Cheap Gaming PC Build?

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Hey there!

I want to build my own gaming PC as I have never owned one and I'd like to get into PC gaming. But I don't know a lot about the parts of a computer and what makes them good parts...I have been doing research but I still get confused because there are so many options and I'm also on a budget. So I don't want anything fancy, just something that can run games decently without putting a hole in my wallet.

What computer parts would you recommend for a cheap/budget gaming PC?

CPU:
Motherboard:
Graphics:
Memory:
Hard Drive:
Power Supply:
Case:
Operating System:
Optional Add On(s):


I'd appreciate any suggestions or input.
Thanks!

Well, the crucial question is... what's your price range for the PC?

However, If you don't know a lot about the individual parts of a computer and you have never had a PC before, assembling one on your own can be somewhat frustrating.

You might want to consider a pre-assembled PC. If you pay attention to short-term offers, you can often get substantial discounts on-line, and you usually don't have to worry about compatibility issues with the individual parts.

Gaming is something of a buzz-word in the computer industry. On a basic level, PC gaming can be as simple as getting an old Windows 98 machine and opening up Solitare.

Virtually any PC has some gaming capacity (even if it's just emulators). With that considered, you might want to look at more advanced specs to play more contemporary games. The key features you need to think about are:

Graphics - For serious gaming you should be thinking about a dedicated Nvidia graphics card and be prepared to spend in and around £200, AMD offers a bit more bang for the buck but there may be support/compatibility issues here and there. If you're willing to make do with older titles instead of the latest and greatest, an AMD APU might do the trick (Accelerated Processing Unit - contains CPU and graphics all on the one chip). You can get them for as little as £40 and it would free up your PCIe slots for WiFi/SSD and save you some money on the power supply.

Power Supply (PSU) - If you're using dedicated Nvidia, you'll want 750w minimum, for an APU you should be fine with 500w. And make sure you use a decent brand like Corsair or Antec because cheap PSUs have a high failure rate and damage other components.

Memory (RAM) - These days 8GB is the current standard for gaming, 16GB would give you a bit of street cred and 32GB is a completely different universe. 8GB offers the most bang for the buck.

Processor (CPU) - Intel is the trend setter (and you'll pay more for their processors), AMD hangs behind and generally offers more bang for the buck. If you're spending good money (over £100), you should expect quad core at 4Ghz or more, if you're spending less (about £40) dual core at under 4Ghz should be fine. Don't overclock your processor as you'll cause your system to over-heat and greatly reduce the lifespan of your machine.

Operating System (OS) - If you want an uncompromised game library, Windows is the only option but Linux (especially Mint and Ubuntu) is catching up and is great for emulators and Indie and offers a lot of other benefits beyond gaming. Depends on what you want.

Even if you don't build your own system and buy a pre-made one, this information should give you some pointers on what to look for and what to avoid. For example, some companies sell overclocked systems with extra fans or water cooling to offset the damage so you might want to avoid one of those if you want a machine that will last.

Unfortunately games are the most demanding programs that exist. Cheap and gaming really do not fit in the same sentence. But to answer your questions you want to make sure that you have alot of RAM and a good CPU. ASUS and Corsair are two well known brands that making gaming parts. Remember that red components is the code for gaming so stay away from anything black or blue.

I've seen older dual and quad CPU HP Proliants sell for between $400 to $1500. Some of the quad CPU models were @ $35K new. What you get is a comp with dual or quad redundant PSU's, between 16 and 24 cores on 4 Xeons CPU's, and a system that is engineered to run @ 100% system load 24-7. --A big savings on a home built gaming system, and the Proliant will outperform it.

Hello,

What is your budget size?
This is a quite good base to start for casual gaming or MOBAs (~$650-700 if you're in the US):
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/xWjVjX

*Intel vs AMD : I prefer Intel for gaming. You can have a FX-8320 with AMD (4 core/8 modules) , but it is far less efficient and you may have to provide a better cooling system.
*Add $60 for a quad-core (i5 4590). Most games are GPU heavy, but others require also intensive CPU calculations. Plus, it provides a small headroom if you want to upgrade the video card later, so you won't be "CPU limited".
*If you play fast-paced games, you may want a 144-hz monitor. But once you have one of those, you don't want to go back to 60Hz.
*Get an SSD if you want your system and games to load faster. Again, once you use it you don't want to go back.
*Did you need peripherals ? Optical drives ($20 for a DVD writer, $60 for a Blu-Ray combo)? Better (gaming or ergonomical) mouse or keyboard?

I'm not agreeing with this. If you get a PSU of a decent brand (like a CORSAIR RM750x ), you can put 2xGTX970s in SLI with an overclocked Intel CPU. On the other side, don't expect anything good on a PSU labeled as 800w that costs only $25. You don't want to go cheap on the PSU.
500w provides a decent overhead with a simple graphics card and an Intel quadcore.