Need advice on a low-mid gaming build

[Sniper82]

Nephew has a C2D E6300 I think it is with 4gb memory and a HD4770. He mostly plays games like minecraft, roblox, ect. He complains the system seems slow and messes up alot. I think most of it is due to him downloading random crap but I can't tell them that because they don't listen.

Anyway sister is wanting to upgrade it regardless. It's been a while so I'm not sure what best bang for your buck is. She is wanting to give him her 120gb SSD and upgrade hers. He will be using his current case and am hoping to use his current Fortron Bluestorm 500w PSU so I'd like to get stuff thats not to power hungry.

She is shooting for $300-500 tops but cheaper the better. Also wanting it to last 3-5 years before needing a major upgrade. I prefer Intel but if the price is quite a bit cheaper and still a performer AMD will be fine.

 

[VirtualLarry]

$300 - $500 USD doesn't really give any margin for any level of "future proof-ness", especially in order to stay relevant for 5 years.

You could easily do a platform upgrade for that much, say:

Intel i5-4670K $230
Z87 motherboard $120-$250
CoolerMaster 212 Evo heatsink $30
2x4GB DDR3-1866 or 1600 1.5v RAM $65-85

but then you would be stuck with that older graphics card for a while, until you could afford to upgrade that one as well. That platform would likely last 5 years though, as CPUs are going now, they barely increase in speed each generation.

Edited to add: If the user of the PC is downloading random stuff, and getting cruft on the machine that is bogging it down, then an SSD may help to somewhat alleviate the load that sort of stuff puts on the system, but really, the solution is to solve that problem completely, rather than band-aid around it. A little user education is in order, followed by perhaps, setting them up with a limited user account and using parental controls to limit what they are allowed to run on the computer. Because the new system is going to get bogged down the same way, if you allow that to continue.

 

[Charlie98]

Clean install that machine with a fresh copy of W7 or 8 (what does the system have on it now...? ) add a little more RAM, throw in the SSD, call it a day.

I would agree with Larry, however... if they want that thing to last 5 years, it would be best to upgrade the platform, including the PSU. I wouldn't go with a 'K' processor and Z87 board... sounds like he doesn't need the temptation of OC'ing...

Intel i5-4670, $200;
Gigabyte H81M-H mATX mobo, $40 (AR; )
Team 2x 4GB RAM, $65;
Corsair CX430M modular PSU, $40 (AR; )
GPU, $0
SSD, $0
Case, $0
OS, $ ?

Total $345 For an extra $100 or so, throw in a HD7770 and make the kid paint the house and mow the lawn...

 

[mvbighead]

here you go:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3s84f
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3s84f/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3s84f/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($180.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H81M-H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($46.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Red 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($62.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R7 260X 2GB Video Card ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Micro Center)
Total: $489.44
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-15 10:04 EDT-0400)

Added a storage disk for game installs and other downloads.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

I would agree with Larry, however... if they want that thing to last 5 years, it would be best to upgrade the platform, including the PSU. I wouldn't go with a 'K' processor and Z87 board... sounds like he doesn't need the temptation of OC'ing...

Definitely agree on both platform and PSU. No reason for a -K CPU + Z87 board. If that's the "original" PSU for the system, it's pushing 8 years of usage. Which could mean the caps have degraded, and if goes it could take the system with it. PSU efficiency has also sky-rocketed since 2006.

here you go:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3s84f
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3s84f/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3s84f/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($180.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H81M-H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($46.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Red 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($62.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R7 260X 2GB Video Card ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Micro Center)
Total: $489.44
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-15 10:04 EDT-0400)

Added a storage disk for game installs and other downloads.

Seems very solid. You don't really need 1866MHz memory though, regular 1600MHz is just as good if you're not using the IGP.

 

[mvbighead]

Definitely agree on both platform and PSU. No reason for a -K CPU + Z87 board. If that's the "original" PSU for the system, it's pushing 8 years of usage. Which could mean the caps have degraded, and if goes it could take the system with it. PSU efficiency has also sky-rocketed since 2006.



Seems very solid. You don't really need 1866MHz memory though, regular 1600MHz is just as good if you're not using the IGP.

Yeah, I think at the time that was the cheapest configuration for DDR3 2x4GB. I didn't specifically look for the speed, I just selected the cheapest reasonably good option.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Yeah, I think at the time that was the cheapest configuration for DDR3 2x4GB. I didn't specifically look for the speed, I just selected the cheapest reasonably good option.

If it's the cheapest, certainly go for it. Higher memory frequencies never hurt anyone...

At the low-end, just avoid CL11 1333MHz.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

here you go:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3s84f
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3s84f/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/3s84f/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($180.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H81M-H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($46.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 Low Profile Red 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($62.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($69.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R7 260X 2GB Video Card ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Micro Center)
Total: $489.44
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-15 10:04 EDT-0400)

Added a storage disk for game installs and other downloads.

Nice build, I would swap the R7 260x for the following powercolor 7850 $110 after rebate

 

[mvbighead]

Nice build, I would swap the R7 260x for the following powercolor 7850 $110 after rebate

Looks like you are right on performance. I tend to go with current gen cards, but it does look like the 7850 is quite a bit faster than the 260x.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Looks like you are right on performance. I tend to go with current gen cards, but it does look like the 7850 is quite a bit faster than the 260x.

The HD7850 is current gen. Most of the R7/R9 series are just re-brands of existing chips. The only really new chips added are Bonaire and Hawaii. The HD7850 is equal to the R7-265, other then a slight bump in frequency that a little judicious overclocking will very quickly nullify.

 

[sm625]

My 10 year old has like 8 GB of minecraft mods installed. He says its around 300 mods. The framerate is terrible, and it eats up 4GB of RAM like its nothing. Not to mention hard drive space. I asked him if he knew how to remove mods. lol. Nope. Only knows how to add them. I told him it is time to learn. Because a 3GHz Q6600 should be enough power for minecraft. If it isnt, then a new i5 probably wont be either, not for long anyway. He only has a HD4670 but the gpu load doesnt go that high.