Best $500 gaming rig?

[Sketchy_Banana]

What would be the best bang for the buck gaming rig that would play games at medium settings at 1080p60? A blue theme would be prefered.

Exclude the case.

And it would be best if it would last some time. (4gbvram gpu, quad core)

Doesnt matter if its amd or intel as long as its great for your dollar.

[Chasem121]

Edit: Put in the 2 GB model of the 380 accidently

Edit Part 2: Noticed you said no case so I swapped it out for an ssd.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($68.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A88XM-D3H Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard  ($46.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($44.09 @ Amazon)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 380 4GB PCS+ Video Card  ($193.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $482.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-18 03:29 EST-0500

[stconquest]

Variation of @Chasem121 's build... just to get it under $500:

 

$488 before rebates:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($76.98 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A88XM-D3H Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard  ($46.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Mushkin ECO2 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($31.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ ARC 100 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($64.99 @ Amazon)  <<Switch to a 1TB HDD if you hoard game installs
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 380 4GB PCS+ Video Card  ($193.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec Green 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($46.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $448.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-18 04:05 EST-0500

[Chasem121]

Variation of @Chasem121 's build... just to get it under $500:

Do you mean under $500 before rebates? Because mine comes to $482 after rebates

[stconquest]

Do you mean under $500 before rebates? Because mine comes to $482 after rebates

 

When you purchase the PC, are rebates instantly discounted?  Well?  Come on... mail in rebates mean shit when you are initially purchasing a PC.

[Chasem121]

When you purchase the PC, are rebates instantly discounted?  Well?  Come on... mail in rebates mean shit when you are initially purchasing a PC.

Not everyone buys all the parts at one time, it doesn't take that long to get the rebates. Also no need to be so pretentious about it

[stconquest]

Not everyone buys all the parts at one time, it doesn't take that long to get the rebates. Also no need to be so pretentious about it

 

Rebates don't guarantee you money back, I learn this over many years of sending in rebates.  Sure some companies will honor it and a good amount will screw you.

 

Sorry, but I am seeing a lot of this rebate crap to get under budget.  It is a dishonest way to hit a monetary mark.

 

I consider the MIR a bonus... if it arrives.  My latest wat a $20 Gigabyte rebate that they apparently sent.  I guess it got lost in the mail

[Chasem121]

Rebates don't guarantee you money back, I learn this over many years of sending in rebates.  Sure some companies will honor it and a good amount will screw you.

 

Sorry, but I am seeing a lot of this rebate crap to get under budget.  It is a dishonest way to hit a monetary mark.

There's nothing dishonest about it, I never had any trouble getting rebates before and you are the only one I've seen complain about it before. Downgrading builds just to not deal with rebates is lazy and pointless.

[stconquest]

There's nothing dishonest about it, I never had any trouble getting rebates before and you are the only one I've seen complain about it before. Downgrading builds just to not deal with rebates is lazy and pointless.

 

If OP has $500 to buy a PC, and you post a build that costs $540 with $60 in MIR... how much money does OP need to buy the PC?  Is it really that hard to understand?

 

Using MIR to hit a budget is lazy AND dishonest.  :mellow:  Arguing this is pointless as you are straight up wrong.

[Chasem121]

If OP has $500 to buy a PC, and you post a build that costs $540 with $60 in MIR... how much money does OP need to buy the PC?  Is it really that hard to understand?

 

Using MIR to hit a budget is lazy AND dishonest.  :mellow:  Arguing this is pointless as you are straight up wrong.

If op has 500 dollars all he has to do is buy half the parts, get the rebates, and then buy the other half. Its not a very complicated prospect and I'm amazed your having this much trouble with it

[stconquest]

If op has 500 dollars all he has to do is buy half the parts, get the rebates, and then buy the other half. Its not a very complicated prospect and I'm amazed your having this much trouble with it

 

That is the absolute stupidest thing I have heard today...  You are being phenomenally dumb. 

 

Let me help you:  The report feature is at the bottom right of any of my posts.

[Chasem121]

That is the absolute stupidest thing I have heard today...  You are being phenomenally dumb. 

 

Let me help you:  The report feature is at the bottom right of any of my posts.

 

If its stupid, explain why. It's easy to dismiss the opposing arguments with ad humane attacks, but it doesn't mean that you are right or the other side is wrong.

So if it is stupid, why couldn't op buy all the parts that have rebates first, get the rebate money back, and then buy the rest of the parts? It comes down to less than 500 dollars in the end, just with a small time difference. Give a valid argument. And no "occasionally the companies are troublesome about rebates!" is not really an argument, its a vast minority of times.

[Sketchy_Banana]

gg wp tks dudets