting a box of parts delivered to my door? Do I need to specifically request a pre-built system?

2. Which version of Windows 7 would be the best choice here? Also, can I place an order for them to pre-install a specific version so that the computer arrives ready to go with Windows 7 already set up?

Thanks in advance 🙂

Assembly is just assumed to be included unless you explicitly say you want to put it together yourself. You'll end up with a box full of screws and all the component packaging.

You can, but only if you buy genuine Windows first (it's about $333 with installation included).

The most reliable option is definitely Windows 7 64-bit SP1—though, if you want something more recent, you could always go with Windows 8.1 64-bit.

Hey there—quick question regarding this specific configuration: would it actually be possible to run Grand Theft Auto V on medium settings? I’m planning on picking up a new PC around September, assuming all goes according to plan, and I was wondering if it might be smarter to hold out—perhaps I could snag something significantly better for the same budget by then?

Jack Wood87 said:Hey everyone. Would it be possible to run Grand Theft Auto V on medium settings with this setup? I'm planning to pick up a PC around September, and I was wondering if I might be able to snag something better for the same budget by then.

I don't think Grand Theft Auto V would even run on this rig. You might get Grand Theft Auto IV to work, but I highly doubt you'll see Grand Theft Auto V running smoothly.

I'd run Grand Theft Auto V on this build I put together—definitely not on that pre-built MSGW one. Jack Wood87, you've actually got plenty of time since you have 9 months left, so maybe check back a few days before you pull the trigger... prices and deals can change literally overnight.

graniteharbor85 said:I'd want to run Grand Theft Auto V on this specific build, not some pre-built rig from Micro Center. Jack Wood87, you have plenty of breathing room with nine months left, so just check back a few days before you pull the trigger. Deals and prices fluctuate daily.

Run Grand Theft Auto V on this setup?? No way.😁

Rockstar really nailed the optimization this time around—they definitely didn't mess it up the way they did with Grand Theft Auto IV

Just one stick of 4GB Crucial DDR3 1600 MHz RAM. It's CL11.
One Seagate BarraCuda desktop hard drive (3.5", 500GB, 32MB, SATA III-600).
One MSI Carbon case, no power supply included.
1 x EVGA 400W, 80 Plus, active, 12 cm fan
One 90mm Intel/AMD CPU cooler.
1 x NVIDIA GTX 750 Ti GDDR5 1GB/128bit, PCI-E, HDMI, DVI, DP
One AMD Athlon x4 860k, Black Edition 3.7.
One AMD A68H mATX motherboard—retail version. Includes SATA III, RAID, USB 3.0/2.0, and standard VGA/HDMI ports.
Total: $1005
Futura? Really? It’s like trying to build a high-end PC using parts from a thrift store. Overrated.

Here’s something to keep you within your budget. $1000..

Even if I went with McLovin's build but swapped out just one part, I'd definitely grab a better motherboard.

Larry Ortiz5 said:Rockstar actually nailed the optimization this time; they didn't screw up like they did with Grand Theft Auto IV

Going a bit off-topic here, but since this is where everyone hangs out and you hit the nail on the head... 😬 Everyone is praising the optimization for Grand Theft Auto V, but has anyone heard that on practically 90% of laptops it's impossible to even launch the game? The issue is with any laptop running dual graphics (which is basically every decent laptop these days); the game refuses to use the dedicated GPU and just defaults to the integrated one. It’s a massive headache. People are flooding Rockstar's pages with complaints, venting for a week straight, and getting zero response. From what I've read—and from my own attempts—every single workaround has failed. So, things aren't exactly sunshine and rainbows when it comes to "optimization." It's like they didn't even bother testing the most anticipated game of the year on a laptop before releasing it... And the worst part? Nobody is talking about it. When there was that bug with usernames on Windows 7 that prevented the game from starting, everyone jumped on it immediately and a fix was out within hours. But for this? Total silence. I've been scouring various forums for days now and nothing, absolutely nothing. It's a disaster... 🤦

I took graniteharbor85's build down to a local computer shop and walked out with these quotes:

CPU AMD FX-6100
AMD A68H Motherboard
4GB DDR3 1600MHz RAM
1TB Seagate BarraCuda HDD
NVIDIA GT 730
550W MSI Platinum PSU
MSI Carbon Case

This one is $1050 but the guy suggested pairing it with a different motherboard because he claimed the current one can't actually utilize the full 1600MHz speed of the RAM—I didn't quite catch his full reasoning there (please clarify if you can). Also, there isn't a single USB 3.0 port on it... though I'm not sure if I even need one since I don't move much data via USB.

CPU AMD FX-6100
ASUS M5A97 LE R2.0 Motherboard
4GB DDR3 1600MHz RAM
1TB Seagate BarraCuda HDD
NVIDIA GT 730
550W MSI Platinum PSU
MSI Carbon Case

This second configuration would set me back $1167

The issue is that neither setup includes a DVD RW drive, so I won't be able to run CDs or burn anything. If I add one, the price is just going to climb.

He also cut the CPU cooler from the list, claiming I wouldn't need it because the processor supposedly runs cool enough, and then bumped up the power supply size as if that's some kind of necessity.

Now I want to know what you all think. Is there a way to pick a motherboard that handles everything properly—ideally with at least one USB 3.0 port, even if it's just for peace of mind—while still allowing for an optical drive? I’d like to keep the total under $1100. If we keep the CPU and GPU exactly the same and just tweak the other components slightly, I want to ensure everything runs perfectly.👍

Jamie Lopez19 said:I took graniteharbor85's build down to a local computer shop and got these quotes:

CPU AMD FX-6100
Motherboard AM3+ ASR 960GM-VGS3 FX
MEM DDR3 4GB 1600MHz TeamGroup
HDD Intel Seagate BarraCuda 1TB 3.5''
VGA AS R7250-OC-2GD3
PSU MSI PLATINUM 550 B4 ATX 2.31
CAS MSI Carbon

This one is $1050 but he put together another one with a different motherboard because apparently you can't use all the 1600MHz RAM speed—not sure if I followed that correctly (can someone explain in one sentence?)—plus there isn't a single USB 3.0 port... (don't know if I actually need it, I don't move much stuff via USB...)

CPU AMD FX-6100
Motherboard AM3+ AS M5A97 LE R2.0
MEM DDR3 4GB 1600MHz TeamGroup
HDD Intel Seagate BarraCuda 1TB 3.5''
VGA AS R7250-OC-2GD3
PSU MSI PLATINUM 550 B4 ATX 2.31
CAS MSI Carbon

This configuration would cost me $1167

It’s no big deal that neither has a DVD RW so I can't play CDs or burn anything... but adding one will drive up the price :/

And he ditched the cooler, saying I wouldn't need it since the processor comes with a decent enough one, then bumped up the power supply like it's some kind of necessity...

Now I'm wondering what you guys think about all this. Is there a way to pick a motherboard that works for everything (ideally with at least one USB 3.0 port, even if I might not need it, you never know) and fit an optical drive without pushing the total over $1100? (Keep the CPU and GPU the same, maybe tweak the rest slightly, but make sure everything runs smooth...) 👍

No, no, and no!

The power supplies in both builds are garbage...
An aftermarket cooler is a must. There is no such thing as "the stock one is strong enough." If that were true, nobody would be buying aftermarket coolers for 100% AMD builds.

Both of these pre-built setups in your post are worse than any build put together in this thread.

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Absolutely not!

The power supplies in both builds are garbage...
The cooler needs to be top-tier; you can't just settle for whatever comes in the box. No, you can't. If the stock coolers were actually any good, nobody would be slapping aftermarket heatsinks onto an all-AMD build.

Both of the builds you laid out here are inferior to pretty much any other configuration posted on this thread.

Alright, thanks. 😁
I'll just buy one like that then.🙂

And as for the DVD RW drive, does it even matter whose brand it is?