Best PC build for $650?

Hey everyone.

I'm looking for the most powerful build possible, excluding peripherals and monitors, with a budget of $1500. It would be ideal if Windows was included in that price.

An SSD is a must, but I don't need more than 120 GB since I already have 2x 1TB 7200 rpm drives. I guess this Western Digital Green looks alright.

8 GB of RAM is the bare minimum. I know I probably can't afford more given the budget, but just mentioning it. Any case is fine, as long as it isn't some massive tower.

I don't strictly need a GPU, but I wouldn't mind if AMD offers much better graphics than Intel, even if I lose a little CPU performance in the process.

The main issue for me is pairing a decent motherboard with the processor. Checking CPU Benchmarks is easy enough, but motherboards are a total mystery to me, and I'm not great with power supplies either. 🕺 If I could put something together around an i5 8400, that would be ideal, mostly because my experiences with AMD haven't been great—maybe I just have bad luck?

The focus is on getting the fastest, most capable machine possible. This isn't for gaming; I only play a few web-based games.

It would be great if I could get parts from Best Buy since they're right near me.

Thanks in advance! 🙂

Intel Core i5-8400 2.8 GHz
Corsair M55 Case ATX, black, no power supply included.
The Kingston Technology A1000 SSD 240GB M.2 PCI Express.
Seasonic 550W Gold, PC Power Supply (Bulk)
The MSI Z370-A PRO.
I guess I should probably mention that I'm looking at two of these. Maybe it makes sense to grab a pair. G.Skill 4GB DDR4-2400 DIMM sticks.

$1.50 I guess Uzishop is just another option on the list.

Here is an entirely different alternative, sourced from Links - $1.50:

- BITFENIX Comrade Case, MIDI, ATX, USB 3.0, black, without PS

- 550W PC Power Supply, ANTEC NE550C EC, ATX v2.4, 120mm fan, PFC, 80+ Bronze

- AMD Ryzen 5 2600 BOX processor, AM4 socket, 3.4GHz, 19MB cache, Six Core, Wraith

- ASROCK AB350M motherboard, AMD B350, DDR4, audio, G-LAN, SATA, M.2, PCI-E 3.0, USB 3.0, mATX, AM4 socket

- PC-19200 Memory, 1x8 GB, CRUCIAL CT8G4DFS824A, DDR4 2400MHz

- 120.0 GB ADATA SU650 3D Nand SSD, ASU650SS-120GT-C, SATA3, 2.5", max up to 520/450 MB/s

- PCI-E GAINWARD GeForce GT 1030 SilentFX graphics card, 2GB, DDR5, DVI, HDMI

Notes:

- Please note that both configurations lack an optical drive.

- This particular Ryzen will provide you with significantly better performance for non-gaming tasks if you find yourself requiring a more robust processor.

- While the dedicated graphics card is somewhat underwhelming, it does remain more capable than Intel's integrated graphics.

- Regarding the RAM, it is currently set as 1x8 GB, which allows you to simply add another identical stick later as needed; alternatively, you could opt for 2x4GB, as there is another model available at the same price point should you prefer that.

- Should you decide to proceed with this option, it might be wise to contact Links and request that they transfer all the components to your local retail branch.

- It is certainly possible to assemble a different configuration featuring a larger SSD and 16GB of memory by swapping out the weaker processor and/or the integrated graphics.

- If you choose to include Windows, you will unfortunately see a noticeable decrease in overall system performance.

Thanks to both of you!

It's cool how different these builds are, yet they still cover everything I need. I'll probably swing by Best Buy later to see if they have the parts in stock to put one together. I'd rather avoid ordering online since I need this thing ASAP—ideally today.

Ashley Wood3, I don't need an optical drive because I've already got one. Besides, I can't even remember using it in the last few years. 😁

The GPU really isn't a big deal to me, so whatever is there is fine. My old HD2500 handled everything without any issues, and I don't think I ever noticed a single stutter in Windows. I assume anything newer will just be better.

Since you mentioned prioritizing a larger SSD or more RAM over a beefier CPU, I'm actually curious about the Ryzen 3 2200g or the i3 8100. Maybe I could take the money saved from not getting the Ryzen 5 2600 or the i5 8400 and put it toward a bigger SSD. Or maybe much faster? Does that sound like a decent plan? Is there actually a noticeable difference compared to a SATA SSD, like the specs claim?

That i3 doesn't look that much weaker than the other two, but it's almost half the price. The 2200g is slightly weaker than the i3, but its graphics are almost twice as good. 🤷

Thanks again! 🙂

2200g is a solid budget pick. It lags behind the i3 8100 in gaming, but for everything else? Not much of a difference.

If you're sticking to that budget, the 2400g is also on the table. It’s a 4-core/8-thread chip—basically acts like one of those locked i7s from a few years back.
It isn't quite the "budget king" like the 2200g (which goes for $250 😉), but it’s a great all-rounder. You get graphics comparable to a modern entry-level card, and having four cores with eight threads makes it snappy for most tasks. A Six Core processor would only really matter if you're grinding through heavy CPU stuff like video rendering.

Personally, I'd lean toward AMD—either the 2200g, 2400g, or 2600. The AM4 platform is mature now; they've ironed out the kinks, and it'll support at least one more generation of CPUs. So, if you grab a 2200g for $250 or a 2400g for roughly $400, you can easily swap in a newer 7nm chip (8-core or better) in a year or two, or maybe just pick up a used Ryzen 7 2700 (8-core/16 thread).

My move? I'd go with a 2200g or 2400g plus a 500GB SSD.

That being said, if you just want a set-it-and-forget-it build, the i5 8400 is perfectly fine. You won't regret picking it up.

While I certainly appreciate the thought behind this configuration, I find myself questioning the actual utility of such a processor; one must consider exactly what level of computational power is truly required here. If we can manage with something less demanding than a Ryzen 5 2600, then in my humble opinion, the Ryzen 3 2200g would be the most prudent selection. By opting for that, you could eliminate the need for a dedicated graphics card entirely, allowing those saved funds to be redirected toward a larger or perhaps more high-performance PCI-e SSD, or even just adding more RAM to the system.

I totally get why when people are hunting for a new rig, they try to cram the beefiest CPU and parts possible into their budget—but let's be real for a second, most regular folks only actually care about processor power if they're gaming...

I'm running a Core 2 Duo E8400 at home, which means I’ve got a machine that’s basically a decade old—and honestly? It’s still more than enough for all my everyday home stuff... well, except for gaming, obviously.

For the vast majority of users, pretty much any modern processor—even those "budget" options—is actually just massive overkill.

If you're looking for that snappy, fast feeling while you're working, an SSD is really what does all the heavy lifting these days anyway...

Look, if a decade-old dual-core chip is enough for you, believe me when I say it’s definitely not enough for me. Even for basic stuff like browsing the web, watching YouTube, or running VLC—things that shouldn't be taxing—my old FX 6300 just couldn't keep up; it felt sluggish even though I was running an SSD. Just because something works for your needs doesn't mean it meets everyone else's standards. For instance, my dad is perfectly happy with an ancient Celeron from ten years ago paired with a slow 5400 rpm hard drive... but there's a catch. 🙂 That Celeron is in a laptop with only 4 GB of RAM, and let me tell you, it can't even handle streaming a football game online. It stutters constantly and the quality is honestly unwatchable. Sure, maybe you can scrape by with 360p or 480p on YouTube, but anything higher than that is a lost cause. Meanwhile, I have a seven-year-old i7 that cost me way more than that FX processor and 130 bucks, and it handles everything flawlessly, from 4K YouTube videos to whatever else I throw at it.

Then again, you've got this 😬

It’s a really solid deal, and everything comes with a warranty.

Yeah, that's the truth. 😁 Honestly, there isn't much to wrap your head around here.

1x Intel Core 3 2200G Processor (4C/4T, 3.7GHz, 6MB, 65W, AM4) box, featuring RX Vega
1x GIGABYTE GA-AX370M-Gaming 3 Desktop Motherboard
1x GSkill Aegis 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3000MHz RAM
1x CRUCIAL MX500 500GB SSD, 2.5” 7mm (includes 9.5mm adapter), SATA 6 Gbit/s, Read/Write speeds of 560 MB/s and 510 MB/s, Random Read/Write IOPS 95K/90K
1x Fortron Hyper K 500W Power Supply, includes power cable, bulk packaging
1x Fortron CMT 110 Case, 1x120mm fan, USB 3.0 ports

Total Price: $1.50
Free assembly and shipping included

If you don't really need 500GB of storage, we can swap in a 250GB drive instead. Also, if you want to save a bit of cash, I can switch the processor to a 2400G for you at this price point.