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On July 13 2011 08:25 Divergence wrote:Hey guys, I'm trying to build a budget gaming computer and I'm looking for some advice. Basically I want to spend as little money as possible to get acceptable performance. I will be using the PC quite often and I will be gaming on it, mainly SC2 and older games (and I suppose D3 when it comes out). I would put my budget at $1000 MAX (and that would have to include monitor and maybe a mech keyboard), but I would prefer to spend less. I found a build on bit-tech.net that seems to be at my price level. Here's the link. I copied and pasted it here + Show Spoiler +
Prices are approximate (taken from site)
Sorry about the bad formatting.
CPU: Intel i3-2100 3.1GHz $125
Motherboard: Asus P8H67-M LE $105
Memory: 4GB 1,333MHz DDR3 $35
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 1GB $155
PSU: Corsair SU-430CX 430W $45
CPU Cooler: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro $30
Case: Antec One Hundred $55
Optical drive: SATA DVD-RW $20
Storage: 1TB SATA 3Gbps
I was wondering what you guys think of that build and what kind of monitor (size/resolution) would you recommend for that PC?
That configuration is okay.
2x2GB memory is actually $32. I'd spend less on the motherboard, a Asrock H61 U3S3 will cost $75 or so.
The CX430 V2 only provides one PCIe connector while the GTX 460 requires two so I'd either upgraade the power supply or switch to a card that requires only one PCIe connector such as the Radeon HD6850 which is around $160.
The Arctic Cooling Freezer heatsink is also unnecessary since you won't be overclocking. The case is also sort of out of place for such a budget build, a Thermaltake V3 or a similar $40 case would be adequate.
Do you need an operating system as well? That would cost another $100 if you can't get it for free or at a discounted price from your school.
You're also in Canada so pricing will be much better than the states or Europe.
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On July 13 2011 08:28 skyR wrote:Show nested quote +On July 13 2011 08:25 Divergence wrote:Hey guys, I'm trying to build a budget gaming computer and I'm looking for some advice. Basically I want to spend as little money as possible to get acceptable performance. I will be using the PC quite often and I will be gaming on it, mainly SC2 and older games (and I suppose D3 when it comes out). I would put my budget at $1000 MAX (and that would have to include monitor and maybe a mech keyboard), but I would prefer to spend less. I found a build on bit-tech.net that seems to be at my price level. Here's the link. I copied and pasted it here + Show Spoiler +
Prices are approximate (taken from site)
Sorry about the bad formatting.
CPU: Intel i3-2100 3.1GHz $125
Motherboard: Asus P8H67-M LE $105
Memory: 4GB 1,333MHz DDR3 $35
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 1GB $155
PSU: Corsair SU-430CX 430W $45
CPU Cooler: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro $30
Case: Antec One Hundred $55
Optical drive: SATA DVD-RW $20
Storage: 1TB SATA 3Gbps
I was wondering what you guys think of that build and what kind of monitor (size/resolution) would you recommend for that PC? That configuration is okay. 2x2GB memory is actually $32. I'd spend less on the motherboard, a Asrock H61 U3S3 will cost $75 or so. The CX430 V2 only provides one PCIe connector while the GTX 460 requires two so I'd either upgraade the power supply or switch to a card that requires only one PCIe connector such as the Radeon HD6850 which is around $160. The Arctic Cooling Freezer heatsink is also unnecessary since you won't be overclocking. The case is also sort of out of place for such a budget build, a Thermaltake V3 or a similar $40 case would be adequate. Do you need an operating system as well? That would cost another $100 if you can't get it for free or at a discounted price from your school. You're also in Canada so pricing will be much better than the states or Europe.
Thanks skyR.
What kind of monitor would you recommend? Should I just go for something in 1920 x 1080 resolution or would I be better off with something lower?
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Which resolution monitor you get is up to you but that configuration is capable of playing most games at reasonably high settings at 1080p.
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I know this isn't quite the right thread, but I figure it's close enough. Where should I look for when I replace my gaming laptop? I am mobile enough that having a laptop is significantly preferable to a desktop for me, and while I know there is a significant premium to be paid for it I feel that it will be worth it for me.
What is your budget?
Depends on what sort of deals I can find. I expect around $700, though I'm willing to go higher if there's a particularly good deal.
What is your resolution?
If I can get 1920x1200 (what I have now) that would be great. Failing that, 1920x1080.
What are you using it for?
The most intensive thing I'll be doing is running Skyrim on it, and while I have delusions of max-settings grandeur I expect that I will be fortunate to hit high settings. Running StarCraft on medium-high is the only absolute requirement.
What is your upgrade cycle?
Aiming for 3 years.
When do you plan on building it?
I'll be watching closely around Thanksgiving to see if I can't find a good deal. If not it depends when my laptop becomes unstable enough to necessitate a switch. One of the video cards is already dead, so I estimate a year tops.
Do you plan on overclocking?
If I can. I am on my laptop I have now to make SC2 run better, though in general I run it undervolted at the stock frequency. Obviously not a necessity, but the option would be nice.
Do you need an Operating System?
If I can get a laptop without the OS then that would be ideal.
Do you plan to add a second GPU for SLI or Crossfire?
Highly doubtful.
Where are you buying your parts from?
No idea, other than the internet from Seattle.
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Just want to make sure everything I have so far isnt going to blow up in my face. No plans to overclock and I'd like to stream SC2 at 1080p.
Mobo - Gigabyte H67MA
CPU - i5 2400
PSU - 430CX V2
GPU - XFX Radeon 6870 Black Edition
RAM - G.Skill Ripper 8GB Ram
HDD - Seagate Barracuda 1TB
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Looks like no kersplode to me. I assume you're intentionally not listing optical drive and case?
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Yeah I'm just gonna pick up whatever is cheap for those two, I dont see it making a huge impact. Perhaps a slight risk of overheating random stuff because the case is designed strange, but I doubt I manage to kill anything with normal computing.
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On July 13 2011 09:55 Hopeless1der wrote:
Just want to make sure everything I have so far isnt going to blow up in my face. No plans to overclock and I'd like to stream SC2 at 1080p.
Mobo - Gigabyte H67MA
CPU - i5 2400
PSU - 430CX V2
GPU - XFX Radeon 6870 Black Edition
RAM - G.Skill Ripper 8GB Ram
HDD - Seagate Barracuda 1TB
I think the 6870 needs 2 pci-e connectors and that psu has only one, so you might want to change the psu. Not sure though, let me look it up.
[edit]
Yup, you need 2 6 pin pci-e connectors.
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On July 13 2011 09:59 Madoga wrote:Show nested quote +On July 13 2011 09:55 Hopeless1der wrote:
Just want to make sure everything I have so far isnt going to blow up in my face. No plans to overclock and I'd like to stream SC2 at 1080p.
Mobo - Gigabyte H67MA
CPU - i5 2400
PSU - 430CX V2
GPU - XFX Radeon 6870 Black Edition
RAM - G.Skill Ripper 8GB Ram
HDD - Seagate Barracuda 1TB
I think the 6870 needs 2 pci-e connectors and that psu has only one, so you might want to change the psu. Not sure though, let me look it up. [edit] Yup, you need 2 6 pin pci-e connectors.
The card (should) come with a Molex>PCIE adapter, so unless he needs a metric asston of Molex for some reason, the worst it will do is make cable management a tad hairy.
And most fans that require molex will have passthrough connectors, so they're daisy-chainable usually.
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On July 13 2011 10:01 JingleHell wrote:Show nested quote +On July 13 2011 09:59 Madoga wrote:On July 13 2011 09:55 Hopeless1der wrote:
Just want to make sure everything I have so far isnt going to blow up in my face. No plans to overclock and I'd like to stream SC2 at 1080p.
Mobo - Gigabyte H67MA
CPU - i5 2400
PSU - 430CX V2
GPU - XFX Radeon 6870 Black Edition
RAM - G.Skill Ripper 8GB Ram
HDD - Seagate Barracuda 1TB
I think the 6870 needs 2 pci-e connectors and that psu has only one, so you might want to change the psu. Not sure though, let me look it up. [edit] Yup, you need 2 6 pin pci-e connectors. The card (should) come with a Molex>PCIE adapter, so unless he needs a metric asston of Molex for some reason, the worst it will do is make cable management a tad hairy. And most fans that require molex will have passthrough connectors, so they're daisy-chainable usually.
True, but for a new system I would still recommend something with with 2 6 pin connectors. You can get an XFX PRO450W for like 4 euro more (dont know the prices in US, but shouldnt be that different).
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On July 13 2011 10:16 Madoga wrote:Show nested quote +On July 13 2011 10:01 JingleHell wrote:On July 13 2011 09:59 Madoga wrote:On July 13 2011 09:55 Hopeless1der wrote:
Just want to make sure everything I have so far isnt going to blow up in my face. No plans to overclock and I'd like to stream SC2 at 1080p.
Mobo - Gigabyte H67MA
CPU - i5 2400
PSU - 430CX V2
GPU - XFX Radeon 6870 Black Edition
RAM - G.Skill Ripper 8GB Ram
HDD - Seagate Barracuda 1TB
I think the 6870 needs 2 pci-e connectors and that psu has only one, so you might want to change the psu. Not sure though, let me look it up. [edit] Yup, you need 2 6 pin pci-e connectors. The card (should) come with a Molex>PCIE adapter, so unless he needs a metric asston of Molex for some reason, the worst it will do is make cable management a tad hairy. And most fans that require molex will have passthrough connectors, so they're daisy-chainable usually. True, but for a new system I would still recommend something with with 2 6 pin connectors. You can get an XFX PRO450W for like 4 euro more (dont know the prices in US, but shouldnt be that different).
True enough. Was just pointing out that it isn't a build-stopping issue. Not arguing that the connectors are good to have.
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So I finished building my computer, and then I plugged it in and turned it on. A blue LED came on beside my power button, but no fans were spinning (case fans, cpu fan, gpu fan, power supply fan). I turned the power supply on and used a digital multi meter to measure the voltage coming out. I got nothing. So, is it my power supply that's dead?
EDIT: System Specs
CPU: i5-2400
Graphics: MSI r6850
Case: Antec Three Hundred Illusion
Power Supply: Corsair CX430 V2
Motherboard: Asrock H61M-VS
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On July 13 2011 11:08 WayHeroic wrote:
So I finished building my computer, and then I plugged it in and turned it on. A blue LED came on beside my power button, but no fans were spinning (case fans, cpu fan, gpu fan, power supply fan). I turned the power supply on and used a digital multi meter to measure the voltage coming out. I got nothing. So, is it my power supply that's dead?
EDIT: System Specs
CPU: i5-2400
Graphics: MSI r6850
Case: Antec Three Hundred Illusion
Power Supply: Corsair CX430 V2
Motherboard: Asrock H61M-VS
Did you turn on the PSU?
Try flipping the switch on it. Make sure the cables to the mobo are connected properly.
Did you remember motherboard standoffs? You could be shorted.
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Yes, the PSU was on.
The cables are connected properly, as far as I can tell. I connected the 24 Pin and the 4 pin to the motherboard. I also put the 6 motherboard standoffs on.
Something else to note, looking inside the case when I turn on the computer, I see the fan blades of the Powersupply start momentarily, but quickly stop.
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On July 13 2011 11:19 WayHeroic wrote:
Yes, the PSU was on.
The cables are connected properly, as far as I can tell. I connected the 24 Pin and the 4 pin to the motherboard. I also put the 6 motherboard standoffs on.
Something else to note, looking inside the case when I turn on the computer, I see the fan blades of the Powersupply start momentarily, but quickly stop.
That can mean a dead PSU or mobo, but it can also mean shorted or not connected properly, or problems with CPU or RAM... basically it can be all kinds of problems.
If you want to test your PSU, you can connect it to a single molex fan, and test it with the paperclip trick.
If the PSU isn't the problem, build it minimal on a table or desk, with CPU, one RAM stick, and GPU, see if you POST succesfully.
And I wasn't asking about the PSU to be mean, that's been the problem before.
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@Melancholia:
The question isn't particularly "where" but "when." Normally you can't really get a $700 laptop with a 1920x1080 screen that can play SC2 on medium. A typical good deal is about like this, a Dell XPS 17 with a Core i5-2410M, GT 550M, and 1600x900 screen for $750.
You said you'll be watching around Thanksgiving. Hope for some good Black Friday / Cyber Monday / whatever sale and hop on that. You're looking for a laptop with a Core i3/i5/i7 2xxx and hopefully a GT 555M or higher, or HD 6850M or higher (the HD 6850M is a bit better than a GT 555M) to be able to handle games at that kind of resolution.
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So I just did the Paper clip trick, and the fan didn't start. So I guess this means the power supply is dead?
And yeah, I understand why you would ask, took me a while to figure out that the I was on and the O was off in the first place haha.
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On July 13 2011 11:51 WayHeroic wrote:
So I just did the Paper clip trick, and the fan didn't start. So I guess this means the power supply is dead?
And yeah, I understand why you would ask, took me a while to figure out that the I was on and the O was off in the first place haha.
Yeah, probably your PSU if you did it according to those instructions and it didn't work. Hopefully it didn't damage anything else in the process. Not too likely if it was DOA, but those things not working can be very CPU unfriendly in the worst case scenarios.
Glad I decided to tell you to try that before telling you to pull it all back out of the case and reassemble in a box to try and isolate the problem... would have felt like an idiot to waste that much of your time.
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Big thanks for your help. I might consider going for a modular power supply instead, since I got extremely frustrated with the cords I wasn't using just taking up space. Are there any you would suggest?
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On July 13 2011 12:02 WayHeroic wrote:
Big thanks for your help. I might consider going for a modular power supply instead, since I got extremely frustrated with the cords I wasn't using just taking up space. Are there any you would suggest?
Uhm, I don't suggest modular to anyone, unless they're building SFF. I consider it to be just another potential failure point.
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EPT
