The Laptop Killer

[AgentM101]

I want to replace my current laptop with a desktop setup, but I'm having problems finding parts cheap. I currently use a Toshiba Satellite L850D running a AMD A8-4500M APU with Radeon 7640M integrated graphics, 8GB of RAM and 1TB HDD(Roughly 1/3 full of stuff). I want to keep the price low enough for my mom and dad, since they don't want me spending too much on it. I'm not sure what I'll need, but I play games like DiRT Rally, Garry's Mod and Rocksmith 2014. The top price is probably $750 and it has to include a monitor and Windows 8.1(Cause free upgrade). Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

[TheKDub]

I don't feel up for configuring another build for a little while, but I will still give you a suggestion.

 

Maybe a GTX 960 or R9 280x or 290, i5 4460, and get windows 8.1 from http://reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap I got my copy there and have had no issues with it. (Upgraded to windows 10 successfully too! )

[MrChavelo]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($112.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($79.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($44.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($51.89 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 280 3GB Black Edition Double Dissipation Video Card  ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N300 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply  ($34.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($14.89 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32/64-bit)  ($101.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Acer S220HQLAbd 60Hz 21.5" Monitor  ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $741.00

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-04 16:33 EDT-0400

 

EDIT: Optical drive to install the OS, if you don't want to download the ISO

Edited August 4, 2015 by MrChavelo

[Sam Z Man]

What currency?

[Sauron]

-

 

If you get in the insider program you get windows 10 for free, no need to purchase windows 8.1.

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($112.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Motherboard: MSI H81M-P33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($42.99 @ Directron) 

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($51.77 @ OutletPC) 

Storage: Sandisk Solid State Drive 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($45.99 @ NCIX US) 

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($48.89 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 280X 3GB TurboDuo Video Card  ($222.98 @ Newegg) 

Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($32.99 @ Micro Center) 

Power Supply: Thermaltake SMART 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($47.81 @ Amazon) 

Monitor: Asus VS239H-P 23.0" Monitor  ($143.01 @ Amazon) 

Total: $749.42

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-04 16:35 EDT-0400

[19_blackie_73]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($112.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($79.89 @ OutletPC)

Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($44.49 @ SuperBiiz)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($51.89 @ OutletPC)

Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 280 3GB Black Edition Double Dissipation Video Card  ($149.99 @ Newegg)

Case: Cooler Master N300 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($49.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply  ($34.99 @ NCIX US)

Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer  ($14.89 @ OutletPC)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32/64-bit)  ($101.89 @ OutletPC)

Monitor: Acer S220HQLAbd 60Hz 21.5" Monitor  ($99.99 @ Amazon)

Total: $741.00

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-04 16:33 EDT-0400

 

EDIT: Optical drive to install the OS, if you don't want to download the ISO

pretty good solution

[AgentM101]

What currency?

Canadian Dollars

[Sam Z Man]

Canadian Dollars

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4170 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($144.98 @ DirectCanada)

Motherboard: Asus H81M-A Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($48.07 @ Amazon Canada)

Memory: Team Elite Plus 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($50.98 @ Newegg Canada)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.98 @ Newegg Canada)

Video Card: Club 3D Radeon R9 280 3GB royalKing Video Card ($219.88 @ Canada Computers)

Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($52.25 @ Vuugo)

Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 620W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($69.98 @ Newegg Canada)

Monitor: Asus VS228H-P 21.5" Monitor ($81.50 @ Vuugo)

Other: Windows 8 from G2A ($20.00)

Total: $744.62

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-05 00:33 EDT-0400

[g4m3cr34tor]

-snip-

you definitely want to go for a quad-core cpu if possible, as it will HUGELY help in the majority of tasks. (that is unless you get a g2358 and overclock the balls out of it). The cheapest current-gen would be a i5-4460 for $224

[MrChavelo]

you definitely want to go for a quad-core cpu if possible, as it will HUGELY help in the majority of tasks. (that is unless you get a g2358 and overclock the balls out of it). The cheapest current-gen would be a i5-4460 for $224

The 4170 is hyperthreaded, so the difference won't be 'HUGELY'.