Gaming PC build for the next 2 years?

Timothy Fisher79 said:An SSD is a total game changer. Honestly, if you've got a decent budget like this, it's a crime not to have one. It just takes everything to a whole new level. Plus, they still hold their value since they're relatively new tech, so the best move is definitely an SSD+HDD combo. I'm actually hoping that in the near Future, SSDs completely kill off HDDs. Once that happens, prices will tank and they'll probably get even more reliable...

If you don't mind waiting another 6 days, I can put together a build for you using parts from Amazon that'll definitely outperform what I put together at Future, and you'll get a full 2-year warranty on everything.

Alright, I don't mind waiting a bit longer. Please include an SSD + HDD option because, like cosmicseal98 said, Windows boots up in like 6 seconds. No more sitting around waiting for Far Cry to load. I'm assuming we'd order the parts from Amazon, but what about the actual assembly? Any recommendations?

Also, I'm debating between an R9 290 or two 270s. I just can't run Chris smoothly on this budget...

cosmicseal98 said:That’s not mine—just one of the options I looked at. I ended up going with the Intel setup; you can see the specs a few pages back. Honestly, I’ve been loving it so far in the short time I've had to play. And man, regarding the SSD... holy crap, if my math is right, Windows 7 boots in about 6 seconds 🙂. Games load just as fast, so seriously, get an SSD if you can. Grab a Z5 case, they're killer. As for the GPU, I had to step it up since I play at a super high resolution. I actually kind of regret not grabbing the 290. Running Chris on max settings at 2500p or whatever, my FPS can tank down to 15-20, but if I dial things back a notch, it looks awesome. Plus, I haven't heard a single damn sound coming from the GPU or anything else. The whole rig is dead silent. I don't even know how to put it better—it's probably thanks to those three fans in the Z5 and the CPU cooler.
I'll post pics soon; promised I'd wait until I stopped fidgeting with it after this crazy week.
Later,

Saw the build, total beast. You think 120 GB is enough? How much space does Windows take up?

David Sanders4 said:Even SD cards have a pretty decent lifespan. Take USB sticks—they break all the time because people are careless with them, but you can usually still pull the data off. And with SSDs, it’s very likely the same deal. I mean, look at vinyl records; they’ve lasted owners for generations despite being subject to all sorts of wear and tear.

Vinyl is a whole different beast, though. They aren't nearly as fragile as other types of media.
I’ve got a huge collection sitting at home right now, and some of those records are over 30 years old.

Sam Rodriguez55 said:I saw the rig; it's a beast. I wonder if 120 GB will be enough for you. How much space do your Windows installations usually take up?

Well, look, for just the OS and a few games I play constantly, it should be more than enough. Since everything else is on the 1 TB drive, you can always install things there. Windows itself takes about 15 GB, I guess.

Once you get Windows optimized—you know, turning off all those unnecessary features like hibernation and system restore—you can actually claw back a massive amount of storage space. I’m running a 128GB OCZ Vertex SSD (which shows up as 119GB after formatting), and right now, I still have about 95GB of free space left. Now, I’m certainly not a power user or anything, but honestly? I wouldn't trade this SSD for anything. That extra room is plenty for me to load up on another million programs, especially since I keep all my heavy games tucked away on a 1TB WD Green drive.

Sam Rodriguez55 said:Alright, no worries—I can wait a little longer. But please, do include an option for both an SSD and an HDD because, as cosmicseal98 mentioned, Windows boots up in about 6 seconds that way. I’m really over the constant stuttering while Far Cry loads. I assume we'd be ordering the parts from Amazon.com, but what about the actual assembly? Any recommendations there?

By the way, I'm weighing my options between an R9 290 or maybe just two 270s. I just can't deal with Chris lagging at this price point...

You'll definitely want an SSD in that setup—trust me on that. And look, you won't have any "stuttering" issues with your games as long as you install them directly onto the SSD; if you stick them on an HDD, of course, things are going to load a bit slower. Regarding those two 270 cards—personally, I'm against that idea. It's much better to go with one powerful graphics card right out of the gate rather than starting with two weaker ones; otherwise, you'll find yourself pretty much cornered when you eventually want to upgrade your GPU later on. Now, regarding Amazon.com, they operate strictly as an online retailer—basically, you order your components, pay the money, and then wait about five days for everything to arrive at their warehouse before they ship it straight to your door. They don't offer a custom assembly service like Future or Center does, so the ball is in your court. You can either order the parts and put it together yourself (believe me, it isn't rocket science—just watch a 10-minute "how to build a PC" tutorial on YouTube and you'll be good to go), or you can opt for cheaper components and let the guys at the local shop deal with the headache of putting it all together... personally, I handled the assembly myself and I don't regret it one bit. 🙂

So, I've been spending quite a bit of time lately thinking about the Intel Core i5-4670—you know, that reliable workhorse we've all used at some point—and honestly, looking back at its performance profile, it really holds its own. It’s one of those components that just seems to strike that perfect balance between being capable enough for daily tasks and staying remarkably steady under pressure. I was tinkering with my setup recently, and even with modern hardware breathing down its neck, there's something almost nostalgic about how smoothly it handles a standard workload. It isn't exactly a powerhouse by today's standards, of course, but if you aren't trying to run cutting-edge AAA titles at max settings, it still feels surprisingly snappy. Just a little something to ponder while I'm upgrading the rest of my rig!
The ASRock H87 Pro4—now that's an interesting little board to dive into. I've been spending quite a bit of time looking over its specs lately, and honestly, it’s one of those pieces of hardware that really makes you appreciate how much we can get out of a solid, reliable build without having to break the bank on something overly flashy. It’s got that perfect balance of utility and performance that I just love.
I’ve been looking into picking up a Kingston Technology HyperX red 8GB DDR3-1600MHz Kit—just one of those little component upgrades that feels like it might actually make a difference. It’s a solid little kit, really, and I'm thinking about whether it's worth the squeeze for my current setup.
I was just looking over the specs for the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2 GB—it’s one of those pieces of hardware that really makes you stop and think about how far we've come. It's a solid little card, though, even by today's standards if you're just looking to get some decent performance without breaking the bank at a local Best Buy.
I've been looking at this Toshiba 1TB 3.5" drive—you know, the 7.2k SATA ones with the 32MB cache—and I'm just weighing my options for some extra storage space. It’s one of those reliable, workhorse drives that you can almost set and forget, though sometimes I wonder if I should be investing more in higher-capacity setups instead. Still, for a standard bulk storage solution, it seems like a solid, dependable choice.
I’ve been looking closely at the Kingston Technology SSDNow V300 120GB lately—just one of those little components that really changes your day-to-day experience once you finally get around to installing it. It's funny how we spend so much time obsessing over massive GPUs or high-end processors, yet a solid entry-level drive like this can make an aging machine feel almost snappy again. It’s definitely a budget-friendly way to breathe some life into an older build, even if it isn't exactly top-of-the-line performance by today's standards.
LG GH24NSB0
I’ve been spending some time looking into the Corsair CX600M lately—just one of those components that sits in the background of your build but really holds everything together. It’s a solid, reliable unit if you're looking for something dependable without breaking the bank, though I always find myself overthinking these power supply choices!
I’ve been spending quite a bit of time lately tinkering with my setup—you know how it goes—and I finally decided to give the Cooler Master Silencio 550 a proper run for its money. Honestly, if you're like me and you value a little peace and quiet while you're working or gaming, this case is something you really need to look at. It’s one of those rare pieces of hardware that actually lives up to the hype regarding noise dampening. The build quality feels solid—not that cheap, flimsy plastic feeling you get with some of the budget options out there—and the way it handles vibration is just impressive. It’s got this quiet, understated elegance that fits perfectly on a desk without screaming for attention. I did find myself fiddling with the internal layout for a bit longer than intended—my own obsessive nature, I suppose—but once everything was seated, the airflow and the silence were both surprisingly well-balanced. If you're looking to turn down the volume on your PC without sacrificing too much on aesthetics, I can't recommend this one enough.
The Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo—honestly, it’s such a classic in the PC building world that I feel like we should probably give it a little nod every now and then. It’s one of those components that just seems to stay relevant, regardless of how much the hardware landscape shifts around it. If you're looking for something reliable without breaking the bank, this thing really hits that sweet spot. It’s dependable, straightforward, and honestly, a bit of a legend in its own right.

I'm thinking about adding a Samsung S24B150BL to my setup—it looks like a solid choice.

$3013 Amazon.com

Here’s an example of what I was telling you about—you can grab this exact same build around August 1st once the shop officially goes live. Honestly, I just put the specs together early so I wouldn't forget them—anything more than this is really overkill! You're looking at a killer processor that handles every modern game without breaking a sweat—it's a total beast. The motherboard is definitely on the budget side, but man, does it punch above its weight class. For gaming, you really can't do better than 8GB of RAM. The graphics card is an absolute monster too, performing right up there with an R9 280X. Plus, combining a 1TB hard drive with an SSD is such a solid way to ensure the system stays snappy while still having plenty of room for storage. It's a real bargain—you get an 80+ Bronze power supply from Corsair, an aftermarket cooler to keep everything running ice-cold under pressure, and a case designed to keep all that noise tucked away.

Timothy Fisher79 said:Intel Core i5-4670
ASRock H87 Pro4
Kingston Technology HyperX red 8GB DDR3-1600MHz Kit
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 2GB
Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7.2k SATA Gb/s 32MB
Kingston Technology SSDNow V300 120GB
LG GH24NSB0
Corsair CX600M
Cooler Master Silencio 550
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo

+ monitor Samsung S24B150BL

$3013 Amazon.com

Here’s the breakdown I was telling you about. You can grab this exact same rig around August 1st when the shop goes live. I just put this list together early so I wouldn't forget. Honestly, anything more than this is overkill. You've got a killer CPU that crushes any game out there without breaking a sweat, a budget motherboard that still packs a huge punch, and 8GB of RAM—can't get better for gaming. The GPU is an absolute beast, right up there with the R9 280X. Pairing a 1TB hard drive with an SSD is the sweet spot for speed and storage. It's a solid setup: 80+ bronze power from Corsair, an aftermarket cooler to keep things chilled, and a case that'll keep the whole thing quiet...

Alright, why go GeForce instead of the R9? I don't really want to deal with the headache of building a PC myself, but I could always find someone to do it for me. If the bundle price at Amazon is significantly lower, then maybe I'll just build it myself.

What does everyone else think of this build?

Thanks for the help, everyone. 🙂

Sam Rodriguez55 said:Alright, why go with GeForce over the R9 now? I don't really want to deal with the headache of building a PC myself, though I could always find someone to put it together for me. If the bundle price on Amazon.com was significantly lower, I might just build it myself.

What does everyone else think about this build?

Thanks for the help, everyone. 🙂

In my opinion, Smartic gave you the best build suggestion.

Sam Rodriguez55 said:Fine, why go with GeForce over an r9 now? I don't really want the headache of building a rig myself, but I can always find someone to do it. If the price at Uzì is significantly lower, then maybe I'll just build it my way.

What does everyone else think about this setup?

Thanks for the help, guys. 🙂

Just hit up a local shop like Best Buy or Micro Center that offers free assembly and actually has everything in stock right now.

Price aside, Uzì doesn't keep everything on the shelf. From what I gather, they pull parts from overseas, so if you aren't in a rush, go for it...
With a budget like yours, you could put together something that absolutely shreds games.

A minute ago you were looking for the cheapest possible build to last two years, and you got it. Now you're jumping up to $900? What happened there?

Anyway, here’s my pick for that $900 range.
1 x LG 23EA63V-P, 23", 16:9, 1920x1080, IPS panel, 250 cd/m2
1 x Gigabyte 990XA-UD3, AM3+, AMD 990X SB950, 4x DDR3
1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x WD 1TB HDD, Caviar Blue 10EZEX, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24mo warranty
1 x Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo, 2011, 1366/1156/775/AM3/ 626g, 13-32dB
1 x DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX Genesis, KHX1600
1 x OCZ 550W Fatal1ty Series Power Supply
1 x ASUS DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/AS SATA, DVD-R 24x, DVD-RW 6x, DVD+R 24x
1 x XFX R9-280X-TDFD, DD Radeon R9 280X 1000M Boost 3GB DDR5
1 x design Core 3000 Black New 3.0, Midi tower, ATX, 5.25"
1 x Kingston SSD 120GB V300, 2.5" 7mm, SATA 3 6G, 7mm to 9.5mm

$2898

No point spending more than this 🙂 unless you decide to throw money at an r9 290.

1 x LG 23EA63V-P, 23", 16:9, 1920x1080, IPS panel, 250 cd/m2
1 x WD 1TB HDD, Caviar Blue 10EZEX, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24mo warranty
1 x Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo, 2011, 1366/1156/775/AM3/ 626g, 13-32dB
1 x DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX Genesis, KHX1600
1 x OCZ 550W Fatal1ty Series Power Supply
1 x ASUS DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/AS SATA, DVD-R 24x, DVD-RW 6x, DVD+R 24x
1 x XFX R9-280X-TDFD, DD Radeon R9 280X 1000M Boost 3GB DDR5
1 x design Core 3000 Black New 3.0, Midi tower, ATX, 5.25"
1 x Kingston SSD 120GB V300, 2.5" 7mm, SATA 3 6G, 7mm to 9.5mm
1 x Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz, Haswell
1 x MSI Z87-G43 GAMING, Socket : 1150, Intel ® Z87, 4xDDR3 1333/1600/

$3154

Sam Rodriguez55 said:So, why go with GeForce over the R9 now? I’m really not looking to spend my weekend sweating over a PC build myself, though I could easily find someone to put it together for me. If the price at Uzì was significantly lower, I might actually consider building it on my own.

What does the rest of the crew think about this build?

I appreciate everyone's hard work on this. 🙂

NVIDIA is generally the superior GPU choice when you consider their lead in technologies like PhysX and FXAA/TXAA. Plus, after quite a while, they’ve finally started to close the gap on pricing—in terms of actual value for your money—compared to AMD.$167 Whether you're looking at the gtx 760 vs r9 270 x matchup or comparing the GTX 770 against the xx r9 280 x, there's a clear pattern here. Historically, NVIDIA's GTX6xx and 5xx series have always commanded a significantly higher price tag compared to their AMD counterparts in the HD6xxx and HD7xxx lineups.
You can't really blame AMD for not picking up Ageia's PhysX technology. Honestly, if that tech had actually taken off, they might have ended up just as defunct as Woodoo was with their 3dfx venture. There is one key difference, though: Woodoo actually tried to force their own proprietary standards onto the market. It’s certainly not impossible for NVIDIA to make a similar misstep; when you try to grab the entire cake in this industry, you often end up swallowing something much less appetizing and going down with the ship.
But honestly, you really have to look at how things stand right now...
I have to agree with Smartic—that Best Buy bundle is a decent starting point, provided you factor in adding an SSD. Honestly, you might be better off ditching that xx r9 280 x entirely. You could probably find a GTX 770 Lightning at a different retailer for maybe an extra ten bucks, or just grab a Gigabyte GTX 770 from Micro Center. At the end of the day, popping a new GPU into a build like that is pretty much plug-and-play.

We’ve finally reached $3167 the point where I’m fed up—I mean, screw a high-end rig if I still can't crank current games to max settings! My goal is to get this build down to $85 or less if possible!
I don't need a massive terabyte HDD; let's just go with 500 GB. For the GPU, I want to stay around the Radeon R9 280 level. Or maybe a GeForce GTX 770? Honestly, I have no clue, so you guys tell me—let's settle this once and for all. 🙂 Cooling is huge for me because every PC I touch ends up overheating. Maybe it's because my room has zero airflow or my desk setup is cramped... anyway, motherboard, CPU, PSU, and case are all a complete mystery to me. I'm never going to overclock, so there's no point in paying extra for a chip that does.

Thanks everyone, but I’ll be real: I'm totally lost because there are way too many builds out there. By the way, Smartić's build is missing a monitor and an SSD, so that puts it at roughly $90 just like the others. Ugh...

Sam Rodriguez55 said:We finally hit $3167 the truth, but what’s the point of a gaming rig if I can't crank current games to max settings? My goal is to drop this under $120.
I don't need a terabyte of storage; 500 GB is plenty. For the GPU, let's stick to the GTX 750 Ti range. Or maybe a GTX 980, I honestly have no clue—you guys tell me. Just make sure 🙂 the cooling is solid. Every PC I own overheats, probably because my room has zero airflow and the computer is shoved right against the desk. I know nothing about motherboards, CPUs, power supplies, or cases. I won't be overclocking the CPU, so there's no need to pay extra for high-end chips.

Thanks, everyone, but I'm lost. There are way too many builds out there. Anyway, Smartićev's setup doesn't include a monitor or an SSD, so it ends up costing about $130, just like the others. Ugh...

1 x LG 22EA63V-P LED IPS, 21.5", 16:9, 1920x1080, 250 cd/m2
1 x ASUS M5A97 R2.0, AM3,AM3+, AMD 970, SB950, BUS 5200 MHz, DDR3
1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 3.5GHz Processor, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x 8GB DDR3 (2x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX Genesis, KHX1600
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x SILVERSTONE Strider 500W, Essential ST50F-ES AC 90-240V, 47/63Hz
1 x ASUS DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/AS SATA, DVD-R 24x, DVD-RW 6x, DVD+R 24x
1 x Zalman Z1 mid tower case. 199(W)x432(H)x457(D)mm. ATX Standard
1 x XFX R9-280X-TDFD, DD Radeon R9 280X 1000M Boost 3GB DDR5
1 x Kingston SSD 120GB V300, 2.5" 7mm, SATA 3 6G, 7mm to 9.5mm
1 x Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo, 2011, 1366/1156/775/AM3/ 626g, 13-32dB

$2684

Alright folks, it’s finally happening. I’ve locked this build in. Let me know what you think—critique it, suggest changes, whatever...

Intel Core i7
ZALMAN CNPS10X Optima
Intel Core i7 AMD Radeon NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
A-DATA 8GB 1600 MHZ
KINGSTON V300 120 GB SSD
TOSHIBA 3,5 500 GB SATA 3
SAPPHIRE R9 280X 3GB DUAL-X OC
SAMSUNG DVD-RW SATA
CORSAIR CX 500W 80+ BRONZE
ZALMAN Z3 PLUS

ACER 23" IPS
GENIUS GAMING TIP.
Razer gaming MIS
Logitech HF WOOD 2.0 ZVUC
MOUSE PAD

Total: $2852 including shipping from Best Buy

Personally, I think this is an excellent build. The only tiny tweak I’d suggest is swapping out the power supply for something a bit higher quality with a longer warranty—then you’ve got a perfect setup right there. 😁

Here is what I have in mind: EVGA 550W Bronze

Sam Rodriguez55 said:Alright everyone, I’ve finally nailed down the plan. I’d love to get a few thoughts, comments, or suggestions from the group...

Total: $2852 including shipping and handling via FedEx

Do you play games like Fallout, the Batman series, Borderlands 2, Just Cause 2, or Mafia II?

So, what does that actually mean?

Are we saying he should just grab a card that's five times weaker since he doesn't really need this one? Or would an NVIDIA card be a much better move for him?

Quote : Conan O'Brien

Sam Rodriguez55 said:We've finally arrived... $3167 That’s true, but honestly, what’s even the point of a gaming rig if I can’t crank every single setting to the max? My main goal right now is to get that total down to $8,500... or even less if I can swing it...
I don't really need a terabyte of storage; 500 GB is plenty for me. As for the graphics card, let's keep it in the range of an AMD Radeon R9 280. I'm honestly torn between that and an NVIDIA GTX 770... you guys tell me, I just want a final decision... 🙂 I really need to get this cooling setup right because my PCs always end up overheating... I suspect there might be poor airflow in my room since my computer is tucked right against the desk. Honestly, I'm pretty much in the dark when it comes to the motherboard, CPU, power supply, and case. I have no intention of overclocking the processor, so there’s really no need to spend extra on high-end components if they just drive up the price...

Thanks everyone, but I have to admit I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed... there are just so many different builds to choose from. By the way, Smartić's setup is missing a monitor and an SSD, so that puts the price at around $900, similar to the others. Man...

Dell UltraSharp Monitor, IPS...
The Samsung Hard Drive...
Patriot RAM, DDR3, 1600MHz, 8GB...
Seagate Barracuda 500 GB
The Kingston V300 120GB SSD... a solid little drive...
The AMD FX-Series X8 8320 desktop processor... solid performance for its time.
The ASUS M5A97 Le R2...
The Cooler Master Contact 30 CPU cooler...
Corsair CX500 power supply, 500 Watts...
The XFX AMD Radeon R9 280, featuring that 1000M Boost clock and 3GB of memory... It’s quite a solid card.
The Zalman Z1 mid tower case... a solid choice.

$2625Peripheral accessories from Discount24...
Free assembly services...

Patrick Diaz49 said:What exactly does that imply?

So, should he just go with a GPU that's five times weaker since he supposedly doesn't need this one? Or is an NVIDIA card a significantly better move?

Not significantly better—just better.

Timothy Fisher79 said:Uzishop operates strictly as an online retailer. You order your components, pay up, and then wait about five days for them to arrive at their warehouse before they ship everything to your house. They don't offer PC building services like
others do.

What are you even talking about? 🤷 They definitely offer assembly services, just like Best Buy does.

But Uzishop isn't cheap enough right now to make waiting for them to open worth the hassle.