$500 pc build no storage needed.

[ronin1mil]

Budget (including currency): $500

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Gaming, Discord.

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc.): 

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/QXhkyK           https://pcpartpicker.com/list/wVVwFg

I'm a first time builder and I'm not looking for something that's insanely powerful, just smooth. The parts list has stuff missing, I have a monitor, os, storage, ddr4 memory. I'm still contemplating if I'm gonna buy a gpu because I'm switching from a ps5. If I got one I would like it to run my monitor at it's full spec which is 1440p 144hz, I'm currently into Overwatch 2 with friends and would prefer medium or high quality. I currently have a GT 730 that I'm using for casual modded Minecraft. 

 

Since it's my first time building I would prefer something that's easier to build with than something cheaper. This rig was just something I put together with my own knowledge and current prices. I don't need any peripherals.

 

I just want a pc that's not proprietary like my current dell one that's from 2016/2017, and one that's upgradeable in the case I fully switch to pc. I made a build including everything as the second link. My SSD is something I'm using in my ps5 and I'm repurposing it. I'm aiming for Christmas for it to be finalized but can buy parts if they're good deals between now and Christmas.

[ZeusXI]

50 minutes ago, ronin1mil said:

Budget (including currency): $500

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Gaming, Discord.

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're

What is your current build? for 500$ I would rather just buy a GPU itself if the computer you have can handle it. 

[Queen Chrysalis]

1 hour ago, ZeusXI said:

What is your current build? for 500$ I would rather just buy a GPU itself if the computer you have can handle it. 

This:

 

I can almost guarantee that if you took your dell PC and added a GPU and new PSU that it would be more than sufficient if not excellent for any kind of gaming.  Without a GPU or with a GT 730 you may as well not even upgrade:

 

PCPartPicker Part List

Storage: Patriot Burst Elite 960 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($50.99 @ B&H) 
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 6600 MECH 2X 8G Radeon RX 6600 8 GB Video Card  ($189.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: Super Flower Legion GX Pro 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply  ($57.99 @ Newegg Sellers) 
Total: $298.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-11-05 17:54 EDT-0400

 

It's worth asking if the PC you have has an open m.2 port on the motherboard.  If it does not, than just go with the list above.  If it does, get this SSD instead of the one I posted:

 

Silicon Power A60 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive (SP001TBP34A60M28) - PCPartPicker

 

If the PC already has an SSD, then disregard either SSD recommendation and jut get the GPU and PSU.  If you are currently using the PC without an SSD, you'll be shocked at how much better everything runs once windows and other programs are installed on one.

 

IF you do upgrade the GPU way later, the PSU I included would be sufficient for a 3070 or 6700XT, but I'm not sure which 2016 CPU your PC has so it's hard to recommend anything above a RX 6600 for a pairing.  The RX 6600 is also an incredible value for its performance at under $200.  

 

I'd also recommend looking into more RAM.  16GB is plenty, but If you only have a single DIMM, adding a second to run the RAM in dual channel mode will make things a lot better.  You'll want a second DIMM that matches the first one, so you'll have to take it out and look up the model.  Should be like $20-$30.

[NF-A12x25]

Yeah I too would recommend just upgrading the current one- you’ll want 1 more DIMM, a good GPU, and a good power supply.

 

Later on you should be able to buy a decent case, mobo, and CPU to transition away from the proprietary build.

[ronin1mil]

3 hours ago, Queen Chrysalis said:

This:

 

I can almost guarantee that if you took your dell PC and added a GPU and new PSU that it would be more than sufficient if not excellent for any kind of gaming.  Without a GPU or with a GT 730 you may as well not even upgrade:

 

PCPartPicker Part List

Storage: Patriot Burst Elite 960 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($50.99 @ B&H) 
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 6600 MECH 2X 8G Radeon RX 6600 8 GB Video Card  ($189.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: Super Flower Legion GX Pro 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply  ($57.99 @ Newegg Sellers) 
Total: $298.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-11-05 17:54 EDT-0400

 

It's worth asking if the PC you have has an open m.2 port on the motherboard.  If it does not, than just go with the list above.  If it does, get this SSD instead of the one I posted:

 

Silicon Power A60 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive (SP001TBP34A60M28) - PCPartPicker

 

If the PC already has an SSD, then disregard either SSD recommendation and jut get the GPU and PSU.  If you are currently using the PC without an SSD, you'll be shocked at how much better everything runs once windows and other programs are installed on one.

 

IF you do upgrade the GPU way later, the PSU I included would be sufficient for a 3070 or 6700XT, but I'm not sure which 2016 CPU your PC has so it's hard to recommend anything above a RX 6600 for a pairing.  The RX 6600 is also an incredible value for its performance at under $200.  

 

I'd also recommend looking into more RAM.  16GB is plenty, but If you only have a single DIMM, adding a second to run the RAM in dual channel mode will make things a lot better.  You'll want a second DIMM that matches the first one, so you'll have to take it out and look up the model.  Should be like $20-$30.

i will looking into another one but I'm currently just looking for a rig that doesn't lag when I'm playing some modded minecraft. I'm currently running apps off a usb stick and would like to use m.2 instead. I need a new case because the one I'm using doesn't have exhaust for a psu on the bottom and the current psu is 80 plus bronze. I came to the conslusion that getting a system that can run games as a server and other stuff that isn't heavy on the gpu was a good place to start. I want to look into a gpu as an extra gift for Christmas, wait for a deal, or just wait until I need it or earn the money for it.

[ronin1mil]

4 hours ago, ZeusXI said:

What is your current build? for 500$ I would rather just buy a GPU itself if the computer you have can handle it. 

My current build is an i7 7700k and a gt730 with a hdd but I'm using a usb stick from samsung that I got earlier this year as consistently fast storage,

 

My computer doesn't have the psu for it because it's proprietary, the case also lacks a fan on the bottom and is built in 2017 using what dell wanted back then instead of consumer choice. I'm planning on using Christmas money to buy a good rig that can run apps (microsoft suite, discord, chrome, etc.) and then look into buying a gpu and getting into gaming. 

 

[Queen Chrysalis]

14 hours ago, ronin1mil said:

My current build is an i7 7700k and a gt730 with a hdd but I'm using a usb stick from samsung that I got earlier this year as consistently fast storage,

 

My computer doesn't have the psu for it because it's proprietary, the case also lacks a fan on the bottom and is built in 2017 using what dell wanted back then instead of consumer choice. I'm planning on using Christmas money to buy a good rig that can run apps (microsoft suite, discord, chrome, etc.) and then look into buying a gpu and getting into gaming. 

 

Gocha.  I'd still say the 7700k is more than sufficient, you are not gaining much of anything upgrading from a 7700k to a 12100, despite what nerds will tell you.  At 1440p 144Hz a 7700k will pair well with anything up to a 6800xt or 3080, some may say 6700xt or 3070, but my point stands.  You could go with something like this at the moment, as prices are very low right now (particularly for the PSU and cooler) and Christmas shopping may bring them up, as right now you can get this for $500:

 

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ARGB 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler  ($39.90 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Patriot Burst Elite 960 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($49.99 @ Amazon) 
Case: Zalman S2 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($54.99 @ Amazon) 
Power Supply: Super Flower Legion GX Pro 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply  ($67.99 @ Newegg Sellers) 
Total: $212.87
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-11-06 03:24 EST-0500

 

GPU: XFX SPEEDSTER QICK 319 AMD Radeon" RX 6700 XT BLACK Gaming Graphics Card 12GB | eBay

 

RAM: Crucial 16GB Single DDR4 2400MHz PC4-19200 Desktop RAM 288-Pin Memory 2400 Dimm 649528773500 | eBay

 

RAM and GPU are totally fine from eBay, as this particular GPU has only been used for 2 months and still has warranty.  You also get your money back if it doesn't work, and if it works you're in the clear.  Especially since this is a much nicer 6700xt that the ones that are $370 new (you'd have to spend about $425 to get one with a cooler like this).  

 

I picked this case because it has good airflow and includes all the fans you need for $55, which is a pretty hard deal to find these days.  I like the aesthetic, but there are a few others that fit this bill at the bottom of this post.

 

You could skip the RAM for now if budget is tight, and just add the second DIMM later with Christmas money, as the price fo that is unlikely to change, and the system would still be full usable without it.

 

You could also skip the cooler and just use the stock one to save $40 now and get a cooler later.  It perform pretty much the same, the big cooler would just be quieter.  Or you could go with a cheaper cooler and be totally fine while saving $20:

 

Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler (AX120 SE-D3) - PCPartPicker

 

Do you know the specific model number of your Dell PC?  That will tell me how suitable it is for a PSU upgrade as some OEM motherboards suck for it but Dell is usually a lot better than HP or Lenovo.  Basically, whether it can take a new PSU and whether or not it can handle an m.2 drive.  But realistically, a SATA SSD is gonna be more than fast enough to where the PC would still seem very fast compared to how it is now, and I'd only really push for an m.2 if the board has a port for it.  It's really not a big deal if it doesn't, I wouldn't scrap the CPU and board just to get an m.2 SSD over a SATA SSD.  Windows is still gonna run at the speed of a click and apps and games will load in seconds.  You could also get a cheaper SATA SSD if you only want 500GB of SSD space and just use the HDD from your old system for things that don;t need to be on an SSD and save $25:

 

Patriot Burst Elite 480 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (PBE480GS25SSDR) - PCPartPicker

 

If you don;t like the case I included, these would also work wnd fir your budget:

 

Cooler Master MasterBox Pro 5 ARGB ATX Mid Tower Case (MCY-B5P2-KWGN-03) - PCPartPicker

Fractal Design Focus G Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case (FD-CA-FOCUS-MINI-BK-W) - PCPartPicker

SAMA Sama-3D ATX Mid Tower Case (Sama-3D) - PCPartPicker

GAMDIAS ATHENA M2 LITE MicroATX Mid Tower Case (ATHENA M2 LITE) - PCPartPicker

Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L MicroATX Mini Tower Case (MCB-Q300L-KANN-S00) - PCPartPicker (needs fans, but 2 arctic p12s would work for like $15, or you could pull fans from an old computer)

[ronin1mil]

I did some thinking and came to what I think is a solid build conclusion that would be friendly for me, except for one thing, and has the expandability I want. It took longer then I like but here is the list https://pcpartpicker.com/list/cHPbZw. Everything that isn't included is because I have one that's acceptable, the gpu is an exception but I want to save that for later as the current gt730 is enough for the light games I'm currently enjoying. This isn't to say I will stick with it but I don't know what I'm missing out on as I haven't touched demanding games much.

 

CPU: I would like to go with a 12th gen because right now a 13th gen upgrade looks compelling later on and it is just good value.

 

Cooler:  I don't know if I'm going to use it but if I do upgrade my CPU or change it with a different budget then I will definitely upgrade to a proper one, especially with the stock cooler for 12th gen.

 

Motherboard: When I was picking out parts the motherboard was a hassle to learn and pick out but I got one that i'm not sacrificing anything i will use and at a comfortable price. The bios might have to be flashed but that's fine because I do have a usb drive.

 

Gpu: I couldn't upgrade the gpu because the case only has an exhaust fan for the power supply. This removes a gpu upgrade without a power supply upgrade. I also couldn't upgrade my PSU because the case doesn't have a bottom exhaust, only one exhaust possible, air intake that is laughable, it also looks ugly. For those wondering it's a dell Inspiron 3668. 

 

PSU: I picked out a power supply that has the 80+ ratings, wattage, and the price where you don't have to feel scared to use it.

 

Ram: The build I built did go overboard on ram but I think it's fine because I plan on running a modded Minecraft server while also playing on it and with my current 16gb I barely get past that and have to close every program and even then it still doesn't perform well. My memory was slower than I would like and need at 2400 mhz. Which is not something i would like and now I could use this machine as a server instead. Although I still would want that 32gb because my Minecraft server did stutter on this machine which could've been caused by the cpu, as it said the server was overloaded. It could've also been ram was too full. 

 

Case: I didn't look into it as much as the others but I thought the price was worth it because of how long it will last me and because it was apparently easy to build with. 

 

Sorry it took a bit to reply and thank you to the three that did reply because it is very nerve wracking building a pc and some reassurance I wasn't wasting money was helpful. I would like to know about