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Budget Gaming Build Critique

C

chasm_

Junior Member
Hi all, first post here 🙂.

I was looking for some advice on the following gaming build, mostly in prep. for BF3:

Price Point: ~$550 Canadian before tax

M/B: MSI P67S-C43 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 - $90

CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K - $210

GPU: Powercolor Radeon HD 6850 - $120

RAM: CORSAIR XMS 4GB DDR3 1600 - $35

P/S: OCZ ZS Series 650W - $45

Reusing: Hard drive (non SSD) and case.

Total is $500

Willing to spend a little more on perhaps the motherboard or RAM. Also I plan on overclocking and don't need the Z68 chipset extras (P67 is fine).

Edit: Will be playing at resolutions around 1680x1050.

Thanks!
 
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^ Agree. Could get a single 4GB stick to save cash, or just go for 2x4GB.

Another option is to take the middle road and go for i5-2400 + hd6870.
 
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Thanks for the quick replies!

I really want to stick with a quad core, given BF3 is a console port and as such, the frostbite engine is typically CPU heavy. I am sure a dual core would be good for single player, but I will mostly be playing high player multiplayer, which tends to stress the CPU more so.

I know the 560 TI is a much better card, but it is hard to pass on the 6850 for $120. I also failed to mention that I will be playing at lower resolutions (under 1080p), so the GPU is less of an issue. The 6870 is a slightly better card, but the 6850 can be flashed with its bios to increase performance, so its hard to justify the extra $40.

Also, thanks for 8GB suggestion. I know I won't need that much, but might as well seeing how cheap DDR3 is these days.
 
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At your sub-1080p res, whatever that may be, 6850 is good enough but I doubt it can do BF3 on high settings very smoothly. But it's a cost-effective choice since it's easy to just upgrade when it's not fast enough anymore. And in that light, the 2500K is a good choice too
 
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BF3 is most certainly not a console port in terms of requirements. A 6850 will give you sub-30 minimums, which is pretty much death if you're playing competitively. An i3 2100 is good for about 60 minimum in multiplayer.

The idea is to balance your components as much as possible, so getting a CPU like the i5 2500 which will give you minimums around 100 or so is worthless if you have a GPU which will give you minimums in the 30s.
 
You know, you can just lower graphics settings and be fine with that. The GPU is easy to upgrade to HD 7000 series next year, while upgrading the CPU wouldn't be worth it as Ivy Bridge isn't probably going to be more than 20% faster
 
lehtv said:
You know, you can just lower graphics settings and be fine with that. The GPU is easy to upgrade to HD 7000 series next year, while upgrading the CPU wouldn't be worth it as Ivy Bridge isn't probably going to be more than 20% faster
Click to expand...

It's still $130 down the tubes either way. Though if the OP is a competitive gamer, I suppose he will be playing on all min anyway.
 
Hardly down the tubes. Both are choices that give you more and cost you more. I just think the faster CPU is a better choice in the long term.
 
lehtv said:
Hardly down the tubes. Both are choices that give you more and cost you more. I just think the faster CPU is a better choice in the long term.
Click to expand...

I meant that it is down the tubes if you upgrade within a short period of time.
 
Heh, I do enjoy reading you two debating hardware upgrades ! Always fun to pick apart the builds and see what works and what doesn't.

On a side note, its amazing what you can buy for a mere $500 these days. I'm sure my wife would have wanted me to stick with my original $700 budget, but when I go overboard I do it big. Case in point - car stereo upgrade back when I was single - budget going in was $300 and after a month my total bill was $3100.
 
WT said:
Heh, I do enjoy reading you two debating hardware upgrades ! Always fun to pick apart the builds and see what works and what doesn't.

On a side note, its amazing what you can buy for a mere $500 these days. I'm sure my wife would have wanted me to stick with my original $700 budget, but when I go overboard I do it big. Case in point - car stereo upgrade back when I was single - budget going in was $300 and after a month my total bill was $3100.
Click to expand...

When you suspiciously stop posting due to erm, "marital issues," don't say we didn't warn ya! 😛
 
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