Maximum PC

Is this a good build ?

Qty. Product Description Savings Total Price
1
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #:N82E16822152185
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

$99.99
$84.99


1
CORSAIR XMS3 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory
Item #:N82E16820145315
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy

$38.99
$36.99


1
COOLMAX CA-400 400W Power Supply
Item #:N82E16817159043
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

$27.99


1
Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 Quad-Core Desktop Processor
Item #:N82E16819116504
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy

$229.99


1
Newegg Promotional Gift Card - $15.00
Item #:N82E168GC000001


1
ASRock H61M/U3S3 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813157236
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy

-$8.00 Instant
$74.99
$66.99


Grand Total: $446.95



Also Go ahead and build what you think is a good build for $500.00

I want a desktop that will play online games ( the only one i play right now is Madden 08 )
I want a decent harddrive, very good graphics card,A motherboard with options to upgrade, A processor that is average or above, very good memory with slots I can upgrade when needed,I do not need windows I might need a big cheap box. Other than that I need what is listed.

Let me know what you think of the one is here and what you would recommend.

here is something decent for ~$500


The Antec 380W PSU I would get from WalMart (believe it or not) it is like $41 shipped to store lol (and much better than the COOLMAX CA-400 trust me)

and if you live near a microcenter brick-and-mortar store they have a good deal

core i3-2120 $99
Gigabyte GA-H61M-DS2 $55 w/ $15 rebate


above should be no problem


Sounds like you want a core i5 & z77 & HD 7850, popular build right now - but would put you at the ~$700 range.



Well, the h61 is a good budget board, good match for a dual-core G series or an i3 - for an i5 you will want a better board like the z77 mentioned above. The coolmax, well not the best choice they probably can't handle the rated power or do it cleanly.


well hope this gives you some ideas

cheers

Imho:

- Z77 over H61 mobo if any way possible.
- 2 TB HDD is only slightly more than a 1 TB HDD.
- As rico states, $500 gaming rig is doable, but you run in to a lot of compromises that start to lessen at $700-800.
- Read some MaxPC articles on builds to get you acquainted on parts and DIY.

well u state a very good vcard, so i suggest a bigger ps. a 380 w wont do it. most high end cards want 500w minimum.

I'm going to follow someone else's guidelines (I forget who). It's not the total wattage that matters. It's the amperage on the 12V rail that does. If a 380W provides 30A on the 12V rail (unlikely, since that's most of the wattage), then it'll do.

well using the newegg psu calculator, based on the radeon 7770, he's close to maxing out the psu. maybe he'll be fine, but isnt it correct to assume if your psu is working at near 100%, the lifetime decreases? hard to say without knowing what vcard he has.

Yes, because constantly keeping the PSU loaded increases its temperature. My EE coworker tells me for every 10C you put on the device, you're cutting its life span in half (or something). This is why people tell you to get something where your peak load is about 60%. This is where PSUs are most efficient.

Though I'm finding it hard to tell if video cards, when given a job, run at full speed all the time, or if they notice their job isn't heavy enough, they'll tone themselves down. My only indication is that my cards topped out at about 65C-70C playing Black Mesa, but were at 85C on Max Payne 3.

i usually for 30-40% higher than recommended for a psu in terms whats required. prob too much Id rather have too much than too little. whats an EE worker?

Folks, 1990 called and wanted to let you know modern hardware uses lower power.


This system will struggle to meet the 223+ total wattage requirement in real-life. The EA-380D is rated for +12v@336W, the 60% mark is 201W.

Maybe its just me, I don't see any problems.




Well they do sell brands like Coolmax - so they have to CYA to some extent. The extreme PSU calc is the best of the bunch.

BTW, I also have a BS in electrical engineering

Anybody have any other ideas on system build for $500 to $600 ?

Let me know if you do

Please build me a computer in the range of 500.00 to 600.00
The cmputer does not have to be top of the line but not the bottom of the barrel.

1.I want the computer to run online games smoothly

2. I want a dvd player/ burner

3. A hard drive that will handle d loading games

4. Memory that will take the online games well

5. Video card that will do the same as memory.

6. I like to have a I5 but not a must

7. A mother board that will handle all this and also has slot to upgrade when needed.

8 power supply that will work well

9. I cheap case and any fans that are needed.

10. A cheap audio card

11. eThernet card

I do not want anything intergraded. if one thing goes out then I want to be able to replace that one part., not the part that is intergraded and the part that went out.

I do not need a monitor or windows I already have that

Did you read the recent MaxPC article that included a $600 build?
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/featur ... ember_2012


Although I think I can do "better" than that build, and though I am more than willing to assist in any way I am able, you do realize you have to do some of the work yourself too right?

Again, a $500-600 build will not get you an i5-3570K CPU because it costs over $200 by itself. A decent Z77 mobo is about $100. And usually the most expensive part of a gaming build is the GPU, which can cost anywhere from $100 to $1000. That is why when starting a new build, though a budget is crucial, what you want to do with the build is as important. For example, if you state that your budget is $500, but you want to play BF3 at 1080 resolution with max settings at 60 FPS, I would reply that you need to increase your budget or decrease your expectations.

So in your case, both rico and I have suggested you increase your budget because you implied you wanted an above-average rig. However, please realize that a $500-600 budget is lower than the cost of above-average parts. If you increase your budget, your build will perform better and will last longer (will taker longer to become obsolete and will be more "upgradeable"). Another option is to reduce your expectations on what your build can do (for example, you can get the basics of a good build now and save up for a better GPU later). Yet another option is to buy parts used. That option is obviously risky, but hey what do you expect?

That said, you posted again for a max $600 build, so here goes:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/ihq8

Imho, this build is a budget, "starter" build that you can game on now at medium settings on newer games. Parts are selected with the idea of upgrades in the not-too-distant future. Reasoning for selected parts:
- Although an i5-3570K is only about $100 more than my selected i3, imho if you had more $, it should go elsewhere for now. You can always get the i5 later.
- The ASRock mobo can last an upgrade or two, so spend the $100 on it now.
- The 2 TB HDD is an arguable sweet spot for the cost/storage.
- An SSD is too costly to put in a $600 build. However, if you really want one for your OS, you might have to settle for older tech like this Vertex Plus R2 for $30 after rebate or purchase used.
- The Radeon HD 7770 is a decent mid-range card right now. You can game on it at medium settings and when the time comes, upgrade.
- The 430 watt Corsair PSU I selected was selected because it is on sale at $25 after rebate. It may or may not carry over when you upgrade your GPU (depending on the GPU of course). But again, it's only $25 after rebate. Otherwise, if you are certain you will upgrade the GPU in the near future, spend about $50 for a decent 500+ watt PSU.

Also, if you are able to purchase at a Micro Center before the end of this month, you can probably get an i5-3570K and Z77 mobo for about the same cost as the i3 and mobo I selected. You have to figure the sales tax, gas, time, etc.

Also, fans and HSF? Use what's included and use the stock HSF. AT $600 you can't afford to spend like 4% of your budget on one performance fan. With this build as-is, you won't/can't overclock anyway.

Someone else comment?

Not reading...bbCode is easy and should be used. I stopped at gift card for $15. The spacing really made me not interested.

I don't think you can get better tips than what hindo gave you. I would suggest reading some other posts on here for even more tips, most people are looking for help on lower-end budget builds. Checking out sites like Tom's Hardware or HARDOCP for reviews will really help you understand what you are spending your money on, and will help you with your next build as well.