$300 Gaming Rig for a Friend

Hardware Hub Build a PC
1

NOTE: $350 BEFORE MAIL AND REBATES

 

Alright, so a few months ago I posted someone about a $650 build for a friend. This build is NOT for the same friend (yes I have friends). So my friend is willing to pay me $350 if I built him a gaming rig (The reason i'm spending $300 is profit of course >:)  ). I made a quick list of parts for him which I just noticed was on my dead phone.

He will probably play some low end to a bit of battlefield so it has to have more computing power then a potato.

He did have a few requests though:

  • A relatively sexy, yet small case WITH a "glass" side panel
  •  more computing power then a potato

 Thanks internet randoms!

2

would you use used parts?

do you have parts that you can reuse?

3

I do have some parts, but none that would work for my plans for his build.

4

one of amd apu systems with really fast ddr3 ram

5

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/BJTPcf   4GB RAM  860k & 260x  for $419, before rebates

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/G2BTD3 4GB RAM  i3 4150 & 260x for $431, before rebates

.

6

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

My best effort. 

8

This build will work and can play 1080p on some games at 50fps. Additional GPU can be added later as well. Not recommended for ArmA or DayZ ^_^

 

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hHCDK8
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hHCDK8/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD 5350 2.05Ghz Quad-Core Processor ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-AM1M-S2H Micro ATX AM1 Motherboard ($34.79 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: A-Data Premier Pro SP600 32GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($41.29 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($42.99 @ Amazon)
Case: DIYPC FM18-W ATX Mid Tower Case ($28.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $297.03
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-15 23:16 EST-0500

9

alright I saw a couple of great ideas. I REALLY would like him to have a dedicated GPU though. I want something nice for him as he is moving away and he'll really have no way of upgrading.

My idea is a $50-some AMD CPU/APU with this $50 7770 HD I saw. Can you guys work with that?

10

I am intrigued. This sounds like a worthwhile challenge.

Be less of a shit and build him this: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/V722YJ

or

By your strictest of standards, try this: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/BhsmBm

Cannot go cheaper than this. Sure it ruins your 350 rebate limit, so what? It would be the shitiest thing I'd be willing to build a friend.

11

I was about to add the 7770 but it would have gone over more than I wanted to when you said $300. Keep in mind, this is $300 not including Windows. I of course recommend trying a Linux Distro like Ubuntu or Linux Mint and Steam. I don't know if you are aware but Metro last Light and Last Light Redux and Witcher 2 are on Linux. He can get a lot of great gaming on Linux with Steam and other sources like GOG and Desura. As well as http://www.penguspy.com/#/All/free_and_commercial/open_closed/sort=1/view=1/limit=0

Tack on that 7770 and he will be more than fine. 

some stellar Linux games to look at (both free and non-free)

For RTS/Turn-based Strategy games:

  • 0 AD
  • OpenTTD
  • The Battle for Wesnoth
  • MegaGlest
  • FreeCiv
  • UFO AI
  • Civilization V
  • Transistor
  • XCOM: Enemy Unknown
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Frozen synapse
  • FTL
  • Planetary Annihilation
  • Warzone 2100

 

For FPS:

  • Counter-Strike Source
  • CS:GO
  • Half Life
  • Half Life 2
  • Half Life 2: Episode One and Episode Two
  • Metro Last Light / Redux
  • Portal 
  • Portal 2
  • Left For Dead
  • Left For Dead 2
  • Team Fortress 2
  • Urban Terror
  • Alien Arena 2008
  • Nexuiz
  • Tremulous
  • Warsow
  • Open Arena
  • Borderlands 2 / Pre-Sequel
  • Xonotic
  • True Combat: Close Quarters
  • Red Eclipse
  • Wolfenstein Enemy Territory
  • Prey
  • Quake Series
  • Unreal Tournament series
  • Doom 3
  • etc.....

For Everything else aka TL;DR:

  • Extreme Tux Racer
  • DOTA 2 / LOL
  • FlightGear (High Grade Flight sim)
  • Amnesia Series
  • The Penumbra Series
  • The Castle Doctrine
  • Garry's Mod
  • Fez
  • Rust
  • Hotline miami

Oh yeah for MMOs:

  • Wakfu
  • Wurm Online
  • Spiral knights
  • Ryzom
  • Realms Online
  • Planeshift
  • Auteria
  • Vendetta Online
  • Eternal Lands
  • Daimonin
  • Second Life (durrrr)
  • Savage 2
  • Dofus
  • The Mana World

Through WINE (Gold Or Better Rating):

  • EVE Online (through Wine has GOLD and Platinum rating)
  • World of Warcraft (Wine has Gold rating aka works damn near perfect)
  • Aion: The Tower of Eternity
  • DC Universe Online
  • Dungeons & Dragons: NeverWinter
  • Final Fantasy XIV
  • And so on. Check the Wine AppDB 
  • http://goo.gl/ueSu79 (WineAppDB)
I have spent many an hour and day gaming on Linux.
Hell, I used to play the heck out of StepMania (Like DDR for the PC)

 

 

 

 

 

12

hmm. I would say this for the cheapest AMD build aside from the AM1 assuming we are going above but staying under $375. Keep in Mind, Linux requires only 8GB of space. So, 250GB is fine until he fills it with pr0n ^_^. Not to mention 4GB of RAM is cutting it very close and so I went with 8GB.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2QCDK8
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2QCDK8/by_merchant/

  • CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($69.99 @ NCIX US) 
  • Motherboard: Asus A78M-E Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($34.99 @ Newegg) 
  • Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($57.98 @ Newegg) 
  • Storage: Western Digital RE3 250GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($24.99 @ Amazon) 
  • Video Card: HIS Radeon HD 7870 2GB Video Card ($105.66 @ Newegg) 
  • Case: DIYPC FM18-W ATX Mid Tower Case ($28.99 @ Newegg) 
  • Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $352.59
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-16 02:21 EST-0500

 Or Better yet,

Here is that build but with an AM1 5350 and the 7770:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/8MfhTW
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/8MfhTW/by_merchant/

  • CPU: AMD 5350 2.05Ghz Quad-Core Processor ($54.99 @ NCIX US) 
  • Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-AM1M-S2H Micro ATX AM1 Motherboard ($34.79 @ Amazon) 
  • Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($57.98 @ Newegg) 
  • Storage: Western Digital RE3 250GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($24.99 @ Amazon) 
  • Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($89.95 @ Amazon) 
  • Case: DIYPC FM18-W ATX Mid Tower Case ($28.99 @ Newegg) 
  • Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg) 

Total: $321.68
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-16 02:24 EST-0500

13

While your 860k build has more Memory and slightly superior graphics horsepower, I feel mine better conforms to the end users demand of a ricey acrylic window. I kept that as a high priority while constructing my build.

It really just depends whether or not he'd compromise on aesthetics for power or vise versa.

The latter 5350 build, while much easier on the wallet, would not be as great in gaming. Even one core of my 3258 is almost as great as the entirety of the 5350 in terms of power.

Games being very limited in terms of threads, the Pentium would be the better choice.

This, coming from a staunch AMD loyalist. However, my ideologies don't affect the builds of others.

14

Well I tried

Pretty terrible by the way.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/czndf7

15

This is a pretty good middle ground between mine and LinuxMaster's

Here's a slight alteration, and what I would consider an ideal: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/68Tz99

Sure it's a CPU compromise from my original, but as a "gaming" computer, and with games utilizing more and more threads, I'd say this is a great middle ground.

16

Well, I am unsure how the threads arguement stacks up in Linux. I can safely say that before I got into ArmA (only reason Im still on Winblows) I ran AMD and Linux and had amazing FPS. That was on a AMD Athlon 64 X2 3400+ and an Nvidia 7600GS with a whopping 1Gb of RAM. Then I upgraded to a 955BE with 4GB of RAM and a Radeon HD 5850. then I went to a FX 8120 and 16GB of RAM and a 7970GHz. Now I have a 4770k, 16GB of RAM and a 7970GHz. Up until the FX chip I ran Linux.

17

Damn that is a sweet build. I stopped going after the case+PSU combos but I should have tried that.

And really, as long as he is not donig something like Arma or DayZ or some other really CPU bound game, he should be fine. PCper did a review of the 5350 and found they could play Bioshock Infinite at 50FPS on high with the onboard GPU.