First Time Build Help

[AndreGauthier]

Hello everybody!

 

I am planning to build my first ever PC and I was interested in others opinions before buying it. I've attached an Excel file with my configuration in detail and I recommend you look at that.

 

Location : United States, unfortunately. 954 days until I can move back to Québec. 

Budget : $300 ($350 max)

Aim : Schoolwork and Gaming. I play a lot of action-adventure games and I'm fine with low and medium settings. It doesn't have to be completely silent, but I'd like one that is less of a jet engine than my current PC (see below).

Monitor : I only have one and it's more than fine for me. I don't see a multi-monitor setup. It runs at 1600x900.

Peripherals : I have a keyboard, mouse, speakers and a retail Windows license already. 

Upgrade Reason : My current PC is an HP Pavilion that my dad bought for Christmas 2007.

Spoiler

HP Pavilion a6100 (Link in French)

Intel Core 2 Duo E4400

4GB (4x1GB) DDR2 RAM (Shipped with 2x1GB with 2 slots free)

Intel 945G Express Chipset

Intel GMA 950 with 64Mb dedicated Video RAM

120GB PNY SSD taped to the top of the optical drive

320GB 7200RPM Hard Drive

LightScribe DVD Writer

Integrated 56k Modem (Great Song by the way)

300W PSU

Windows 7 Premium Family Edition French (Shipped with Vista Premium Family French)

I'm aware I could get a possibily usable web surfing PC by putting a GT 710 into it or something similar but when you have a computer dating back to when this was a popular YouTube format and 3G networks were a selling point for phones I think it'd be better to let it rest in peace.

 

Here's what I was thinking (Check the Excel Sheet) :

Processor	AMD Athlon 200GE
Ventirad	Included Ventirad
Motherboard	Gigabyte GA-A230M-S2H
Hard Drive	WD Blue 500Gb Hard Drive
SSD	Kingston A400 240Gb SSD
Memory	2x Crucial 4Gb DDR4-2400 RAM
Graphics Card	AMD Radeon RX 570 4Gb
Power Supply	Seasonic S12III 500
Case	Antec VSK3000E-U3

I don't plan on overclocking.

 

I don't really like the case so I was considering selling it to buy another case. Does anyone know of a case with a similar aesthetic to the Rosewill Stryker M or the Antec GX200 with the vertical bars in front? I really like them but both of those cases seem to be discontinued.

 

Other than that I'd just like to know if it's a good configuration to build/if I could do better at this price.

 

Thank you!

 

Config PC.xlsx

[Streetguru]

32 minutes ago, AndreGauthier said:

 

Now why would you want to leave the land of the rising taco bell?

It looks like you can just about get an R3 1200 into that budget, or even a used R5 1400/1500X/1600 if you search locally or around ebay.

 

I assume you're going to be buying an RX 470/480/570/580 on ebay for $80-120?

You want this motherboard at minimum for the VRM heatsink and B450 chipset.

get 3000mhz RAM at least

 

Just reuse your SSD/hard drive for now so you can get a better CPU and base system.

 

Whatever case you get just make sure it has a mesh front, but if you're going to spend $50 on one get a Coolermaster MB511 or Fractal Focus G, not like the case really matters though

These are a bit cheaper
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/XZnG3C/cougar-mx330-x-atx-mid-tower-case-mx330-x

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/tFTrxr/rosewill-case-challengers

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/4tWhyk

CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 1200 3.1 GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($58.90 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: GeIL EVO POTENZA 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($35.99 @ Newegg)
Case: DIYPC Zondda ATX Mid Tower Case  ($29.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA GD (2019) 500 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($54.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $239.75
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-01 22:50 EDT-0400

[AndreGauthier]

59 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

Now why would you want to leave the land of the rising taco bell?

It looks like you can just about get an R3 1200 into that budget, or even a used R5 1400/1500X/1600 if you search locally or around ebay.

 

I assume you're going to be buying an RX 470/480/570/580 on ebay for $80-120?

You want this motherboard at minimum for the VRM heatsink and B450 chipset.

get 3000mhz RAM at least

 

Just reuse your SSD/hard drive for now so you can get a better CPU and base system.

 

Whatever case you get just make sure it has a mesh front, but if you're going to spend $50 on one get a Coolermaster MB511 or Fractal Focus G, not like the case really matters though

These are a bit cheaper
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/XZnG3C/cougar-mx330-x-atx-mid-tower-case-mx330-x

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/tFTrxr/rosewill-case-challengers

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/4tWhyk

CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 1200 3.1 GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($58.90 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: GeIL EVO POTENZA 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($35.99 @ Newegg)
Case: DIYPC Zondda ATX Mid Tower Case  ($29.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA GD (2019) 500 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($54.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $239.75
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-01 22:50 EDT-0400

 

I guess my heart is where the poutine is. 

 

Also my dad had to move here for his job and as a minor I can’t really say no.

 

Thanks for the recommendations though.

 

My plan was to use a 500Gb hard drive I had lying around (the WD Blue) and throw in the Kingston SSD just for a faster boot and program load times. For now I could use that PNY SSD.

 

And I guess the Stryker M Vertical Bars are truly dead? 

[Streetguru]

1 hour ago, AndreGauthier said:

And I guess the Stryker M Vertical Bars are truly dead? 

Most likely, that kind of hurts airflow anyways. Might be able to find similar cheap Chinese cases somewhere like aliexpress

 

if you're looking for a more unique case the Q300L/Q500L are nice, just not great for water cooling, I've got an X399/1950X system in one.