$800 small gaming pc

M

manwich

Weaksauce
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
70
1. What will you be doing with this PC?
Gaming.
2. Will you be overclocking?
Probably.
3. What's your budget?
$800
4. Where do you live?
Virginia. There is a Microcenter in my area.
5. What exact parts do you need for that budget?
CPU, Motherboard, HDD (or SSD if within budget), PSU, GPU, Case.

6. If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing?
Crucial Ballistix 16GB (2x8) memory. Corsair H100i cooler.
7. What specific features do you need in a motherboard?
microATX
8. What resolution output do you need?
1080p
9. Does this system need to fit into a particular space and do you need an optical drive?
Doesn't need an optical drive.
10. How comfortable are you with custom case design/modification and electrical wiring?
not very comfortable.
11. How important is the noise/silence of this sytem?
Would like it to be quiet but not a priority.
12. How mobile does this system need to be?
not very mobile, will move around but not frequently.
13. Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license?
No. Would like to purchase Windows 7 64bit.
14. When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Cyber Monday (Dec 2nd)

**UPDATE**

So based on everyone's advice, this is what I'm thinking. Let me know what you think.

Intel i5-4570 - $160
ASRock H87M Pro4 motherboard - $78
WD 500GB blue HDD - $55
EVGA GTX 760 - $250
Aerocool DS case - $110
Corsair 500w psu - $45 (after rebate)
Windows 7 Home 64bit OS - $90
Shipping - $10
 
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My gut reaction is that the mobo you chose won't handle overclocking the 8320.
Make sure whatever case you use has sufficient cooling.
 
benzino_86 said:
My gut reaction is that the mobo you chose won't handle overclocking the 8320.
Make sure whatever case you use has sufficient cooling.
Click to expand...

Cooling should be no problem. It will be using an H100i cooler. But what microATX AM3+ motherboard would be better suited for overclocking?
 
You're gaming? You don't need an eight-core processor for gaming. You'll gain better performance with one of the Intel Ivy Bridge or Haswell-based quad cores.

But how badly do you want to overclock? You'll pay a higher premium for a good OC-capable micro ATX Z77 or Z87 board.

Are you going to wait for Cyber Monday or do you have the funds to start buying/building now?
 
tiraides said:
You're gaming? You don't need an eight-core processor for gaming. You'll gain better performance with one of the Intel Ivy Bridge or Haswell-based quad cores.

But how badly do you want to overclock? You'll pay a higher premium for a good OC-capable micro ATX Z77 or Z87 board.

Are you going to wait for Cyber Monday or do you have the funds to start buying/building now?
Click to expand...

Okay, so say instead of AMD I decide Intel and take overclocking out of the equation, what would be a good recommendation? The Asrock boards seem like good budget boards.

I just saw this i5-4570 for $160 @ Microcenter.

the funds are there but I figured waiting for Cyber Monday deals would probably be better.
 
manwich said:
Okay, so say instead of AMD I decide Intel and take overclocking out of the equation, what would be a good recommendation? The Asrock boards seem like good budget boards.

I just saw this i5-4570 for $160 @ Microcenter.
Click to expand...
Exactly how long of a drive is that Microcenter from you? If it's within a 30 to 35 minute drive, you can cram in an overclock capable setup with a mATX motherboard due to the fact that MC offers discounts on motherboard when purchased with a Core i7 4670K. Granted it's still gonna be a bit more than a comparable ATX setup nor will it be able to overclock as well but still lower than if you weren't located within a 30 to 35 minute drive from a Microcenter.
manwich said:
the funds are there but I figured waiting for Cyber Monday deals would probably be better.
Click to expand...
No, not really. Cyber Monday deals for computer hardware haven't that good either.
 
Dangman said:
Exactly how long of a drive is that Microcenter from you? If it's within a 30 to 35 minute drive, you can cram in an overclock capable setup with a mATX motherboard due to the fact that MC offers discounts on motherboard when purchased with a Core i7 4670K. Granted it's still gonna be a bit more than a comparable ATX setup nor will it be able to overclock as well but still lower than if you weren't located within a 30 to 35 minute drive from a Microcenter.

No, not really. Cyber Monday deals for computer hardware haven't that good either.
Click to expand...

I've driven there a few times, it's about 30 min.

Eh.. what you're suggesting would be a bit out of the budget I think. I would have to compensate on everything else I think.

What about a dual core i3 with hyperthreading? like a i3 4130? I'm sure that wouldn't be as good as a quadcore but budget wise, is that a good compromise?
 
manwich said:
Eh.. what you're suggesting would be a bit out of the budget I think. I would have to compensate on everything else I think.
Click to expand...
Wait, is the cost of OS part of that $800 budget?
 
Spend the extra $10 for a 1TB hard drive.

Don't use after-rebate prices; they're not the same as instant discounts. If all you have is $45, go with the Corsair CX430M. It's more than good enough to handle the GTX 760.
 
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