Budget PC Build

[YellowOrange]

With prices gone down (I think) is it possible to build a good gaming PC for $300 - $400? I'll probably buy a pre-owned 1060 from someone locally.

 

1. Budget & Location

$300 - $400 USD

 

2. Aim

Mostly going to be using it to play games & stream if possible?

 

3. Monitors

Don't need, already have one.

 

4. Peripherals

Don't need, already have them.

 

 

[Ashleyyyy]

get something used. $400 isn't much for new parts...

[Fuzzleworth1]

17 minutes ago, YellowOrange said:

gaming PC for $300 - $400

I would try something with the Ryzen 2400G, just make sure you have enough ram.

[Ashleyyyy]

3 minutes ago, Fuzzleworth1 said:

I would try something with the Ryzen 2400G, just make sure you have enough ram.

noooo

 

https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i7-4790K-vs-AMD-Ryzen-3-2200G/2384vsm441832

4th gen i7 is faster and uses DDR3 ram which is very cheap. 

[Fuzzleworth1]

1 minute ago, firelighter487 said:

4th gen i7 is faster and uses DDR3 ram which is very cheap. 

I'm not here to argue but I was trying to think of something new but cheap, and it's only 14% better which isn't that much.

[Ashleyyyy]

Just now, Fuzzleworth1 said:

I'm not here to argue but I was trying to think of something new but cheap, and it's only 14% better which isn't that much.

look at multi-core... 58% faster. 

[TedBuildsPCs]

https://pcpartpicker.com/b/gkKZxr

[Ashleyyyy]

2 minutes ago, Fuzzleworth1 said:

I'm not here to argue but I was trying to think of something new but cheap, and it's only 14% better which isn't that much.

and the OP wanted to maybe stream, and the extra threads and multi-core performance is gonna help a lot with that. 

[Wh0_Am_1]

15 minutes ago, Fuzzleworth1 said:

I would try something with the Ryzen 2400G, just make sure you have enough ram.

Really, if you want anything decent at this price point you would grab an old corporate workstation with a i5 3470, throw in a GTX1050, 1050ti, or RX 560, grab some RAM, an *HDD or SSD, an *OS, and a *Wi-Fi card.

 

*if necessary

[Fuzzleworth1]

1 minute ago, firelighter487 said:

and the OP wanted to maybe stream, and the extra threads and multi-core performance is gonna help a lot with that. 

True but I might not last as long as a new setup, I he can find a good deal on something like that I would probably take it.

[r2724r16]

Get a used HP Z workstation with 4 cores/8 threads (or more) and throw in a used video card (like a GTX 970).

[Ashleyyyy]

1 minute ago, Fuzzleworth1 said:

True but I might not last as long as a new setup, I he can find a good deal on something like that I would probably take it.

what do you mean? that i7 is way faster than the 2200G, why would it last shorter? how does that make sense?

[Streetguru]

36 minutes ago, YellowOrange said:

 

How much are you getting the 1060 for? as an RX 570/580 is $200 or less at retail

How much do you have for the PC without the GPU? $300-400? because that only gets you an R3 2200G PC

[Fuzzleworth1]

1 minute ago, firelighter487 said:

what do you mean? that i7 is way faster than the 2200G, why would it last shorter? how does that make sense?

I don't mean speed I mean longitivity, the i7 is an old core

[r2724r16]

Just now, Fuzzleworth1 said:

I don't mean speed I mean longitivity, the i7 is an old core

The 4790K is still faster than the 2220G, and computers last a long time FYI.

[Ashleyyyy]

1 minute ago, Fuzzleworth1 said:

I don't mean speed I mean longitivity, the i7 is an old core

so? it's not that old. i'd argue a 2200G will be so slow in a few years it will have to be replaced anyway.

[Streetguru]

4 minutes ago, firelighter487 said:

what do you mean? that i7 is way faster than the 2200G, why would it last shorter? how does that make sense?

a 4th gen i7 would be nice but then you have to find a PC, hope the motherboard isn't crap, and it leaves you with no upgrade path

 

if you get a decent AM4 board you can upgrade to a Ryzen 3000 8 core early next year, or a cheap R7 2700 by that time for example.
 

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/jZzB4q
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/jZzB4q/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($98.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: MSI - B450 TOMAHAWK ATX AM4 Motherboard  ($107.37 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2800 Memory  ($67.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: MyDigitalSSD - 80mm BP5e 240GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive  ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cougar - MX300 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($39.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Cooler Master - MasterWatt 650W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($47.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $407.21
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-10-22 16:05 EDT-0400

[Wh0_Am_1]

1 minute ago, Fuzzleworth1 said:

I don't mean speed I mean longitivity, the i7 is an old core

The processor is not what you need to worry about it's the MOBO, even now (unless OC'ed) a 4th gen i7 still has the life expectancy of over a decade, the question is: Will the MOBO last that long?

[Fuzzleworth1]

4 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

if you get a decent AM4 board you can upgrade to a Ryzen 3000 8 core early next year, or a cheap R7 2700 by that time for example.

Thank you for seeing my side

[Ashleyyyy]

1 minute ago, Streetguru said:

a 4th gen i7 would be nice but then you have to find a PC, hope the motherboard isn't crap, and it leaves you with no upgrade path

who on that budget is going to swap in a top of the line cpu? get real. 

 

1 minute ago, Wh0_Am_1 said:

The processor is not what you need to worry about it's the MOBO, even now (unless OC'ed) a 4th gen i7 still has the life expectancy of over a decade, the question is: Will the MOBO last that long?

that is true, although i own socket 775 boards that still work fine. not to mention a pentium 3 machine that still works too. 

 

it's as always hit or miss. anything can break. you just have to get lucky. 

[Ashleyyyy]

Just now, Fuzzleworth1 said:

Thank you for seeing my side

who on that budget can ever afford an 8 core top of the line cpu?

[Wh0_Am_1]

Just now, firelighter487 said:

 

 

that is true, although i own socket 775 boards that still work fine. not to mention a pentium 3 machine that still works too. 

 

it's as always hit or miss. anything can break. you just have to get lucky. 

Yeah I have a couple of old pentium 4 machines, and one with a pentium D, and I use a Sandy Bridge PC as my daily driver. But usually with PC's it's the MOBO, since that is the most used component with capacitors, it's usually what breaks first.

[Ashleyyyy]

Just now, Wh0_Am_1 said:

Yeah I have a couple of old pentium 4 machines, and one with a pentium D, and I use a Sandy Bridge PC as my daily driver. But usually with PC's it's the MOBO, since that is the most used component with capacitors, it's usually what breaks first.

sadly yes. although 4th gen intel boards are quite cheap still. 

[Wh0_Am_1]

1 minute ago, firelighter487 said:

sadly yes. although 4th gen intel boards are quite cheap still. 

Indeed, 4th gen still has plenty of life in it, if treated well. In fact the PC will probably be phased out before that even becomes an issue, but still we have to acknowledge that key weakness for if the OP plans to use it as a longterm device.

[Ashleyyyy]

1 minute ago, Wh0_Am_1 said:

Indeed, 4th gen still has plenty of life in it, if treated well. In fact the PC will probably be phased out before that even becomes an issue, but still we have to acknowledge that key weakness for if the OP plans to use it as a longterm device.

a 2200G will be too slow in a few years anyway, so...

 

either after a few ears the mobo of the i7 dies, or the 2200G will become too slow  

 

but yeah i will admit used parts can be a risk.