Advice for buying a gaming PC!

Timothy Kim60 said:Which R9 280? Look at the top right corner—check if all that stuff is actually available.
I’d be looking for something with better build quality, like a higher-end Dell or something similar. This is it.

That installment price you're looking at doesn't include the 8% discount—so if you ask me, the whole thing is way overpriced. $1800

He doesn't need a better board than that. It’s just... whatever. Three-year warranty included.

Roger Mitchell4 said:An Xfx R9 280. Everything is available except the GPU (I'll update once it's back in stock).
We were talking about how the cheapest possible H81M motherboard would work for a non-K i5...
The whole package comes to $1.75 without the 8% discount, unless you pay in installments.

You could do that, but why settle for the absolute bottom-of-the-barrel option? At least throw in another $1.00 for this MSI model, and you’ll get an extra year of warranty coverage.

@analogtiger19/">@@analogtiger19

It's unavailable and just not worth the money.

Timothy Kim60 said:@analogtiger19/">@@analogtiger19

out of stock and just not worth it

Well, fine. It’s like waiting for a GPU that doesn't even exist right now anyway...😛

How exactly is that B85 a better buy for $30 more money? 🤔

The VG4 is basically ASRock's most budget-oriented, stripped-down option. Then you have the DGS series—if I recall correctly, those 1155 socket and FM2 boards had pretty high failure rates too. Look, it’ll function fine if that's what you pick, but honestly, both are a bad value compared to an MSI board that comes with a solid 3-year warranty from $107.

Now this is the true best-buy among the budget Intel options. This HDS model includes a USB 3.0 header (meaning you can actually use a USB 3.0 case, not just the rear ports), features a slightly better voltage regulation stage, and provides an HDMI port for integrated graphics—something the VG4 lacks. Plus, it should carry a 3-year warranty, just like the boards from MSI, Asus, or Gigabyte.

EDIT

And if you're trying to buy this stuff in Canada, just look at these prices:

HD7950, B85-HD3, and RAM is just as cheap as it is at the local Best Buy click

Timothy Kim60 said:the vg4 is basically ASRock's cheapest, bottom-of-the-barrel budget option. then you have the DGS stuff—if I remember right, those 1155 socket and FM2 boards had massive failure rates. look, it’ll work fine if that's what you want, but both are a waste of money compared to an MSI board with a 3-year warranty from $107.

This is the actual best-buy for budget Intel builds. HDS has the USB 3.0 header (for front panel cases, not just the rear ports), slightly better voltage regulation, and HDMI if you're using integrated graphics (unlike the vg4). Plus, it should carry a 3-year warranty just like the MSI, ASUS, or Gigabyte boards.

You're right. I thought I linked HDS instead of DGS. 😵 😬 😵

Timothy Kim60 said:The VG4 is easily the most budget-friendly, stripped-down option ASRock offers. Then you have those DGS models—I believe they used the 1155 socket and FM2, which unfortunately had pretty high return rates. That said, like I mentioned before, it’ll get the job done just fine! Still, both feel like a bit of a waste compared to an MSI board that comes with a solid 3-year warranty. $107.

This is it. Think of this as Best Buy’s budget version of an Intel board. It features a USB 3.0 header—perfect if you're using a front-panel case setup rather than just the rear ports—and offers slightly better voltage regulation for stability. Plus, it actually has HDMI, which is a lifesaver compared to the VG4 model! It should also come with a solid 3-year warranty, just like the boards from MSI, ASUS, or Gigabyte.

EDIT

You should just buy yours in America instead; look at these prices in Canada!

The HD7950!, B85-HD3RAM is just as affordable at the local Best Buy. Click!

Since I'll be heading into Chicago anyway, it’s much easier to just swing by the Center to grab my gear. It's a total win-win, and honestly, I can't be bothered dealing with the hassle of an online order. 😉
Eevo let me know that the R9 280 will be in stock in about 15 days—just in time for my trip up north!

Anyway, I don't want to start a whole new thread, so I'll just jump in here. Hope nobody minds me joining the conversation..

I bought my computer about 7 or 8 years ago, and it actually ran pretty well until a few months back—or maybe just last week—when I think the power supply or something finally gave up the ghost. To be honest, I don't know the first thing about hardware or building a rig, so I could really use some shopping advice.

I'm looking for a gaming PC that can handle titles like the latest Call of Duty, The Sims, and stuff like that for at least the next few years. I don't necessarily need to play everything on maxed-out settings, but I do need something that won't overheat and shut down on me, which has been a huge headache with my current setup lately..

Also.. if there's any chance I can reuse parts from my old computer, that would be awesome. I know it's ancient, but hey.. it doesn't hurt to ask..
So, I really just need the tower and nothing else.. I have the rest..

Budget $1667

Availability: right now, so please send links!

Obviously, I'm not looking for a handout, but since I see some gaming rigs going for $2,000, I'd love to get the best bang for my buck with a $5,000 budget.

To figure out what’s actually worth keeping, I'm going to need a full list of your current specs 🙂
. Are you looking for a new monitor? If not, what resolution are you running right now (look up the specific model)? What about your mouse, keyboard, or speakers? Also, are you planning to pay cash or use financing?

Since that rig is roughly 7 or 8 years old, the only thing potentially worth saving is the HDD (assuming it's SATA), though honestly, given its age, I wouldn't count on it. You might be able to reuse the case—check if it's an mATX or ATX form factor and send me the model name or a photo—and maybe the power supply if it's SATA (though in my opinion, there's a 70-30 chance it isn't). If you happen to have an aftermarket cooler, that's about as far as we can go.

I've got a Samsung SyncMaster 2243 SN mouse.
I've got my mouse and keyboard ready—just looking to make a cash purchase now.

The HDD was a Samsung HD753LJ.
I'd love to just plug this straight into my PC. Since everything I own and all my Windows files are already on it, I could just switch it on and get straight to work without having to reinstall a single thing. 😁

Aside from everything else, here’s what was actually inside... (the stuff you can actually read).
EVGA 790i Digital
The EVGA GTX 260 is a bit of a classic. It’s one of those cards that really defined an era of gaming. If you're looking at one today, it's mostly about nostalgia or maybe some light retro gaming, but back in its prime, it was a powerhouse. It’s like finding an old muscle car in a garage—it might not win any modern drag races, but you can still appreciate the engineering that made it a legend.
I've got two 2GB sticks of G.Skill DDR3 up for grabs.
I can't quite remember which Intel quad Core it was.
I’m guessing that Tagan Superrock 600W finally kicked the bucket, since the whole thing won't even power up anymore.
I’ve got two different power supplies sitting here, but honestly, I’m totally lost when it comes to this stuff. I don't have the actual PC with me—it was built ages ago. The case is pretty old and bulky, and there isn't any labeling on it at all. I'll snap some photos so you guys can take a look.

If you decided to keep the HDD and the case:

Gigabyte Radeon GV-R928WF3OC-3GD, AMD Radeon R9 280, PCI-E 3.0, 3072 MB
ASRock B85 motherboard
Intel Core I5 4460 + DOD INT i5/i7 BUNDLE
Crucial Module 8GB, 240-pin DIMM, DDR3 PC3-12800, CL11, Unbuffered, NON-ECC
Super Flower Golden Green HX 80 plus Gold power supply - 550 Watt

Total cost: $1616 center.com

By the way, I’ve got another case lying around... it’s a bit smaller, an Asus Vento A8.

Olivia Nguyen3 said:The HDD was a Samsung HD753LJ
I'd love to just keep it in the computer since everything is on there, including my Windows setup, so I wouldn't have to reinstall anything just plug it in and get to work 😁

It doesn't quite work that way. 😁
You're going to have to do a clean reinstall. On the bright side, this PC is actually much better (and newer) than I originally thought. You could potentially stick with the DDR3 RAM; just find a motherboard with four slots and add some more capacity—maybe two 2GB sticks or one 4GB stick to leave some breathing room. Check if those burners still have available SATA ports or if the cable is already plugged into the only one.

http://cobolhacker3.files.wordpress....sata_dvdrw.jpg (pink)

There are two of these


The power cable with those four round pins was tucked away somewhere 😵

One of these looks like this


The frames look like this


I think this red cable went into the hard drive, but honestly... I've taken everything apart now haha, I have no idea where anything was originally

Honestly, I can't see any connection issues from here; the images you posted are way too small to tell. Just check the connectors on the soldering iron—if that red wire from the power supply goes straight to the iron, you should be all set. If it weren't working properly, you’d be looking at something like this thick of a cable
.
The RAM is fine; DDR3 is DDR3, so there's really nothing to argue about there.

Let me simplify things: since my old gear is pretty much ancient history, I’m thinking about just grabbing something budget-friendly and new. I really doubt I'll be using this thing heavily enough to justify anything else..

I read earlier that some shops will put everything together for free, which would be a total lifesaver. If I can find parts that stay under $500 total, I could probably head over there tomorrow and get it sorted.. I'm totally lost without a computer 😢

So, if they handle the assembly, what's left for me to do?

By the way.. am I allowed to bring in my own components, or do they only build systems using stuff bought in-store? Also, is it actually worth trying to reuse my old parts, or is the performance gap tiny? If the difference in $167 is significant, I'll probably just buy an entirely new setup so I don't have to worry about things breaking down soon... :/

Olivia Nguyen3 said:btw.. can I bring my own parts somewhere, or do they only install what I buy from them? And is it actually worth using my old components, or is the performance gap negligible? If the difference in $167 is significant, I’d probably just go all new to avoid worrying about potential hardware failure down the road... :/

You could bring your own case, hard drive, and RAM—you might even find a shop that will throw in the installation for free if you're lucky (places like Micro Center or Best Buy might help you out, though some specialized shops will definitely charge you for labor). Just give them a call first to check their policy.

You have to handle the Win installation yourself.

If you're looking at a case within that budget, I'd suggest a Zalman Z3 (roughly $30-$$117), a 1TB hard drive is about $167, 4GB of DDR3 RAM is around $23-$$100, and a power supply is roughly $40. You can cover those specific components with what you already have.

What kind of motherboard, CPU, power supply, and graphics card should I be looking for to match them?

By the way, what kind of hard drive are you actually running? I know it’s a SATA interface, but how old is this thing, roughly? Honestly, before you pull the trigger on a purchase, you really ought to check if the drive is still healthy—like, make sure there aren't any bad sectors lurking around. It would be such a bummer to invest in all these shiny new components only to have everything crash because of an old, glitchy drive right after you've finished reinstalling Windows and hunting down all your drivers... just saying! Though, maybe your HDD is doing just fine.

You can just download CrystalDiskInfo to check its health status.

http://crystalmark.info/download/index-e.html

Olivia Nguyen3 - regarding one of the components Smartic mentioned, if you plan on keeping your own RAM, you could opt for a motherboard with 4 slots instead:

For instance, you could use RAM like or go with a 2x2 setup like

However, I’d suggest double-checking at your local Best Buy to ensure they are fully compatible with your specific sticks (though 99% of the time, they'll work just fine)

Here is what I would do. I'd just leave those 4GB of RAM alone so you end up with 8GB total. You could also keep the HDD as it is for multimedia and general data storage, but then pick up a new SSD to install Windows, Microsoft Office, and whatever other programs or apps you use most often, and the computer will feel incredibly fast. I guess if this gaming bundle doesn't interest you, there is also $23this cheaper i5 option
.
1 x Intel Core i5-4460 Processor + Intel i5/i7 BUNDLE
1 x SILVERSTONE Strider ST40F-ESB, 400W, 80+ Bronze
1 x AMD Radeon R9 270, 2048MB GDDR5
1 x Xigmatek Mach Case Black, USB3.0
1 x ASUS B85M-G
1 x Crucial 4GB DDR3 1600 Mhz (PC3-12800) CL11
1 x OCZ SSD ARC 100, 120GB Sata3

$1689

Or maybe this AMD setup with the stronger graphics card
.
1 x Xigmatek Mach Case Black, USB3.0
1 x Crucial 4GB DDR3 1600 Mhz (PC3-12800) CL11
1 x OCZ SSD ARC 100, 120GB Sata3
1 x AMD FX-4300 Desktop CPU Box
1 x Gigabyte 970A DS3P, AM3+
1 x LC-CC-95 CPU Cooler, Intel/AMD, 90mm 4-pin
1 x MSI GTX 960 GDDR5 2GB/128bit
1 x XFX TS 450W, 80+ Bronze

$1678
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