Help - PC build in Seattle under $500

Timothy Kim60 said:--honestly, I don't think they did it quite right. You're probably just gonna use that burner once to install macOS and then heaven knows when else... maybe ever.

Let's try this approach:

Take that rig of yours with the Intel Core i7-4770K—pull out the motherboard and that Zalman cooler—and swap them both for these instead:
http://www.newegg.com/p/product_info.php?products_id=13493
http://www.newegg.com/p/product_info.php?products_id=11633

Then you can likely fit the R9 280 plus the burner 🙂
Everything should line up perfectly.

Obviously, those are the prices you'd see at Newegg if you're paying cash.

Wait, which build is this again??? (Sorry man, computer science isn't exactly my specialty) 🙂

1 x ASUS M5A97 R2.0, AM3, AM3+, AMD 970, SB950, BUS 5200 MHz, DDR3
1 x Processor AMD FX-Series X8 8320 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x Power Supply Fortron 500W, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm fan
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard
1 x Samsung CDZ-series DVD burner, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x Gigabyte R9 270X 2GB OC, 2GB GDDR5 256bit, GV-R927XOC-2GD, 28nm
1 x ZALMAN CNPS 5X Performa, socket 775/1155/1156/AM2/AM2/AM3

$1665

www.newegg.com

fadedorca66 said:Got some cash on you? If so, just order it online—don't even bother checking out Links or Netcom.

Netcom is a decent shop, but their prices are a bit inflated. You can find an Intel Core i7-4770K for $67 cheaper elsewhere.

And honestly, calling someone a PC expert when they don't even know how to flash an OS onto a thumb drive? That’s just insulting to people who actually know their stuff.

Just grab the macOS ISO online and use this little utilityEtcher—it handles everything automatically and makes the drive bootable without any headache.

Thanks, I'll definitely look into that!! 👍

I'm here, but honestly, once the total climbs north of $5,000, I’d suggest grabbing an EVGA 550 W. There's really no reason to push the power supply to its limit if you don't have to.

You could go with the i5 setup and just flash macOS via a USB drive, or simply grab a GTX 750 Ti and call it a day—you won't have to stretch your budget so thin. It’s a solid Electronic Arts configuration.

Timothy Kim60 said:Look, if the total hits over 5k, I might as well grab that EVGA 550 W—it just makes sense, no point in pushing the power supply too hard.

Honestly, just grab the one with the i5 and burn macOS to a USB, or maybe just snag the GTX 750 Ti and call it a day—you won't have to blow your whole budget. It’s a solid Electronic Arts setup.

Thanks a ton, man!! 👍

So, I finally pulled the trigger on this build... (just wanted to log it here on the forum for the memories—figured it’d be a nice little digital time capsule...) 😉

1 x ASUS M5A97 R2.0, AM3, AM3+, AMD 970, SB950, BUS 5200 MHz, DDR3
1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 Processor 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x Fortron 500W Power Supply, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm fan
1 x Thermaltake Versa H21, Midi tower, ATX, mATX,
1 x Samsung CDZ-series DVD burner, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x Sapphire R9 280 3GB OC Dual-X, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, 28nm
1 x ZALMAN CNPS 5X Performa, socket 775/1155/1156/AM2/AM2/AM3

Big thanks to Robert Rodriguez2, Timothy Kim60, fadedorca66, and @Smartic!! 🙂

Ronald Bishop58 said:So, I finally pulled the trigger on this build... (putting it here just so I don't forget the specs later...) 😉

1 x ASUS M5A97 R2.0, AM3,AM3+, AMD 970, SB950, BUS 5200 MHz, DDR3
1 x Processor Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz,16MB,125W,AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x Power Supply Fortron 500W, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm fan
1 x Thermaltake Versa H21, Midi tower, ATX,mATX,
1 x Samsung CDZ-series DVD writer, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x Sapphire R9 280 3GB OC Dual-X, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, 28nm
1 x ZALMAN CNPS 5X Performa, socket 775/1155/1156/AM2/AM2/AM3

Shout out to @Robert Rodriguez2/">@@Robert Rodriguez2, @Timothy Kim60/">@@Timothy Kim60, @fadedorca66/">@@fadedorca66, and @Smartic!! 🙂

👍 Hope the gaming goes smooth for you. 🙂

Ronald Bishop58 said:So, I finally pulled the trigger on this build... (just posting it here so I have a record of it somewhere in the archives...) 😉

1 x ASUS M5A97 R2.0, AM3, AM3+, AMD 970, SB950, BUS 5200 MHz, DDR3
1 x Processor AMD FX-Series X8 Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x Power Supply Fortron 500W, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm fan
1 x Thermaltake Versa H21, Midi tower, ATX, mATX,
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x Sapphire R9 280 3GB OC Dual-X, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, 28nm
1 x ZALMAN CNPS 5X Performa, socket 775/1155/1156/AM2/AM2/AM3

Would love some input—do you guys think either of these monitors would be a decent match for this setup?

http://www.bestbuy.com/products/...b-um-iv6ee-a01

Or maybe this one:
http://www.amazon.com/monitors__90/a...d-215__4021541

Thanks in advance!

Skip this first one; a 19.5" screen is just too small.

The second option is alright, though I'd make sure it actually has a DVI or HDMI input. Honestly, for maybe an extra hundred bucks, you could probably snag one with an IPS panel instead...

So, what exactly is an IPS panel?
Feel free to toss some other monitor recommendations my way—ideally something up to $333 that features that IPS tech.

Thanks!

Ronald Bishop58 said:What exactly is an IPS panel?
Feel free to suggest a different monitor under $333 that features that kind of IPS tech.

Thanks!

Here you go, THIS is your absolute best bet for $333 🙂

I think I'll stretch my legs for just a little while longer before finally picking up a Dell

Thanks a ton—hopefully I can actually pick something useful out of all this!! 👍

If this is totally off-topic, please just point me toward the right subforum where I can ask this stuff!

Does anyone have recommendations for a decent PC racing wheel under $133? Ideally looking for something from Logitech.

Thanks a ton.

It’s basically a toss-up between grabbing a used Logitech Formula Force EX or just settling for the Logitech Driving Force GT—there isn't much of a middle ground here, especially if you're looking at the secondhand market. Personally? I’d steer clear of that old DFGT.

Keep an eye on the marketplaces over at RacingJunk or similar forums—you should definitely try to snag that DFGT if you can. Honestly, its force feedback is surprisingly close to the G25 in terms of feel and build quality. The only real downside is the pedals (they're tiny and don't have much resistance...), but you can always fix that later by picking up some used G25 pedals and hooking them up to the DFGT with a converter.

What do you guys think about this wheel? I’m probably going to have to hunt down a used one since they're impossible to find brand new anywhere right now.
https://support.logitech.com/en_us/product/298

Honestly, it feels worse than the Formula Force EX... the DFGT is easily two tiers above it.

That linked one was actually my first wheel, followed by the DFGT. Even though I mostly just tore it up in small amateur leagues, those cheap ones really hold you back when it comes to speed and consistency—mostly because of that limited 180° rotation. The DFGT has 900°, which usually lands between 270-450° for most setups, and even more for GT cars. Plus, the pedals are pretty terrible, especially if you have a big foot and a heavy leg like mine. 😬

It really depends on how serious you are. If you're actually competing, the absolute bare minimum would be the Formula Force EX, but the DFGT is definitely preferred.

I honestly have no clue where I'm supposed to track down a Formula Force EX—it feels like nobody is even selling them anymore...

click

Thanks a ton for all the advice! 👍

graniteharbor85 said:click

Is this actually the same steering wheel?

Click