Cheap Desktop Build

DriftMastrClass

DriftMastrClass

354
rejektedS15
I would like to know what the best desktop I could build for $450 is, with my decision to just get a really cheap laptop I need a desktop for PC racing sims, if it ran BF3 that would be great even with lower settings.

Also, I only download PC games so a cheap DVD drive is fine.
 
450$ Would be cutting it really close. 560$ Would get something worthy of playing BF3 and Any Sim you felt like throwing at it. But that doesn't include an OS. I think in your case, you'd be better off buying a premade system from someone like HP, Gateway or Lenovo.

Gateway and Lenovo would be my picks though, they pack a lot into their systems at low budget.
 
What was wrong with the rig I suggested to you in your previous thread? Just replace the 6670 with a 6850, and make the CPU a Phenom 555, and unlock the 2 other cores to make it a 955.

Also, why create a new thread?
 
NissanSkylineN1
What was wrong with the rig I suggested to you in your previous thread? Just replace the 6670 with a 6850, and make the CPU a Phenom 555, and unlock the 2 other cores to make it a 955.

Also, why create a new thread?
Click to expand...

1. Your rig was very helpful, but I wanted more options.

2. I was looking for a more specific answer.
 
Recommended System Requirements
OS: WINDOWS 7 64-BIT
PROCESSOR: QUAD-CORE CPU
MEMORY: 4 GB
HARD DRIVE: 20 GB
GRAPHICS CARD: DIRECTX 11 COMPATIBLE WITH 1024 MB RAM (NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 OR ATI RADEON 6950)
Click to expand...

Well seeing that the quote I made above is the max system requirements for BF3(taken from the website) you can actually play fairly well with an AMD APU alone.

Computer Case(Decent case for the money)
Power Supply
Motherboard
A6 APU(Has AMD HD 6530D graphics integrated and is a 2.6GHz Quad)
4GB of DDR3 Memory
320GB HDD(Sadly it's quite pricey now)
DVD Burner Drive

The above parts cost $372 without the cost of shipping. With Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit the computer costs $472 without shipping. I looked at shipping and the shipping costs roughly $20. So $492 in total with shipping, parts, and Windows 7(if you attend college you could get a discount). This fits in your max budget and it will play BF3 pretty well.

Though yes a premade system can be cheaper but the Gateway that Bergauk posted is a small form factor case and you will be limited by it's size if you want to do any graphics card upgrades in the future. Such as you can crossfire the A6's onboard GPU with a HD 6670($100 value and at times a bit less). With a standard sized case you can easily pick out a graphics card and set the software to crossfire if you want a good performance boost in the future without buying a more expensive graphics card.
 
Have you noticed that Gateway can only take half height graphics cards and can be easily limited by it's power supply?
 
No I never noticed that, considering my computer came with a 700w PSU in 07. Made by a refutable company as well.

If he really felt like he needed more out of, there isn't much issue with gutting the parts out of the machine, and placing them in a new case, with a new PSU, it isn't hard to do.

As it stands now though, I posted a prebuilt machine, that is comparable to the one that you posted, and is cheaper, with a larger HDD. More value wins in this case.
 
If he wanted to move to a different case and power supply it would cost him $92 from the case and power supply I posted. So adding that to the computer you posted. That is $512. So in this case my parts are the better deal to build a computer with room to expand.
 
I still think my build was the best.... I don't understand why he would want more "options"... I don't understand how listing parts and saying that it would beat consoles is not specific.
 
Right, because everyone wants to move to a 400w PSU and a MicroATX case with no way of expanding out of it besides buying YET ANOTHER PSU and Case.
 
And you suggested a computer with a 220watt psu and proprietary motherboard. I'm only providing him with different options if he wants to do something different.
 
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Gateway rarely uses a true propriety board. My computer, and many others that I've worked on use common boards with Gateway BIOS' That's the only difference, and that's a pretty minor difference.
 
Look at the motherboard in that case. It's larger than Mini-ITX and smaller than a Micro-ATX motherboard. I'd like to note that the cpu I posted is clocked at 2.6GHz vs the Gateway's 2.1GHz clock. My parts have better performance vs buying that gateway, taking the parts out, and buying up to $100 in power supply and case parts.
 
How about this:

AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition-87.99
Biostar A770E3-49.99
Patriot G series 2x4GB-44.99
HIS Radeon HD 6770-109.99
Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB-79.99
Thermaltake V3 Black Edition-39.99
Epower EP500LS-19.45
Dirt 3-free with GPU

Build 1 Specs:
3.2GHz Unlocked Processor
8GB RAM
1000GB Hard Drive
1GB VRAM
500W Power Supply
 
Why not spend the $80-$90 on a 4 core processor and not on a dual core that has 10% chance of unlocking, if that?
$20 500w power supply? Really?
I'm seeing the 5770 selling for more than the 6770 in private sales? I'm thinking there is a reason for that?
 
Yes $20 500watt PSU = BAD! You would be better off with the build I suggested to you but change the ram from 4GB to 8GB. My build has a perfectly stable 400Watt PSU that will easily be able to take crossfire of the intergrated gpu with an HD 6670. Does you budget include the OS? If it does not then you would have room to add a HD 6670 for crossfire in your budget.
 
You can't use OEM OS licenses, and also, your PSU needs to have a 20+4 pin stuck together in the main power cord that goes into the motherboard. Chances ar ethat if your PC is older than... 5 years (?), it won't have that.

Just do the build I suggested you.
 
That processor is outdated. He would be better off with an AMD APU. He can easily crossfire with the apu with an HD6670($80 value and he won't need more than a good 400watt PSU). Plus you can't be certain that the triple core cpu will be able to unlock. They do package a extra bad core on a triple core at times. Your price for your build never included Windows 7 and yes he can't use an OEM copy that is already used.
 
NissanSkylineN1
You can't use OEM OS licenses, and also, your PSU needs to have a 20+4 pin stuck together in the main power cord that goes into the motherboard. Chances ar ethat if your PC is older than... 5 years (?), it won't have that.

Just do the build I suggested you.
Click to expand...

I have a disc, and I'll have to look at my PSU.
 
I'd would check the label for the 12V rail. My HD 6770 card requires 40A(That is an estimate for the card with other computer parts) in the 12V rail(my $70 600watt PSU has 42A on the 12V rail). You should have a read of the A6-3650 here. On page 21 they list power consumption tests. They used a GTX 280 card and it uses a good amount of wattage by itself compared to a HD 6670. It's recommended to use a 400watt power supply for the build I suggested. I would only use that old PSU if it meets the 400watt requirement and only if the cpu power cable has the right pins for the motherboard(Some motherboards require a 4 pin cpu power while newer motherboards require a 8pin cpu power connector).
 

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