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Desktop PC build for $750?

Started by Chloe Chavez · · 👁 4 views · 90 replies

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Participants Chloe ChavezKimberly Gomez34Robert Rodriguez2Amy Vaughn12mellowtiger83Keith Wright2crimsonstag84Austin Chavez6fadedorca66ruggedeagle40jaderidge3Grace Peterson17Bradley Wright47dustyskipper77Larry Ortiz5Roger Gray8Jeremy Fowler4Grace Kernanalogtiger19graniteharbor85Adam Moore3Jamie Price
Austin Chavez6 Austin Chavez6 Member
12 messages
joined Aug 2010
#61 ·
Here I am. Been waiting on this for other reasons...

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Stay away from pre-built configurations. In this one, just like most others, you have no clue what kind of motherboard you're actually getting or if the power supply is just some cheap junk. Too many unknowns for too much money.
One Asrock B75 Pro3M—features an Intel B75 chipset, mATX form factor, and dual Channel 4 xDDR3.
One Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1. Solid choice.
Two sticks of 4GB Corsair DDR3, 1333MHz, CL9, Value series. CMV4GX3M1A1333C9.
Zalman 500-GS_II PSU, 500W, ATX12V V2.31, active PFC.
One Zalman ZM-T2 PLUS micro tower case. 189(W) x 427.5(H) x 364(D)mm.
One Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black SATA DVD burner.
One Sapphire Radeon R7 260X with 1GB of GDDR5 OC memory. It’s got a 128-bit bus and runs on a 28nm process.
One Toshiba 1TB hard drive, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100.

$1358
A much better solution for some. $67 Pay more, but at least you know exactly what you're getting.

Two sticks of 4GB Corsair DDR3, 1333MHz, CL9, Value series, CMV4GX3M1A1333C9.
One Zalman 500-GS_II PSU, 500W, ATX12V V2.31, featuring active PFC.
One Sapphire R7 260X. It's got 1GB of GDDR5 OC and a 128-bit bus on a 28nm process.
One Samsung 120 GB 840 evo Basic. It's a 2.5" SSD with 120 GB of capacity.
One AMD FX-Series X6 6300, 3.5GHz, 14MB, 95W, AM3+.
ASUS M5A97 R2.0. AM3/AM3+ socket. AMD 970 chipset. 5200 MHz bus speed. Uses DDR3.
One MSI A88XM midi tower case, ATX, includes a 5.25" external bay. No power supply included.
One Zalman CNPS 5X cooler. Fits sockets 775, 1155, 1156, AM2, and AM3.

$1339
Or just go that route if you're planning on using your own drives and frypan.

I'd grab some drives now—just standard HDDs for the time being—and then add an SSD later on.

mellowtiger83 said:Here’s the deal.

Athlon x4 760, 3.8GHz, FM2 quad core.
MSI A88XM, FM2, SATA3.
Patriot Viper 1866, 8GB DDR3.
MSI GeForce GTX 750 Ti, 2GB GDDR5, dual fan setup.
SSD 120GB Kingston HyperX.
Fractal Design Integra R 500W 80+ Bronze power supply.
Writing to the Samsung drive.

$1267Of course, everything is brand new. It doesn't get any better than this.

I'd still go with the i5. Thanks.

Keith Wright2 said:Just grab Robert Rodriguez2's first Intel build and list only the hardware and the price since you mentioned having them available. That should do it. $1167You end up with a much stronger build again. You get a killer processor that you won't need to swap out for five years, and you can pair it with just about any GPU you want.
So, here's how it goes:
One Asrock B75 Pro3M. It’s an Intel B75 board, mATX, with dual Channel 4 xDDR3.
One Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1. Solid little chip.
Two sticks of 4GB Corsair DDR3. They're 1333MHz with CL9 latency. Value series.
1 x Zalman 500-GS_II PSU, 500W, ATX12V V2.31, active PFC
1 x Zalman ZM-T2 PLUS micro tower case. 189(W) x 427.5(H) x 364(D)mm
1 x Sapphire R7 260X 1GB GDDR5 OC, 1GB GDDR5 128bit, 28nm

$1167 I’m just waiting for Robert Rodriguez2 to tell me which shop actually put this together!

What I really need to know is where to buy it. 😁

crimsonstag84 said:You can grab an R7 265 along with an Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1 at Amazon for $1200 😉

Thanks. Aside from Amazon, any other ideas?
Ideally, I'd pick everything up from one spot so they can build it for me right then and there. Thanks for the help.
Jeremy Fowler4 Jeremy Fowler4 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Dec 2015
#62 ·
Austin Chavez6 said:Thanks. Besides Amazon, any other suggestions?
Ideally, I'd grab everything from one spot and have them build it all at once—saves a headache. Appreciate the ideas, everyone.

Along with Amazon, you’ve got Futura-it, Centro, ADM—they'll actually handle the assembly for free if you go over $667, though I'm not 100% on the shipping costs. Not sure about Amazon's specifics, but a quick Google search should clear that up.

Edit: Amazon charges $23 (cash) for assembly and testing.
Grace Kern Grace Kern Member
19 messages
joined Apr 2014
#63 ·
Only Futura-it and ADM offer both free assembly and free shipping, so you should probably just pick one of them.
dustyskipper77 dustyskipper77 Member
40 messages
joined Jul 2010
#64 ·
But honestly, Amazon is way more affordable and those $23 don't matter much; they're a totally reliable shop too...
I've ordered from them quite a bit and never had a single issue.
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 Regular
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#65 ·
You've also got Uzishop, the USA Magazine, and Best Buy (right above $667), and probably plenty of others too.
Grace Kern Grace Kern Member
19 messages
joined Apr 2014
#66 ·
dustyskipper77 said:but Amazon is actually quite a bit cheaper, and those $23 don't really matter; it's also a reliable shop...
I've ordered from them plenty of times and never had an issue.

And if you have to factor in shipping, then once you add that in, it's not just a minor $23 difference.

That's right, and Magazine offers free assembly and shipping. I didn't mention Best Buy because they are significantly more expensive than the others, and over at IGN, all the warranties are limited to 2 years, plus you have to wait for the stock to arrive, so there are definitely better options out there.
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 Regular
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#67 ·
IGN is worth considering depending on what you're hunting for. For instance, they might have an R9 270 for $367+, or an FX 6300 for $230. You can often find an FX 8320 for $313 (whereas other shops charge $367), so depending on your shopping list, you could save a few hundred bucks. The only catch is the 2-year warranty—I think there's a longer option available, but you have to go out of your way to chase it down yourself.

The craziest deal I ever saw was when he had an HD7990 listed somewhere— $1000 cheaper than the absolute cheapest alternative at any other 😬
.
Grace Kern Grace Kern Member
19 messages
joined Apr 2014
#68 ·
It’s true—these days, you really have to weigh the options yourself. Is it actually worth shelling out an extra few dozen dollars just to secure a longer warranty? It’s entirely up to the individual. 🙂
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 Regular
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#69 ·
Sure, let's say Sapphire cards usually come with a 2-year warranty, just like many other brands such as XFX, Palit, Gainward, or POV. As for the processor, I honestly don't think the warranty even matters because they rarely fail. It really just depends on what you're buying in the first place...
analogtiger19 analogtiger19 Active Member
134 messages
joined Dec 2016
#70 ·
Robert Ortiz58 said:...and at IGN, his entire warranty is capped at 2 years...

I've been wondering about this for a while, but wasn't sure where to bring it up. What’s the deal when one shop offers a 2-year warranty on an item, while six other shops offer that exact same product with a 3-year warranty? My understanding was always that the manufacturer handles the warranty and the retailer just "passes it along," but then this whole thing doesn't add up. Is this one shop just arbitrarily cutting the coverage, or are those other six basically backing the warranty themselves? 🤷

If this is totally off-topic, can a moderator please move this to the right section? 😉
Kimberly Gomez34 Kimberly Gomez34 Regular
686 messages
joined Jul 2009
#71 ·
analogtiger19 said:I've been wondering about this for a while now, but I wasn't sure where to ask. What’s the deal when one shop offers a 2-year warranty on an item, while six other shops offer that exact same item with a 3-year warranty? I always assumed the manufacturer provides the warranty and the retailer just "passes it along," so this situation doesn't quite add up. Is that one shop arbitrarily lowering the warranty period, or are those other six offering an extended warranty at their own expense?🤷

If this is totally off-topic, I'll ask the moderator to move this thread to the right section. 😉

WARRANTY

All products priced above $33 carry a 2-year warranty from the date of purchase or invoice issuance.
Products valued up to $33 carry a 1-year warranty.

Please note that depending on the manufacturer, the warranty may last longer; in such cases, you often need to register directly on the manufacturer's website (like Samsung, MSI, etc.) to claim it.

I'm not entirely sure why, 🤷

https://www.uzishop.com/content/3-terms-of-use
http://forum.pc-expert.com/showthread.php?t=252077

The issue is that there are now products available with a 5-year warranty (for example, certain power supplies).

Look, the best move is this: if there's something you're looking at that is drastically cheaper there, grab it—then just get the stuff with the longer warranty somewhere else (assuming you know how to build a PC yourself or can find someone who does).

Regarding the service itself, everyone has had great experiences; the only downside is that limited warranty. The trick is that if you want something that isn't typically stocked in the US, you can just ask them if they can source it for you. Since they don't work with the standard major distributors, they can be cheaper, and because they operate as a webshop without massive local inventory, the prices stay down.
Austin Chavez6 Austin Chavez6 Member
12 messages
joined Aug 2010
#72 ·
Back again 😁 ...thinking about grabbing everything from Amazon, but they don't have this motherboard in mATX...

1 x Asrock B75 Pro3M - Intel B75, microATX, Dual Channel 4xDDR3

What should I pick instead? link
Robert Rodriguez2 Robert Rodriguez2 Regular
353 messages
joined Jul 2015
#73 ·
Austin Chavez6 said:Back again 😁 ...thinking about grabbing everything from Amazon, but they don't have this motherboard in mATX...

What should I grab instead? link

http://www.amazon.com/product_info.php?c...ducts_id=11987
Austin Chavez6 Austin Chavez6 Member
12 messages
joined Aug 2010
#74 ·
Robert Rodriguez2 said:

Thanks. Just heard some talk about how Gigabyte boards aren't all that great. Is there any truth to that these days, or...
crimsonstag84 crimsonstag84 Regular
518 messages
joined Jun 2010
#75 ·
I’d probably change things up a bit...

Tron Hexa plus 400 w power supply, 80+, active, 12 cm
Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1 processor
MSI B75MA-P33 Intel B75 LGA 1155 motherboard (PCX / VGA / DZW / GLAN / SATA3 / USB3 / DDR3) mATX
Adata DDR3 4GB 1333MHz Bulk memory
Bulk MS PHOENIX case without power supply
WD Caviar Blue 1TB SATA 3 WD10EZEX hard drive
Sapphire Radeon R9 270 2G GDDR5 PCI-E DVI-I / DVI-D / HDMI / DP DUAL-X WITH BOOST & OC VERSION, 11220-00-20G graphics card
Asus DRW-24F1ST optical drive

Total: $1338+$27 shipping from Centro(free assembly)

Maybe swap that 8GB of RAM for a much stronger graphics card instead.
graniteharbor85 graniteharbor85 Active Member
116 messages
joined Apr 2014
#76 ·
Austin Chavez6 said:Thanks. It's just—I've heard some talk that Gigabyte boards aren't all that great. Is there any truth to that nowadays or...

Honestly, those rumors were mostly about the old s775 era.
Austin Chavez6 Austin Chavez6 Member
12 messages
joined Aug 2010
#77 ·
crimsonstag84 said:That's what I would change...

Hexa plus 400 w power supply, 80+, active, 12 cm
Intel Core i5-3350P 3.1
MSI B75MA-P33 Intel B75 LGA 1155 (PCX / VGA / DZW / GLAN / SATA3 / USB3 / DDR3) mATX motherboard
Adata DDR3 4GB 1333MHz Bulk memory
Bulk MS PHOENIX case without PSU
WD Caviar Blue 1TB SATA 3 WD10EZEX Hard Drive
Sapphire Radeon R9 270 2 GDDR5 PCI-E DVI-I / DVI-D / HDMI / DP DUAL-X WITH BOOST & OC VERSION, 11220-00-20G graphics card
Asus DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/AS optical drive

Total: $1338+$27 shipping from Centro(free assembly)

Better to have a much stronger GPU instead of 8GB of RAM.

Thanks, but I think that R7 will do just fine. Gaming isn't my main priority anyway.

graniteharbor85 said:Those prices are mostly tied to the s775 platform.

Great, thanks.
Austin Chavez6 Austin Chavez6 Member
12 messages
joined Aug 2010
#78 ·
One more thing... 😁

Is it worth spending a bit more to go with this one instead?
crimsonstag84 crimsonstag84 Regular
518 messages
joined Jun 2010
#79 ·
Probably not worth it.

By the way, this is an actual photo of the B75M-D3H.
Bradley Wright47 Bradley Wright47 Newcomer
6 messages
joined Aug 2014
#80 ·
Bradley Wright47 said:Hi there.
I need a PC for my nephew to play new games, but I can't go over $1667. I see people on here saying pre-built setups aren't great, but I really don't have the time to hunt down parts and build it myself. I don't want to waste money on something bad. Since this is a gift from my company, I definitely need an official receipt for the reimbursement...
Any suggestions on where or how to go about this?

I actually went ahead and ordered based on one of your recommendations. I'm just starting the buying process now. In the meantime, my budget bumped up by about $267, so I told the guys at the shop to put that extra cash toward something that would actually boost performance.

Question:

Below are the old and new quotes. Could you let me know if they actually improved the machine for $267, or if they just swapped things out for more expensive versions of the same stuff? Where do you think it's best to spend that extra $267?

1. Original Quote

ASUS Prime B75M with 1155 socket
$131
CPU i5-3350P 3.1GHz 1155 Ivy Bridge
$325
DDR3 8 GB (2x4GB) Kingston Fury 1600
$147
Sapphire R9 280 3GB DDR5
$426
XFX 550W Power Supply
$122
Dell Monitor DVDRW Samsung SH-224DB SATA
$36
Toshiba 1TB SATA3 32 MB
$111
Zalman ZM-T2 plus micro tower
$48

TOTAL: $1.75

2. New Quote

Gigabyte GA-H97-HD3
$184
Cpu Intel Core i5-4460 3.2 GHz 1150 Haswell
$369
DDR3 8GB (2x4 GB) Kingston Fury 1866
$170
ASUS R9 280-DC-3GD5 3GB
$493
XFX 550W Power Supply
$125
Dell Monitor DVDRW Samsung SH-224DB SATA
$34
Toshiba 1TB SATA3 32 MB
$111
Coolermaster N400 midi USB3.0
$104
TOTAL: TOTAL: $2.00

Thanks again.

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