New build under $550?

So, here's the deal... I've decided to pick up a new PC, so I've been scouring the web, doing my research, and digging through everything... I actually stopped by Best Buy and saw a few pre-built rigs that caught my eye... but then I started reading these forums saying that pre-builts are usually garbage... so... if you guys could help me put together a solid one instead...

I need it to have 8GB of DDR3 RAM, an Nvidia graphics card... and a decent processor... that's about it... go all out, guys... and thanks! 🙂

http://www.bestbuy.com/rac...gb-ddr5/IN965G

http://www.bestbuy.com/rac...50-2gb/IN3240X

I liked these two... just saying... you don't necessarily need a terabyte of hard drive space... so judge for yourselves

Honestly, just skip those pre-built setups—especially the ones from Best Buy. They’re all about flashy lights and zero actual performance.

If you've got that kind of cash, this build is your best bet, and honestly? Both of those other rigs you're looking at are way weaker than this:

X4 945 BLACK ED.
SPIRE KEPLER R2.0
GIGABYTE 970A-DS3P
KINGSTON 6GB 1600 MHZ
TOSHIBA 3,5 1TB SATA 3
SAPPHIRE R7 265 2GB DUAL-X BOOST
LITE ON DVD-RW SATA
SILVERSTONE STRIDER 500W 80+
MS PHEONIX MIDI ATX + 90 + 120 MM FAN

= $1283 This includes assembly and shipping via Amazon.

- I made sure you have a solid enough quad-core CPU.
- You're getting a proven, high-quality AM3+ motherboard with some decent future-proofing—stuff like USB 3.0 and SATA 3. Plus, you can easily swap in a much beefier FX 6300/8320/8350 processor later on. That means you can upgrade your GPU down the road too, basically extending the life of this PC without breaking the bank.
- Enough RAM to handle heavy multitasking and those newer, more demanding games.
- A big HDD—don't bother trying to save money with a 500GB model. The price difference is tiny, but games are huge nowadays, and you'll always need extra space for files.
- A reliable, strong enough power supply to handle the current setup and any upgrades we talked about.
- Good airflow is sorted, plus a CPU cooler to keep things quiet, cool, and ready for a little light overclocking.
- There's a reason I didn't go with Nvidia here—in this specific price range, AMD is still the better/stronger play. Specifically, I went with the R7 265 over the GTX 750 Ti.
- Down the line, try to scrape together maybe $40-$$200 for a 120GB SSD. It'll be a total game-changer—basically, your whole system will feel way snappier compared to just running on a standard HDD.

Daniel Kelly3 said:So, here's the deal... I've decided to pick up a new PC, so I've been scouring the web, doing my research, and digging through everything... I actually stopped by Best Buy and saw a few pre-built rigs that caught my eye... but then I started reading these forums saying that pre-builts are usually garbage... so... if you guys could help me put together a solid one instead...

I need it to have 8GB of DDR3 RAM, an Nvidia graphics card... and a decent processor... that's about it... go all out, guys... and thanks! 🙂

1 x Asrock FM2A88M EXTREME4+, FM2,FM2+, AMD A88X (Bolton-D4), DDR3
1 x AMD Trinity Athlon II X4 750K 3.40GHz 4cores
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x Zalman ZM-T2 PLUS micro tower case. 189(W) x 427,5(H) x 364(D)mm
1 x CORSAIR 430W, CX Series 80+ Bronze, EPS12V v2.3, 80+ power supply
1 x ASUS DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/AS SATA, DVD-R 24x, DVD-RW 6x, DVD+R 24x
1 x Sapphire R7 265 2GB GDDR5 Dual-X, 2GB GDDR5 256bit, 28nm
1 x ZALMAN CNPS 5X, socket 775/1155/1156/AM2/AM2/AM3
1 x TOSHIBA 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100

$1274
Or if it absolutely has to be an Nvidia card (it's weaker than the AMD one listed above, just slightly)

1 x Asrock FM2A88M EXTREME4+, FM2,FM2+, AMD A88X (Bolton-D4), DDR3
1 x AMD Trinity Athlon II X4 750K 3.40GHz 4cores
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x Zalman ZM-T2 PLUS micro tower case. 189(W) x 427,5(H) x 364(D)mm
1 x CORSAIR 430W, CX Series 80+ Bronze, EPS12V v2.3, 80+ power supply
1 x ASUS DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/AS SATA, DVD-R 24x, DVD-RW 6x, DVD+R 24x
1 x ZALMAN CNPS 5X, socket 775/1155/1156/AM2/AM2/AM3
1 x TOSHIBA 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100
1 x MSI GTX 750 Ti Gaming 2GB GDDR5, N750Ti TF 2GD5/OC Gaming

$1260

1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x SILVERSTONE Strider 500W, Essential ST50F-ES AC 90-264V, 47/63Hz
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x DVD writer Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black, SATA
1 x Sapphire R9 280 3GB OC Dual-X, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, 28nm
1 x MS LOGIC A33 without PSU, Midi tower, ATX, 5.25" external bay
1 x AMD Trinity Athlon ii x4 750 3.40GHz 4cores
1 x Asrock FM2+ FM2A75 PRO4+ - AMD A75 Hudson D3, ATX, dual Channel
1 x Thermaltake Contac 16, 775,AM2,AM2+,AM3,AM3+,FM1,1155,1156

$1292 CNN - free shipping and assembly

Something a bit more extreme...

Compared to the build above, the processors are basically the same, motherboard quality is similar, and it’s almost the exact same case—just without the fan. The coolers are roughly in the same ballpark, you've got 4GB of RAM, but the graphics card is maybe 40-50% more powerful. I guess you'd need to overclock the CPU close to 4GHz, or maybe right at 4GHz, to actually make use of it.

crimsonstag84's setup has 4GB, why even bother with that junk case, and what's the point of the 500GB drive???? all just to squeeze in an R9 280

@Robert Rodriguez2, you definitely need a CPU cooler for that AMD build, especially since you're using a Zalman mini case without any fans.

mellowtiger83 said:crimsonstag84's setup has 4GB, why even bother with that junk case, and what's the point of the 500GB drive???? all just to squeeze in an R9 280

@Robert Rodriguez2, you definitely need a CPU cooler for that AMD build, especially since you're using a Zalman mini case without any fans.

Try reading more carefully.😉

Believe it or not, some people don't even need a 1TB drive 🙂
let alone 500GB. 🙂

Upgrading RAM is easy, unlike swapping a GPU.

And you went and built a rig with a dead socket. I doubt anyone's even looked at an FM1 socket in the last two years... so, nope.

crimsonstag84

I don't think there's any point in being that pushy about it—it's pretty obvious he isn't looking for some insane high-end rig, just something with a solid value proposition.

mellowtiger83

Man, you seriously fascinate me, post after post:
- you're trying to sell this guy a semi-new build where the most critical parts barely even have a warranty left.
- it's a dead-end platform with zero room for future upgrades.
- the price tag is way too high for what it is.
- I'd love to actually see those 3.5 GHz speeds in action and watch how all the games run on Ultra settings like you're so confidently claiming. 🤣
- plus, it’s honestly weaker than a few of the newer builds they've got sitting at Best Buy right now.

graniteharbor85 said:crimsonstag84

I don't think there's any point in being that pushy about it—it's pretty obvious he isn't looking for some insane high-end rig, just something with a solid value proposition.

mellowtiger83

Man, you seriously fascinate me, post after post:
- you're trying to sell this guy a semi-new build where the most critical parts barely even have a warranty left.
- it's a dead-end platform with zero room for future upgrades.
- the price tag is way too high for what it is.
- I'd love to actually see those 3.5 GHz speeds in action and watch how all the games run on Ultra settings like you're so confidently claiming. 🤣
- plus, it’s honestly weaker than a few of the newer builds they've got sitting at Best Buy right now.

First off, we are talking about a GTX 660 here. The PC is practically new and comes with original Windows licenses. Read carefully. The processor was running at 3.5 GHz without any issues whatsoever.

Battlefield 4 on Ultra at Full HD hits 40-80 fps.

By the way, this rig will be gone within two days, just like all my other builds, so there's no need for the unnecessary chatter.

Also, those FPS numbers were measured at stock frequency using Fraps.

mellowtiger83 said:First off, we are talking about a GTX 660 here. The PC is practically new and comes with original Windows licenses. Read carefully. The processor was running at 3.5 GHz without any issues whatsoever.

Battlefield 4 on Ultra at Full HD hits 40-80 fps.

By the way, this rig will be gone within two days, just like all my other builds, so there's no need for the unnecessary chatter.

Also, those FPS numbers were measured at stock frequency using Fraps.

Look... that CPU is overclocked, creating a massive bottleneck for that GPU...

mellowtiger83, seriously, quit clogging up the threads with all those random parts of yours—there’s a dedicated Hardware section over on Craigslist for a reason, so go ahead and hawk whatever you want over there.

Robert Rodriguez2, your opinions are absolutely fascinating... I suppose you think this setup will actually manage to run Dota 2 and CS:GO? Because that’s exactly what I’m buying it for—to play games and watch movies 😁 beyond that, I don't need anything else...

@Benjamin King2.

My PC is completely brand new, built by an authorized service center, so I don't gain much from mentioning it; it’s just as fresh as any other suggestion being made here.

It is available immediately and ready to ship. I am not out here promoting anyone, pushing products, or—heaven forbid—spamming.

Daniel Kelly3

Daniel Kelly3 said:Robert Rodriguez2, your opinions are absolutely fascinating... I suppose you think this setup will actually manage to run Dota 2 and CS:GO? Because that’s exactly what I’m buying it for—to play games and watch movies 😁 beyond that, I don't need anything else...

It'll run fine without even breaking a sweat, at least hardware-wise. I'm running it on integrated graphics right now and it's no problem at all. 😁

You'll be able to crank those settings up to high without breaking a sweat. 🙂

Dota is more my speed... I might hop on CS here and there if I get bored with Dota 2 or if there’s nothing decent streaming on Twitch 😁 just let me know where I can order a custom build for delivery

Daniel Kelly3 said:Dota is more my speed... I might hop on CS here and there if I get bored with Dota 2 or if there’s nothing decent streaming on Twitch 😁 just let me know where I can order a custom build for delivery

cnn.com

They offer free assembly and shipping if you're ordering over $667 anywhere in the US 🙂.
You can just pay cash on delivery when the driver shows up
or use a card once they confirm the payment... personally, I'd go with the first option. 🙂

graniteharbor85 said:Honestly, just skip those pre-built setups—especially the ones from Best Buy. They’re all about flashy lights and zero actual performance.

If you've got that kind of cash, this build is your best bet, and honestly? Both of those other rigs you're looking at are way weaker than this:

X4 945 BLACK ED.
SPIRE KEPLER R2.0
GIGABYTE 970A-DS3P
KINGSTON 6GB 1600 MHZ
TOSHIBA 3,5 1TB SATA 3
SAPPHIRE R7 265 2GB DUAL-X BOOST
LITE ON DVD-RW SATA
SILVERSTONE STRIDER 500W 80+
MS PHEONIX MIDI ATX + 90 + 120 MM FAN

= $1283 This includes assembly and shipping via Amazon.

- I made sure you have a solid enough quad-core CPU.
- You're getting a proven, high-quality AM3+ motherboard with some decent future-proofing—stuff like USB 3.0 and SATA 3. Plus, you can easily swap in a much beefier FX 6300/8320/8350 processor later on. That means you can upgrade your GPU down the road too, basically extending the life of this PC without breaking the bank.
- Enough RAM to handle heavy multitasking and those newer, more demanding games.
- A big HDD—don't bother trying to save money with a 500GB model. The price difference is tiny, but games are huge nowadays, and you'll always need extra space for files.
- A reliable, strong enough power supply to handle the current setup and any upgrades we talked about.
- Good airflow is sorted, plus a CPU cooler to keep things quiet, cool, and ready for a little light overclocking.
- There's a reason I didn't go with Nvidia here—in this specific price range, AMD is still the better/stronger play. Specifically, I went with the R7 265 over the GTX 750 Ti.
- Down the line, try to scrape together maybe $40-$$200 for a 120GB SSD. It'll be a total game-changer—basically, your whole system will feel way snappier compared to just running on a standard HDD.

I honestly had no idea they were still stocking Phenom processors in stores.

mellowtiger83 said:@Benjamin King2.

My PC is completely brand new, built by an authorized service center, so I don't gain much from mentioning it; it’s just as fresh as any other suggestion being made here.

It is available immediately and ready to ship. I am not out here promoting anyone, pushing products, or—heaven forbid—spamming.

A "new" build, but the motherboard, CPU, and GPU only have a one-year warranty? What, did it fall off the back of a truck?

mellowtiger83 said:@Benjamin King2.

My PC is completely brand new, built by an authorized service center, so I don't gain much from mentioning it; it’s just as fresh as any other suggestion being made here.

It is available immediately and ready to ship. I am not out here promoting anyone, pushing products, or—heaven forbid—spamming.

But you’ve already posted a million times claiming you work over at Micro Center, and all you ever do is suggest pre-built rigs using parts that are clearly chosen just to move inventory rather than provide actual performance. You’ve even offered up used builds several times! You buy secondhand components, ask everyone if they’re any good, and then turn around and sell a complete build while trying to claim the parts are new.🙂