Phill's computer Build ($400)

[phillgt2002]

My budget is $400 first off. I can go lower because I don't need a OS, a hard-drive, or a optical drive.


Processor: AMD Quad-Core A8-Series APU A8-6600K
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB Single DDR3
Graphics Card: MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 2GB GDDR5
Fans: Rosewill 120mm Case Fan RFA-120-K Black (x2)
Motherboard: MSI Socket FM2/AMD A75
Case and PSU: RAIDMAX Altas ATX-295WBP Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply

All of this adds up to $412.17+

Also, I plan to use it for Adobe Suite, Gaming, Video, and audio editing.

Thanks for all of the help previously, and expect for this thread to be updated come computer Christmas

 

[Sharky.]

You won't be able to build a computer that you can use for video editing for $400; video editing requires CPU power, cores, CPU power, cores and, you guessed it, more CPU power. You'll be looking at a $300+ processor alone in that situation unless you're content with waiting 12 hours for videos to render.

Gaming is a lot more doable within your budget, but that's relative - it's still very hard to spec something with any kind of gaming performance for that price

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

Get an A6 as your CPU. There's tons of good cases under $50. I like the CoolerMasters and the ThermalTakeV3. $400 build is nothing though.

What's your current PC?

 

[Techy]

I'd advise to not cheap out on the motherboard. Of course taking an Asus Maximus is way overboard but starting at $80 or more is reasonable here. I'm guessing you're going to use this PC for a while, so might as well get a bit pricey.

The same goes for the PSU, but Corsair's pretty good so you can go with that. 500 W is enough here.

RAM's fine too, but 8 GB is recommended, especially for what you're going to do.

I'm not sure about that GPU.

For your activities with this PC: Like Sharky said, you probably won't be very productive with video editing if you stick at this price range. Gaming is variable: Are you going to play only indie games or AAA titles like Crysis? Do you like eye candy, performance, or both?

You can also use this site. IMO it's a good way to gauge your interests.

 

[phillgt2002]

You won't be able to build a computer that you can use for video editing for $400; video editing requires CPU power, cores, CPU power, cores and, you guessed it, more CPU power. You'll be looking at a $300+ processor alone in that situation unless you're content with waiting 12 hours for videos to render.

Well, just light video editing. I've done things on this garbage Intel Celeron E3400 . It takes patience my friend. I plan to do light gaming generally, League of Legends would be a blast at a better frame-rate. Maybe having the ability to run the usual Steam Sale games on Med or High at steady frame-rate.

Get an A6 as your CPU. There's tons of good cases under $50. I like the CoolerMasters and the ThermalTakeV3. $400 build is nothing though.

What's your current PC?

My current PC is a Emachines EL1850G

It's good for regular usage but anything more is just a struggle for it.

Just a few specs.

Intel Celeron E3400
4GB of DDR3
The beastly Intel G41 Express Chipset. Integrated for the win.

I'd advise to not cheap out on the motherboard.
RAM's fine too, but 8 GB is recommended, especially for what you're going to do.

I'm not sure about that GPU.

For your activities with this PC: Like Sharky said, you probably won't be very productive with video editing if you stick at this price range. Gaming is variable: Are you going to play only indie games or AAA titles like Crysis? Do you like eye candy, performance, or both?

You can also use this site. IMO it's a good way to gauge your interests.

Yeah, I know not to cheap out but I'm trying to be reasonable. $400 is a cramped price-range.
The GPU I posted was just an idea, I may try to find something that is a bit better and known.

I don't plan to use it for video editing seriously, I'm talking about Sony Vegas which I can run on my current PC so that isn't much of a deal. I'm in college for graphic design and I'm looking to get more performance in the Adobe Suite, gaming is something that I'm looking to do. Some general Steam games would be fine. Ex: Counterstrike series, Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead. I would like to play some AAA games but at around medium settings or med/high.

 

[Sharky.]

Counter-Strike and TF2 will happily run on toasters if you use an FPS-oriented game config 👍

 

[phillgt2002]

Okay, I'm pretty excited for this to happen. I'll have to wait about a month until I get the parts. If I get the chance I will definitely upgrade it later on. When reading people getting new GPUs' it's like they're receiving a new console almost. I still have to look for a case.

 

[phillgt2002]

Sorry for the double post. So.. That's my order total. I can go up a little bit on the motherboard it'self. We shall see later. You guys have crazy rigs, I know you've experienced this kind of excitement. PC <3

 

[Techy]

Well, before deciding on a 780 or something, make sure of bottlenecks.

Yeah, I know not to cheap out but I'm trying to be reasonable. $400 is a cramped price-range.
The GPU I posted was just an idea, I may try to find something that is a bit better and known.

I don't plan to use it for video editing seriously, I'm talking about Sony Vegas which I can run on my current PC so that isn't much of a deal. I'm in college for graphic design and I'm looking to get more performance in the Adobe Suite, gaming is something that I'm looking to do. Some general Steam games would be fine. Ex: Counterstrike series, Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead. I would like to play some AAA games but at around medium settings or med/high.

Ah, so you're aiming for a more generalized rig. The parts you chose are good for now.

 

[TB]

A few things I'm noticing with your parts you might want to consider before placing your order.

Case:

• It doesn't show that it has any USB 3.0 connections, but your motherboard does.
• It comes with one fan, with places for up to 4. Buy a couple of the largest fans it can handle to increase airflow.

Motherboard:

• Has USB 3.0 connections but the case doesn't.

If 3.0 doesn't matter to you (it will only really come up when using an external drive) then disregard but fans are cheap.

 

[phillgt2002]

A few things I'm noticing with your parts you might want to consider before placing your order.

Case:

• It doesn't show that it has any USB 3.0 connections, but your motherboard does.
• It comes with one fan, with places for up to 4. Buy a couple of the largest fans it can handle to increase airflow.

Motherboard:

• Has USB 3.0 connections but the case doesn't.

If 3.0 doesn't matter to you (it will only really come up when using an external drive) then disregard but fans are cheap.

Oh, thanks for that, I had no clue honestly. I only plan to use small USB devices.

So, you say the case only comes with one fan, should if I get 3 more larger fans where should I put them and what size should they be?

 

[TB]

If you stay with that case, newegg is showing that you can fit three 120mm fans.

As for where, that'll be pretty obvious when you see it. You should be more concerned with making sure you have them facing the right way when you install them. Four fans blowing into the case and none blowing out won't do a very good job.

If you do decide to switch cases to have USB 3.0 support, I have this case (albeit the white version) and it's served me well so far. Pointless note: it has mounting points for 7 case fans, but you certainly won't need that many for your rig.

 

[Techy]

Oh, thanks for that, I had no clue honestly. I only plan to use small USB devices.

So, you say the case only comes with one fan, should if I get 3 more larger fans where should I put them and what size should they be?

It all depends. Usually the basic setup is one intake fan that goes in the front and one exhaust that goes in the back. The fans you buy also depends. 120mm is a common size, as it can move a lot of air w/o much noise. If a case offers, you can install more fans like the side, the top, or even the bottom. But keep in mind that it can disrupt airflow, so if you ever do decide on more fans - which you shouldn't really need any more - look at its specs. Also note that some fans are noisy than others, and more fans usually lead to more noise.

There exists the realm of liquid cooling as well, but that's up to you.

 

[phillgt2002]

It all depends. Usually the basic setup is one intake fan that goes in the front and one exhaust that goes in the back. The fans you buy also depends. 120mm is a common size, as it can move a lot of air w/o much noise. If a case offers, you can install more fans like the side, the top, or even the bottom. But keep in mind that it can disrupt airflow, so if you ever do decide on more fans - which you shouldn't really need any more - look at its specs. Also note that some fans are noisy than others, and more fans usually lead to more noise.

There exists the realm of liquid cooling as well, but that's up to you.

Yeah.... me+liquid+computer isn't a good combination. I'll just stick with the basics. I added 2 fans to my cart.

 

[Techy]

Yeah.... me+liquid+computer isn't a good combination. I'll just stick with the basics. I added 2 fans to my cart.

What brand are they?

 

[TB]

Have you put the parts you're planning on buying into pcpartspicker.com to check for compatibility issues?

 

[phillgt2002]

What brand are they?

Rosewill. I'm going with those for now, and I'll upgrade the side fan later. I also upgraded to graphics card. MSI Computer Corp. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 2048MB GDDR5. I'm still looking around for other cards.

Have you put the parts you're planning on buying into pcpartspicker.com to check for compatibility issues?

I heard of the site but didn't know about that feature. I'll check right now.

Edit: Seems like everything is fine.

 

[Techy]

Rosewill. I'm going with those for now, and I'll upgrade the side fan later. I also upgraded to graphics card. MSI Computer Corp. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 2048MB GDDR5. I'm still looking around for other cards.

I heard of the site but didn't know about that feature. I'll check right now.

Edit: Seems like everything is fine.

Those are good. Lol I have the same card model, but it's an Evga 650 Ti. Unfortunately the fan's very loud (due to only one fan) and caught a terrible coil whine illness. Still plays games fine in spite of that, like I can run Skyrim at high @ 1080p and gets 60fps. It only drops b/c of my CPU.

 

[TB]

I also upgraded to graphics card. MSI Computer Corp. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 2048MB GDDR5. I'm still looking around for other cards.

The GTX 650 and the HD7750 are on the same tier but the extra RAM will help. 👍

I heard of the site but didn't know about that feature. I'll check right now.

Edit: Seems like everything is fine.

Glad to hear it. 👍

 

[phillgt2002]

Just did a major build change up, I still have the last build on the back-burner if I feel the need to save money. I figured I'd have more money when I do get the parts so I decided to splurge on the processor.

AMD Quad-Core A8-Series APU A8-6600K
Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB Single DDR3
MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 2GB GDDR5
Rosewill 120mm Case Fan RFA-120-K Black (x2)
MSI Socket FM2/AMD A75
RAIDMAX Altas ATX-295WBP Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W Power Supply

I came to realization that I will eventually change my build later on so I decided to go with a bundled case w/PS. I wanted to splurge on the processor because I felt as if the A6 would be far too little at this moment and would last me a bit longer. The PSU will be replaced later (about 3 months in)

All of this adds up to $412.17+

 

[TB]

The PSU will be replaced later (about 3 months in)

You're already planning on upgrading gear you haven't even ordered yet? This makes no sense at all. I completely understand wanting your new machine sooner than later but you'd be MUCH better off waiting a month (assuming finances are tight) and buying it right the first time. Planning for processor and GPU upgrades in 1+ years is one thing but a PSU in a couple of months? Just my opinion and you're obviously free to do what you want but I think it's a bad call.

 

[thunderjolt]

Well why don't you go with something like this?

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2xgpH

It's a pretty good build for $415

7770 is a bit faster than a than the 650 and the X750k is overclockable if you save up and get something like a Hyper 212 EVO. You get 4GB more RAM raising it to 8GB total and you'll have space to upgrade to 16GB RAM on that board. The only thing you might be missing out on is USB 3 but the case has USB 3 for if and when you decide to upgrade the CPU+Mobo.

 

[phillgt2002]

You're already planning on upgrading gear you haven't even ordered yet? This makes no sense at all. I completely understand wanting your new machine sooner than later but you'd be MUCH better off waiting a month (assuming finances are tight) and buying it right the first time. Planning for processor and GPU upgrades in 1+ years is one thing but a PSU in a couple of months? Just my opinion and you're obviously free to do what you want but I think it's a bad call.

I understand. I really just want it to work to my expectations. I've been looking at many different build and ways I could do things, and this one with the A8 looks the best to me. Also, about the PSU. 3 months was just a rough estimate (I tend to exaggerate). Really, that time would be about a month or a few weeks, I just want to be safe with my estimate of time. Now that you bring it up, who knows what could happen due to the availability, stock and prices. I also have a few builds that I have written down, and I fully understand why you would want for me to get the core things at beginning. It's just the fact that I don't know if I'll have much time or money in the next few years since I'm going to be devoted to a even more expensive college. This will only be something I can do right now and I thought that getting the best processor and GPU would be the a good idea.

Well why don't you go with something like this?

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2xgpH

It's a pretty good build for $415

7770 is a bit faster than a than the 650 and the X750k is overclockable if you save up and get something like a Hyper 212 EVO. You get 4GB more RAM raising it to 8GB total and you'll have space to upgrade to 16GB RAM on that board. The only thing you might be missing out on is USB 3 but the case has USB 3 for if and when you decide to upgrade the CPU+Mobo.

I would go for it but I like staying with one vendor for my internet purchases. Some of the parts have really unpredictable price points. If the prices are lower on other vendors when it comes time to purchase, I'll definitely check them out. Just saw your edit. As for the 7770 and GTX650, how much do you think the ram differences will go? One with 1GB GDDR5 and one with 2GB.

 

[thunderjolt]

I understand. I really just want it to work to my expectations. I've been looking at many different build and ways I could do things, and this one with the A8 looks the best to me. Also, about the PSU. 3 months was just a rough estimate (I tend to exaggerate). Really, that time would be about a month or a few weeks, I just want to be safe with my estimate of time. Now that you bring it up, who knows what could happen due to the availability, stock and prices. I also have a few builds that I have written down, and I fully understand why you would want for me to get the core things at beginning. It's just the fact that I don't know if I'll have much time or money in the next few years since I'm going to be devoted to a even more expensive college. This will only be something I can do right now and I thought that getting the best processor and GPU would be the a good idea.



I would go for it but I like staying with one vendor for my internet purchases. Some of the parts have really unpredictable price points. If the prices are lower on other vendors when it comes time to purchase, I'll definitely check them out. Just saw your edit. As for the 7770 and GTX650, how much do you think the ram differences will go? One with 1GB GDDR5 and one with 2GB.

2GB GDDR5 will give you more room to store textures and it much better to have if you plan on gaming at 1080p. 1GB might not cut it for most things. Say if windows uses around 200MB you'll only have 800MB left over for game textures. Battlefield 4 uses A LOT of VRAM if you intend to play that and iRacing maxed out uses around 980 MB for me. 2GB will probably keep you away from hitting the limit and having your game lock up as it starts storing textures on RAM and virtual memory.

 

[phillgt2002]

2GB GDDR5 will give you more room to store textures and it much better to have if you plan on gaming at 1080p. 1GB might not cut it for most things. Say if windows uses around 200MB you'll only have 800MB left over for game textures. Battlefield 4 uses A LOT of VRAM if you intend to play that and iRacing maxed out uses around 980 MB for me. 2GB will probably keep you away from hitting the limit and having your game lock up as it starts storing textures on RAM and virtual memory.

Okay, I understand. I think the 2GB is going to be best for me. If possible I might be able to SLI but I'm not sure.

 

[thunderjolt]

Okay, I understand. I think the 2GB is going to be best for me. If possible I might be able to SLI but I'm not sure.

AMD's version of SLI is called Crossfire. Also it's not really worth doing crossfire on the 7770. For a GPU upgrade you're better off going single GPU than buying a second GPU because there is a lot more power consumption and heat output. Also there's a bit of frame pacing issues with AMD cards right now. If you want a direct upgrade from the 7770 you're looking at a AMD R9 280x or Nvidia GTX 760/770.

One more powerful GPU than two weaker GPUs in my opinion is a much better idea.

EDIT: I just checked the speed of the RAM for your APU on the OP. APUs benefit greatly from having faster RAM because then it can get the data it needs much faster. 1600 Mhz is becoming normal for Gaming PCs but you're better off going with 2400 Mhz RAM or 2133 Mhz RAM.

 

[TB]

I've been looking at many different build and ways I could do things, and this one with the A8 looks the best to me.

*snip*

This will only be something I can do right now and I thought that getting the best processor and GPU would be the a good idea.

My issue isn't with your CPU or GPU but the case/PSU. I simply used upgrading the CPU/GPU as an example.

Also, about the PSU. 3 months was just a rough estimate (I tend to exaggerate). Really, that time would be about a month or a few weeks, I just want to be safe with my estimate of time.

THERE'S my issue. You're telling me that your budget is tight but then you're going to get a case with a power supply included and in a few weeks buy a new power supply? Why would you spend more buying a case and PSU combo only to replace it with a different PSU when you can save up for a month and buy the case and PSU you actually want/need and not have a PSU sitting around doing nothing?

 

[phillgt2002]

My issue isn't with your CPU or GPU but the case/PSU. I simply used upgrading the CPU/GPU as an example.

THERE'S my issue. You're telling me that your budget is tight but then you're going to get a case with a power supply included and in a few weeks buy a new power supply? Why would you spend more buying a case and PSU combo only to replace it with a different PSU when you can save up for a month and buy the case and PSU you actually want/need and not have a PSU sitting around doing nothing?

Well, I was having conflict with finding a reasonable price for a case, then I saw a a bundle for a 500w PSU with a case for $59.99. So I thought, why not just get the case w/ PSU take the one I was getting out of the cart and save a few bucks so I meet my price range.

Like I said, prices fluctuate every once in a while, if I there are some deals when I get to purchase the parts then I'll chose them. PCpartspicker likes to spread out the vendors and while Amazon has somewhat higher prices, I don't have to pay for shipping and I get 2-day shipping through Amazon Prime. I guess it's best to wait, I don't know what new deals will be there in the next few weeks so if there is a deal on a Corsair PSU I'll take the deal and get to go with the rest.. Case, MB, GPU ect. I hope you kind-of understand what I'm saying.

 

[TB]

Scenario #1:
You buy the case you already mentioned with an included power supply - $60 (plus $6 for shipping)
You then buy a new power supply (using this one as an example) for $50
Total - $110

Scenario #2:
You buy a case like this one (look familiar? ) for $45 (and ships for free)
You buy the same power supply as before for $50
Total - $95, saving you $15.

That was my point, unless having another power supply laying around is worth $15 to you. Just want to make sure you've thought it all through.

 

[phillgt2002]

Alright, I understand what you're saying. I couldn't really get past the $400 price point so I was just aiming low. I should be fine with the build being around $450 or so.