Budget Gamer for $600 and under

Ludichris1 · Jul 29, 2009

I'm looking for a gaming computer (buying it Dec. 2009) that will hopefully last for two years till I upgrade it (2010 - 2011). FIRST of all it's a budget gaming computer. SECOND that budget gaming computer has to be $600 and under. THIRD it has to have a monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, and don't forget the console! This all sounds like dirt but some people are poor ya know :boo:.

ANYWAY, down to what games and settings: (the setting legend is: Low Medium High VeryHigh)
Well, any MMO i throw at it for one (including upcoming ones like Star Wars The Old Republic, Final Fantasy IV, etc.) at High and higher settings. And for second, any game I throw at it (again including upcomin' games)from Medium and higher settings. Preferably, the recommended requirements for game stats or from Yougamers.com. Oh and I don't plan to do Very High settings, I don't think...

I can't really decide since I have a budget, and don't know what games of the future will have their requirements be, but I was thinking maybe, something like this?!:

AMD Athlon X2 7750 (so wish it was better)
4GB RAM
320GB Hard Drive (mebe 500)
ATI Radeon HD 4670 (so wish it was a 4850)
420 watt PSU (again, wish it was better)
Windows Vista Home Premium (Win7 upgrade offer if can afford)
16?? resolution LCD monitor (the 1600 resolution thing)
Good ole mouse n' keyboard + speakers

Anyway that's what I was thinking. Any ideas?
Oh and btw, built-to-order seems... cheaper at the moment. Check this random one I found from a random website hope it might work: http://www.directron.com/holidaybudget3.html (you can go to bottom of page and change specs)

e · Jul 30, 2009

I suggest you buy your parts separately on newegg or something like that (newegg, ncix, etc.)

Also, there's no cooling? If you're going to be gaming, you'll need a case built for cooling. There are some really cheap fans, and if you can get a case which allows you to move them around (imo, rear and top are best, but people have had success with side fans too) its better. if you're even luckier and you get a cpu fan with those special resistors which transfer heat outside, even better, you can lower your shit by a couple degrees under room temperature.

imo, you can probably find a 20$ combo for a mouse/keyboard together. as for windows, i wouldnt bother buying it, plenty of places you can get it. i know, its piracy, but microsoft makes so much money its ridiculous of them to expect end-users (especially poor) to pay in the 200$ for a OS.

320GB is fine for a hard drive, btw. The vidcard looks good, just make sure its compatible with whatever screen you pick (at work they had a VGA only monitor with a hdmi/dvi-d vidcard...had to buy an adaptor). id go with nvidia for vidcards though, but its personal preference (seems like nvdia has better support in general). the processor looks fine too for a couple years.

basically you forgot the case/motherboard. i cant really recommend a motherboard, but try to pick something with a couple pci ports, as much usb as possible, etc. Firewire is overrated, imo, unless you do video editing or that kind of bandwidth intensive stuff. also you might want to ensure that your buses (north/south bridges and such) are properly clocked for your cpu. i mean if you have a kickass cpu and 200MHz buses itll be ridiculously slow.

also buy DDR3, but i assumed thats what you were going to anyway

Ludichris1 · Jul 30, 2009

e":2iuir0t7 said:
I suggest you buy your parts separately on newegg or something like that (newegg, ncix, etc.)

Also, there's no cooling? If you're going to be gaming, you'll need a case built for cooling. There are some really cheap fans, and if you can get a case which allows you to move them around (imo, rear and top are best, but people have had success with side fans too) its better. if you're even luckier and you get a cpu fan with those special resistors which transfer heat outside, even better, you can lower your shit by a couple degrees under room temperature.

imo, you can probably find a 20$ combo for a mouse/keyboard together. as for windows, i wouldnt bother buying it, plenty of places you can get it. i know, its piracy, but microsoft makes so much money its ridiculous of them to expect end-users (especially poor) to pay in the 200$ for a OS.

320GB is fine for a hard drive, btw. The vidcard looks good, just make sure its compatible with whatever screen you pick (at work they had a VGA only monitor with a hdmi/dvi-d vidcard...had to buy an adaptor). id go with nvidia for vidcards though, but its personal preference (seems like nvdia has better support in general). the processor looks fine too for a couple years.

basically you forgot the case/motherboard. i cant really recommend a motherboard, but try to pick something with a couple pci ports, as much usb as possible, etc. Firewire is overrated, imo, unless you do video editing or that kind of bandwidth intensive stuff. also you might want to ensure that your buses (north/south bridges and such) are properly clocked for your cpu. i mean if you have a kickass cpu and 200MHz buses itll be ridiculously slow.

also buy DDR3, but i assumed thats what you were going to anyway

Great information. But two things:
1. Sorry I'm not gonna get pirated WinVista :wink:
2. It's IMPOSSIBLE to get DDR3 and a motherboard supporting Athlon64 (X2)! So should I DDR3 and DDR3 motherboard with cpu that goes with that DDR3 motherboard, or the latter (which is with the DDR2)?

Mundane · Jul 30, 2009

If you can make do with 3GB RAM you can get a decent machine for like $500 with all the accessories. My computer has an Athlon 64 X2 or something like that, with 2GB of DDR2 RAM, and a 1GB GDDR3 GeForcee 9800 GTX XLR8, and I can run modern games on full. It started as an eMachines piece of shit with 1GB of RAM. So, you can manage.

Tohsaka · Jul 30, 2009

NVidia might be a good idea, especially since the newer GeForce cards act as PhysX cards as well.

DeM0nFiRe · Jul 30, 2009

If you want a budget computer, go with DDR2. Motherboards that support DDR are more expensive, the processors that work on the motherboards are more expensive and, of course, the memory itself is more expensive. DDR2 Ram is relatively cheap these days, and you can get it at a respectable speed, I believe 800Mhz is the max. Get your self 3 or 4 gigs of that and it will last you a while. I second the notion of the 9800. At the time that the 9800 was new, Nvidia was ahead of ATI so getting a comparable model from ATI is probably not such a great idea. ATI didn't pull ahead again until the 4870 X2. If you can afford a 4870 X2, that would be great but it would eat up 80% of your budget so you're going to want to pass on that XD The Geforce 9800 GTX is the perfect card for a budget machine, you can get a 512MB version of the card (which should be fine. The card itself really isn't fast enough that going to the 1GB version would help a huge amount) for about $100. I, myself am running a 9500 GT 512MB and it runs real nice. I got it for $70 with Far Cry 2 bundled (which I can play all settings maxed except shadows).

Venetia · Jul 30, 2009

yeah I agree with demon, if you go cheap and get ddr2 and clock things right you won't notice a difference, considering your other specs. you dont have to worry at all about bottlenecking with ddr2+4670. ram is just really the least worrisome thing in a gaming PC. if you're doing really heavy video editing or original 3D rendering or extremely large image editing then you have to worry about ram but otherwise you should be fine there.

as for fans ... you want to go small/large. there should always be a small one in the back and pref. in the front. then for the large, consider the placement of the rig under your desk--if it's backed up against a wall, get a side fan. if it's in a corner, get a front+top. the more ventilation the better. there are "card fans" out there too you can place beneath your videocard for only 7 bucks and i -HIGHLY- recommend them ... they only make a few degrees' difference overall but they supply air DIRECTLY to your video card, which should be the hottest thing in your rig if you're playing a game with modern graphics.

and since you're running on the rim of cheap i'd really recommend you look up overclocking whichever mobo you pick. if you go with an nVidia nForce mobo, those are easy as pie to clock, and they will shut themselves off/reset if you fuck something up so you dont have to fret as much about it insta-overheating. i had a 680i i think and it was just a breeze.

candle · Jul 30, 2009

Another thing I don't think others have touched on is the power supply. Generally you want one that provides about 25-50% more power than you need, and you'll have to check the power requirements for your parts. Also, the processor, gfx card, and mobo will be the most expensive parts. Personally, I like to start by selecting a cpu and building my computer around it.

don't bother getting 4GBs or more in memory unless you are getting a 64bit OS, standard 32 bits can only read up to 3, and if you do go 64bit, make sure your cpu can handle it. Be warned, both the cpu and OS will be more expensive, and you may have compatibility issues with programs and games. I haven't really noticed any yet, but there is the possibility.

You also said you wanted a monitor. I'm not sure what you mean by 1600 resolution, perhaps you mean 16:9 which is the standard for widescreen tvs? if so, the only computer monitors like that I've seen are 1080p (1920x1080 resolution) and are upwards of $200. Of course they have an hdmi input and most have integrated speakers, but i digress. I've actually been looking at getting one as a second monitor for my desktop and for my ps3 and 360. Now 16:10 is the standard aspect ratio for widescreen computer monitors, and I've seen 19-inchers for $100-130. In fact, I got mine for $130 from dell last December, and I love it. It's native resolution is 1440x900 and that is an extremely good size for games. remember the larger the resolution, the better gpu you will need in order to output without lag (assuming you set it to run at the highest possible. if you decide to lower the rez, be warned that the picture may not be the best and may even be distorted or smaller depending on several settings). Another good thing when deciding which monitor, is to see if it has built-in speakers or an add-on bar. If so, you wouldn't have to worry about getting anything extra, and it would take up less space on your desk.

Ludichris1 · Jul 31, 2009

I tried selecting parts on Newegg, but the price was over $600. The most modern MMOs seem to need 3GB RAM, and one of the newest games, Ghostbusters, needs 4GB. Not that I would buy that game, and I know it was poorly optimized, but who knows what other games of the future might need. Oh and the resolution thing: I don't know what the minimum in resolutions for games is these days, or the future, I mean won't you need like a 1698x???? in the future of 2011+ ?. The Windows Vista 64-bit (w/ Win7 thing) I hear is best for games though. AND it can handle the 4GB RAM (unlike WinVista 32-bit). Which I'll probably need by the end of 2011. And the graphics card you guys recommended me, is like $100 or more, and I think according to the Tom's Hardware charts is like the same as 4670 (or was it 4770?). I just want a cheap, quality, upgradeable computer, (maybe I'm looking for barebone lol?!).

candle · Jul 31, 2009

Most games run at 1024x768 or lower as the min. In fact my newest, the Last Remnant has a min display req of 1024x768 with 32-bit color.

DeM0nFiRe · Jul 31, 2009

There are very few games that require 3Gb of RAM. I can max the settings on most games with my 9500GT and 2GB of DDR2 Ram. The only games that I can't max out settings on that I have tried so far are not MMOs and are more resource intensive than any MMO I have seen.

If I get a chance later I will make a shopping cart with a good machine for < $600.

Ludichris1 · Jul 31, 2009

DeM0nFiRe":2kc0udhd said:
There are very few games that require 3Gb of RAM. I can max the settings on most games with my 9500GT and 2GB of DDR2 Ram. The only games that I can't max out settings on that I have tried so far are not MMOs and are more resource intensive than any MMO I have seen.

If I get a chance later I will make a shopping cart with a good machine for < $600.

Ok thanks. I'm actually working on one right now (this time its Micro ATX = cheaper :D!).

Now I want everyone to hear this: I know that something like GeForce 9500GT and 2GB DRR2 RAM are fine. BUT! Yes but. The problem is that that it's good, FOR NOW. Think about... Will you be running EVERY game you come across with those specs (or swap for high setting specs), from RIGHT NOW, all the way to the LAST MONTH of 2011!? AND the majority of games from 2009 so far are not very intensive right? Yes! BUT, you should see the E3 2009 PC games coming out at the end of the year (and the beginning of 2010). Just give this some thought and reply please... :biggrin: :wink:

P.S. sorry for all the bold text i hope u get message!

tyranius · Jul 31, 2009

You should get pirate vista anyway, its cheaper.

DeM0nFiRe · Jul 31, 2009

I also spent only $200 on my computer

I was using mine as an example of how you can get a good machine under $600.

candle · Jul 31, 2009

I spent about $700 on mine, but I already had a case, monitor, mouse, keyboard, floppy drive, and 2 dvd-rw drives

Mundane · Jul 31, 2009

Ludichris1":2oezvp8j said:
DeM0nFiRe":2oezvp8j said:

There are very few games that require 3Gb of RAM. I can max the settings on most games with my 9500GT and 2GB of DDR2 Ram. The only games that I can't max out settings on that I have tried so far are not MMOs and are more resource intensive than any MMO I have seen.

If I get a chance later I will make a shopping cart with a good machine for < $600.

Click to expand...

Ok thanks. I'm actually working on one right now (this time its Micro ATX = cheaper :D!).

Now I want everyone to hear this: I know that something like GeForce 9500GT and 2GB DRR2 RAM are fine. BUT! Yes but. The problem is that that it's good, FOR NOW. Think about... Will you be running EVERY game you come across with those specs (or swap for high setting specs), from RIGHT NOW, all the way to the LAST MONTH of 2011!? AND the majority of games from 2009 so far are not very intensive right? Yes! BUT, you should see the E3 2009 PC games coming out at the end of the year (and the beginning of 2010). Just give this some thought and reply please... :biggrin: :wink:

P.S. sorry for all the bold text i hope u get message!

That's roughly what mine is speced at and I can run Crysis at 40fps with everything on high with physics and volumetric at medium.

Ludichris1 · Jul 31, 2009

DeM0nFiRe · Jul 31, 2009

Alright, so I guess newegg does not have the ability to link to a shopping cart, but here is what I was able to put together for $620

ATX Mid Tower w/ 500W PSU
ASUS Intel 775 Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8Ghz
4GB Kingston DDR2 1066Mhz RAM
NVidia Geforce 9600 GSO 1GB GDDR2 (Even comes with Call of Duty: World at War)
LG 22X DVD+/-R DVD Burner
Western Digital Caviar Green 750GB SATA 3.0Gb/s HDD
Hanns G 19'' 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor

If the $620 is too much for you, just sell Call of Duty :D

Now, putting this together took me like 5 minutes, so if you just spend the time looking for the right parts, it will end up being cheaper than buying a pre-built machine, and it'll have higher specs as well.

EDIT: I just glanced at your setup, and your first problem is the AMD proc :D

Ludichris1 · Jul 31, 2009

lol your setup is missing 5 objects more than mine...

I might be able to do that, but Intel and GeForce are the more expensive companies, right? And won't I need a media card reader, sure power surpressor... etc.!?

DeM0nFiRe · Jul 31, 2009

Intel and Nvidia are slightly more expensive, but are much better (Well, like I said, the ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 beats out NVidia, but it's also $500 for one card)

The Core 2 Duo is better than the AMD X2 so I've given you more processing power.
Also, I don't personally have a card reader, but if you think you need one, I think you can get one for around $30. Also, power suppressor? I think you mean Power Supply, and it comes with the case, 500W is more than you need for this setup.

Envision, Create, Share

Budget Gamer for $600 and under

Ludichris1

e

Ludichris1

Mundane

Tohsaka

DeM0nFiRe

Venetia

candle

Ludichris1

candle

DeM0nFiRe

Ludichris1

tyranius

DeM0nFiRe

candle

Mundane

Ludichris1

DeM0nFiRe

Ludichris1

DeM0nFiRe

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