What Processor Should I Use In My Budget Build? GPU Advice Also Appreciated.

[RavenChan]

For a while now, I've been trying to turn my old PC into a proper gaming PC, and I've got a few parts bought and put in already including a 600w PSU. The thing I want to upgrade next is my processor. I currently have the AMD Athlon II X2 220, a dual core processor running at 2.80 GHz. I've been searching for a few good processors that are AM3 compatible but I can't seem to decide what to choose and what would even be worth my money. What processors would you guys recommend that are at least quad core at 3 GHz or higher and under a hundred dollars if possible? I also have a GeForce GT 610 that I want to upgrade, but the problem is I don't know if any graphics card will just work in any system provided the board and power supply are capable of handling it, or if there are specific kinds of graphics cards for specific kinds of motherboards, much like how RAM can be DDR3 or DDR4, for example. Any idea on how to find out what will work in my board?

[TahoeDust]

Real talk...keep saving until you can afford something current gen and DDR4.  Any CPU that would go in your current motherboard will be a short term disappointment and a long tearm waste of money.

[RavenChan]

Yeah, that makes sense when I think about it. I'll just have to wait another year until I can get a job and start earning my own money, it seems. I'm still not sure about GPU's, and whether or not they have a specific type though.

[xriqn]

What's your budget?

[xriqn]

If you're still on a tight budget when you get a job, go for this. It's well worth the money and the 2200G has pretty decent integrated graphics for a cheaper chip.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($104.99 @ Amazon) 
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC - Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 45.0 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler  ($22.99 @ Amazon) 
Motherboard: MSI - B350M PRO-VH PLUS Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($63.88 @ Amazon) 
Memory: Patriot - Viper Elite 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($80.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($59.89 @ Amazon) 
Case: Cooler Master - MasterBox Lite 3.1 MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($37.99 @ Amazon) 
Power Supply: Corsair - CXM (2015) 450W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($47.00 @ Amazon) 
Total: $417.73
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-19 00:26 EDT-0400

[Streetguru]

22 minutes ago, RavenChan said:

 

Just save up for an R3 2200G system and you should be fine.

[Streetguru]

1 minute ago, xriqn said:

 

You need faster memory, the ASrock Pro4 is just about the best budget motherboard, and I'd go for the Masterwatt 550W over that PSU

That case is also a hot box that isn't worth buying.

a 92mm cooler isn't going to be much better than the stock Ryzen cooler.

[xriqn]

2 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

You need faster memory, the ASrock Pro4 is just about the best budget motherboard, and I'd go for the Masterwatt 550W over that PSU

That case is also a hot box that isn't worth buying.

a 92mm cooler isn't going to be much better than the stock Ryzen cooler.

Stock ryzen coolers don't come with the CPU unless it's the R7. Masterwatt 550W is WAY too much in terms of wattage. The case can be changed if necessary. I always go with B350 as a bare minimum for a zen mobo (unless its my own pc, idc about overclocking for now personally). Memory should be fine, ddr4 3000 would be WAY too expensive for him.

[Streetguru]

3 minutes ago, xriqn said:

Stock ryzen coolers don't come with the CPU unless it's the R7. Masterwatt 550W is WAY too much in terms of wattage. The case can be changed if necessary.

There's no such thing as too much wattage it gives you more room for future upgrades and costs pretty close to that one

 

Every Ryzen CPU comes with a stock cooler unless it's an X model, the R3 2200G comes with the wraith stealth.

 

I think for the 2000X series they're including stock coolers.

If you were going to upgrade the stock cooler you want a 120mm 4 heatpipe tower cooler at least, like a Hyper T4

[xriqn]

1 minute ago, Streetguru said:

There's no such thing as too much wattage it gives you more room for future upgrades and costs pretty close to that one

 

Every Ryzen CPU comes with a stock cooler unless it's an X model, the R3 2200G comes with the wraith stealth.

 

I think for the 2000X series they're including stock coolers.

If you were going to upgrade the stock cooler you want a 120mm 4 heatpipe tower cooler at least, like a Hyper T4

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FY3cYk_1-zCo%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DY3cYk_1-zCo&docid=1ak-TX0-dp3hRM&tbnid=pKEr6_LV5K6YMM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwiJzs3gwcXaAhVFwVkKHZaiDM8QMwhNKA4wDg..i&w=1280&h=720&bih=1324&biw=1562&q=wraith stealth R3 2200G&ved=0ahUKEwiJzs3gwcXaAhVFwVkKHZaiDM8QMwhNKA4wDg&iact=mrc&uact=8

"Room for future upgrades" TDP is going down on most stuff now. R7 is the ONLY ryzen 1st gen CPU that has a cooler bundled. Yes Raven Ridge is the 1st gen of Ryzen APU's.

[Streetguru]

Just now, xriqn said:

"Room for future upgrades" TDP is going down on most stuff now. R7 is the ONLY ryzen 1st gen CPU that has a cooler bundled. Yes Raven Ridge is the 1st gen of Ryzen APU's.

You have no idea what you are talking about my man, i even posted a picture that clearly shows the stock cooler of the R3 2200G, and any review will have made mention of the included stock cooler
 

AMD even lists what CPUs come with what coolers

https://www.amd.com/en/technologies/cpu-cooler-solution

 

Bundled Thermal Solution	Processors
AMD Wraith Prism (RGB programmable LED with compatible motherboards)	AMD Ryzen™ 7 2700X
AMD Wraith Spire (RGB programmable LED with compatible motherboards)	AMD Ryzen™ 7 2700 AMD Ryzen™ 7 1700
AMD Wraith Spire Cooler (no LED)	AMD Ryzen™ 5 2600X AMD Ryzen™ 5 1600 AMD Ryzen™ 5 1500X
AMD Wraith Stealth Cooler (no LED)	AMD Ryzen™ 5 2600 AMD Ryzen™ 5 2400G AMD Ryzen™ 5 1400 AMD Ryzen™ 3 2200G AMD Ryzen™ 3 1300X AMD Ryzen™ 3 1200
AMD Wraith Cooler (with LED)	AMD FX™ 8370 AMD FX™ 8350 AMD A10-7890K AMD FX™ 6350
Near-Silent 125W AMD Thermal Solution	AMD A10-7870K AMD Athlon™ 880K
Near-Silent 95W AMD Thermal Solution	AMD A10-7860K AMD A8-7670K AMD A8-7650K AMD Athlon™ X4 870K AMD Athlon™ X4 860K AMD Athlon™ X4 845

 

 

 

[xriqn]

4 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

There's no such thing as too much wattage it gives you more room for future upgrades and costs pretty close to that one

 

Every Ryzen CPU comes with a stock cooler unless it's an X model, the R3 2200G comes with the wraith stealth.

 

I think for the 2000X series they're including stock coolers.

If you were going to upgrade the stock cooler you want a 120mm 4 heatpipe tower cooler at least, like a Hyper T4

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FY3cYk_1-zCo%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DY3cYk_1-zCo&docid=1ak-TX0-dp3hRM&tbnid=pKEr6_LV5K6YMM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwiJzs3gwcXaAhVFwVkKHZaiDM8QMwhNKA4wDg..i&w=1280&h=720&bih=1324&biw=1562&q=wraith stealth R3 2200G&ved=0ahUKEwiJzs3gwcXaAhVFwVkKHZaiDM8QMwhNKA4wDg&iact=mrc&uact=8

Oh and by the way, even a bloody i7 8700K system with a 1080ti and 32GB DDR4 3000 RAM only takes 464W, therefore only a system THAT powerful needs a PSU like the masterwatt 550W.

Here's proof:

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bvMtpG

Plus the masterwatt 550w is only an 80+ BRONZE as opposed to the CX450M's 80+ GOLD rating.

Yes I just threw that system together, I didn't really care what case was used or RAM brand.

[xriqn]

It's 5:46AM, I haven't slept properly for about a week, I haven't had any coffee and I really couldn't care less about whether any CPU comes with a cooler, no matter what you say anything is better than a stock cooler.

[Streetguru]

8 minutes ago, xriqn said:

Oh and by the way, even a bloody i7 8700K system with a 1080ti and 32GB DDR4 3000 RAM only takes 464W, therefore only a system THAT powerful needs a PSU like the masterwatt 550W.

Here's proof:

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bvMtpG

Plus the masterwatt 550w is only an 80+ BRONZE as opposed to the CX450M's 80+ GOLD rating.

Yes I just threw that system together, I didn't really care what case was used or RAM brand.

The PC part picker power calculator is not a useful tool for calculating power supply needs, the moment you do any overclocking you'd be pushing that PSU to it's limit. An OC'd 8700K is going to draw like 200W on it's own, and a lower end GPU in that config may not provide very stable voltages for overclocking. an OC'd 1080ti can draw 300W depending on the load.

In addition the Ryzen stock cooler is pretty good. and a small 92mm cooler probably isn't worth the upgrade when a 120mm cooler costs the same and is an actual upgrade.

[xriqn]

3 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

The PC part picker power calculator is not a useful tool for calculating power supply needs, the moment you do any overclocking you'd be pushing that PSU to it's limit. An OC'd 8700K is going to draw like 200W on it's own, and a lower end GPU in that config may not provide very stable voltages for overclocking. an OC'd 1080ti can draw 300W depending on the load.

In addition the Ryzen stock cooler is pretty good. and a small 92mm cooler probably isn't worth the upgrade when a 120mm cooler costs the same and is an actual upgrade.

I'm sorry but you're very wrong. A 550W PSU is still TOO MUCH for such a low end system, it's a waste of money and power. Even overclocked, a 1080ti/8700K system wouldn't go ANYWHERE NEAR the 550W limit.

[RavenChan]

21 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

I'd go for the Masterwatt 550W over that PSU

I have a Corsair CX 600. It's a 600W PSU, is that good enough or should I go higher in the future? Also, as for the ASrock Pro4, I have that written down and I'll look into that one. The case I use is a Corsair Carbide Spec-04, a big upgrade from the Rosewill FBM-01 I used to use, though I mainly switched to the Spec because I couldn't cable manage with the FBM.

[RavenChan]

31 minutes ago, xriqn said:

If you're still on a tight budget when you get a job, go for this. It's well worth the money and the 2200G has pretty decent integrated graphics for a cheaper chip.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($104.99 @ Amazon) 
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC - Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 45.0 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler  ($22.99 @ Amazon) 
Motherboard: MSI - B350M PRO-VH PLUS Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($63.88 @ Amazon) 
Memory: Patriot - Viper Elite 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($80.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($59.89 @ Amazon) 
Case: Cooler Master - MasterBox Lite 3.1 MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($37.99 @ Amazon) 
Power Supply: Corsair - CXM (2015) 450W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($47.00 @ Amazon) 
Total: $417.73
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-19 00:26 EDT-0400

Thanks, I have these written down now. That Seagate Barracuda would help quite a bit and I imagine it'd be a pretty decent sized upgrade over the current one I have, which is the Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 (500GB) I only have 113GB left 

[Streetguru]

7 minutes ago, RavenChan said:

 

PSU is fine

Motherboard might need a BIOS update, would not listen to that suggestion above...
 

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vxVxFt
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vxVxFt/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($94.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock - AB350M Pro4 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($74.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Patriot - Viper 4 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $254.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-19 01:03 EDT-0400

 

[xriqn]

Just now, Streetguru said:

PSU is fine

Motherboard might need a BIOS update, would not listen to that suggestion above...
 

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vxVxFt
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vxVxFt/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($94.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock - AB350M Pro4 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($74.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Patriot - Viper 4 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $254.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-19 01:03 EDT-0400

 

If it's newer stock it won't need a BIOS update, chances are it probably is newer stock that you'll get now. Ignore Streetguru, he's just trying to act like he knows everything by finding tiny bits wrong that don't matter with what I say.

[xriqn]

3 minutes ago, RavenChan said:

Thanks, I have these written down now. That Seagate Barracuda would help quite a bit and I imagine it'd be a pretty decent sized upgrade over the current one I have, which is the Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 (500GB) I only have 113GB left 

Oh and yes the 2TB seagate will be brilliant for you, I have a 3TB Seagate drive from 2011 and it's still working at its best as a secondary HDD in my main rig.

[Streetguru]

1 minute ago, xriqn said:

If it's newer stock it won't need a BIOS update, chances are it probably is newer stock that you'll get now. Ignore Streetguru, he's just trying to act like he knows everything by finding tiny bits wrong that don't matter with what I say.

You've been objectively wrong on many fronts.

The disclaimer is there just for a warning that it might be a thing in case the PC arrives and doesn't boot.

[RavenChan]

10 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

Motherboard might need a BIOS update, would not listen to that suggestion above...

My current or the suggested? I tried looking into updates for the current, I have the latest, having been released in 2011  (Just joking, I'm pretty sure you meant the one you recommended.)

Also, thanks for the recommended parts. I've got these written down too. I'll most likely use both the 500GB I have now and the 2TB that was recommended to me, but the thing I'm worried about is, if I get these new parts, would I have to reinstall Windows? I'm hoping I don't have to install GTA 5 for a third time and that Windows 8.1 will be nice to me :\

 

I could always buy the hard drive first and copy all of my steam files over to it, but oof, I'd have to let it sit overnight to finish that. I mentioned having about 113GB free on my drive. All of that space is mostly taken up by games. The files I actually have on my PC that aren't games are only about 13-14GB in size :\

Edited April 19, 2018 by RavenChan
The edit button called on the perfectionist in me

[Streetguru]

5 minutes ago, RavenChan said:

 

Just buy a 240GB SSD and install your new OS on there, you can get windows 10 for free straight from microsoft's website using their media creation tool of if you have a key get an upgrade still I think.

 

You will have to reinstall windows with any new hardware.

His suggestion was poor IMO, especially the slow memory on the APU.

You want the fastest memory you can get not 2400mhz, though it may not run at full speed depending on the board, I can get 2993mhz on my ASrock Pro 4 though.

There might be new B450 motherboards launching tomorrow as well.
 

 

 

18 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vxVxFt
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vxVxFt/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($94.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock - AB350M Pro4 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($74.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Patriot - Viper 4 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3000 Memory  ($84.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $254.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-19 01:03 EDT-0400

That build should be a cheap and effective upgrade.

[RavenChan]

3 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

You will have to reinstall windows with any new hardware.

Yeah, I admit that was something I was not looking forward to hearing. Hopefully with a more powerful system though, I can actually use Windows 10 without a near constant 100% cpu usage (Then again, I had the anniversary update known to be the worst update ever, and the fall creators update Windows 10 might not be as tough on my system as the AU was.) That's mainly the reason why I use 8.1 right now :\

 

Can't wait to go back to Windows 10 though, as many problems as it gave me, I still miss it. But enough about that, SSD's from what I've seen so far are pretty expensive depending on the one you get (usually around the $300 dollar range.) Which SSD do you recommend I install the OS on? Also, will load times be better in games if I install them on a hard drive while the OS is on an SSD?

[VEXICUS]

36 minutes ago, xriqn said:

I'm sorry but you're very wrong. A 550W PSU is still TOO MUCH for such a low end system, it's a waste of money and power. Even overclocked, a 1080ti/8700K system wouldn't go ANYWHERE NEAR the 550W limit.

Son.... what's ur problem?

Why shouldn't he go fr a PSU which offers more wattage at similar price....

They r a key fr future upgrades....

Don't forget...not only ur CPU ND GPU consumes power...but also all the drives ND other stuff drives power as well....

Also I don't solely trust PCPPs wattage calculator...

My PC consumes 630W of power when OC....still I HV a 1000W PSU.....coz I'll be purchasing another Titan Xp within a month or so.....