Budget PC build under $600?

Look, here’s the situation: I need you all to put together a decent gaming build for roughly $1333. This should exclude the peripherals and the monitor. If it isn't too much trouble, try to include direct links for the components
. To be perfectly honest, I don't have the slightest clue what I'm doing here.

Here’s what I’ve got:

AMD Phenom X4 945
Cooler Master CC 95
GIGABYTE 970A-DS3P
PATRIOT SIG 8GB 1333 MHZ
Seagate 1 TB 3.5
MSI Radeon R7 265 2GB DDR5 OC
LITE ON DVD-RW SATA
CHICONY HPC 600W 80+ ACTIVE
MS MINOTAUR MIDI ATX + 80 MM FAN

= $1333 including shipping and setup costs.

In my opinion, this is easily the best bang-for-your-buck deal for this budget—especially since it leaves plenty of room to upgrade to beefier processors or better graphics cards down the road.

Gary Barrett said:Look, here’s the situation: I need you all to put together a decent gaming build for roughly $1333. This should exclude the peripherals and the monitor. If it isn't too much trouble, try to include direct links for the components
. To be perfectly honest, I don't have the slightest clue what I'm doing here.

If I were in your shoes, here is how I would build it. An i5 is an incredibly powerful and fast processor; it doesn't pull much power and stays relatively cool when paired with a solid motherboard. This setup will remain strong enough for most games for quite a while, giving you the freedom to drop in a better graphics card whenever you save up some extra cash. I’ve also included a slightly beefier power supply right from the start so you won't have to buy a new one during future upgrades. As for memory, 4GB is plenty to get you started, and later on, adding another 4GB stick is a breeze—it'll only cost about $97. You'll also get a large, high-quality hard drive for all your data and a great, well-ventilated case with a nice window and blue LED lighting so you can actually see your components. The graphics card is sufficient to run modern titles on medium to high settings, and upgrading to a much more powerful card or adding more RAM down the road is the easiest task imaginable. If you aren't sure how, just let me know and I can send over a few videos to show you the way. I focused on building a robust platform because the whole system relies on it, ensuring everything is ready for future upgrades (strong CPU, excellent motherboard, and a power supply capable of handling high-end GPUs).

Intel Core i5-4440

Gigabyte GA-B85-HD3

Sapphire R7 260 x

XFX TS Series 550W PSU

DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Corsair, 1600MHz, CL11, Value

Seagate 1 TB 3.5 HDD, Western Digital Blue 10 EZEX, 1000 GB

Zalman Z9 U3 mid tower case

Total:$1417 Best Buy offers free assembly, testing, and delivery!
Stretch those $83; it will definitely come in handy later.
I didn't include a Prilica because you won't even need it; nowadays, everything from Windows installations to multimedia is handled via USB. Besides, a Prilica is $50 a waste of money; I have one myself and haven't touched it in two years.

AMD FX 6300
Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P
Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler
Seagate 1 TB 3.5
MSI Radeon R7 265
Patriot Signature, 1333Mhz, 8GB (1x8GB)
LG GH24NS
Spire Maverick 6009
Fortron Hexa Plus 400W

Total: $1346 Best Buy (free assembly and shipping $27)

Compared to the build listed above, you're getting a significantly stronger processor, though the power supply is a bit weaker. Everything else stays more or less the same, I guess.

Maybe a better alternative would be to just grab 1x4GB of RAM for now, then use the price difference to pick up a beefier graphics card:

http://www.bestbuy.com/details/example-link

EDIT: Yeah, I was referring to the build from graniteharbor85

crimsonstag84 said:AMD FX 6300
Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P
Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler
Seagate 1 TB 3.5
MSI Radeon R7 265
Patriot Signature, 1333Mhz, 8GB (1x8GB)
LG GH24NS
Spire Maverick 6009
Fortron Hexa Plus 400W

Total: $1346 Best Buy (free assembly and shipping $27)

Compared to the build listed above, you're getting a significantly stronger processor, though the power supply is a bit weaker. Everything else stays more or less the same, I guess.

Maybe a better alternative would be to just grab 1x4GB of RAM for now, then use the price difference to pick up a beefier graphics card:

http://www.bestbuy.com/details/example-link

EDIT: Yeah, I was referring to the build from graniteharbor85

Since when was an Intel Core i5-4440 considered weaker than an AMD FX 6300? Or were you perhaps referring to graniteharbor85's PC Build?

crimsonstag84 said:AMD FX 6300
Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P
Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler
Seagate 1 TB 3.5
MSI Radeon R7 265
Patriot Signature, 1333Mhz, 8GB (1x8GB)
LG GH24NS
Spire Maverick 6009
Fortron Hexa Plus 400W

Total: $1346 Best Buy (free assembly and shipping $27)

Compared to the build listed above, you're getting a significantly stronger processor, though the power supply is a bit weaker. Everything else stays more or less the same, I guess.

Maybe a better alternative would be to just grab 1x4GB of RAM for now, then use the price difference to pick up a beefier graphics card:

http://www.bestbuy.com/details/example-link

EDIT: Yeah, I was referring to the build from graniteharbor85

Looks like a solid build. 👍

Keith Wright2 said:If I were in your shoes, here is how I would build it. An i5 is an incredibly powerful and fast processor; it doesn't pull much power and stays relatively cool when paired with a solid motherboard. This setup will remain strong enough for most games for quite a while, giving you the freedom to drop in a better graphics card whenever you save up some extra cash. I’ve also included a slightly beefier power supply right from the start so you won't have to buy a new one during future upgrades. As for memory, 4GB is plenty to get you started, and later on, adding another 4GB stick is a breeze—it'll only cost about $97. You'll also get a large, high-quality hard drive for all your data and a great, well-ventilated case with a nice window and blue LED lighting so you can actually see your components. The graphics card is sufficient to run modern titles on medium to high settings, and upgrading to a much more powerful card or adding more RAM down the road is the easiest task imaginable. If you aren't sure how, just let me know and I can send over a few videos to show you the way. I focused on building a robust platform because the whole system relies on it, ensuring everything is ready for future upgrades (strong CPU, excellent motherboard, and a power supply capable of handling high-end GPUs).

Intel Core i5-4440

Gigabyte GA-B85-HD3

Sapphire R7 260 x

XFX TS Series 550W PSU

DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Corsair, 1600MHz, CL11, Value

Seagate 1 TB 3.5 HDD, Western Digital Blue 10 EZEX, 1000 GB

Zalman Z9 U3 mid tower case

Total:$1417 Best Buy offers free assembly, testing, and delivery!
Stretch those $83; it will definitely come in handy later.
I didn't include a Prilica because you won't even need it; nowadays, everything from Windows installations to multimedia is handled via USB. Besides, a Prilica is $50 a waste of money; I have one myself and haven't touched it in two years.

You blew through your budget for $83 without actually building a better PC. That power supply is overkill for these parts, the CPU is unnecessary, and the most important part for gaming is totally mismatched with the rest of the build, especially since the kid wants to play games.
And just because you haven't used an optical drive in two years doesn't mean someone else won't.

And yeah, not everyone buys a computer intending to upgrade it... believe it or not, some people just run their machines until they die.🙂

crimsonstag84

Information only—that Logitech unit is basically in the same tier as a 560W Power Supply, so the Hexa isn't actually any better than what you've got.

Robert Rodriguez2 said:You blew through your budget for $83 without actually building a better PC. That power supply is overkill for these parts, the CPU is unnecessary, and the most important part for gaming is totally mismatched with the rest of the build, especially since the kid wants to play games.
And just because you haven't used an optical drive in two years doesn't mean someone else won't.

And yeah, not everyone buys a computer intending to upgrade it... believe it or not, some people just run their machines until they die.🙂

Don't talk nonsense... are you even reading what I'm saying?? I clearly explained why I chose a stronger power supply. The processor is absolutely necessary and vital, especially for upcoming titles; I’d say it's indisputable, particularly if he plans to save up money in six months or a year to buy a decent graphics card that can run everything on Ultra settings at max details. The current graphics card is sufficient for normal gaming, providing a massive advantage and a solid foundation for when he eventually installs a serious high-end card later. Whether he actually intends to buy and upgrade or not, we don't know! Neither you nor I do—I am simply suggesting what would be wise to do! Besides, if this PC build had a GeForce GTX 770 or a Radeon R9 280X instead of the current card, it would be a top-tier setup. Even if he added a stronger card, in your opinion, the processor would still be insufficient, which I think should be replaced for next-gen titles since standards are rising and an Intel Core i5 is becoming a "must-have," along with a compatible motherboard. As for the power supply and the case, they are just cheap junk you've picked! In my view, it is better to start with a slightly weaker GPU than the ones you suggested, provided it's enough for everything, while ensuring all other components are high-quality. That way, he can just swap out the GPU later and end up with an excellent machine just by changing one part!

You’re hyping up that i5 like people actually think it's some kind of holy grail. Even a casual gamer knows the GPU matters way more for actual comfort, but you still picked a weaker card than everyone else. Honestly, he'll probably need 8GB of RAM before he even worries about swapping out a quad-core Phenom or an AMD FX 6300.

If you had actually looked at the other builds, you'd see none of those cases are junk (junk cases are the ones meant for $33), and none of the power supplies are trash either (if you think Corsair or Logitech are junk, then I guess Microsoft and Linkworld are just garbage for $33?).

So basically, you went over budget for $83, built a worse PC Build than those two other options, and now you're arguing and trying to read the OP's mind because you know he's planning an upgrade

graniteharbor85 said:crimsonstag84

Information only—that Logitech unit is basically in the same tier as a 560W Power Supply, so the Hexa isn't actually any better than what you've got.

So it's not the same platform used in the 350W and 400W models? I'd imagine they might be slightly lower end than the Hexa Plus. Well, I suppose if that's the case, you have to give them credit for the price. 🙂

Both PC Builds pull less than 300W under load, so I figured I'd just go with the cheaper option here. 😉

fadedorca66 said:You’re hyping up that i5 like people actually think it's some kind of holy grail. Even a casual gamer knows the GPU matters way more for actual comfort, but you still picked a weaker card than everyone else. Honestly, he'll probably need 8GB of RAM before he even worries about swapping out a quad-core Phenom or an AMD FX 6300.

If you had actually looked at the other builds, you'd see none of those cases are junk (junk cases are the ones meant for $33), and none of the power supplies are trash either (if you think Corsair or Logitech are junk, then I guess Microsoft and Linkworld are just garbage for $33?).

So basically, you went over budget for $83, built a worse PC Build than those two other options, and now you're arguing and trying to read the OP's mind because you know he's planning an upgrade

I simply don't have the energy to argue with narrow-minded people like you. In your opinion, the best move is to dump everything into a GPU and just cobble together whatever leftovers you find in a bargain bin? 🙂 Those cases are pure nonsense; I would never buy them myself when for $67 I can get a decent, high-quality case with great airflow. As for the power supplies, they are perfectly average. The only thing in my build that is weaker than the rest is the graphics card, but even with it, you can play anything—not to mention, as I mentioned above, it's the easiest part to swap out, along with RAM which you just plug into a slot and it costs $93. However, you aren't going to be swapping the CPU, motherboard, or case anytime soon; you'll always be limited by them if they aren't strong enough from the start. This PC Build is excellently structured for a future upgrade to a more powerful GPU, and every single component is high quality. But please, feel free to sink all your money into a single GPU, kill any possibility of a future upgrade, and play for a year before you're forced to replace the entire system because it can't run games the way it's supposed to 🙂.

Keith Wright2 said:I simply don't have the energy to argue with narrow-minded people like you. In your opinion, the best move is to dump everything into a GPU and just cobble together whatever leftovers you find in a bargain bin? 🙂 Those cases are pure nonsense; I would never buy them myself when for $67 I can get a decent, high-quality case with great airflow. As for the power supplies, they are perfectly average. The only thing in my build that is weaker than the rest is the graphics card, but even with it, you can play anything—not to mention, as I mentioned above, it's the easiest part to swap out, along with RAM which you just plug into a slot and it costs $93. However, you aren't going to be swapping the CPU, motherboard, or case anytime soon; you'll always be limited by them if they aren't strong enough from the start. This PC Build is excellently structured for a future upgrade to a more powerful GPU, and every single component is high quality. But please, feel free to sink all your money into a single GPU, kill any possibility of a future upgrade, and play for a year before you're forced to replace the entire system because it can't run games the way it's supposed to 🙂.

Someone should ban you from this forum. 🙂

So, according to you, if it isn't an Intel Core i5, it's not a gaming PC? 😂

Fine, go build your little i5 rigs with a Radeon R9 280X and a 550W power supply or whatever... and just upgrade them piece by piece later.

The rest of us are going to build something that won't need a total overhaul in six months just to stay relevant. That's it. 🙂

Keith Wright2 said:I simply don't have the energy to argue with narrow-minded people like you. In your opinion, the best move is to dump everything into a GPU and just cobble together whatever leftovers you find in a bargain bin? 🙂 Those cases are pure nonsense; I would never buy them myself when for $67 I can get a decent, high-quality case with great airflow. As for the power supplies, they are perfectly average. The only thing in my build that is weaker than the rest is the graphics card, but even with it, you can play anything—not to mention, as I mentioned above, it's the easiest part to swap out, along with RAM which you just plug into a slot and it costs $93. However, you aren't going to be swapping the CPU, motherboard, or case anytime soon; you'll always be limited by them if they aren't strong enough from the start. This PC Build is excellently structured for a future upgrade to a more powerful GPU, and every single component is high quality. But please, feel free to sink all your money into a single GPU, kill any possibility of a future upgrade, and play for a year before you're forced to replace the entire system because it can't run games the way it's supposed to 🙂.

Realistically speaking, your build is totally unbalanced. You can't just slap in an overkill power supply, a $433 processor, blow past your budget, and grab a GPU that's already in MY build from $833, especially since this guy is spending his money on a computer meant to serve him best for gaming. An AMD FX 6300 is perfect here—it's the sweet spot. It's plenty powerful enough to run pretty much anything you throw at it, it's cheaper, it can handle almost any card you plug into it, and you can even overclock it decently. Within this budget, you might even be able to fit a Radeon R9 280X, which is obviously a significant step up from a 260X. ☕

Here it is with a beefier GPU—everything is balanced, just without the overkill components.

Intel Core i5 box 3.5GHz - 14MB Cache - 95W BOX
EVGA 450 w
Asrock 970 EXTREME3 R2.0
Crucial 8GB, 1333 MHz, CL9
LC-Power PRO-923B - Red Captor
NVIDIA GTX 970 Dual-X OC WD Blue
WD Blue 1 TB SATA
Cosmo Cool LC-CC-95 - CPU cooler

Total items (tax included): 4 $7.25

Best Buy - free shipping and assembly

If you're interested, I think there might still be room for a 3% discount.

Adam Moore3 said:Realistically speaking, your build is totally unbalanced. You can't just slap in an overkill power supply, a $433 processor, blow past your budget, and grab a GPU that's already in MY build from $833, especially since this guy is spending his money on a computer meant to serve him best for gaming. An AMD FX 6300 is perfect here—it's the sweet spot. It's plenty powerful enough to run pretty much anything you throw at it, it's cheaper, it can handle almost any card you plug into it, and you can even overclock it decently. Within this budget, you might even be able to fit a Radeon R9 280X, which is obviously a significant step up from a 260X. ☕

It feels like some people need to hear the same things repeated a hundred times before they finally get it. The power supply was chosen specifically to handle future upgrades so he doesn't have to go out and buy a new one when he eventually grabs a better graphics card. He went slightly lighter on the GPU for now because everything else in this build is top-tier; once he swaps that card out later, he’ll have a true powerhouse. For what he's playing right now, this setup is plenty good, and once he drops in a GTX 770, he'll be set for a long time!

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Someone should ban you from this forum. 🙂

So, according to you, if it isn't an Intel Core i5, it's not a gaming PC? 😂

Fine, go build your little i5 rigs with a Radeon R9 280X and a 550W power supply or whatever... and just upgrade them piece by piece later.

The rest of us are going to build something that won't need a total overhaul in six months just to stay relevant. That's it. 🙂

If we are looking at the long term, my current setup is actually perfect. He can just swap the GPU later for a GTX 770, bump the RAM up by 4GB, and boom—he has a beast. Prices are going to tank over the next year, so upgrading will only cost about $667. Once that's done, he'll be set for the next five years because everything else is solid. If he goes with what you guys are suggesting, how long will that actually last? What happens when the next-gen titles start dropping in 2015? With my approach, he'd be totally fine and could just run everything on Ultra once the GPU is swapped out.

Keith Wright2 said:It feels like some people need to hear the same things repeated a hundred times before they finally get it. The power supply was chosen specifically to handle future upgrades so he doesn't have to go out and buy a new one when he eventually grabs a better graphics card. He went slightly lighter on the GPU for now because everything else in this build is top-tier; once he swaps that card out later, he’ll have a true powerhouse. For what he's playing right now, this setup is plenty good, and once he drops in a GTX 770, he'll be set for a long time!

Put whatever you want in there, an EVGA 450 w can handle it. 🙂 By your logic, I should have just dumped my $2,500 or $2,700 on some basic Intel Core i5, a 500W power supply, and played on integrated graphics until I could afford a "real" GPU? $667 🤔

Adam Moore3 said:Put whatever you want in there, an EVGA 450 w can handle it. 🙂 By your logic, I should have just dumped my $2,500 or $2,700 on some basic Intel Core i5, a 500W power supply, and played on integrated graphics until I could afford a "real" GPU? $667 🤔

I went with a beefier power supply just so there's some breathing room and it isn't running at max capacity constantly. I don't know what your specific setup looks like, but for $900, I certainly wouldn't be wasting money on an Intel Core i5—that's way too much cash to drop on such a stunt.

Keith Wright2 said:I simply don't have the energy to argue with narrow-minded people like you. In your opinion, the best move is to dump everything into a GPU and just cobble together whatever leftovers you find in a bargain bin? 🙂 Those cases are pure nonsense; I would never buy them myself when for $67 I can get a decent, high-quality case with great airflow. As for the power supplies, they are perfectly average. The only thing in my build that is weaker than the rest is the graphics card, but even with it, you can play anything—not to mention, as I mentioned above, it's the easiest part to swap out, along with RAM which you just plug into a slot and it costs $93. However, you aren't going to be swapping the CPU, motherboard, or case anytime soon; you'll always be limited by them if they aren't strong enough from the start. This PC Build is excellently structured for a future upgrade to a more powerful GPU, and every single component is high quality. But please, feel free to sink all your money into a single GPU, kill any possibility of a future upgrade, and play for a year before you're forced to replace the entire system because it can't run games the way it's supposed to 🙂.

What kind of "bargain bin" are we talking about here? People suggested some pretty solid cases; I think you're overreacting a bit. So, if it isn't Zalman, it's trash? If it isn't XFX, it's garbage?

Did the guy actually come in and ask for a build he could upgrade in a year? No. So, this is a balanced configuration.

Keith Wright2 said:If we are looking at the long term, my current setup is actually perfect. He can just swap the GPU later for a GTX 770, bump the RAM up by 4GB, and boom—he has a beast. Prices are going to tank over the next year, so upgrading will only cost about $667. Once that's done, he'll be set for the next five years because everything else is solid. If he goes with what you guys are suggesting, how long will that actually last? What happens when the next-gen titles start dropping in 2015? With my approach, he'd be totally fine and could just run everything on Ultra once the GPU is swapped out.

Exactly, that's the question. That's why it's built for current needs, because nobody knows how Grand Theft Auto V is going to perform or what its requirements will actually be. And you keep bringing up $667. It might not even cross your mind that the guy might just want to buy a computer he doesn't necessarily plan on upgrading anytime soon.