Budget Gaming PC for a friend

outermon · 07-02-2008, 05:31 PM

Hey, my friend wants a gaming PC, but he's on a tight budget. He doesn't care about running games as ultra-high settings. He's mostly worried about getting Crysis to run at all, and would be satisfied with low settings. I've chosen some parts that I think work quite nicely. His budget was originally $450, but he allowed the $10 extra because he thought the case I chose looked really nice (which would've been the item to downgrade).

Case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811208013

Motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813138111

Video Card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130085

PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182044

Processor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103212

RAM:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820609027

HDD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822144456

DVD Burner:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106228

Not the best, but I think it should work ok. I'm still a bit of a newbie, and feel insecure about my choice of parts.

**linderman** · 07-02-2008, 06:49 PM

you did fine for the budget which is grossly inadequate for todays games >>>>> IMHO your friend would be better served to wait for some months and double his budget!!

outermon · 07-02-2008, 06:57 PM

He's not looking to run the latest games on super high settings, and I read that the 8600GT will run Crysis on low/medium settings with acceptable FPS. He doesn't even want to play Crysis, but if it can play Crysis at all, I figured it should be able to run anything thats out right now.

**linderman** · 07-02-2008, 07:20 PM

ok

and his upgrade budget within the next 6 months is ?????? when he starts downloading game mods ?????????

outermon · 07-02-2008, 07:27 PM

He just said he doesn't plan on upgrading any time soon, I asked him. He also said he wants to play WoW at at least moderate settings, TES4: Oblivion, and Call of Duty 4. He's also considering those Steam games. If I wanted to go so small as to upgrade to an 8800GT, I'd also need to get a new mobo. Between both of those upgrades, an extra $100 would be added to the cost, which slaps the budget in the face.

jumbo1990ny · 07-02-2008, 08:50 PM

Yea that upgrade you have...honestly would just be a waste of money...wait till he gets more ...cause games these days are demanding and to use your money on a "so so" PC wouldnt be smart.

patriothntr · 07-04-2008, 08:20 AM

Why would you need a new mobo to slap in a 8600gts, 8800gt or 8800gs?

Crysis is very scalable, I've played it on a e4300 with a passively cooled 7300gt (it hit around 80 degrees C), and it's nice and smooth at the lowest settings, but it looks pretty bad...no physics or anything cool like that...but you can still play (I actually thought it was easier b/c of lower graphics).

My advice: make sure a couple of core components like the mobo and PSU are decent and can take future upgrades, whether your buddy thinks he will upgrade in the future or not. That way when we see the 8800gt going for ~75 bucks or so you can pop a new card in, or throw a better processor in...

magnethead · 07-04-2008, 12:40 PM

I agree with the others- $450 is entirely inadequate for a real gaming case. You Will have problems (not if, but when), in addition to wasted money.

**linderman** · 07-04-2008, 01:44 PM

I see this situtation so much; I really get numb with it .................. customers buy the bare minimum parts with the intention of just wanting to "play on low settings" then as all their friends and the people they like to game with; grab new game MODS, they are left out in the cold. and back at spending more money .......... wait ~~~~~~ three or four months and nourish your nestegg......... then you will have more gaming power and just maybe the good stuff now will be even cheaper then ?????? in the mean time ..... keep a watch on mwave.com / refrubished

07-02-2008, 05:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
outermon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 53 OS: Windows XP SP2	Budget Gaming PC for a friend Hey, my friend wants a gaming PC, but he's on a tight budget. He doesn't care about running games as ultra-high settings. He's mostly worried about getting Crysis to run at all, and would be satisfied with low settings. I've chosen some parts that I think work quite nicely. His budget was originally $450, but he allowed the $10 extra because he thought the case I chose looked really nice (which would've been the item to downgrade). Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811208013 Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813138111 Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130085 PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182044 Processor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103212 RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820609027 HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822144456 DVD Burner: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106228 Not the best, but I think it should work ok. I'm still a bit of a newbie, and feel insecure about my choice of parts.

07-02-2008, 06:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 14,030 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: Budget Gaming PC for a friend you did fine for the budget which is grossly inadequate for todays games >>>>> IMHO your friend would be better served to wait for some months and double his budget!! __________________ If you cant be polite and friendly; then please be silent.

07-02-2008, 06:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
outermon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 53 OS: Windows XP SP2	Re: Budget Gaming PC for a friend He's not looking to run the latest games on super high settings, and I read that the 8600GT will run Crysis on low/medium settings with acceptable FPS. He doesn't even want to play Crysis, but if it can play Crysis at all, I figured it should be able to run anything thats out right now.

07-02-2008, 07:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 14,030 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: Budget Gaming PC for a friend ok and his upgrade budget within the next 6 months is ?????? when he starts downloading game mods ????????? __________________ If you cant be polite and friendly; then please be silent.

07-02-2008, 07:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
outermon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 53 OS: Windows XP SP2	Re: Budget Gaming PC for a friend He just said he doesn't plan on upgrading any time soon, I asked him. He also said he wants to play WoW at at least moderate settings, TES4: Oblivion, and Call of Duty 4. He's also considering those Steam games. If I wanted to go so small as to upgrade to an 8800GT, I'd also need to get a new mobo. Between both of those upgrades, an extra $100 would be added to the cost, which slaps the budget in the face.

07-02-2008, 08:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
jumbo1990ny Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 59 OS: Vista	Re: Budget Gaming PC for a friend Yea that upgrade you have...honestly would just be a waste of money...wait till he gets more ...cause games these days are demanding and to use your money on a "so so" PC wouldnt be smart.

07-04-2008, 08:20 AM	#7 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Budget Gaming PC for a friend Why would you need a new mobo to slap in a 8600gts, 8800gt or 8800gs? Crysis is very scalable, I've played it on a e4300 with a passively cooled 7300gt (it hit around 80 degrees C), and it's nice and smooth at the lowest settings, but it looks pretty bad...no physics or anything cool like that...but you can still play (I actually thought it was easier b/c of lower graphics). My advice: make sure a couple of core components like the mobo and PSU are decent and can take future upgrades, whether your buddy thinks he will upgrade in the future or not. That way when we see the 8800gt going for ~75 bucks or so you can pop a new card in, or throw a better processor in...

07-04-2008, 12:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
magnethead Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: TX Posts: 2,028 OS: XPH, 2K My System Blog Entries: 2	Re: Budget Gaming PC for a friend I agree with the others- $450 is entirely inadequate for a real gaming case. You Will have problems (not if, but when), in addition to wasted money. __________________ AIM me: MAGNET794 For proper support: what are you running? video card, cpu, m/board, ram, power supply, brand, wattage, any error message? PCI-E requires 26 amps at 12 volts. That's a 650W PSU. Power Supply Info and Selection . Info on thermal compounds & application . TEST PSU USING MULTI-METER

07-04-2008, 01:44 PM	#9 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 14,030 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: Budget Gaming PC for a friend I see this situtation so much; I really get numb with it .................. customers buy the bare minimum parts with the intention of just wanting to "play on low settings" then as all their friends and the people they like to game with; grab new game MODS, they are left out in the cold. and back at spending more money .......... wait ~~~~~~ three or four months and nourish your nestegg......... then you will have more gaming power and just maybe the good stuff now will be even cheaper then ?????? in the mean time ..... keep a watch on mwave.com / refrubished __________________ If you cant be polite and friendly; then please be silent.