Budget gaming PC

[I'm_Sorry]

Save an extra $160 and buy a PC that will last.

You will need 16GB of RAM. 4x4GB

But can start with 8GB. 2x4GB

 

[Left]

Do they make Mini-ITX Ryzen motherboards?

 

[I'm_Sorry]

Do they make Mini-ITX Ryzen motherboards?

Don't know.

I don't like small PCs

 

[ExodusMe]

Don't know.

I don't like small PCs

*queue maniacal laugh*

 

[I'm_Sorry]

*queue maniacal laugh*

 

[-Luca]

Yo Luca, I'm thinking about making a fierce change. It's, getting the latest i7, and using integrated graphics. This will allow it to fit in a smaller and more unique computer case.

Integrated gpu are not for gaming, get a dedicated graphics card. Also, i7 is not necessary for gaming, they can be used but usually only if you will be doing lots of editing, animation etc
I5-6600k would have the same fps or more compared to one of the higher i7 generations, from what I have seen from the benchmarks

 

[Left]

I am going to base my PC on this magazine page:

Except replace the Pentium with an i5-7500, replace the graphics card with a GT 730, use slightly less expensive RAM, remove the SSD, trade Ubuntu for Windows.

I decided not to go with Ryzen, as they have no Mini-ITX boards widely available yet.

 

[Greg J.]

I love tiny, cute computers, however I hate working on them. I built a computer for my mom with a small footprint (only big enough to squeeze a MicroATX in). My computer is a full-size tower, and even working on that is more a pain than I'd like. Unless you have a real need for a shoebox-sized computer, you might consider a case that a MicroATX can be crammed into. This would presumably also let you take advantage of a money-saving Ryzen.

All the suggestions in this thread are fine. It's actually hard to go wrong these days. There's a whole gradient of needs computer games have and the specs for your computer end up depending on which games you play (I'm not familiar with the games mentioned). People love 60 fps and 100 fps, but 30 fps was always fine for me (I'm now at 60).

Personally, I would prioritize having a good CPU, since upgrading a graphics card is cheaper. Sometimes upgrading a CPU means: new motherboard, CPU, and memory. i.e., a computer. In fact, you could try on-CPU graphics (if the processor is good), and plan on getting a graphics card in the future if it isn't good enough. The better your CPU the more years you will get out of it. I spent 50% more on a CPU than I ever did before for my current computer, and now it is "old" (in gaming years), but it is still one of the top-rated CPUs, and functionally-speaking I'm not going to need to upgrade it for another couple years.

Consider comparing CPU single-thread speeds (example). Most software still runs primarily on one thread. I figure I'd get good game performance from having 1 thread for the OS and 1 thread for the game. (In practice I haven't had a CPU limited to less than 4 threads in a long time.) My computers are always fast for years. My graphics cards usually fail before I need to upgrade them.

I must agree with one of the other posters. Caring about the speed of your computer implies you really need to get an SSD. If you need more storage than you can afford, one option is to get both an SSD and hard disk drive. E.g., $55 128Gb SSD (larger is better, though) & 500-750Gb Hard Disk $25-$55+.

 

[Left]

All good advice.

 

[Greg J.]

Along with my thoughts about an SSD, I should have mentioned that people usually don't use the all the storage they get these days unless they do things with movies. 500GB SSDs are a little expensive for your budget, but they are more than most will need for years. 256GB is perfectly fine and reasonably priced as long as you don't need a lot of software installed at the same time. (FYI, my Windows 10 directory is currently using 17Gb.) I will note, however, that some of the latest top tier games are using up a huge amount of disk space (e.g., 60 Gb). In the end, of course, it depends on exactly what software/games you want to keep installed.

 

[Left]

Yeah, my games are about 10GB each.

 

[ExodusMe]

It is hard to build a budget PC these days as there is a forward curve of PC part pricing in relation to "future proofing" your PC. In most cases that is what you are paying for when you look at mother boards. the more features they have or allow the more expensive they are and they have little to do with overall computer performance.

I would think about this when you build your PC as it doesn't seem like your games are too graphic or CPU intensive. You might be able to get away with spending less on CPU/GPU and spend more on a mobo and other things that will allow you to upgrade later.

I have the i7 6700, but only because I sometimes load up Civilization 6 (and because I decided to blow a bunch of money because I wanted to - it is a perk of getting older that I did not have when I was younger. That is really the only game I play that warrants a lot of CPU use.

 

[Left]

Can I be honest? In my personal testing of 7200RPM drives vs. SSDs... I personally feel SSDs are overrated.

I am going to base my PC on this magazine page:

View attachment 195266

Except replace the Pentium with an i5-7500, replace the graphics card with a GT 730, use slightly less expensive RAM, remove the SSD, trade Ubuntu for Windows.

I decided not to go with Ryzen, as they have no Mini-ITX boards widely available yet.

What do people think of my list?

 

[ExodusMe]

SSD's are brand specific. I saw your other post about Samsung. Unfortunately for you that is the only reputable SSD company. I would not buy an SSD if you cannot get a Samsung. I got mine refurbished for $120 off ebay (ebay is a good competitive market for PC parts). Here is a link

Samsung 850 EVO

What do I think of your build?

Case: nice
PSU: $45 is too expensive for a bronze 450W. If you are patient you can get a deal on a Gold fully modular PSU 650W. I bought mine around Christmas for less that $50. If you want a 450W bronze you can probably get it for cheaper than $45
Mobo: not familiar enough with ITX boards to comment
CPU/GPU: good
RAM: It will be hard to go cheaper in this area as the one you have listed is already budget friendly.

 

[Left]

Actually, I have tried many different SSDs and HDDs in PCs. My opinion is that 5400RPM is a bit slow, but that a decent 7200RPM, I sometimes enjoy almost as much as a SSD.

So I think I will be fine.

I've even used like a Samsung 840 or 850 Evo before. Don't have that PC anymore, though.

 

[Left]

Hypothetically speaking, would anyone look down on me if I just called it a day and bought this?:

CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme GXi10140GS with Intel i5-7600K 3.8GHz Gaming Computer for PC | GameStop

I have a Gamestop credit card - which makes it convenient for me to do so.