Advice for buying a gaming PC!

fadedorca66 said:Everything from supply to pricing is going to shift, especially when it comes to graphics cards. You’ll probably be rebuilding your rig a few more times before summer rolls around. 😁

That is exactly what I am afraid of! 😁

crimsonstag84 said:Some baseline build:

ASUS VE228TR Monitor
AMD FX-4300 Box 3.8GHz - 8MB Cache - 95W BOXr
Crucial 1x4GB CL11
Toshiba 500GB 3.5" 7.2k SATA III 32MB
Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P motherboard
Sapphire AMD R9 270 Dual-X OC
Cosmo Cool LC-CC-95 - CPU cooler
Techsolo TC-G20 case
Power 7 400 w system

Total: $1544 UziShop

Or an even better monitor, plus$43:

Prices here in the USA are way higher for the GPU, processor, and motherboard $1000 (what a joke!)

XFX R9-280A-TDFD, double Dissipation edition Radeon R9 280 933 m

Any experiences or thoughts?

gentlesailor43 said:XFX R9-280A-TDFD, double Dissipation edition Radeon R9 280 933m

Anyone have experience with this one? Thoughts?

Between this one and Gigabyte's model, those are pretty much the top two versions of this card. This XFX one runs a bit cooler and quieter, plus it handles overclocking better, though you do lose a year of warranty compared to what Gigabyte offers.

Is the XFX cooler than the Windforce? I wouldn't say so...

Is this XFX $43 cheaper in the USA than Gigabyte's?

If I go with the 280, should I grab the Fortron Hyper 600 w, 80+, or maybe a 500 is enough?

XFX is quieter, while Gigabyte stays cooler. They're just minor differences—doesn't really matter much.

If you're looking at USA brands regarding power supplies—which CPU are you pairing it with?

Timothy Kim60 said:XFX is quieter, while Gigabyte runs cooler. They're minor differences—doesn't really matter.

If you're looking at USA standards for power supplies—what CPU are you running?

So, should I just keep the $43 in my pocket and go with XFX?😁

Intel's, specifically an i5 4460.

gentlesailor43 said:So, should I just pocket the $43 and go with the XFX?😁

It's an Intel setup, specifically an i5 4460.

Yeah, you're good to go. Honestly, that Fortron Hyper 500w is plenty for you; you don't really need the 600w version.

gentlesailor43 said:So, should I just keep the $43 in my pocket and go with the AMD instead?😁

An Intel build, specifically an i5 4460.

In my opinion, is $43 worth paying for an extra year of warranty

You could grab the HyperX Cloud II, but looking at Best Buy, it’s priced almost the same as the EVGA 550 W1. I’m guessing the HyperX is being priced under the current high dollar exchange rate, while the EVGA is just old stock being cleared out at the previous price point—meaning it'll likely hit about $183
soon.

Is this build actually any good?

What kind of power supply is in this? Seems like they left that part out on purpose...

As for the price, it's alright, I guess. Nothing to write home about.

Roger Mitchell4 said:I can't believe I'm actually looking at this. This deal on an AMD card with 1GB of DDR5 is honestly kind of hilarious. It’s like someone dug up a relic from a decade ago and decided it was worth talking about today. If you're thinking about picking this up to play anything modern, please, for the love of god, don't. You'll be lucky if it even manages to launch a browser without sweating bullets. Still, it's there if you just want a paperweight that occasionally displays a desktop.
Is this build even worth anything?

Not gonna lie, that motherboard is a pretty questionable choice for a processor like that. You're also missing a dedicated cooler, which is a huge problem since that stock AMD one is honestly garbage. Plus, that power supply that comes bundled with the case? It’s definitely not up to the task for a build of this caliber.

Here's an example of how this should look:

1 x Sapphire R9 270 2GB, OC Boost, 2GB GDDR5 256bit

1 x AMD FX-Series X6 6300 Processor | 3.5GHz, 14MB Cache, 95W, AM3+ socket (FD6300WMHK)

1 x Gigabyte 970A-DS3P, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866

1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler, fits 1156/775/FM1 sockets, 96.5×51×125 mm, 92mm fan

Just one stick of DDR3 4GB Kingston HyperX FURY RAM, running at 1866MHz with CL10 timings (HX318C10F).

1 x EVGA 550 W1 power supply, 400W, HEXA Plus, 12cm fan

Just one Western Digital 500GB hard drive here—the 5000AAKX model. It’s running SATA 3 with a 16MB buffer, spins at 7,200 rpm, and has an 8.9 ms access time.

1 x MSI Phoenix mid-tower case (no PSU included), supports ATX and mATX motherboards.

Total:$1344 Free assembly and shipping on us!
I just threw in 4GB of RAM because those sticks are dirt cheap and easy to upgrade later on. $100 I can literally wipe them out in like ten seconds flat—but hey, that’s exactly why I slapped a much beefier GPU in here!

Hey guys, that’s $1100's build. Why are you agreeing with $4,000? Honestly, the price is actually pretty solid. A setup like that with a budget motherboard and some cheap power supply would cost at least $1167. The big question is what kind of PSU they actually threw in there.

crimsonstag84 said:What kind of PSU is in this? It looks like they left that part out on purpose...

As for the price, it's just okay. Nothing to write home about.

I was actually looking for the power supply too! I suspect it's some off-brand LC Power unit.

Adam Moore3 said:Hey everyone! That build is from $1100, so why are you agreeing with a $4,000 price tag? Honestly, it’s actually a pretty solid deal. A setup like that with a budget motherboard and a cheap power supply would cost at least $1167. My big concern is just what kind of power supply they tucked inside.

Who knows, maybe there isn't even a power supply included 😁
I know the 970A-DS3P is the best choice for an FX processor, but once I put everything together, I end up going way over my budget.

Sean Garcia3 said:Not really. That motherboard isn't a great match for that processor. You also don't have a dedicated cooler since that AMD one is pretty subpar, and the power supply included with that case won't cut it for a build of this caliber!

Here is an example of how it should look:

1 x Sapphire R9 270 2GB, OC Boost, 2GB GDDR5 256bit

1 x AMD FX-Series X6 6300 Processor 3.5GHz, 14MB, 95W, AM3+, FD6300WMHK

1 x Gigabyte 970A-DS3P, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866

1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 Cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm, 92mm

1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingston, 1866MHz, CL10, HyperX Cloud II, HX318C10F

1 x EVGA 400W Power Supply, HEXA Plus 400, 12cm fan

1 x WD 500GB HDD, 5000AAKX, SATA 3, 16MB Buffer, 7,200 rpm, 8.9 ms

1 x MS PHOENIX Case without PSU, Midi tower MBO: ATX, mATX

Total:$1344 free assembly and shipping!
I only put in 4GB of RAM because it's the easiest to upgrade later—$100you can just pop more in within seconds—but I prioritized a much stronger graphics card instead!

Hehe, if I had that kind of cash right now, I'd buy that build instantly! But my budget is actually $3,300.🤷
Initially, I was thinking 4GB of RAM, then adding another 4GB next month.
Is it better to go with 1x8GB or Dual Channel 2 x4GB?

Roger Mitchell4 said:Heh, if I actually had the cash, I’d snap up that whole setup in a heartbeat. But since my budget is capped at $3300, I'll have to pass for now. 🤷
I was thinking about starting out with 4GB of RAM, then just grabbing another 4GB next month.
Is it actually better to go with a single 8GB stick or just grab two 4GB sticks for Dual Channel 2 x4GB?

Honestly, it doesn't make a massive difference either way. Going with Dual Channel 2 x4GB is technically a slight upgrade, but it’s definitely not worth stressing over. As for the case, it comes with a 560W power supply—like I mentioned before—but you really should swap that out for something more reliable.

Roger Mitchell4 said:Man, if I had the cash, I’d grab that setup in a heartbeat. But my budget is capped at $3,300. 🤷
I was thinking about starting with 4GB of RAM, then just grabbing another 4GB next month.
Go with Dual Channel 2 x4GB. It’s like running two lanes instead of one; you just get more breathing room.

1 x AMD Athlon II x4 860K processor, 3.70GHz, 4 cores, 4MB cache
Just one stick of 4GB DDR3 Kingston RAM, 1600MHz, CL11. Basic value stuff.
One Western Digital 500GB hard drive. SATA 3, 7200 RPM, 16MB buffer. It’s basically like an old reliable pickup truck—nothing fancy, just gets the job done.
1 x MS PHOENIX mid-tower case, no PSU, fits ATX or mATX boards.
1 x EVGA 550 W1 power supply, 500W, Hexa Plus, 12cm fan
One LG GH24NS DVD burner. It does 24x DVD±R, 8x DL, and 40x CD-R. Simple enough.
Single Sapphire R7 250X 1G GDDR5. Ports: HDMI, DVI-I, and DP. Clock speeds sit at 950MHz / 1125MHz.
Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler. Fits 1156/775/FM1 sockets. It's 96.5×51×125 mm with a 92mm fan.
Asrock FM2A78M-HD+, Socket FM2+ 95W / FM2 100W processors

$1103
If that's your budget, stop overthinking it. Just buy this and be done with it.

Either grab a better power supply or just squeeze a beefier GPU in there.

1 x AMD Athlon II x4 860K Processor, 3.70GHz, 4 cores, 4MB cache
Just one stick of 4GB Kingston DDR3, 1600MHz, CL11. Basic value RAM.
One Western Digital 500GB hard drive. It's a SATA 3, runs at 7,200 rpm with a 16MB buffer. Fast enough for basic stuff, I guess.
1 x MS PHOENIX mid-tower case, no PSU. Fits ATX or mATX boards.
Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler. Fits 1156, 775, or FM1 sockets. Dimensions are 96.5x51x125 mm with a 92mm fan.
Asrock FM2A78M-HD+, Socket FM2+ 95W / FM2 100W processors
One Sapphire R7 260X with 1GB of GDDR5. It’s an OC model, 128-bit, built on a 28nm process.
1 x EVGA 550 W1 power supply, 500W, 12cm fan

$1108

He probably doesn't need an Intel Core i7 😉 I'd say just go with a 400W model--$35 and maybe spring for a much better ASUS ROG Strix motherboard for $25 a bit extra.