I bought literally 10 copies of CS:GO. RIP my wallet. Every year.

I've spent ~90 dollars this steam sale. Almost all of that was just gifting to other people. :3

SWBF2 is 9 years old guys. Get a game that's not obsolete... like CS:GO.

So far I've been buying games that I already torrented and beat.... lol.

I got Witcher 2, Tomb Raider GOTY Edition. Also bought my friend HL2, Hitman: Absolution, and Bioshock Season Pass.

I'm debating whether I should get Sleeping Dogs as well.

Right now in the US, ATI cards have better performance per dollar compared to Nvidia. I haven't looked up Canadian prices.

You'll want at least a GTX 750 Ti/Radeon 260X. I wouldn't suggest anything below that as it's simply not worth the money for the decreased performance.

However if you intend on playing SWBF, then the built-in graphics of the CPU really is more than enough.

If you cut out the case and the OS (ask someone for a copy), you'll have enough for the 750 Ti. Otherwise you'll have to ditch the SSD and start making cuts in the CPU, which I honestly wouldn't recommend for a long term investment.

i5+solid GPU = a gaming computer that will last.

Unfortunately pre-built cases have non-modular I/O plates most of the time. That one you'll have to get new unless you're willing to dremel the back of the case.

Also Canada prices are absurd. Here's a computer at a whopping 499.99.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($199.04 @ DirectCanada)
Motherboard: MSI H81M-P33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($44.99 @ Canada Computers)
Memory: Kingston Black Series 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($39.99 @ Memory Express)
Storage: Sandisk Ultra Plus 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($65.00 @ Vuugo)
Case: Rosewill RANGER-M MicroATX Mini Tower Case  ($50.98 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: Cooler Master eXtreme Power Plus 500W ATX Power Supply  (Purchased For $0.00)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($99.99 @ NCIX)
Total: $499.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-06-15 16:27 EDT-0400


Also this is assuming you're salvaging your old hard drive. That way you can rock the awesome SSD+HDD combo. If this isn't the case and you feel you'll need more than 128 GB, then replace the SSD with an affordable 7200 PM HDD. This build doesn't have a graphics card but the CPU's built-in graphics is more than enough for SWBF. In the future when you want to play modern games, slide in a graphics card like a Radeon 270 and you'll have an Xbox One killer in your hands.

I'm in the beta! It's beta software but it's still fun to play.

I'm aeriaglorismpc on origin. Add me if you guys want to get some games in.

It's a PC only deal. Even if your PC cannot handle the game, it doesn't hurt to redeem it! That way in the future if you do have a computer capable of running it you can.

You might want to hunt for a low profile GPU if you don't have the money for a new PC build. I doubt SWBF2 will run well but you'd might as well try.

^Thanks guys! There's your answer!

Any questions goes! Honestly I'm not entirely sure here.

Unfortunately computer manufacturers tie Windows to the computers they come pre-installed with (in what particular way I have no clue how). When you order an OEM copy of Windows, it'll lack fancy packaging but it'll be cheaper! But since it's the OEM version the concept still applies: If you move the hard drive with the install to a different motherboard, it'll recognize it as a different computer. What is specifically does to impact you... I still have no clue.

Quote from: Carbon27 on May 24, 2014, 09:33:47 AM
Huge help! Huge! I had no clue I could get Windows free. My sister is in college and is home right now. Perfect timing. That saves a bunch. Saving money but not overclocking seems like a better route, 20$ bucks is still something. I really like what you put together. I modified it to the non-overclocking route. I think I found "The One"  ://pcpartpicker.com/p/3Q2kw Wow, and it is UNDER my budget .

Can't wait to get back to PC gaming!

https://www.dreamspark.com/

That's microsoft's website that gives windows for college students. I used my college email to get Visual Studio from there


If you get the i5-4460, which is comparable enough to the i5-4670, you'll shrink down the price 50 bucks. That extra 50 dollars can go towards a better graphics card, better storage, a brand new game, etc. Aside from that change, everything seems right.

Sorry about skimping out on the case and OS! When the link break happened I didn't read the "have to have" part.

Overall you made a decent build, minus the CPU choice. Here's my take matching your budget:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($229.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard:  Gigabyte GA-Z87-DS3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($106.79 @ Newegg)
Memory:  Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage:  PNY XLR8 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.44 @ Amazon)
Video Card:  HIS Radeon R9 270X 2GB IceQ X² Video Card  ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Case:  Zalman Z5 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply:  Rosewill Hive 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive:  Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer  ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $903.14
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-23 18:21 EDT-0400)

Explanation time:

- For a $900 system I suggest getting an Intel i5. You chose a cheap, however weak, AMD CPU. It's a good CPU if you're on a <600 dollar budget but yours is more than that. The i5 gives you better performance over the Athlon so it's well worth the money.

- The RAM you chose is very fast. Back in the day ram speed was important. Now it rarely makes a difference as they're so fast to begin with. 1600 MHz is more than enough. Swapping with a 1600 MHz ram saves you $15.

- Gave you an SSD and cut down on the HDD size. Even I can't fill up a 1 TB hard drive. Get it if you know that you're going over 1 TB of space. Meanwhile, a 1 TB is enough of a compromise.

- While the PSU you chose is a GREAT one, this one combos with the motherboard for a $25 discount! Only reason why I swapped out.

The mobo, CPU cooler, and video card I changed only to take advantage of newegg combo discounts. They're not any worse or better than what you chose before. The prices are simply cheaper.




Where to save money:
- cut the DVD drive
- Get an i5 without the -k suffix in the number. You cannot overclock for additional performance but if you're on a pressing budget you can save ~50 dollars here and save ~30 dollars on a non-overclockable motherboard. Any motherboard that is Z87 can overclock. The lesser numbers and letters are cheaper but they lose features, depending on the motherboard.
- Get the non -X version of the video card. It's only a slight decrease in performance, which could be gained back in overclocking the video card.
- Be a dirty pirate and get Windows for free and/or ask a college student for a copy, which they can get for free.

Good luck on the driver hunt!

Windows 7 is less of a pain when it comes to drivers. See if you can get Windows 7.

What's great about PC building is that it has really evolved over the years. Words cannot describe how easy it is now. It is quite literally placing in parts into its respective slots, similar to putting a cartridge of an N64, and then connecting specific parts to the power supply as those specific parts need additional power. A friend once said PC building is LEGOs with cables... and he's right. It's a lot less anti-consumer than people may initially think.

However what separates PC building to purchasing a console is the number of choices you have over what you can buy, which consequentially requires a certain level of knowledge. That's why I made this topic. I've been working on PC builds and I still regularly follow PC hardware releases so I'm more than happy to help in selecting the right PC parts for their budget.

Having an existing case and OS is great! The lack of Microcenter is a bit disappointing but inevitable for most Americans.

Comparing to a pre-built PC:

Instead of giving you an estimate, I'm going to take a real pre-built PC with the same graphics card I chose for you and show how much it would cost part-for-part in comparison to doing it yourself:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229558

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i7-4790 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($314.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard:  MSI Z87-G41 PC Mate ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($90.66 @ Newegg)
Memory:  A-Data XPG V1.0 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card:  HIS Radeon R9 270 2GB IceQ X² Video Card  ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Case:  Azza CSAZ-206 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($57.04 @ Newegg)
Power Supply:  Antec EarthWatts Green 380W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive:  Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer  ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $813.64
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-20 02:41 EDT-0400)


Part for part (minus their PSU because that thing is atrocious), you're already looking at a ~$200 savings. You can add in a monitor and even an SSD yet you'd still be paying less than buying it pre-built.

However here's where PC building is fun... you can make BETTER part choices that can cost LESS than the ones they chose.

- Buying an i7 4790 does NOT make sense if you only intend on gaming. If you are along the lines of a movie editor or a serious software engineer, the price is then justifiable. Otherwise it's a waste of money. An i5 is more than enough for gaming and it will hardly impact your computer's performance as a whole. That alone saves you ~100 dollars.

- As said before, that power supply is atrocious. The power supply is NOT something you want to skimp out and get from a shady unknown company. I've literally seen them catch on fire or otherwise destroy components. CyberPowerPC's 350W is borderline operational, as shown in the PSU calculator shown on the top right of pcpartpicker.com

- You save on money on not buying a case, an OS, or a DVD drive. No further comments here.

--------------------------------------------------

Here's an updated build with Microcenter removed. It's identical to the older build a gave you minus the case and aftermarket CPU cooler.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($239.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard:  MSI Z87-G41 PC Mate ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($90.66 @ Newegg)
Memory:  A-Data XPG V1.0 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage:  Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card:  HIS Radeon R9 270 2GB IceQ X² Video Card  ($179.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply:  Corsair CX 500W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor:  AOC E2360SD 60Hz 23.0" Monitor  ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $794.60
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-20 03:06 EDT-0400)

The power supply has modular cables which should make cable management easier and it has enough wattage for a high-end graphics card if you wish to upgrade in the future.

Now let's say you want to hit the $1000 budget. The following are parts I recommend purchasing.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU Cooler:  Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($29.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage:  Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($78.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card:  EVGA GeForce GTX 760 2GB ACX Video Card  ($234.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $343.97
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-05-20 03:24 EDT-0400)

The Hyper 212 EVO is an aftermarket cooler, allows your i5 to run cooler and quieter. For $30 there's a lot of value here. I definitely recommend it.

The Samsung SSD, coincidentally named EVO, allows your computer to have insanely fast boot and shutdown speeds. My computer boots up in 8 seconds thanks to this great piece of hardware! It'll make your computer very responsive, unparalleled to traditional hard drives.

The Nvidia GTX 760 is a step up from AMD's R9 270X. Naturally it costs more but it's an excellent video card.

--------------------------------------------------

However even with all that said, the $800 build is by no means bad. In terms of gaming performance it's around on par to my current PC, which is a last gen i7 and GTX 570. My video card is 3 and a half years old but I have no intentions of upgrading anytime soon.

Try to convince your parents this is a project you really want to work on because you're getting interested in computers. In addition it'll save a significant amount of money over buying a pre-built.