PC build under $750?

Hey experts.

I was wondering if you could help me put together a solid build for this budget. I’m mostly looking to game, though I’ll be using it for work stuff too. I don't need any peripherals—no monitor, mouse, or keyboard needed—so just the tower itself. It would be great if it came with Windows already installed, but I'm honestly not sure how much of a difference that makes to the total price.

Thanks in advance.

Here you go:

FX 6300
LC CC 95
ASUS M5A97 R2.0
KINGSTON 8GB 1600 MHZ
TOSHIBA 3,5 1TB SATA 3
GIGABYTE R9 280 3GB WF 3X OC
LG GH24NS95 SATA
FORTRON RAIDER 550W 80+ SILVER
ZALMAN Z1 MIDI ATX USB 3.0

= $1680 price includes shipping and setup.

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend running Windows right out of the box—you'll definitely feel a hit in performance and just overall quality for this specific build.

+1

Just let someone install Windows for you—buy them a beer or something, and you're all set..

1 x Intel Core i5-4440 Processor (3.10GHz, 1MB, 6MB, 84 W, 1150) Box
1 x Asrock H81M-HDS, s1150, Intel H81, M-ATX, dual Channel 2
1 x TOSHIBA 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard
1 x LG GH24NS DVD burner, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R ,8x DL , 40x CD-R
1 x Gigabyte R9 280 3GB OC, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, GVR928WO3D-00-G, 28nm,
1 x SILVERSTONE Strider Essential ST50F-ES AC 90-264V Power Supply

$1686
craigslist.com

1 x ASUS M5A97 R2, AM3, AM3+, AMD 970, SB950, BUS 5200 MHz, DDR3
1 x AMD FX-Series X8 6300 3.5GHz, 14MB, 95W, AM3+, FD6300WMHK
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x LG GH24NS DVD Burner, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x ZALMAN CNPS 5X Performa, socket 775/1155/1156/AM2/AM2/AM3
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard
1 x XFX TS Series 550W PSU -P1550S-XXB9
1 x Gigabyte R9 280 3GB OC, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, GVR928WO3D-00-G, 28nm,
1 x WD 1TB Caviar Blue 10EZEX, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24mo

$1670

craigslist.com

What's actually the deal with the difference between AMD and Intel processors? I'm noticing a pretty big price gap between them, so I was wondering what the catch is.

Lower power draw, cooler CPU temps... It’s pretty clear the chip was just engineered better.

Here’s the AMD version I put together. If you aren't planning on doing any overclocking, then I guess you might be better off just sticking with Intel

1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 Processor 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK
1 x Gigabyte 970A-DS3P, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866
1 x Gigabyte R9 280 3GB OC, 3GB GDDR5 384bit, GVR928WO3D-00-G, 28nm,
1 x XFX TS Series 550W PSU -P1550S-XXB9
1 x Crucial 8GB DDR3 (1x8GB), 1600MHz CL11
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x Zalman Z3 mid tower case. 192(W)x465(H)x430(D)mm. MB standard
1 x LG GH24NS DVD burner, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm, 92mm

$1689

Honestly, you won't even notice the power draw—it’s really not worth worrying about. As for those higher CPU temps with AMD, that’s really just a downside of using the stock cooler—but if you look at the suggestions, you'll see a much better aftermarket cooler was recommended.

When it comes to gaming, the performance gap isn't massive, and honestly, it just depends on which game you're playing. That suggested AMD FX-6300 is basically a rival to the non-K i5 series, and since it's so budget-friendly, it actually lets you build a more "complete" rig—meaning you can put more money into beefier, higher-quality components elsewhere. Overall, though, an i5 is a stronger processor whether we're talking single or multi-thread tasks, mostly because the architecture is just more advanced than the AMD FX-6300.

Intel gives you a pretty wide range of options if you want to upgrade later, but there's a catch—that H81 chipset limits you to existing Haswell / Devil's Canyon models and non-K chips. If you want any real jump in performance, you’d have to go for an i7—I usually think an i5 is a waste of extra cash; you always want the cheapest one available because the difference between models is often just a few hundred MHz, which you won't even feel, but your wallet definitely will. Even though an i7 only adds Hyper-Threading—which doesn't do all that much for gaming right now—it does give you enough breathing room to pair it with a beefier GPU down the road.

On the flip side, with AMD, you also have the option to upgrade to those beefier FX 83xx models. They compete with the i5s in gaming too, but because they have those extra cores, they let you step up to much stronger GPUs, putting them in the same league as the i5 and i7 non-K/K models. Just keep in mind that upgrading later on the AMD side is going to be way cheaper—Intel CPUs tend to be pricier upfront, and even on the used market, they don't drop in price nearly as much.

Bottom line? Whichever route you pick, you really can't go wrong.

If you're building a rig specifically for gaming, the bottom line is this: prioritize getting an AMD Radeon R9 280—it's easily the most powerful GPU you can grab within that budget. Specifically, the Gigabyte Radeon R9 280 WF3 OC is an absolute standout model if you can snag it.

I was browsing through some of the pre-built setups over at Futurin, and I stumbled upon this one:

What do you guys think? It seems like a lot of the parts in here are actually the same ones you've been recommending.

They also have a version built with an Intel processor:

Here’s a build with an i5, the R9 280, and a fast hybrid drive instead of an optical drive—you can find those used ones pretty cheap... 🙂

Crucial 8GB DDR3 Module
Gigabyte Radeon R9 280 WF3 OC, 3GB
Intel Core i5-4440 processor
Gigabyte GA-H81M-DS2V, LGA 1150
Fortron Hyper 500W power supply
Seagate 500W HDD 1TB 3.5"
MS PHOENIX case

$5,043.68 on eBay

Or go with an AMD setup plus an SSD 😉

Crucial 8GB DDR3 Module
Gigabyte Radeon R9 280 WF3 OC, 3GB
Fortron Raider S PSU 550W, 80+
Toshiba DT01ACA050 500GB 3.5''
Intel 520 Series 2.5" SATA III-600 120 GB
AMD FX-6300 processor
Spire Kepler Rev.2 cooler
Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P Zalman motherboard
Zalman mid tower case black, Zalman ZM-Z1

$5,053.47

Bryan Jackson12 said:I was browsing through some of the pre-built setups at Futurin, and I stumbled upon this one:

What do you guys think? It seems to include several components that you all recommended.

There’s also a version featuring an Intel processor:

It's decent enough, mostly because Futurin actually puts effort into their pre-builts compared to most shops—they at least list the specs clearly for most builds. However, I honestly can't see a single reason to buy a pre-configured machine. Once you cross the $2,000 threshold, you get free assembly anyway, plus you have the freedom to customize everything to fit your specific needs and budget (which usually ends up being cheaper). For instance, looking at that first build, I wouldn't opt for the E-series CPU since the standard version costs about the same and offers a few more FPS out of the box; I'd swap in a Gigabyte Radeon R9 280 if it wasn't already there, and so on. That second configuration is basically just a clone of Halek's setup but for $67 more...

Hey guys,

So, I've got my current rig, and I'm looking to swap it out for something new. I’m planning on keeping my peripherals—mouse, keyboard, monitor, all that good stuff. I’ll also pull out the DVD/R drive to make room. My goal is to build a beastly new gaming setup for around $1.75. Here's the big question though: can I just keep my old Corsair 550W power supply? It's about 6 years old now... should I stick with it or is it time to ditch it and get a new one?
I need some solid suggestions on the absolute best parts list I can get for that kind of cash. Give me your best builds!

thanks!!!

If you’re talking about the VX series, honestly, just hang onto it regardless of how old it is—just pop the case open and let it breathe a bit. Is it running slow or what? If you're still rocking an old SATA HDD, my best advice is to ditch it and jump straight to an SSD immediately.

FX 8320
N/A
GIGABYTE 970A-DS3P
KINGSTON FURY 8GB 1866 MHZ
INTEL 520 120 GB SSD SATA 3
GIGABYTE R9 280 3GB WF 3X OC
ZALMAN Z3 MIDI ATX USB 3.0

= $1590.