$350 Gaming/3D Modeling build

Hardware Hub Build a PC
1

Edit: If it would work, I'd like to be able to upgrade my (store-bought) pc. Specs at the bottom. EndEdit.

Hey guys. Me again. After talking to some people at Full Sail about my classes, it turns out I'll be doing a lot of 3D modeling. I've already downloaded 3DS Max and it runs okay (if I'm using Wireframes) on my current PC.

I'm wanting to build my own PC though. One that can handle games such as Skyrim, DayZ, Fallout 3, Assassin's Creed, Borderlands 2, and Sniper Elite V2 at 30 FPS or higher.

My current monitor is a 32-inch Emerson LCD TV that I got for father's day and it's max resolution is 1366x768 so I won't be needing to run them at 1920x1080, 2560x1440 or anything like that.

Here's what I need out of this:

  • 30+ FPS @ 1366x768

[Preferably at medium graphics. My current delivers around 1.8 FPS at the lowest possible resolutions (1024x768) so even if it delivers low graphics around 30+ FPS, I'll be happy.]

  • 3D Modeling Capabilities

[I'm using 3DS Max as stated above. It barely runs when I use just Wireframe mode. I'd like to be able to use Realistic mode efficiently.]

  • Speed

[It takes about 4 minutes to boot up my PC from the time I push the button to the time I open Firefox. I'd like to be able to do this quicker. This is where I could get a small SSD (=< 60GB) for my OS and main applications (3DS, etc.) I can just steal my 500GB mechanical out of my current.]

  • Cheap

Like the title says. My budget is $350. I could probably swing $400 MAX (after shipping, tax, etc.) And yes, I'm willing to wait until Cyber Monday to buy the parts. I'm going to buy the parts online only. I live in the US so if you find any deals that apply, awesome.

You could also skip out on the optical drive if you want. I have a laptop that I can use to burn my discs on.

Thanks for looking at this and thanks to anyone who puts together a build for me.

If anyone's wondering, here are my PC's specs:

http://valid.canardpc.com/2580354

http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=c02623675&lang=en&cc=us&taskId=135&contentType=SupportFAQ&prodSeriesId=5035352&prodTypeId=12454&printver=true

  • 4 GB Ram
  • AMD Athlon II X2 220
  • 500 GB HDD
  • Integrated nVidia GeForce 6150SE nForce 430
  • 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium

It's an HP Pavilion Slimline s5703w

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As an aside; It would be awesome if this build could run the CryENGINE 3 SDK.

System Requirements [Developer]

  • Operating System: Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista SP1, Windows 7
  • CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz, AMD Athlon 64 X2 2GHz or better (a multi-core processor is strongly recommended)
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended)
  • Video Card: nVidia 8800GT 512MB RAM, ATI 3850HD 512MB RAM or better (SM 3.0 minimum)
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I'll take a look at this here in a minute, I have to do some things first

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Are you going to be doing texture work and programing or just 3d modeling?

The big shortcoming in you current rig is the integrated gfx you can probably meet the minimum if you just buy a decent gfx card BUT you don't have the psu to do that and it wouldent fit in your case so you would need new case, psu and gfx card but even then your computer is just past it. Developing on that rig would be slow and tedious and most likely will make you want to cry.

So I recomend getting a new rig you really want a decent quad core but you cant really afford that so go with this build. With some modifications

Dont get a new cd drive or hord drive just take the ones from your old rig.

Spend the $10 we saved not getting a cd drive on a G860 rather than the G620

Get a Radeon HD 6850 instead of the 6750.

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Not sure what you mean by texture work. As for programming, no. At least, nothing that I couldn't do with my laptop (or even my sister's windows 98 computer).

 

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http://pcpartpicker.com/p/nsDI

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Looks pretty good. But where is the RAM?

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After I thought of upgrading my current build, I put together a small parts list that I thought might work.

Obviously, I'm new to building and I'm not sure if the PSU will even fit. Or if they make different sized PSUs... But if this will work, it totals about $370 and seems like it would do what I want.

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I dont think the PSU would fit in your current case the hp site suggests its a special slim form factor.

I like that cpu every one raves about it but i dont think it will work with your current mobo. The hp site suggests that your current cpu is AM3 but the mobo is AM2+ At any rate if that CPU does work in the current mobo it will be really limited by the DDR2 you really want DDR3 1333 for that cpu.

The ssd is a nice choice if you can afford it for speeding up boot time but other than boot i dont see it making a huge diffrence. As far as boot times when was the last time you formatted?

GPU will be able to do what you want but for cheeper you can get a hd 7770 $99 after rebate which makes it cheeper and more power full than the 6850 I recomended earlyer.

 

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I didn't think about the case form factor. Damn. Anyway, if you could make a pcpartpicker list for the build, I'll be sure to get it taken care of come cyber monday.

Also, the last time I formatted my hard drive was about a month ago.

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haha oops my bad added

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/nu8N

A little over budget, sorry

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"Also, the last time I formatted my hard drive was about a month ago." Was just asking I know my windows gets real slow if i don't reinstall every ~6 months.

I have managed to come up with a parts list for an AMD 955 that comes in on budget.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ntVX

The psu is diffrent from the one you suggested nothing wrong with the one you suggested just that this one is a bit cheeper but antec is a good make and its 80+.

The case i got has good air circulation easy drive access takes full size GFX cards and is Cooler Master so it should be good build quality but mainly its cheep. If you dont like the style you can replace it with pretty much what ever atx case you want.

The HD 7770 will have pleanty of power for your resolution and should be able to do a nice ~60 FPS in 3D Studio Max as a bonus it comes with a few free games farcry 3 and MOH.

8 Gb of 1333 Mhz the fastest the CPU will support and 8 Gb of ram will really help 3D studio max.

The mobo i went for will also support the AMD FX range of CPU so when you want to upgrade at a later date you can get an FX chip and some 1866 Mhz ram.

 

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Looks great. And I'm thankful that you put your time into making this for me. :) I wasn't expecting 60 FPS. That's a bonus in and of itself. I'd like to buy everything from Newegg (or any one store) so I'll get everything the same day.

I'm slowly learning as I go along. I'm hoping that the prices will drop enough on Cyber Monday so that I can get an SSD with the build. Or at least a small (80GB/less), fast mechanical.

I forgot to mention that the reason it takes 4 minutes to boot is because the hard drive is about to fail. Like an idiot, I'd always left the computer on. 24/7. Now, I shut it off every night.

Again, thanks for putting this together. :) Only complaint is the case, but for $30, who cares?

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np :) Cases are always hard to suggest as the main buying point is if its pretty so its all personal prefference lucly as long as its not Micro ATX you really cant go wrong with whatever case.

SSDs have been getting dirt cheep lately so hopefully they will have a nice cheap one to pick up.

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I'd like to get an NZXT Whisper or a BitFenix Ghost. But that's out of the budget lol. Maybe my next build. :) For now, I think I'll go with the Coolermaster you listed.

As for SSDs, I'd like to get an ADATA or OCZ. I don't need a big one, either.

(Some calculations later...)

A 60GB would do it. That's considering 20GB for Windows 7 boot, 20GB for Linux boot, 4GB 3DS Max, 4GB PS CS6, 4GB CryENGINE 3, and the rest for my main games (DayZ, Skyrim, Borderlands 2.) Then I can just use my 500GB mechanical for data.

Of course, once I get the extra $100 for a 1TB data drive, I'll be putting that in.

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Just a bit. Not too much. Swap the case for the Coolermaster Flux put up and save $10. Maybe find a 1600 MHz ram vs the 1866. Little things that I can do to cut the cost.

 

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So now the big questions. AMD A10-5800K (With a 6670) vs AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black (With a 7770)?

Obviously, the more powerful A10 comes with the 6670 to keep it in budget. And the Phenom comes with a more powerful GPU to maximize power.

Which combination would be better? My main focus is 3DS Max and CryENGINE 3. If it means the games only achieve 30 FPS instead of 60 FPS, so be it.

In my theory, from what I know so far, the A10 would be better because it's a more powerful CPU, which is what I need for 3DS. Is this right?

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I think the idea with the A10 is that you crossfire its integrated GPU with the discrete 6670 so its kind of hard to tell what will work best.

Here is the only real benchmarks i could find on the A10

Based on that 1080p Dirt bench mark lets assume that the crossfire setup is 33% more powerfull than a base 6670. So we can use other benchmarks that compare the Discrete 6670 with the discrete 7770.

Dirt Showdown

These test settings are a bit diffrent and thus the 6670 only gets 36.7 FPS with the (A10)33% boost thats 48.81 FPS where the 7770 gets 68 FPS.

Batman

Again the settings are a bit diffrent and thus the 6670 gets 22.7 FPS with the (A10)33% boost thats 30.19 FPS where the 7770 gets 42 FPS.


The way I just compared them isn't accurate and its not a real comparison but I couldent find any real comparisons and unless some one has the hardware sitting around its the best we can do.

So the 7770 build has better GPU while tho A10 has a better CPU.

 

Personaly I think the 955 will handle anything you throw at it and would go for more GPU power over CPU power. On another note the 955 is extremely overclockable you should be able to overclock it to close the CPU gap with a cheap heatsink.

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Wow. Thanks for that info, mate. :) The only way I would overclock it though is if the stock cooler would handle it. Once I get the cash for a Coolermaster Hyper 212+, I'll OC it completely. But, I've never OC'ed anything and wouldn't know where to begin on that. I think I'll be going with the Phenom.

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Here's the build I'll be going with, so long as the prices drop on Cyber Monday.

  • CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black $100
  • MOBO: AsRock 970 PRO3 $78
  • RAM: Kingstom Blu Red 8GB $40
  • GPU: XFX 7770 1GB $128
  • Case: NZXT Source 210 BLK $30
  • PSU: Antec Neo Eco 520W 80+ $57

Totalling: $433

Anyone wanna take a whack at a $350 STRICT build for these purposes? Obviously I could just get a less powerful GPU like a 6770 to save $50.