Budget Gaming Rig..Do these parts look ok?

[Gorrillasnot]

My brother wants me to build him a gaming PC and his budget is around $700.
My current parts list https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vQPtCb.
I am thinking about changing the SSD from the Adata XPG to a Intel 760p..the Intel seems to be quite a bit faster in write speeds for not much more money.
Also would prefer an Asus mobo as I have had good luck with them in the past.
Whats the cheapest Asus board that has the OC dipswitch on the motherboard?
Any parts you would change ?

thanks

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
gaming, websurfing, youtube, etc.
2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
$700ish
3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

4. IF you're buying parts OUTSIDE the US, please post a link to the vendor you'll be buying from.
We can't be expected to scour the internet on your behalf, chasing down deals in your specific country... Again, help us, help YOU.

5. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
Intel CPU
6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
GPU GTX 960, PSU Corsair 750w, monitor and other peripherals.
7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
Yes
8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using?
1080p
9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
July
10. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software?
np.

 

[whm1974]

I don't think any modern motherboard has dipswitches anymore and haven't for a long time now. And a only a few jumpers.

The Intel SSD is a decent one as are the Crucial MX500, Micron 1100(sold by Newegg), and Samsung current ones.

Everything else looks fine to me as far as I can tell.

 

[aigomorla]

... that case looks iffy...
But at 36 dollars i guess u cant complain much.

However lemme tell you the pains in working with a cheap case... you get exactly what you pay for unless its an aluminum premium case, in which you end up overpaying.

I would honestly see if i can fit 20 extra dollars and get a NZXT s340 or a phantek eclipse p300

The phantek p300 temper glass one here looks very nice for 23 dollars more and has temper glass..
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811854073&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Cases+(Computer+Cases+-+ATX+Form)-_-N82E16811854073&gclid=CjwKCAjw9-HZBRAwEiwAGw0Qcd-tMz-jJrDHvmDoa67-85Y8N3pr7xJ6ZIl-OOYn0IeF-OHle3Sj0hoCcrYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[whm1974]

Yes get a better case. I made the mistake with a cheap case when I first built a computer back in 2000 and cut my finger on it.

 

[Gorrillasnot]

The case in my list seems to get good reviews and people mention it has rounded edges..I'll look at some others though.I like the looks of the NZXT s340 that was suggested above.

As far as dipswitches my Asus Z68 pro has a switch on the board that OCs my 2600k to 4.2GHz..the z68 is old by PC standards but I thought it was a nice feature to have and was hoping some of the newer Asus boards still had it.

thanks

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Any parts you would change ?

The carry over gtx 960 is going to be the bottleneck for this build. Big time. Plans to upgrade it later?

 

[Campy]

The Corsair 270R is a good case, and at a lower price than your currently selected one it's a really good deal.

 

[Gorrillasnot]

Yep the GTX 960 will be replaced when some more money is saved up.

that 270R looks nice and priced right..probably will go with it..

Any thoughts on the motherboard? Anything better in the $150 or less range?

thanks

 

[monkeydelmagico]

is onboard wifi a must?

 

[Gorrillasnot]

WiFi not needed at all

 

[monkeydelmagico]

ASRock Z370 Pro4 LGA is a cheaper alternative at under $100.-

ASUS Prime Z370-P LGA if you prefer ASUS and it's also a little cheaper at $116.-

Do you live near a microcenter?

 

[Campy]

MSI Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon, ASRock Z370 Extreme4. ALC1220 sound chip(both), strong VRM for overclocking (ASRock board)

 

[Gorrillasnot]

Microcenter is about 2 hours away and there's a fry's about 1.5hrs away.

I'm leaning towards the ASRock Z370 Pro4..When surfing/general PC use the sound will be through hdmi to a cheap 1080p TV and when gaming sound is through a head set..the difference between ALC892 and ALC1220 sound quality probably wouldn't be worth the extra money.

thanks everyone

 

[Filmgeek47]

My brother wants me to build him a gaming PC and his budget is around $700.
My current parts list https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vQPtCb.
I am thinking about changing the SSD from the Adata XPG to a Intel 760p..the Intel seems to be quite a bit faster in write speeds for not much more money.
Also would prefer an Asus mobo as I have had good luck with them in the past.
Whats the cheapest Asus board that has the OC dipswitch on the motherboard?
Any parts you would change ?

thanks

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
gaming, websurfing, youtube, etc.
2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
$700ish
3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

4. IF you're buying parts OUTSIDE the US, please post a link to the vendor you'll be buying from.
We can't be expected to scour the internet on your behalf, chasing down deals in your specific country... Again, help us, help YOU.

5. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
Intel CPU
6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
GPU GTX 960, PSU Corsair 750w, monitor and other peripherals.
7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
Yes
8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using?
1080p
9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
July
10. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software?
np.

For gaming at that price point I’d cut back what you’re spending on your motherboard and cpu, and upgrade the graphics card. A gym 1060 6Gb would be a much better performance investment for gaming, and frankly in most games you wouldn’t notice a difference between the 8600k and an 8100, or any of the options in between.

I’ve just written Link Removed

Also some recommended complete configurations Link Removed

We do not allow self-promotion links on our forums.

Daveybrat
AT Moderator

 

[whm1974]

For gaming at that price point I’d cut back what you’re spending on your motherboard and cpu, and upgrade the graphics card. A gym 1060 6Gb would be a much better performance investment for gaming, and frankly in most games you wouldn’t notice a difference between the 8600k and an 8100, or any of the options in between.

I would get the best CPU I could afford as that will offer a great deal of future proofing as the OP can always get a better GPU later. The GTX 960 still gives good performance, especially the 4GB versions.

OP have you considered the AMD Ryzen 5 2600(or X) for your brother's build?

 

[Filmgeek47]

Hey OP,
Not sure if you’ve already moved forward, but in case you’re still looking for advice...

Whm1974 certainly has a point, but it really comes down to your POV on upgrades and what you see your brother using the build for. If it’s light gaming (Ie 1080p monitor and no VR), I’d stick with most of what you’ve outlined.

If you see him wanting to buy an on oculus or other VR headset anytime soon, then the 960 is below minimum spec. So it’s either focus on future proofing, or prioritize the performance he’d see right away. It’s just good to keep in mind that there are plenty of people gaming in VR on far less capable processors than an 8100 without too much issue.

The 2600 is a great idea as well. AMD is really nailing the price/performance ratio this time around.

One suggestion I’d make regardless is a different motherboard. As rock is a bargain basement company, and while I’m sure sure there are some out there with good experiences, I’m not one of them. I’d strongly suggest Asus or Gigabyte (you could probably spend less on a gigabyte board with similar specs to what you’ve chosen and actually save a few bucks as well).

Best of luck either way!

 

[whm1974]

Thanks @Filmgeek47 When I give advice for a build now I try to go for longevity and what the builder can afford. Also with planned GPU upgrades in mind.

My reasoning behind this is that midrange and high end CPUs last longer then they used to. So it makes more sense to go for those processors upfront and start with a lower tier dGPU for now since it is much easier and usually cheaper to upgrade the video card later then it is with CPUs. Upgrading the last may mean new motherboard and memory as well which means expensive.

 

[Gorrillasnot]

I suggested the AMD cpu as a possibility, but he wants to go Intel.
He's not into VR ,but does plan on going 4k sometime.
I was wrong about his GPU it is a 970 and not 960 as I previously thought..it along with a 4k monitor is planned in the next 6-12 months.

The i5 8400 is looking pretty tasty as far as price ($165ish with promo code)..The 8600k is about $80 more..Is the performance potential of being able to OC the 8600k worth the extra $80?

I've tried Gigabyte boards twice in the past and both times they were fail..I have had good luck with Asus, but not sure which 1 would be the best bang for the buck.

thanks

 

[Campy]

Honestly for gaming at 4K the CPU will never be the limiting factor, and an 8400 will be plenty good. Alternatively going for an AMD CPU would be good for extra threads/general computing and the upgradability of the AM4 socket.

As for ASRock being a bad brand, that was maybe true 10 years ago but I really don't see that being the case today. They are one of the leading brands and their high end products are very good.

 

[hollame]

Man, I honestly don't like that case..

 

[whm1974]

I suggested the AMD cpu as a possibility, but he wants to go Intel.
He's not into VR ,but does plan on going 4k sometime.
I was wrong about his GPU it is a 970 and not 960 as I previously thought..it along with a 4k monitor is planned in the next 6-12 months.

The i5 8400 is looking pretty tasty as far as price ($165ish with promo code)..The 8600k is about $80 more..Is the performance potential of being able to OC the 8600k worth the extra $80?

I've tried Gigabyte boards twice in the past and both times they were fail..I have had good luck with Asus, but not sure which 1 would be the best bang for the buck.

thanks

The 970 isn't a bad GPU at all and I have one. That GPU is still good enough that at this stage in time I would wait until the 1170 is out so I wouldn't be paying good money for a two y/o GPU design.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

The i5 8400 is looking pretty tasty as far as price ($165ish with promo code)..The 8600k is about $80 more..Is the performance potential of being able to OC the 8600k worth the extra $80?

I've tried Gigabyte boards twice in the past and both times they were fail..I have had good luck with Asus, but not sure which 1 would be the best bang for the buck.

thanks

Did you check out the Asus board I linked above? If you decide to go i5 8400 you can move downmarket on the Mobo. More money in bank for eventual GPU swap.

8400 vs. 8600k is really a particular game(s) question. The 8600k has a little advantage stock and a bigger advantage OC'd in games that leverage faster cores. Not really that many games do that though. The rest of the time these two CPU's perform similarly.

Some people enjoy tweaking with the CPU and overclocking. Only you/he can put a $$$ value on that.

If it was my money I'd save the $100.- or so and go with the 8400 and a B360 chipset mobo

 

[Gorrillasnot]

I'm still researching parts, but need to start buying soon.

The deal on the Intel 760p ssd on pcpartspicker shows $139 @ newegg but when I click on it and go to newegg's site it says $218 ugh! so I'm back to searching for a ssd.
In my daily email I get from newegg I see a couple SSDs from a company called Computer Upgrade King..1 is a CUK Cyclone 500GB for $124.95 that I think is a rebranded Muskin and the other is a 512GB Samsung PM981 for $149.95.
Would either of these drives be worth taking a shot on?

Also while browsing newegg I see they have the MSI Z370-A PRO for $118.32 or should I spend a little more and get the Asrock extreme4?

thanks

 

[Gorrillasnot]

Just to update, this https://pcpartpicker.com/list/zFDkjy is the parts I ended up using.
prices are different then when I purchased..for example I paid 144 for the ssd and it now shows 179.

All in all it was a fun build and seems to be fast and rock solid stable OC'd to 4.8GHz.
The hardest part was trying to install windows 7 on a nvme ssd and had to use a patch to get windows update to work..Also windows 7 drivers are non existant (though the available Win 10 drivers worked for everything except graphics).

thanks

 

[Shmee]

Why not just install windows 10?