Budget PC build under $400?

Hey everyone 🙂

A buddy of mine is looking for a build around $833 (assuming that's even doable given what he's asking for)...

It’s mostly just for "home" stuff—you know, browsing the web, streaming movies, whatever—plus some Office work and getting the kids through their schoolwork. He does want to play a game every now and then, though—nothing crazy, just Fortnite at most—but he wants it to actually run smoothly, not stutter like crazy.

If possible, he’d prefer an Intel setup. If there's a Pentium in the same ballpark as a Core i3, that's fine, otherwise we're looking at at least an i3. He just wants something that won't feel obsolete in a couple of years, you know?
If you guys think AMD offers better bang for the buck, please, don't hold back—let me know 🙂
Just needs a GPU that can handle those light gaming sessions.

He already has a monitor and a system SSD.
On top of that, he’ll need a 500GB or 1TB HDD, plus a keyboard and mouse.

I'd really appreciate some help putting this configuration together so everything is organized in one place.

Don't expect much performance here. Honestly, you’re better off just running on the integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics for now, then picking up a used GTX 1060 down the road to plug in.

1 * MS THETA wired headset
password: 0161086 - $33

1 * Intel Core i3 4C/4T 2200G (3.7GHz,6MB,65W,AM4) box, Radeon Vega 8 Graphics, with Wraith Stealth cooler
password: YD2200C5FBBOX - $248

1 * ASUS Motherboard (S.AM4, 4xDDR4, RAID) mATX
password: GA-AB350M-DS3H - $170

1 * HDD desktop Western Digital Blue (3.5 1TB, 7200RPM, 64MB, NCQ, AF, SATAIII), bulk
password: HDWD110UZSVA - $113

1 * Fortron power supply Hexa Plus 400W, 80+,active,12 cm
password: fsp-nap-hexa-400p - $105

1 * MS GRIFFIN 2 midi tower case
password: 0151396 - $50

2 * Kingston DDR4 4GB, 2666MHz
password: king-hx426n19s6-4g - $149

Total: $868 (-2%=$0.85)
Free assembly and delivery

IT Solutions Corp

Thanks 👍
But what about $1000? Is there any actual substance here? 🙂 They’re saying it can hit up to 3000 now—which sounds wild—but honestly, it won't go a penny over that. Even if that feels like total overkill, he's gotta pull the trigger and buy it anyway.

ASUS Motherboard (AM4, 4xDDR4, Realtek ALC887, 1x10/100/1000 Mbit, 1xPCIEX16) GA-AB350M-DS3H
ASRock GeForce GTX 1650 2GB, ASR-GTX 1650 2G
It’s an Intel Core i3-7100, I guess—the 4-core/4-thread version running at 3.1 to 3.4GHz with 10MB and a 65W draw. It comes in the box with that Wraith Stealth cooler.
Western Digital Blue 1 TB 3.5"
Patriot V Elite DDR4, 2666MHz, (2x 4GB), 8GB total, CL16, GY.
The SilentiumPC Vero L2 500W Bronze power supply (P/N: SPC164).
It’s a Genius SlimStar c130—just a basic keyboard and mouse combo via USB.
The SilentiumPC Armis AR1 Black chassis (P/N: SPC173), without a power supply.

All things considered: $987 I guess I'm just checking in from the center.

A beefier graphics card—though maybe not the best value—plus a slightly better power supply, case, and some extra RAM.

Thanks, crimsonstag84! 🙂

I think I'll just hang tight for a bit to see if anyone else chimes in with some solid advice—then I'll pass the whole thing over to my buddy to see if he’s actually down for it...

Also, quick question regarding the GPU—since you mentioned it wasn't exactly the best bang for your buck... does it even matter if he just grabs that Intel Core i3 from the previous post? Or would this setup be a better fit for what he's looking for?

Just a heads-up, he won't be gaming on this rig all that much... maybe just a little bit every now and then.

1 * Intel Core i3-7100 4C/4T 3.1/3.4GHz Boost, 10MB, 65W, LGA1151 box, including Wraith Stealth cooler
password: YD1200BBAEBOX - $176

1 * ASUS Motherboard, 2xDDR4, Socket AM4
password: ASR-AB350M-HDV-R3.0 - $153

1 * G.Skill Aegis 8GB DDR4 3000MHz CL16 memory stick
password: F4-3000C16S-8GISB - $120

1 * Asrock GeForce GTX 1650 2G
password: ASR-GR-RX560-2G - $287

1 * Western Digital Blue desktop HDD (3.5" 1TB, 7200RPM, 64MB, NCQ, AF, SATAIII), bulk
password: HDWD110UZSVA - $113

1 * GIGABYTE PB500 Power Supply, 500W, 80+ Bronze, featuring Japanese capacitors, 120mm smart control fan, US plug
password: GP-PB500 - $116

1 * MS SOLDIER chassis
password: 0161260 - $46

1 * MS THETA wired peripheral set
password: 0161086 - $33

Total: $1045 (-2%=$1.00)
Free assembly and shipping included

Amanda Hughes5 said:Thanks, crimsonstag84! 🙂

I think I'll just hang tight for a bit to see if anyone else chimes in with some solid advice—then I'll pass the whole thing over to my buddy to see if he’s actually down for it...

Also, quick question regarding the GPU—since you mentioned it wasn't exactly the best bang for your buck... does it even matter if he just grabs that Intel Core i3 from the previous post? Or would this setup be a better fit for what he's looking for?

Just a heads-up, he won't be gaming on this rig all that much... maybe just a little bit every now and then.

It matters. The GTX 1650 is way stronger than the Radeon Vega 8 integrated into a 2200G.

For what he's looking for, that build with the GTX 1650 will be just right.
The Core i3-7100 is similar to the 2200G, a quad-core—basically like an old i5 from years ago.

The GTX 1650 isn't "great value" because you can get something significantly better for a bit more cash (like an RX 570) or grab something used. But if the budget is strictly tight, going with the GTX 1650 beats the 2200G every time. My younger brother plays Fortnite on a GTX 1050, which is much weaker than the GTX 1650. The GTX 1650 will handle medium settings at 1080p just fine, which is plenty for casual gaming.

Thanks for clearing that up 👍
So, I guess I'll just pass along this Smartic's one then...

Look, the GTX 1650 isn't exactly the king of price-to-performance value, but if you're working with a tight budget, it’s pretty much the best card you can grab to actually make gaming happen. It’s a necessity at that price point. Whether you play casually or dive in deep, it gets the job done.

I personally ran Fortnite on a slightly weaker GPU—textures on high, AA on high, view distance maxed out, 1080p resolution, with everything else set to low or off—and I still pulled a solid 70+ FPS minimum.

Alright, thanks to you too... honestly, all this talk about frame rates and gaming specs doesn't mean much to me—I've never really had any interest in gaming my whole life (well, except for a tiny bit back when I was a kid playing on an old Commodore 🙂 )