Gaming build under $800

Hey there,

Listen, I could really use some help from you guys. I’m looking to put together a solid gaming rig with a budget of around $1733. The main goal here is to run Grand Theft Auto V on pretty high settings—I don't want to compromise on the graphics, so please, don't skimp on the GPU side of things.

I’m planning on using gift cards at stores like Future, Center, or ADM, so if you could build something based on what those shops typically carry, that would be great.

Thanks in advance to everyone for the help.

So, just to be clear—we're talking about the tower, the monitor, speakers, mouse, and keyboard aren't needed?

Exactly—I don't need any fancy peripherals, just a trash can.

If you’ve got an American Express, you can split it into 6 monthly payments and it'll cost you the exact same as paying cash...

i5 4460
MSI H81M P33
KINGSTON 8GB 1600 MHZ
SEAGATE 3.5" 1TB SATA 3 BARR.
NVIDIA GTX 960 2GB DDR5 OC
XFX TS 430W 80+ BRONZE
XIGMATEK MACH MIDI ATX

= $1760.

If you aren't in a huge rush, I’d suggest waiting a few weeks. Right now, you'd be looking at choosing between an AMD Radeon R9 285 or an NVIDIA GTX 960 for your build. However, word on the street is that the "Tonga Pro" (which is basically a rebranded AMD Radeon R9 285)—likely coming out under the R9 380 name—will feature 4GB of VRAM. On top of that, we're expecting its bigger brother, the Tonga XT (the 380X), to drop soon too. If those don't pan out, then you haven't really lost anything, other than a little bit of time.

Why on earth would you go with such a weak power supply? Seriously, shouldn't we be looking at something a bit more robust? I mean—if we’re actually being smart about this and considering a Future upgrade path... ☕

That build wouldn't even pull 200W, if you ask me.

And if you were to pivot toward an AMD socket—considering their processors usually offer the absolute best bang for your buck—would you actually end up with something more substantial for that price point?

FX 8300/8320E paired with a Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P and an LC-CC-120 cooler. Definitely overclockable.

Is that actually a better move than going with Intel?

It depends. On average, an i5 is going to be the better bet for gaming. If you're running an NVIDIA GTX 960, you probably won't notice much difference between the two, though you might see some variation in titles like World of Tanks or StarCraft II—it really all comes down to how much they rely on single-threaded performance.

Timothy Kim60 said:Honestly, a setup like that probably won't even pull more than 200W—just saying!

That’s actually a really good question the colleague there asked.
See, I can personally vouch for this because—thank God—with everyone's help, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered my new PC. After spending way too much time obsessively researching components and staring at endless charts, I kept seeing this note everywhere that you need at least a 500W power supply.
So, is that just being extra cautious? Because if what she said is true and it really only pulls about 200W...🤔

Even if the power draw stays under 200W, you’re basically stuck because finding a decent PSU that delivers around 250W on the +12V rail is nearly impossible right now.
The cheapest reliable options currently available in the US are those 400W units from brands like EVGA or Corsair. That XFX unit isn't much more expensive, and honestly, it's a far better value when you consider it comes with a 5-year warranty—it just makes sense. Plus, I never recommend buying a unit that barely meets your needs; you want some breathing room for stability and enough headroom for any potential upgrades in the Future.

Regarding what was mentioned on the official websites,

1 x Gigabyte 970A-DS3P, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866
1 x XFX Core Pro edition 80+ 450W PSU
1 x Gigabyte NVIDIA GTX 960 WF2 Overclocked, 2GB GDDR5, DVI-I / DVI-D / HDMI
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm ,92mm
1 x Seagate 1TB HDD, Serial ATA III, 7200 rpm, ST1000DM003
1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black DVD burner, SATA

$1711

So, I've been looking at this build from ADM—it’s basically what I’m considering right now. Is this actually the best way to go given the price tag? 😁😁

I guess you're running low on RAM.

Larry Clark83 said:1 x Gigabyte 970A-DS3P, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866
1 x XFX Core Pro edition 80+ 450W PSU
1 x Gigabyte NVIDIA GTX 960 WF2 Overclocked, 2GB GDDR5, DVI-I / DVI-D / HDMI
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm ,92mm
1 x HDD Seagate 1TB, Serial ATA III, 7200 rpm, ST1000DM003
1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black DVD writer, SATA

$1711

This build is from ADM. Is this the best deal for the money? 😁😁

Here's a build from Centro.hr

Click here

And the RAM smells bad, right?
You don't even have any 😬

It’s really not worth grabbing the 8320 anymore now that the 8300 has hit the market; you might even be able to snag an 8320E at the same price from that shop online

And of course, there’s the 8GB of RAM—I think I somehow managed to overlook 😵