Budget PC build time!

Marziman · January 29, 2016

Okay, I'm finally going to do it. I've got all the things I needed to sell, sold on ebay and it's time to build a PC

This isn't really for gaming but here's what's planned

It will run Foobar2000, have 2 TB's of hardrives, it will be hooked up to MANY pieces of audio equipment

EQ's, AMPS, DACS, Pre-AMPS, USB audio cleaners etc. etc.

I need help building it CHEAP AS POSSIBLE

requirements Core2 Q6600, damn what a deal 20$ on average

lga 775 mobo(with ddr3 capabilities preferably)

I will pick the case and RAM

a PSU(not a crap one, I'll need what, 300Watts for it all correct?)

The best GPU I can grab with what ever's left over

I may do some gaming on it like darksouls (this could run on a potato using NVIDIA mobo graphics) CS;GO, Gmod etc. etc.

Budgets 300$ or less, as cheap as I can go without it being complete shit.

Chasem121 · January 29, 2016

Rather than getting the Q6600, I'd get a LGA771 Xeon and do the LGa771 -> LGA775 mod.

You can get a higher clocked cpu than the Q6600 for cheaper, a 3.3 Ghz 5450 runs around 17 dollars

Marziman · January 29, 2016

Rather than getting the Q6600, I'd get a LGA771 Xeon and do the LGa771 -> LGA775 mod.

You can get a higher clocked cpu than the Q6600 for cheaper, a 3.3 Ghz 5450 runs around 17 dollars

Yeah I saw the mod, people even sell 'em. Their q9650 or something like that.

Streetguru · January 29, 2016

Okay, I'm finally going to do it. I've got all the things I needed to sell, sold on ebay and it's time to build a PC

Um, just get an APU? At least if you want to avoid any used part hassels, if nothing else you could just get an 860K and a used GPU or something.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mWyxXL

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mWyxXL/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD A8-7600 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($81.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A78M-D3H Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($56.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($39.88 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.88 @ OutletPC)

Case: Xion XON-310_BK MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($27.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($38.49 @ SuperBiiz)

Total: $294.21

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-29 01:43 EST-0500

Marziman · January 29, 2016

Um, just get an APU? At least if you want to avoid any used part hassels, if nothing else you could just get an 860K and a used GPU or something.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mWyxXL

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mWyxXL/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD A8-7600 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($81.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A78M-D3H Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($56.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($39.88 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.88 @ OutletPC)

Case: Xion XON-310_BK MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($27.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($38.49 @ SuperBiiz)

Total: $294.21

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-29 01:43 EST-0500

I don't want an APU because I may do some light gaming and if I ever do go the upgrade route, it's going to be more costly to let go of a used APU and buy a new CPU for gaming

Streetguru · January 29, 2016

I don't want an APU because I may do some light gaming and if I ever do go the upgrade route, it's going to be more costly to let go of a used APU and buy a new CPU for gaming

Here's basically the same APU paired with a 290 vs an i5, it's really not that far behind, games don't normally need a very strong CPU

http://www.technologyx.com/featured/amd-a8-7650k-apu-review-the-little-apu-that-could/5/

if you really need a strong CPU then get like an i3, I wouldn't get a G3258, as it's a pure dual core.

Bigheart · January 29, 2016

Um, just get an APU? At least if you want to avoid any used part hassels, if nothing else you could just get an 860K and a used GPU or something.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mWyxXL

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mWyxXL/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD A8-7600 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($81.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A78M-D3H Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($56.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2400 Memory ($39.88 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.88 @ OutletPC)

Case: Xion XON-310_BK MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($27.98 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($38.49 @ SuperBiiz)

Total: $294.21

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-29 01:43 EST-0500

that Apu in the comment above can run something like battlefield 4 at low settings at 30 fps, and you can put it into crossfire with an r7 graphics card, which would net you around 15 more fps if you wanted to upgrade your rig later. But if that is not the route you intend to go, then perhaps you should go with this:

CPU: amd fx-6300, 89.99 at amazon

MOBO: ASRock N68C-GS4 FX Micro ATX AMD Motherboard, 49.99 at newegg

RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model BLS2KIT4G3D1609DS1S00, 37.99 @ Newegg

Case: same as above

Psu: same as above

Storage: same as above

Total: 293.32

I wouldnt recommend the lga platform you desire only because its upgrade path is basically non existent, and am3 will have more upgrading headroom. the cpu above will perform far better at audio than any 2 core chip, and the mobo above has an okay sound solution integrated within as well as a bare bones graphics solution. if you wanted, you could also grab something like a gtx 750 ti for 100 dollars more to give your system a little "oompf" in the graphics department,

Like i said before, that APU is probably your best bet for gaming without a graphics card. without it, solutions that involve both gaming and audio creation/ enjoyment will be extremely limited.