PC Build under $300

Hey, I was wondering if anyone could help me put together a PC build. Most of the time I'll just be surfing the web, watching movies, and playing some older stuff—think War Thunder, World of Warplanes, GTR2, rFactor, or S.T.A.L.K.E.R. I need everything except for an HDD, and I don't need any peripherals either. I’m looking at stores that offer shipping and assembly services, though I’ve heard some people had issues with Micro Center, so maybe steer clear of them. I'll be paying by card, or ideally via cash on delivery if that's even still a thing.
Thanks in advance.

Intel B04 case without power supply
ASUS FM2A55M motherboard
AMD A8 x4 6500 processor
AMD A8 x4 6500 Memory Device Kingston ValueRAM DDR3 SDRAM Non-ECC (4GB,1600MHz(PC3-12800),Single Rank,Unbuffered) C
Fortron 400W PSU, Hexa, 80+, active, 12 cm

Total: $1,895.51 + $168.86 from Best Buy... minus the burner. I guess you're stuck with a credit card limit of exactly 2k?

1 x AMD Trinity A8-Series x4 5600 Processor, 3.60GHz, 4 cores, FM2
1 x ASUS FM2A55M Motherboard - featuring AMD A75 Hudson D2, M-ATX, with Solid Capacitors
1 x 4GB DDR3 (1x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX, KHX1600C9D3B1/
1 x Corsair Series CX 430W Power Supply, 80+ Bronze, EPS12V v2.3, 80+
1 x Zalman ZM-T1 micro tower case, 169(W) x 425(H) x 340(D)mm
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 CPU Cooler, compatible with 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm, 92mm fan

$678
Amazon.com - free shipping

1 x ASUS FM2A55M - AMD A75 Hudson D2, M-ATX, Solid Capacitor
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX, KHX1600C9D3B1/
1 x Zalman ZM-T2 micro tower case. 169(W) x 425(H) x 340(D)mm. MB st
1 x AMD Trinity A8-Series x4 5600 3.60GHz 4cores, FM2
1 x Corsair Series CX 430W, 80+ Bronze, EPS12V v2.3, 80+
1 x ASUS DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/AS SATA, DVD-R 24x, DVD-RW 6x, DVD+R 24x

$694
www.newegg.com
newegg.com

Don't want to clutter things up with a whole new thread, so I'll just jump in here 🙂. I'm thinking about dropping about $1000 on a case, but since I've never actually built a PC myself, I'd probably just buy a pre-built. I'm torn between these two options http://www.newegg.com/p/in5300g http://www.newegg.com/p/in840g. I'll be using this rig for pretty much everything—gaming, installs, you name it. So, what do you guys think? Is it better to just grab one of these or should I bite the bullet and try building it myself?

Jamie Patel2 said:Not trying to start a whole new thread, just piggybacking off this one 🙂. I'm thinking about picking up a case for under $1000, and since I've never actually built a PC before, I might just buy a pre-built. I'm torn between these two options: http://www.newegg.com/p/example1 http://www.newegg.com/p/example2 . This rig will be my everything—gaming, installing stuff, you name it. So, should I grab one of these ready-made ones or try my luck building it myself?

1 x ASUS FM2A55M - AMD A75 Hudson D2, M-ATX, Solid Capacitor
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL9, HyperX, KHX1600C9D3B1/
1 x LG GH24NS, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x Toshiba 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x MSI R7770, 1GB GDDR5 128bit, 28nm, DVI + HDMI x1
1 x Intel B04 without power supply, Midi tower, ATX, 5.25" external bay
1 x AMD Trinity Athlon ii x4 740 3.20GHz 4cores
1 x Corsair Series CX 430W, 80+ Bronze, EPS12V v2.3, 80+

$1054
www.newegg.com

ASUS FM2A55M
USD 45.00
AMD Athlon II X4 740 Soc FM2 USD 80.00
USD 80.00
Patriot Sig. DIMM, DDR3 1333Mhz, 4GB
USD 35.00
Toshiba 500GB,7200rpm, 32MB
USD 50.00
Zalman micro tower case black
USD 25.00
Samsung SH-224DB sat Bulk crn USD 20.00 CORSAIR Power Supply
USD 20.00
CORSAIR Power Supply, Corsair Series CX 80+ Bronze, 430 Watt, ATX, EPS12V, PS/2, USA Version
USD 45.00
Gigabyte HD7770 OC, 1GB GDDR5, DVI, HDMI, DP
USD 115.00
Total: USD 415.00

Best Buy

Thanks everyone for all the help and suggestions, though I think you've mostly just confirmed what I already suspected—that some AMD processor with integrated graphics should be plenty for me (I was actually leaning toward an Intel Core i3/i5/i7 paired with a 6670/7750 GPU).
@crimsonstag84/">@@crimsonstag84, I don't really have a strict cap at $667, I've just decided that's a reasonable amount to spend on a machine that covers what I need.
I'm mostly drawn to this configuration from fl@tron, purely because it includes a burner; my current setup uses a PATA burner, so that one would be pretty much useless to me.

Austin Wright79 said:Thanks everyone for all the help and the great suggestions—you've really reinforced my thinking that an AMD processor with integrated graphics should do the trick for me (I was also weighing up an Intel Core i3/i5/i7 setup paired with a 6670/7750 card).
@crimsonstag84/">@@crimsonstag84 I don't have a strict budget cap of $667, I've just decided that this specific amount is enough to build a machine that covers everything I need.
What I'm liking most is that configuration from fl@tron; mostly because it includes a burner—my current PC has an old PATA burner, which is pretty much useless to me now.

You might want to consider picking up a replacement cooler, just like halek suggested.

I'm running one of those AMD APUs myself, and honestly, the stock cooler is loud enough to drive you crazy—it's actually distracting when you're trying to get things done. I ended up swapping mine out after only a month.

Austin Wright79 said:Hey everyone, can someone help me put together a PC build? It’ll mostly be for web surfing, watching movies, and some light gaming (War Thunder, World of Warplanes, GTR2, rFactor, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.). I need all the components except for an HDD, and I don't need peripherals either. Any retailer that offers shipping and assembly would work—just not eDigital, because I've heard people had issues with them. I'll be paying by credit card or cash on delivery if possible.
Thanks in advance.

quad-core processor http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?tp=0&q=x4+750k $187

motherboard http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?...ck+FM2A75M-DGS $108

4GB RAM 1600 http://www.nabava.net/radna-memorija...600mhz__539511 $69

power supply http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?tp=0&q=ms+550+pro $67

GPU HD 7750 http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?...7750+1GB+GDDR5 $222

burner http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?...g+22x+SATA+DVD $41

case http://www.nabava.net/kucista__300/n...i-atx__3739911 $30

total cost $724

if you upgrade to a stronger GPU like the HD 7770 http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?...7770+1GB+GDDR5 it'll be another $100 or so more total $761.

if you want an aftermarket cooler too, that's even more $30 extra http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?tp=0&q=lc+95

going with the stronger GPU combo leads you straight into HD resolution and decent gaming... You could probably get by with a much weaker setup, but why not have something better (that will also handle future games) for just a few bucks more...

otherwise, it seems to me like the LC 95 and Spire Kepler are basically the same cooler... correct me if I'm wrong... both are fine...

Alright, I guess I'll grab that Spire cooler too. By the way, the label says FM1, but the processor is an AM4, right?

Jamie Patel2 said:I don't want to start a whole new thread, so I'll just jump in here 🙂. I'm thinking about buying a pre-built tower for around $1000, but since I've never actually built one myself, I'd probably just buy a complete system. I'm torn between these two options: http://www.bestbuy.com/rac...gamepad/IN5300G http://www.bestbuy.com/rac...gamepad/IN840G . I'll be using this PC for everything—gaming, general software, basically whatever. So, is it better to grab one of these ready-made ones, or should I try building it myself?

quad core http://www.amazon.com/search?q=Intel+Core+i3 $187

motherboard http://www.newegg.com/p/search?q=FM2A75M-DGS $108

4GB 1600MHz RAM http://www.newegg.com/p/memory...600mhz__539511 $69

1TB WD Black HDD http://www.newegg.com/p/hard-drive...00rpm__1260331 $220

power supply http://www.newegg.com/p/search?q=ms+550+pro $67

HD 7770 GPU http://www.newegg.com/p/search?q=7770+1GB+GDDR5 $259

burner http://www.newegg.com/p/search?q=22x+SATA+DVD $41

case http://www.newegg.com/p/cases__300/n...i-atx__3739911 $30

spare cooler http://www.newegg.com/p/search?q=lc+95 $28

total cost $1009

Bryan Taylor6 said:motherboard http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?...ck+FM2A75M-DGS $108

Asrock FM2 FM2A75M-DGS ASR-FM2A75M-DGS-RMA RMA Asrock FM2A75M-DGS

Not there, I guess...

crimsonstag84 said:ASRock FM2 FM2A75M-DGS ASR-FM2A75M-DGS-RMA RMA... ASRock FM2A55M DGS MS industrial...

Not here...

Look, you can pick up that motherboard anywhere else besides Future, but the price starts at... $140So... $33 ...more... which is actually a pretty fair price.

That option is a little weak... Searching for Asrock FM2A55M DGS MS industrial... Yeah... $120 It's the ASRock FM2A55M DGS MS industrial, to be exact...

It looks like coolers are getting blamed for everything...

The physical dimensions for AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, FM1, and FM2 sockets are identical. The only difference in these sockets is the actual CPU itself. It won't affect how you mount your cooler...

Here’s how the corrected build would look

CPU: Intel Core i3 http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?tp=0&q=x4+750k $187

Motherboard http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?...ck+FM2A75M-DGS $140--- don't buy that one from Future for $107 because it was repaired under warranty and put back on the market

4GB 1600MHz RAM http://www.nabava.net/radna-memorija...600mhz__539511 $69

1TB WD Black HDD http://www.nabava.net/cvrsti-diskovi...00rpm__1260331 $220

Power supply http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?tp=0&q=ms+550+pro $67

GPU: HD 7770 http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?...7770+1GB+GDDR5 $259

Burner http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?...g+22x+SATA+DVD $41

Case http://www.nabava.net/kucista__300/n...i-atx__3739911 $30

Replacement cooler http://www.nabava.net/trazilica.php?tp=0&q=lc+95 $28

Total cost $1041

Updated configuration for $667 slightly more beefed up

quad-core processor http://www.amazon.com/s?k=Intel+Core+i3 $187

motherboard http://www.amazon.com/s?k=ASRock+FM2A75M-DGS $140--- don't buy that one from Best Buy for $107 because it was repaired under warranty and put back on the shelf

or go cheaper if you're on a budget http://www.amazon.com/s?k=Asrock+FM2A55 for $120

4GB 1600 RAM http://www.amazon.com/s?k=ddr3+ram $69

power supply http://www.amazon.com/s?k=MS+550+Pro $67

GPU HD 7750 http://www.amazon.com/s?k=HD+7750+1GB+GDDR5 $222

drive http://www.amazon.com/s?k=sata+dvd $41

case http://www.amazon.com/s?k=atx+case $30

all together $735 with the cheaper motherboard or $755 with the pricier one

if you step up to a stronger GPU like the HD 7770 http://www.amazon.com/s?k=HD+7770+1GB+GDDR5 it's another 100 bucks or so

if you want an aftermarket cooler, that's even $30 more http://www.amazon.com/s?k=LC+95

the combo with the better graphics leads straight to HD gaming... you'd probably be happy with a weaker setup, but why not have something better (and ready for future games too) for just a few extra dollars...

honestly, looks like the LC 95 and Spire Kepler are basically the same cooler... correct me if I'm wrong... both are fine

I’m with you, man. I’ve been scrolling through some builds on the forums lately and put together a little something... if I’ve completely botched the logic here, please, feel free to set me straight..

Processor: Intel Core i3

Motherboard: ASRock FM2A55M DGS

Power Supply: MS Industrial PRO-550

Case: SIRIUS case without power supply

Memory: Transcend DDR3 2GB 1333MHz, JM1333KLN-2GBK x2 (he wants 4GB total)

Graphics Card: ASUS Radeon EAH6670/DI/1GD3

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda Desktop (3.5", 500GB, 16MB, SATA II-300) ST500DM005

It’s coming out to $2,200, but his budget is strictly $2,000. So, I’ll probably just cut one of those 2GB RAM sticks to save some cash... I think I saw something similar over at Best Buy.

Kevin Newman6 said:I agree, man. I was looking at some builds on the forum and put this together. If I messed anything up, please let me know...

Intel Core i3

ASRock FM2A55M DGS

PRO-550 MS power supply

SIRIUS case without PSU

Transcend DDR3 2GB 1333MHz, JM1333KLN-2GBK x2 (wants 4gb)

ASUS Radeon EAH6670/DI/1GD3

Seagate Barracuda 500GB (3.5", 16MB, SATA II-300) ST500DM005

It comes out to $2,200 but his budget is $2,000, so I'll probably cut one 2GB stick of RAM... I think Best Buy has them in stock.

That GPU should be at least DDR5, and honestly, an HD 7750 isn't much of an upgrade over it anyway... if you drop from 4GB of RAM down to 2GB... you won't be able to run 90% of games if you're running Windows 7 as your OS...

The whole point is to $667 build the best rig possible for that money. Even if you go slightly over $67 or so, it's worth it... decent gaming really starts with an HD 7770...

If the budget is strictly limited, $667 then you have to switch to an Intel Core i5 processor and a $133 motherboard

like the ASRock H61M-VG3 for $87... and so on. It’s a completely different direction... the memory I mentioned is 4GB 1600MHz for about $2.00

I guess it's just an Intel Celeron G1610.
I guess it's just a Kingston ValueRAM DDR3 SDRAM Non-ECC memory device (4GB, 1600MHz (PC3-12800), single Rank, Unbuffered).
Maybe it's just me, but I think this SIRIUS Fortron case doesn't come with a power supply.
I guess I'm looking at the SIRIUS Fortron 400W—it's a Hexa 80+ model with an active 12 cm fan.
Desktop HDD, Seagate Barracuda (3.5", 500GB, 16MB, SATA II-300) ST500DM005
The Sapphire Radeon HD 6670 GDDR5 comes with 1GB of memory on a 128-bit bus, running at 800MHz/1000MHz via a PCI-E 2.1 x16 interface. It features HDMI, DVI, and VGA outputs, and it's a dual-slot design, I guess.
I guess we're looking at the ASRock H61M-VG3 motherboard.

Total: $2,074.73 via Chase.

Thanks again.
@ Bryan Taylor6: I appreciate all the work you put into this, but I honestly don't think I need a rig that powerful; for one thing, my monitor doesn't even support Full HD (it's just a 19" BenQ), and besides, I'm a pretty low-maintenance gamer, I guess. For example, looking at upcoming titles, the only one that really catches my eye is Survarium, and for the last five years, I've been running a setup with an Athlon x2 5000 + and an HD3600, which let me play maybe 10 to 15 games over that whole period—things like Far Cry 1 & 2, Metro 2033, Shift, Crysis 1, or Singularity—all on the absolute lowest settings, and it seemed fine enough.

Bryan Taylor6 said:this quad-core junk http://www.google.com/search?q=x4+750k $187

motherboard http://www.google.com/search?q=motherboard+FM2A75M-DGS $108

4gb 1600 memory http://www.google.com/search?q=ddr3+ram+1600mhz $69

1tb WD Black hard drive http://www.google.com/search?q=wd+black+1tb+hdd $220

power supply http://www.google.com/search?q=ms+550+pro $67

HD 7770 graphics card http://www.google.com/search?q=hd+7770+1GB+GDDR5 $259

burner http://www.google.com/search?q=sata+dvd+drive $41

case http://www.google.com/search?q=atx+pc+case $30

replacement cooler http://www.google.com/search?q=lc+95 $28

all together $1009

I'd grab everything from Best Buy or Micro Center. Since they don't have certain parts at Best Buy, maybe I could go with this?
http://www.bestbuy.com/asr...2A75M-DGS-R2.0

http://www.bestbuy.com/pro.../AD750KWOHJBOX

http://www.bestbuy.com/tvr...TOS-DT01ACA050

http://www.bestbuy.com/spi...-maverick-6008

http://www.bestbuy.com/spi...pi-nap-550w-be

http://www.bestbuy.com/mem...9ad32g/0702392 x2

http://www.bestbuy.com/opt...blkbas/0120423

http://www.bestbuy.com/zal.../N/A maybe something like this.

The total is around $400--$900 (didn't do the math exactly) which means I won't have enough left for a decent GPU, so I'm thinking about just picking up a better card later on. Better than blowing all my cash right now on something that's gonna suck.