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Need a media/gaming setup for$600 or less.
Yeah it's a pain but I'm on a budget this year. So I gotta keep things at $600 max. I will be dropping $2k next year but for now I want to build a media center that can also handle MMO's on the now and upcoming like FFXIV and TERA Online and so on. For a media center I want to build on the socket 1156 platform so it will still be solid later on for a media rig. I have a WD Raptor 36GB for my OS, a CD/DVD drive and a500WATT PSU already on my current build that I can use. I most likely will also run apps in the background while I'm gaming such as burning a movie, listening to music and whatnot while I'm gaming or watching a movie. So here's what I've come up with so far. I think for what I need this setup will be great and when I build next year my wife can use it to game with me and somewhat keep up. Let me know what you guys think or give some suggestions. Remember. Keep it at $600 max or my wife will kill me.
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
With shipping to Zip Code 53213 I kind of went over by $16. But she'll get over it.
Getting too old for this $&17!
Comments
For a media center that is a pretty good selection.
how bout the nvidia barebone pc
I'm not into Nvidia. And don't really do barebones. This is a media center that has to fit into my entertainment center. Plus I still want to play games like WoW, TERA, SWTOR, and FFXIV. Keep in mind that I am retiring this current gaming rig. But coming from an old Pentium D 2.8GHz Smithfield 820 CPU and an outdated HIS Radeon HD 2600XT 512MB IceQ Turbo video card, this setup should easily be able to run those games at max if not near max settings with no lag whatsoever. I play WoW now at 25-35 FPS outside and 4-15 in cities. So I'm sure that number will jump quite well having that quad core and a 5k series Radeon.
Getting too old for this $&17!
Yeah I think I should be fine and be able to run my 1080p's and game a hell of a lot better than what I do now.
Getting too old for this $&17!
I would say that your choice seems unbalanced for gaming. Graphics card is too weak for such a strong CPU. In other words, if you insist on VGA, your CPU is overkill. If you wanna go for the same VGA (you selected Radeon 5670), just buy cheaper CPU. It is just my opinion though.
I may be missing something, but I didn't see any RAM mentioned.
I picked the quad becuz I do like to multitask. And as far as RAM I have 2GB but I'll add more later after I get it set up. I'll just have to take it out of a paycheck. As far as my card, at least I know it won't be bottle necked. And as you can see above from what one I'm running now, it's an improvement. And I can always upgrade that later as I get more money. Unless it would be better to go with these two:
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
Honestly, I may play some FPS. I would be fine even at half settings for that. But like I said. All I really want is to play my MMO's with great framerates, hopefully around 60 frames on average.
Getting too old for this $&17!
Or I could pair this card with the proc formentioned:
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
Getting too old for this $&17!
Radeon 4850 is considered only a little bit slower than 5770. Radeon 5770 can do DX11 (perhaps useful for future) and it is more power efficient (and silent). On the other hand, Radeon 4850 may cost less than 100$ on newegg (probably 512MB version). I see that you like new Intel CPUs (though AMD can get definitely less expensive - less for CPU and less for MB), so fast dualcores have best price/performance ratios for gaming. I think the second CPU and both of graphics card would do the job for you. Radeon 5770 probably better.
You shall consider also at least 3GB of RAM. Normally it is bought in pairs as 2GB or 4GB, but 2GB is becoming low and you will see your HDD trashing a lot in many game titles, especially if using VISTA/W7. 4GB RAM on the other hand require 64bit system to fully use all memory. If you have 64bit system, consider 4GB RAM, if you have 32 bit consider 3GB. You will be very happy from the better response of your system.
How about this?
secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx
Getting too old for this $&17!
I'd go with a smaller and cheaper hard drive and try to get a 5770 if at all possible if you're going to be gaming at 1080.
You can't link to wishlists like that, you need to make a public copy.
Any average 64 bit system with a decent video card and 4+ GB of ram will play MMOs. My second desktop is a $250 system. All I did was swap out the power supply, add an nvidia 250gts and 4GB of ram and its pushing over 100fps in most MMOs at 1920x1080
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx
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www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx (I already have a 2GB stick.)
And as for the comment about the HDD. The purpose of this build is not just primarily for gaming but a media center more than anything with the capability to multitask and MMO. Therefore I need storage for movies (many of them high def) and for other media. So 1TB is ideal along with a place to also run my programs from. I'm not running my OS from this. I already have a WD 10k RPM 36GB Raptor for that.
Getting too old for this $&17!
Yes I figured that was the need for a 1TB hence media center, but thought i'd throw that out there for consideration sake.
That build isn't too bad, cpu is decent and can probably unlock the 4th. The heatsink is pretty big, double check the dimensions. You shouldn't have a problem probably just a snug fit.
at least get a 5770 for video
and 4gigs of ram
and maybe get a crossfire mobo (for upgrade room
Then get another 2GB stick. The purpose of dual channel is to make it faster, you're making it slower, negating the whole point.
Check out my thread on the one I'm building my wife. If you want a full media PC, then throw a TV Tuner, a bigger HD, and a Blue Ray on it and you're GTG. I'm actually getting a TV tuner with that build, but it's going in my PC. I have a PC hooked up to every TV in the house and I can stream anywhere I want. It's really great. I'm also grabbing a router that has external hard drive support and torrent support, to make things easier and so I don't have to run my beast to stream from it.
You could also tone down the processor on that a little and get a better video card with the saved money, or just add it to your TV tuner and bigger HD.
I would also at least try to get your PC with DDR3. It's alot faster and doesn't raise the price at all.
Building a media machine and a gaming machine for $600 is really pushing it. I would really suggest $1000 if you really want both, at least that way it will be decent at both. $600 is just going to be crappy for both.
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All I'm going to do is have an @$$ load of movies on my TB drive. I don't buy DVD's so a BluRay is pointless.
TV tuner is also pointless becuz my 32" LCD IS the TV.
And 1TB is fine for now. Once I fill it up I'll add another later.
And for the proc, it's only $20 more than the Phenom II x2.
RAM I can up later. 4GB's of DDR2 800 will suffice for now.
My current setup IS my current movie player/ MMO machine. And it runs okay for its age. So this jump will be a hell of a lot better. My HD movies will play with no lag, and my framerates will jump up to 55-60 which is all I need. Thus in turn will produce no lag between card, RAM and three cores. Especially when I unlock the fourth (if I feel it's needed). Remember. Movies on HDD and MMORPG's. That's all. Doesn't need to be fancy being that I'm dropping $2k next year on my gaming PC. I don't plan on playing hardcore games like Crysis nor do I really care for DX11 on this machine. That's what the next build is for.
Getting too old for this $&17!
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I see your points. We don't really torrent very often. Just when she sees a new release she wants in which case she doesn't care for HD so my wife's files linger around 700mb a pop. By the time we fill it, that should be around I would say June.........maybe. In which case Another 2TB drive will just be part of my B-Day shopping spree. And as far as a tuner I used to have one and used to actually do that and upload them on torrent sites. Don't really care for it anymore. When we watch an episode, we delete it. The only thing I store series wise is anime. The proc is the only thing I'm over budgeting. The lower has shipping and the x3 has free shipping. Trust me. I'm nickel and dime 'in everything. As far as RAM, I'm going with GSkill DDR3 1600 4GB Ripjaws Dual Channel Memory. And I've stepped up to a 5770. So I should be set. If she approves anyways.
Getting too old for this $&17!
So I decided to go with the AMD Phenom II x3, some dual channel RAM and an XFX 4850 card (I don't play any games that use DX11). Next year I'm going to drop a little over $2,000.00 when I build my gaming PC. But as for this year, this should hold up. And when I do next year, my girl will get this one I'm building. Now I just gotta wait a few days for it to arrive. Man you don't know how much of a jump this is for me coming from my old Pentium D 820 and my Radeon 2600XT OC card. I mean I run things just fine on here, but my new build is going to smoke it. You have to admit though for $600, it is a pretty nice budget build for the money. And thanks everyone for help on my decisions and for all the input. I will keep y'all in mind next year when I get that $2,000.00. (^_^)
New Specs:
AMD Phenom II x3 - 2.8GHz (OC @ 3.2GHz)
GIGABYTE GA-790XT
GSKILL DDR3 1333 4GB Dual CH WD 10k RPM 16MB Cache Raptor 36GB HDD
Hitachi 7200 RPM 32MB Cache Deskstar 1TB HDD
Scythe SCKTN-3000 92mm Sleeve "KATANA3" CPU Fan and Heatsink
XFX Radeon HD 4850 1GB 256-bit GDDR3
Old Specs:
Pentium D 820 2.8GHz
GIGABYTE GA-P35-D3SL
GSKILL DDR2 800 2GB
WD 10k RPM 16MB Cache Raptor36GB HDD
WD 7200 RPM Caviar Green 320GB HDD
Thermaltake CL-P0372 92mm CPU Fan and Heatsink
HIS Radeon HD 2600XT IceQ Turbo 512MB 128-bit GDDR3
Getting too old for this $&17!
Great build for $600. Did you factor in your Operating System? You also might have trouble with the power connectors to the GPU. Thats an older computer and might lack the PCI-e pins.
Windows 7 64bit. I enjoyed the RC version a lot. I hated Vista. lol.
Getting too old for this $&17!