Advice for buying a gaming PC!

Thanks for getting back to me. I’m looking for some solid recommendations for a motherboard and CPU combo—ideally something that won't absolutely break the bank, either.😁

So, what kind of budget are we looking at here?

Larry Ortiz5 said:Well, give me a rough idea of your budget...

I honestly have no clue what the current market rates even look like.😁 If I'm planning on swapping out the GPU down the road, I'd really like to cap things at $333. I'm just wondering if it's even possible to pull together something decent for that kind of cash.

1 x Asrock FM2A78M-DG3+, AMD FM2+ Socket A78 Chipset MB
1 x AMD Trinity Athlon II X4 760K 3.80GHz 4-core processor
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler, compatible with 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm, 92mm

$348 AMD

crimsonstag84 said:1 x Asrock FM2A78M-DG3+, AMD FM2+ Socket A78 Chipset MB
1 x AMD Trinity Athlon II X4 760K 3.80GHz 4cores
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm, 92mm

$348 Admin

Thanks🙂 I’m going to have to dig deep into my pockets to make this happen😁 The main thing is ensuring everything fits into this rig. Once I've got this sorted out, I'll be back to talk about the graphics card.

William Smith10 said:Thanks🙂 I'll have to sweat a bit more to afford it😁 Just gotta make sure it fits in this rig. Once that's sorted, I'll be back looking for a GPU.

Looks clean. Just hope you didn't grab some junk power supply.🙂

Robert Rodriguez2 said:It’s a well-organized build, I'll give you that. My only real concern is whether that power supply isn't complete garbage. 🙂

I honestly have no clue what kind of power supply I'm running.😁 Feel free to drop some recommendations my way.😉

William Smith10 said:I have no clue what kind of power supply I'm running.😁 Feel free to drop some recommendations.😉

Pop the case open and take a look at it. Just write down what you see.
If you've got a solid power supply, don't waste your money.

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Open up the case and take a look, then write down what you find.
If the power supply is actually decent, there's no point in wasting money on a new one.

Fine.😉I'll get to that tomorrow. Once my paycheck hits, I'm picking up a new motherboard.

I’ve just unlocked a new opportunity: I can finally pick this up through an installment plan without needing a credit card involved.🙂 Naturally, my ambitions have scaled right along with my budget, so I’m looking at dropping up to $2,000 on a motherboard, a processor, and a cooling setup. That is, assuming I can pair a high-end CPU with this specific motherboard and if my current graphics card isn't completely obsolete—meaning I can ride it for a little while longer. If you guys wouldn't mind stepping in to help me navigate these choices, I’d appreciate it.🙂

William Smith10 said:I’ve got a new opportunity—being able to pay in installments without needing a credit card.🙂 This means my appetite has grown quite a bit, and I'm looking at spending up to $2,000 on a motherboard, processor, and cooler. Of course, this assumes I can get a better processor for that specific motherboard, and ideally, my current graphics card can hang around for a while longer? If you wouldn't mind helping me pick out the right parts, I’d appreciate it.🙂

The AMD route:

1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 Processor, 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK

1 x ASUS M5A97 EVO R2.0, AM3+, AMD 970/SB950, DDR3, 4 Slots

1 x Zalman CNPS10X OPTIMA, CPU cooler. FAN: 120mm, fan speed: 1000rpm

$696 Since it's from Best Buy, shipping is free (on orders over $667), which is why I went slightly over budget!
Now, everything really hinges on what kind of power supply you're running; if you've got something low-quality or just too weak, you might need to swap that out for something like this: http://www.bestbuy.com/product_info.php?c...oducts_id=9848

The Intel route:

1 x Intel Core i5-4460 Processor (3.20GHz, 1MB, 6MB, 84 W, 1150) Box

1 x ASRock Z97-PRO3, s1150, Intel ® Z97

$698 From Best Buy, with free shipping!
For this setup, the stock cooler that comes with the processor should be plenty, and you probably won't even need to buy a new power supply unless your current one is absolute junk. I chose a motherboard that supports decent overclocking and will also accommodate Broadwell processors when they drop next year—should you decide you want a beefier "K" series chip once this one starts feeling sluggish. It gives you a much better path for future upgrades!

I’m leaning much more toward the second option here.🙂 Sad, once I get home around 11, I'll double-check my power supply specs. I’m really hoping I can run Madden NFL 15 and 16 without the whole system stuttering. Honestly, I couldn't care less about the fine details or the resolution—if you know what I mean.🙂 My setup is pretty much dedicated to gaming while I have HD movies, 3D films, or IPTV running in the background...

I’ve been hunting for what I need, but honestly, I’m starting to doubt if I even know what I'm looking for.🙂 This is the only thing that's popped up in my search... an AM3 Phenom II HT 3.0 FSB 2.6 GHz 140W DDR3 dual channel 140W CPU. To be perfectly blunt, I don't have the slightest clue what any of this actually means.🙂

William Smith10 said:I was searching for something specific while typing this out—though, to be perfectly honest, I’m not entirely certain I actually found what I was looking for.🙂 All I can make of this is... an AM3 Phenom II HT 3.0 FSB 2.6 GHz 140W DDR3 dual channel 140W CPU. Honestly, I’m completely out of my depth here—I don't understand a lick of this.🙂

Go ahead and pop the case open—you’ll need to take a look at the power supply itself to see exactly what we're working with. Just look for that little box; depending on how old your rig is, it'll be tucked away either at the very top or sitting right at the bottom of the chassis. Once you find it, let me know the specific brand and model number, and most importantly, tell me the wattage.

EVGA 550 W1

William Smith10 said:EVGA 550 W1

Ouch, nope, that's not going to work. I used one of those briefly once—it's a bottom-tier power supply, honestly, you should be happy yours even worked. The 12V amperage on it is ridiculous, so you’re looking at replacing the PSU regardless. You might get lucky and run an Intel build on it, but I wouldn't trust my hardware to that thing $667 UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, so keep in mind you'll need a new unit. If you go the Intel route, a Corsair HEXU will handle it just fine. But if you decide on FXa, you're definitely going to need something more heavy-duty. 🙂

I’ve officially decided to go with the Intel route, so if you wouldn't mind, I could use some specific recommendations for a power supply. Is there a particular model you’d suggest, or should I just take those brands you mentioned and run a search on Google myself?🙂 One more thing—if anyone can actually give me a straight answer on this. Earlier, I posted the system requirements for Madden NFL 15 on PC since it's considered next-gen, and I'm genuinely wondering if that Intel setup will actually handle the game without stuttering. That is, assuming my Windows installation and everything else is running smoothly. To be clear, I don't care about high settings or resolution; I'm perfectly fine dropping them to the lowest possible levels as long as the gameplay stays fluid and doesn't lag. Thanks, everyone.🙂

William Smith10 said:I’ve decided to go with the Intel route—so if you could give me some suggestions for a power supply as well, that would be great. Is there a specific model you have in mind, or should I just head over to Google and search for that one you mentioned earlier?🙂 I have one more question, if anyone can shed some light on this—though I realize I might be asking for the impossible. In my previous post, I laid out my requirements for running Madden NFL 15 on PC, given that we're dealing with a "next-gen" title now. My main concern is whether my setup—specifically using that Intel option—will actually hold up without stuttering. Of course, this assumes my Windows installation and everything else is running smoothly. To be clear: I am more than willing to dial back the graphical details and lower the resolution significantly; my only real priority is achieving a smooth experience without those frustrating stutters. Thanks in advance to everyone.🙂

If you're looking to pick up a power supply, I’d suggest grabbing this one—it's exceptionally high quality and packs quite a punch. I’ve been looking over the specs for this Intel ® Z97 motherboard—it seems like a solid little piece of hardware for anyone trying to squeeze some extra life out of an older build—but I wanted to share my thoughts on whether it's actually worth picking up right now. It’s a decent mid-range option, though you have to be careful about how you balance the components around it. If you're planning to pair this with something like an Intel Core i5-4460, you’ll find it runs quite smoothly, provided you aren't pushing it too hard with heavy multitasking. It handles the basics without much fuss, which is exactly what I look for in a reliable daily driver. That said, if you're aiming for anything more demanding, you might find yourself hitting a wall sooner than expected. For instance, pairing this with an Nvidia GTX 460 DirectX setup should get you through most standard tasks, but don't expect miracles if you're trying to run modern AAA titles at max settings. You really need to keep an eye on your power supply—I'd personally recommend something like an EVGA 550 W1 just to ensure everything stays stable during those inevitable spikes in power draw. One thing to keep in mind is the storage side of things. While it supports standard drives, I always suggest opting for a Seagate BarraCuda if you want a bit more reliability compared to some of the cheaper, no-name alternatives floating around the market. In short: it’s a capable, no-frills board for a budget-conscious enthusiast, but as always, your experience will depend entirely on how well you match it with the rest of your gear. Just don't go overboard expecting it to perform like a high-end workstation rig.
You'll be able to run just about any game on that Intel setup without breaking a sweat—even if you decide to crank everything up to the highest settings.

You’ve actually managed to put a smile on my face, 🙂 Super. I’m heading out to pull the trigger on these parts in a couple of days. My thanks to you and everyone else here for the solid intel. I’ll definitely be checking back in once I’ve got everything installed in the rig.🙂

William Smith10 said:Well, you've certainly gone and made my day.🙂 Excellent—I’m heading out to pull the trigger on these parts in a couple of days. My thanks to you and everyone else here for the incredibly helpful insights. I will definitely circle back and check in once I have everything installed and running in my rig.🙂

👍 Let me know how the purchase turned out—and don't forget, if you aren't running a decent graphics card, you won't get much performance out of that processor either. $2000 If you want your games to actually run smoothly, my advice is to pick up a graphics card as soon as possible—especially while prices have finally started to dip a bit.