Gaming build under $750

So, this is actually my very first day on the forum.

I’m looking to pick up a new computer—budgeting around $900, excluding any peripherals.

To be perfectly honest, my technical knowledge regarding PC hardware is a bit limited, so I wanted to reach out
to ask for some guidance while I shop around. I'm just stuck on one thing—is it actually worth buying
a pre-built system, or would I be better off trying to piece together a custom build myself?

If you wouldn't mind putting a configuration together for me, let's leave out the optical drive. Please make sure the price includes the case and the coolers.

I can stretch the budget by maybe $100 or $67 so.

Thanks so much for the help. Sending my best from Cleveland! 👋

First of All, these pre-built bundles are absolute junk. You end up paying way too much money for a bunch of mediocre parts that barely hold up.

1 x Coolermaster Elite 310, MIDI, black-blue, no PSU
1 x MSI P67A-C43, Socket : 1155, Sandy Bridge, Intel ® P67, 4xDDR3
1 x Intel Core i5-2500 3.3GHz, 1MB/6MB, 95W, Socket 1155
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingmax, 1333MHz
1 x HDD WD 750GB. 7502AAEX, SATA 3, 64MB, 7200 rpm, Caviar black
1 x XFX Core edition 80 550 w 5,277.15 KN MagazinRS
1 x Sapphire HD 6850 Toxic, 1GB GDDR5 256bit, dual link DVI + HDMI
$1725

You didn't mention if you were looking to overclock, so here is a configuration without any OC adjustments.

1 x Coolermaster Elite 310, MIDI, black-blue, no PSU
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingmax, 1333MHz
1 x XFX Core edition 80 550 w 5,277.15 KN MagazinRS
1 x Gigabyte GA-PH67-UD3-B3, Socket 1155, CPU: Sandy Bridge, Intel ® H67
1 x Intel Core i5-2500 3.3GHz, 1MB/6MB, 95W, Socket 1155, box
1 x MSI GTX 560 TwinFrozr II OC 1024MB GDDR5 256 bit + 3 games
1 x HDD WD 640Gb, WD6400AAKS, SATA II, Buffer 16Mb, 3Gb/s, 7.200 rpm
$1710
The only difference here is a slightly worse hard drive, but you get a better graphics card.
http://www.newegg.com

Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly. 👍
I might end up looking a bit foolish here—but what exactly did you mean by
OC, or were you actually referring to the OS? 🤷

1 x MSI 870-C45, AMD 770 + SB710, S. AM3, 6xSATA 3 RAID, DDR3 800/10
1 x AMD Phenom ii x4 955 Black Editon processor, AM3 socket, BOX, C3
1 x DDR3 4GB (2x2GB) Kingmax, 1333MHz, FLFE
1 x 500GB Samsung Spinpoint F3 HDD, 7200rpm, 16MB cache, Serial ATA II-300
1 x LG GH24NS DVD burner, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x Cooler master elita 430 RC, black, (W)190 x (H)424 x (L)481 mm, 4.7kg
1 x Gigabyte HD6970, 2GB GDDR5, DVI-I/DBI-D + HDMI, PCI-E 2.1
1 x XFX Core edition 80 550 w 5,277.15 KN MagazinRS PSU - EasyRail technology

$1717

I guess with the way things are going, it might not be worth grabbing an AM3 platform right now. Maybe it’s smarter to just hold out for the Bulldozer chips and grab a 4-core Dozer when they drop. 😁

bluefalcon2 said:Thanks a ton for the quick reply. 👍
I might end up looking stupid here, but what exactly is
OC? Or did you mean OS? 🤷

OC stands for overclocking. By tweaking certain settings in your BIOS, you can actually bump up the frequency of your CPU, RAM, or even your graphics card. For example, if your processor is running at 3.3 GHz right now, you could overclock it to hit 4.0 GHz—though you’re definitely going to need a decent cooler for that. Then again, on some modern boards, you don't even have to touch the BIOS to do any overclocking. Take my setup, for instance; I’ve got this Asrock 790 GX paired with an AMD Phenom ii x4 955 Black Editon, so I can just use a single software tool to crank up the frequency in just a few clicks with the ASrock overclocking tuner.

crimsonstag84 said:1 x MSI 870-C45, AMD 770 + SB710, S. AM3, 6xSATA 3 RAID, DDR3 800/10
1 x Processor AMD Phenom ii x4 955 Black Editon, socket AM3, BOX, C3
1 x DDR3 4GB (2x2GB) Kingmax, 1333MHz, FLFE
1 x HDD SAMSUNG 500GB 7200rpm 16MB cache Serial ATA II-300, Samsung Spinpoint F3
1 x DVD burner LG GH24NS, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x CoolerMaster Elite 370, black, (W)190 x (H)424 x (L)481 mm, 4.7kg
1 x Gigabyte HD6970, 2GB GDDR5, DVI-I/DBI-D + HDMI, PCI-E 2.1
1 x XFX Core edition 80 550 w 5,277.15 KN MagazinRS PSU - EasyRail technology

$1717

Honestly, given how much sense it makes to go for the AM3 platform right now, maybe it's smarter to just wait for the Bulldozers to drop and then grab one of those 4-core Dozer chips.😁

Maybe just grab an AM3+ motherboard instead? Though, let's be real, those things are absolute garbage. It might be better to just pick up that 955 BE for now, and when the time comes for the Bulldozer era, sell the old gear and upgrade then.

Asrock 880 g Pro3 -AMD 880
GIGABYTE GZX8 case
Kingmax 4GB, 2X2GB module, DDRIII 1333
Seagate, 500GB, 7200 rpm, 16MB, SATA 3Gb
CPU Desktop Phenom ii x4 955 Black Editon
VGA ATI Radeon HD6950 2GB
CPU Cooler Corsair A70
PSU XFX Core edition 80 550 w

5,$92 MagazineRS

Main board desktop MSI P67A-C45 iP67 CPU desktop Core i5-2500K pas XFX Core edition 80
CPU Desktop Intel Core i5-2500 3.3
PSU XFX Core edition 80 550 w
GIGABYTE GZX8 case
Seagate, 500GB, 7200 rpm, 16MB, SATA 3Gb
Kingmax 4GB, 2X2GB module, DDRIII 1333 n
VGA ATI Radeon HD6950 2GB

5,$86 MagazineRS

The first build uses an AMD processor that's incredibly overclockable—but it runs hot—so I went with the Corsair A70 just to be safe...
The second one features an even more powerful processor on socket 1155, though it lacks an extra cooler. If the OP plans on overclocking, they might want to look into a solid aftermarket cooler later on...$100(maybe a Scythe Mugen or something from Zalman).

Everything was assembled at MagazineRS, and they'll handle the assembly for free if you ask them...

That one with the Bulldozer is pretty funny, isn't it? xD

I spent some time browsing around online and managed to track down these configurations for about $1667

# CPU Intel Core I5 2300, socket 1155, 2.8 GHz, 6MB L3 Cache, BOX
# HDD 3.5" 500 GB Western Digital Caviar Blue, 7,200rpm 16MB, SATA 3
# RAM PC DDR3 2x2GB, PC1333, CL8 (128Mx8), 240pin, takeMS
# CASE In Win, dragon slayer minitower, without power supply
# DVD RW LG DVDR 22x, GH22NS50 dual Layer, SATA
# VGA PCIe2.0 Nvidia GeForce GT430, Point Of View, 1 GB, DDR3, HDMI, DVI, VGA

# MBO socket AM3 Gigabyte GA-MA770T-D3L (AMD 770), DDR3 1666 (0C)
# CPU AMD AthlonII X4 640, 3.0 GHz, socket AM3, Cache 2MB
# HDD 3.5" 500 GB Western Digital Caviar Blue, 7,200rpm 16MB, SATA II/300
# RAM PC DDR3 2x2GB, PC1333, CL8 (128Mx8), 240pin, takeMS
# DVD RW LG DVDR 22x, GH22NS50 dual Layer, SATA
# VGA PCIe2.0 ATI Radeon HD5570, XFX, 1 GB, HDMI

The second one is $5,500—is it actually worth it?

Motherboard Asus P5K
Memory Kingmax 8 Giga (4 x 2 Giga) DDR-2 800
Processor Intel ® Core ™ 2 quad Q6600 (8M Cache, 2.40 GHz, 1066 MHz FSB) (runs stably overclocked at 3.2 GHz)
Fan Zalman CNPS9500A LED
Graphics card ATI Radeon HD 5770
Power supply Fortron Blue Storm ii 500 w, HQ, PFC, 2X12V, 12CM FAN
Seagate HDD 250 GB
Sony optiarc CD/DVD RW
Case Coolermaster Centurion 5
Monitor Asus MW221U

Thanks!

EDIT: Since you were looking while I was searching the web, it looks like you didn't include the case in your count...
And just so we're clear, these are pre-built configurations.

EDIT x2: You did include the case; I think I need to go find my glasses.

No, absolutely not. I wouldn't dream of handing you cash for that. All three of us already agreed on building a much better rig than that one anyway. That setup for $550? It’s honestly worse than what we've put together.
And don't forget, we all factored in our own cases; I'm using a Cooler master elita 430 RC, crimsonstag84 went with a Cooler master elite 370, and dustyskipper77 is running a Gigabyte gzx8.
As for that Bulldozer stuff, we were talking about that specific processor slated for release this summer. Word on the street is it might actually outperform Sandy brid.

Thanks, John.

I think I'll hold off for a few more days—just want to see if any other interesting suggestions pop up...
Out of everything we've discussed so far, which one would you say is actually the best pick?

Personally, I think dustyskipper77’s second build is the best one here.

Main board desktop MSI P67A-C45 iP67
CPU desktop Core i5-2500K
PSU XFX Core edition 80 550 w
GIGABYTE case GZX8
Seagate, 500GB, 7200 rpm, 16MB, SATA 3Gb
Kingmax 4GB, 2X2GB module, DDRIII 1333 n
VGA ATI XFX HD6950 2GB

5,$86 MagazineRS

Well, I think I can squeeze out about $1833.

I did a bit of digging into overclocking—just a little bit, mind you—and it seems perfectly reasonable to push things by maybe 300-$133
just to get the processor running a bit smoother.

Also, if anyone here happens to be an expert on monitors and could weigh in:

The Samsung FX2490HD led 24 "
The LG E2260V-PN led 22 "
The monitor HP 2310ti, touchscreen LCD 23 "

That last one actually features a touchscreen... but I wonder, would having that feature completely tank my
performance?

Honestly, I'm actually looking to pick up a new rig in this same price range, so I've been browsing what's out there lately.
Anyway, bluefalcon2, check out these two screenshots—maybe they'll give you some ideas:





Personally, I'd definitely lean toward Intel over those AMD processors.😉

This looks absolutely killer! ->

dustyskipper77 said:Main board desktop MSI P67A-C45 iP67 CPU desktop Core i5-2500K pas XFX Core edition 80
CPU Desktop Core i5-2500K
PSU XFX Core edition 80 550 w
GIGABYTE case GZX8
Seagate, 500GB, 7200 rpm, 16MB, SATA 3Gb
Kingmax 4GB, 2X2GB module, DDRIII 1333 n
VGA XFX HD6950 2GB

5,$86 MagazineRS

Thanks for the help.

But honestly, if the price isn't listed right there next to it, 🤷

I mean, I know the hierarchy goes from i3 to i5 to i7—and we've got Sandy Bridge now, even though that Bulldozer architecture is looming on the horizon🤣

As for graphics cards? My knowledge pretty much stops at how many megabytes they have. 🤷

Edit: After poking around for a bit, I’ve come to the conclusion that the best stuff is always at the top of the list, haha.

My suggestion:

Asus P8P67-M Motherboard
Intel Core i5-2500 3.3 Processor, Sandy Bridge, socket 1155, 3300 MHz
Corsair 4 GB DDR3 Memory, 1333 MHz
Gigabyte Graphics Card, ATI Radeon HD6950, 2 GB
500 GB Hard Drive, Samsung Spinpoint F3, 3.5", SATA II
sat ii Cooler ARCTIC COOLING Freezer Xtreme
Cooler master elita 430 RC Case
Seasonic SS-520GB Power Supply, ATX 2, 520 W

$5,198.10 - HGspot Happy Hour sale

1 x MSI P67A-C43, Socket : 1155, Sandy Bridge, Intel® P67, 4xDDR3
1 x Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz,1MB/6MB,95W,Socket 1155
1 x DDR3 4GB (2x2GB) Kingmax, 1333MHz, FLFE
1 x HDD SAMSUNG 500GB 7200rpm 16MB cache Serial ATA II-300, Samsung Spinpoint F3
1 x XFX Core edition 80 550 w 5,277.15 KN MagazinRS
1 x LG GH24NS, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x Cooler master elita 430 RC, MIDI, black-blue, no PSU
1 x XFX HD6950 2GB DDR5 800M, DVI x2, DisplayPort x2, Eyefinity

$1858

@Paul Wright7/">@@Paul Wright7 - Since I don't live in Washington, D.C., I won't be able to take advantage of that 10% discount—but even without it, we're looking at roughly $5,600, which actually lands right within my final budget, so no harm done xD. Honestly, the case looks fantastic; at least from a design standpoint, it’s exactly my style.

@Robert Rodriguez2/">@@Robert Rodriguez2 - I did mention in the title that I wouldn't be needing a CD drive, but I truly appreciate the offer nonetheless.

Paul Wright7 said:My suggestion:

Asus P8P67-M motherboard
Intel Core i5-2500K processor, Sandy Bridge, socket 1155, 3.3 GHz
Corsair 4 GB DDR3 memory, 1333 MHz
Gigabyte graphics card, ATI Radeon HD6950, 2 GB
500 GB hard drive, Samsung Spinpoint F3, 3.5", SATA II
sat ii Cooler ARCTIC COOLING Freezer Xtreme
Cooler master elita 430 RC case
Seasonic SS-520GB power supply, ATX 2, 520 W

$5,198.10 - HGspot happy hour sale

http://www.hgspot.com/page/2/veseli-s...iti-happy-hour

In a perfect world, he’d have to buy one single part every day. That would be absolute madness. Unless he’s willing to risk everything by staying awake every single afternoon between 1:00 and 2:00, maybe after a week he'd actually see his computer plus shipping—or more likely, two weeks!
+ If he misses just one day or sleeps through his window, he’s stuck waiting another entire week just to buy something else.
Stop messing around with this "happy hour" nonsense. Why can't a guy just order from an established retailer or MagazineRS and get his rig in three days? It would be simple and done.

Hey, John, take a breath for a second 😁.
The guy was honestly just trying to be helpful.

Though, I have to admit—it’s a total pain having to commute all the way to Washington, D.C. every single day.

Anyway, here is what I’ve put together, assuming this even makes sense—I built this one myself, after all ☕.

Mobo: Asus P8P67-M, socket 1155 - $333
CPU: Intel Core I5 2300, Sandy brid, 2.8 GHz - $467
GPU: ATI Radeon HD6850 - $467
Cooling: Cooling frezzer extreme - $100
RAM: Kingston 3gb, 1333 hz 2x - $200
PSU: Spire jewel 550W - $167
Case: Cooler master centurion 5II

And, if that Happy Hour deal actually holds up, everything would be about 10% cheaper,
which might allow for a slightly better build—if I’m not mistaken 🤣.

"Stop whining about being happy. If someone orders through the admin or MagazineRS, they get their PC in three days and the job's done."

My suggestion is simple: offer the lowest possible price on specific components. It’s basic logic, though clearly some people here struggle with that—either because they have money to burn or just aren't thinking straight.

The way you're acting is like a toddler throwing a tantrum because they didn't get a lollipop within ten seconds of asking.

Does this whole thing with the three-year anniversary apply to me as well?
And besides, John already mentioned that the Happy Hour isn't going to happen...