Budget PC build under $450

Thanks. 🙂 So, how much does the price jump if I toss in a roaster?

Click

Another way to go about it:

XFX PSU TS 430W, XFX-P1-430S-XXB9
MS KNIGHT case (no PSU)
LG 22MP47D-P 21.5" Wide LED Monitor
AMD A8 X4 7650K Processor
2x Kingston 4GB 1866MHz DDR3 CL10 DIMM HyperX FURY Black Series HX318C10FB/4
LC Power CPU Cooler LC-CC-95 - 90mm
Toshiba DT01ACA100 1TB 3.5''
MSI Desktop Motherboard AMD A88XM-E35_V2

Total: $1224 Best Buy

It has a slightly beefier power supply, an unlocked CPU, and marginally better performance (both CPU and GPU), though the memory is a bit slower—but probably fast enough.
I guess sometimes 2400MHz RAM can be finicky when paired with integrated graphics, so 2133MHz should be fine.
You get double the storage (though that’s a bit $17 pricier). It also comes with an IPS monitor and a decent motherboard that allows for some overclocking if you eventually grab a much stronger GPU for serious gaming.

Shipping would run you about $40, but since you're in Chicago, maybe we could skip that?

If shipping pushes you over budget, here's an option from Micro Center with free delivery:

1 x AMD Kaveri A8-Series X4 7650K Processor (3.3GHz,4MB,95W,FM2+) BE
1 x DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) Kingston, 1866MHz, CL10, HyperX Fury
1 x TOSHIBA 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100
1 x MS KNIGHT midi tower case (no PSU)
1 x FORTRON 400W Power Supply, HEXA Plus 400, 12cm fan
1 x LG 22MP47D-P IPS, 21.5", 16:9, 1920x1080, 250 cd/m2, 5,000,000:1
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm, 92mm
1 x ASUS A88XM-E, FM2+, AMD A88X (Bolton D4), DDR3, 2 slots

$1235

The cooler and power supply are a little weaker here compared to the Best Buy build.

Dual-channel RAM is a must for any APU build

I'll post this here instead of starting a new thread—I'm looking for something similar for a friend of mine rather than myself:

A family desktop setup intended for use from $667 through $1000.
It’s mostly for Facebook, YouTube, watching movies, listening to music, managing photos, basic Office work, emails, and browsing news sites...
They won't be playing heavy games, though they do have a daughter in elementary school—she plays some stuff, but it's really just web-based Flash or Unity games.
Now, who knows if she'll want to play GTA VI down the road (though I highly doubt it 🙂), or maybe some educational kid's game? I don't know, but I don't think a high-end GPU is necessary—at least not for now.

One thing that was emphasized to me is longevity—they want this machine to last, not end up lagging and stuttering like their old one did after just a couple of years.
So, I suspect we could probably put something together for around $2,000, but if we want to prioritize durability (and an SSD is definitely a must), the budget could stretch to $3,000.

Paying in cash.

If anyone can put a build together, it would be greatly appreciated. 🙂

AMD A8 X4 7650K Processor
Crucial BX100 250GB SSD, Micron 16nm MLC, SATA 2.5” 7mm
Zalman mini tower case black, ZAL-A1
Super Flower FX 350W - 80 Plus Bronze power supply
GIGABYTE Main Board Desktop AMD A68(A68HM-DS2)
LC Power CPU Cooler LC-CC-95 - 90mm
KINGSTON 8GB 1866MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL10 DIMM HyperX FURY Red Series, HX318C10FR/8

Total: $963 Centro

Sure, you could probably go cheaper, but this setup should hold up for a while, and there’s enough room in the budget for it. 🙂

crimsonstag84 said:AMD A8 X4 7650K Processor
Crucial BX100 250GB SSD, Micron 16nm MLC, SATA 2.5” 7mm
Zalman mini tower case black, ZAL-A1
Super Flower FX 350W - 80 Plus Bronze power supply
GIGABYTE Main Board Desktop AMD A68(A68HM-DS2)
LC Power CPU Cooler LC-CC-95 - 90mm
KINGSTON 8GB 1866MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL10 DIMM HyperX FURY Red Series, HX318C10FR/8

Total cost: $963 Center

Sure, you could go cheaper, but this build will last, and there's enough room in the budget🙂

Really clean build, even managed to fit that 250GB SSD in there perfectly.👍

Thanks, crimsonstag84!

I have a few follow-up questions:
- Does this setup work with Centro Confe? I’m planning on installing everything he needs—at least to get him up and running.--
- Is this AMD an APU? Wouldn't it be better to go with dual-channel RAM (2 x 4GB) for an APU build?--
- They'll likely need an optical drive too; maybe something like this: LG GH24NSD1 SATA Bulk Black 24x $32

Brian Thomas60 said:Thanks, crimsonstag84!

I have a few questions:
- Does Micro Center support this build? I’m planning on having them install everything so it's ready to go once I get it home.
- Is this AMD chip an APU? Wouldn't dual-channel RAM (2 x 4GB) be better for an APU?
- I'll probably need an optical drive too; maybe something like this: LG GH24NSD1 SATA Bulk Black 24x$32

They'll put it together for you for free, but just keep in mind there's a shipping fee$27.
It is an APU, but I think crimsonstag84 intentionally went with 1x8GB to leave room for a future upgrade. If you go dual-channel now, both slots will be full. Honestly, though, you're probably never going to jump to 16GB with these specs, so you could definitely grab dual-channel RAM to get that extra performance boost—that's true. But since this PC is meant for pretty light tasks anyway, it doesn't matter much. As for the optical drive, any cheap one will do.

I guess I'll just leave it as crimsonstag84 suggested—if they really want an extra 8GB later on, they can always upgrade then.

It’s great that they’re throwing in the assembly for free, though shipping is $13 if you ask me—not that it’s $27 a dealbreaker or anything.

Thanks for the quick assist, 🙂

I’d probably just go with 2x4GB. An APU really needs that dual channel setup to breathe, and honestly, I doubt anyone would ever bother upgrading to 16GB on a build like this—especially if you're running an SSD.

Here is a more budget-friendly option from Micro Center



They offer free assembly, there’s a chance at a 3% discount, and you get a full 2-year shop warranty.

Basically, the main trade-offs are that the case lacks a USB 3.0 front panel header (though you still have the rear ports on the motherboard), and the processor isn't unlocked for overclocking. The SSD is optional, and you can swap in a different case if you prefer. If you need a hair dryer to cool it down, just click here

You're getting a motherboard with four RAM slots and a dual-channel 2400MHz kit to help with graphics performance—useful if the kid wants to play games, but even if they don't, you aren't paying an extra premium for it. Plus, you can always add a dedicated GPU later on.

I just finished going through the replies—anyway, I’ve swapped out the processor and upgraded the RAM.
If I were you, I’d definitely prioritize getting an SSD next.

Does this look alright now?

Brian Thomas60 said:Just saw the replies. I went ahead and swapped out the CPU and RAM.
I'd definitely upgrade to an SSD next.

Is this looking better now?

Yeah, that's it 👍

Well, it’s officially ordered.

Thanks, everyone! 🙂