New build!!!

I just sold my old rig for $1000—you can check out my previous posts to see the full specs of what I was running and whether you think I got a fair deal on the sale. As for the new build, I’m looking to pull the trigger as soon as possible.
My goal is to get the absolute most bang for my buck given the $1000 budget. If you wouldn't mind just suggesting individual components, I’d appreciate it; I have a feeling I won't find a better value by buying a pre-built system.
I already have my monitor, speakers, keyboard, mouse, and headset ready to go, so I'm strictly looking for the tower itself.
I've been browsing through Newegg and a few other sites, but honestly, I'm a bit out of my depth. My last computer couldn't even handle Crysis 3—it was a total struggle—so I'm really aiming to play demanding titles at least on high xD. Ideally, I'd love to be playing on high settings with a machine that costs around $1000. If you come across anything good, let me know!

Best, Jesse Lopez83

Izvolis:

X4 740
SPIRE KEPLER R2.0
AS ROCK FM2 A55 VG3
Patriot 4GB 1600 MHz
Toshiba 500GB SATA 3 hard drive—3.5 inch.
SAPPHIRE R7 260X 1GB BOOST
Chicony HPA-400W Active
ZALMAN T4 USB 3.0 MATX

$1003 Check out Futura IT—they’re doing free assembly and delivery right now.

Thinking about picking up a used SATA optical drive—you can usually snag one for around $15-$20 if you look on eBay or hit up a local thrift store. $17 Look, you don't really need it right this second—plus, upgrading now actually gives you some breathing room to beef up the rest of your components later. Just a heads-up though, Crysis 3 is such a beast when it comes to HW requirements that you shouldn't expect to just crank everything to max settings and call it a day.

AMD Athlon ii x4 760 k MSI Main board desktop AMD A88X
MSI Main Board Desktop AMD A88X (SFM2+,DDR3,SATA III,RAID,GLAN,USB2.0,USB3.0,VGA,HDMI, DVI) mATX Box
Adata DDR3 4GB 1333MHz, AD3U1333B2G9-R
MS PLUTOS case without power supply
Samsung DVD±RW 24x black, bulk
desktop Toshiba DT01ACA050 (3.5", 500GB, 32MB, SATA III-600)
XFX-ica R7 260X 1GB DDR5, XFX-R7-260X-ZNJ4
Chicony HPA-400W, CHI-HPA-400W

Total: $3,007.06+$13 plus shipping if you don't have them assemble it... maybe check Best Buy...

If your CPU cooler ends up being too loud, you could probably pick up a Links LC-CC-95 at Micro Center.

EDIT: In my old junker case with the stock cooler, this CPU idled at about 35C, and hit 60C during OCCT.🤷

crimsonstag84

It’s not just about how loud the cooler is—it’s also about whether it actually does its job and keeps things from overheating. In cases like this, you'll see a 750k or 760k idling at around 50C without any issues at all 😉

And why would anyone care if an XFX-ica is noisy? It's not like they're trying to fly a jet engine. Honestly, I don't get why Pluto is even looking at a T4 at that price point, but hey, whatever.

Shipping might be a bit of a hassle $27 if you aren't right here in the local metro area, since it'll probably end up coming in two separate packages.

1 x Asrock FM2A75M-DGS - AMD A75 Hudson D2, M-ATX, Solid Capacitor
1 x AMD Trinity Athlon ii x4 750 3.40GHz 4cores
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX, KHX1600C9D3B1/
1 x Chicony HPA-400W, Advanced Highly HPA Series 1 x
1 x Zalman ZM-T4 micro tower case. 189(W) x 427,5(H) x 364(D)mm. MB
1 x desktop Toshiba DT01ACA050 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB
1 x ASUS HD7770-1GD5, AMD Radeon, HD7770, PCIe 3.0, 1024 MB, DDR5
1 x Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black, SATA
1 x Thermaltake Contac 16, 775,AM2,AM2+,AM3,AM3+,FM1,1155,1156

$1030

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Advanced Highly HPA Series 1 x The Asrock FM2A75M-DGS. It’s an AMD A75 Hudson D2 on an M-ATX layout, built with Solid Capacitor components.
I've got one AMD Trinity Athlon ii x4 750 available, running at 3.40GHz with those four cores.
I've got one 4GB stick of DDR3 Kingston HyperX RAM, running at 1600MHz with CL9 latency (part number KHX1600C9D3B1/).
One unit of the Chicony HPA-400W, specifically from the Advanced Highly HPA Series 1 x.
I’ve got one Zalman ZM-T4 micro tower case on hand, measuring 189mm wide by 427.5mm high and 364mm deep. Motherboard...
I've got one desktop Toshiba DT01ACA050 on hand—it's a 500GB drive spinning at 7200rpm with a SATA 6 Gb/s interface and 32MB cache.
I’ve got one ASUS HD7770-1GD5 on hand—it's an AMD Radeon card featuring 1024 MB of DDR5 memory and runs on a PCIe 3.0 interface.
One Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk Black DVD burner, SATA.
I've got one Thermaltake Contact 16 available, compatible with a wide range of sockets including 775, AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, FM1, 1155, and 1156.

$1030

I'm curious why you're leaning toward an AMD FM2 motherboard specifically.😁 If you aren't planning on dropping a new Kaver Apa or even the upcoming AMD Carrizo Apa in 2015, then there really isn't much point in looking elsewhere. If anyone is currently building an AMD rig—and I’m obviously not talking about those old AM3+ setups—you really ought to be picking up or recommending an FM2+ motherboard without hesitation.

What’s even the point of making these kinds of recommendations when you look at how things actually work on the ground; we have FM2+ motherboards sitting right there in our local shops and they aren't exactly breaking the bank. In practice, it's just... $17 Prices are fluctuating because all the budget models are currently sold out, though we’re expecting a fresh shipment to land soon. It makes you wonder what happens down the road when some forum regular decides they want to drop a Kaver Apa or a Carrizo Apa into their FM2 motherboard, only to realize too late that the hardware just isn't compatible.😉

FM2

I took a look at that product listing for the AMD A75 Hudson D2 setup, and honestly, it’s pretty straightforward hardware if you know what you're looking for. It’s a standard configuration, nothing too flashy, just a reliable way to get an AMD-based system up and running without overcomplicating things. If you're trying to decide whether it fits your specific needs, just look at the core specs and don't get distracted by the marketing fluff. It does exactly what it says on the tin.

FM2+

I was looking through some hardware specs recently and came across this mATX chassis. It’s pretty straightforward, really—just a standard micro-ATX box that gets the job done without any unnecessary flair. If you aren't looking to build a massive tower and just need something compact enough to fit on a desk without taking over the entire room, this is a decent little option. It isn't anything groundbreaking, but for a basic setup, it serves its purpose perfectly fine.

I’ve been looking over the specs for this specific motherboard, and honestly, it’s exactly the kind of component you need if you're trying to squeeze everything out of an older setup without breaking the bank. It’s a solid choice for anyone working around an AMD platform who needs reliable stability and decent connectivity. If you're building something functional and straightforward, this is a dependable piece of hardware that gets the job done without any unnecessary fluff.

In practice, hardly anyone actually bothers with an upgrade. It’s honestly a bit sad how often a new series ends up being virtually identical to the last, or maybe just 10% better—which makes the whole thing a total waste of money. If you look at all the different platforms available through the years, nobody is going to jump from a 750K to a 760K. Most people just ride their PC for a few years and then scrap the whole thing to buy something brand new. If you're actually looking for a meaningful upgrade path, you're much better off sticking with Intel—where you can, for example, move from an i3 straight up to an i5 or even an i7 right now.

Andrew Miller102 said:And why exactly are you pushing an AMD FM2 motherboard? What's the logic there?😁 If you aren't planning on dropping a new Kaver Apa or even an upcoming AMD Carrizo Apa in 2015, then why bother? If anyone is building an AMD rig right now—and I'm not talking about those old AM3+ boards—you really should be looking at an FM2+ motherboard. It’s just common sense.

What's the point of these recommendations? In the real world, we've got FM2+ motherboards sitting right there in our shops, and they aren't even expensive. It's just common sense. $17 Prices are different because all the budget models are sold out right now, though we're expecting a new shipment soon. What happens when some forum guy decides he wants to drop a Kaver Apa or a Carrizo Apa into his FM2 motherboard later on, only to realize too late that it won't work? That’s the reality.😉

FM2

Check this out:

FM2+

Check out this mATX case. It's pretty basic, like a standard budget build you'd pick up at Best Buy.

Check out this link for the specs on that motherboard.

What's up? $1000 I honestly doubt an upgrade is happening. Budget is tight, and this is pretty much the best they can get without blowing past what they can actually afford.
I guess that's it. $17 When you're working with a tight budget, every cent counts. I already went over what he had planned, and now I'm adding even more costs on top of that. Personally, I wouldn't touch it.
I get it. Moving to the FM2+ platform is definitely the smartest play here.

I'm done recommending anything to anyone. Even if it’s cheap, it just isn't worth the headache.

graniteharbor85 said:Here you go:

X4 740
SPIRE KEPLER R2.0
AS ROCK FM2 A55 VG3
PATRIOT 4GB 1600 MHZ
TOSHIBA 3,5 500 GB SATA 3
SAPPHIRE R7 260X 1GB BOOST
CHICONY HPA 400W ACTIVE
ZALMAN T4 USB 3.0 MATX

$1003 - Micro Center (includes free assembly and shipping)

You might want to pick up a used SATA optical drive for about $17—it isn't an urgent need, and the extra cash could be better spent upgrading your other components. Just a heads-up, though: Crysis 3 is notoriously demanding on HW, so don't expect to run everything on ultra settings.

Honestly, you got a pretty solid deal considering the specs you're looking at.
I'll stick with Micro Center!

I wouldn't say you got off easy; honestly, I’m just wondering what kind of fool handed over that much cash to you.🙂