Build me a PC!

So, I've been trying to save up for a new PC because it's been way too long, but it's taking too long to save up as much as I initially wanted. So I think I'm gonna go for a budget build instead, with plans to periodically upgrade later. Starting to get pretty close to being able to do that so I want to start seriously looking at some build options.

Basically, I want to stay around $600 US, no more than $700. I'll need the whole deal, minus peripherals (no mouse/kb or monitor or speakers). Definitely don't need great performance, just something that'll let me play some of the recent games that my old laptop just can't keep up with anymore, at reasonable settings and 1080p. But I want to have room to upgrade so that sometime down the line, I could drop a badass video card in there and see significant improvements.

Preferably nVidia/Intel, and include a copy of Windows 7, unless you simply can't do that without going over budget. If that's the case, I'll figure something out or just deal with being slightly over budget.

Thanks in advance.

You can't get something truly upgradable for 700$ (especially with W7 included which is about 100$), if you want a badass GPU later on to make a difference u need a mid range CPU and a power source that can handle your future needs, an entry level CPU will bottleneck a great GPU. I'm looking into it but I'm not making any promises.

800$ good 1080p PC.

That's about 810$, I couldn't go any lower without bottlenecking a better GPU in the future. It will run anything at 1080p pretty damn well.

I hope that's fine: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2Yxkh, you can remove the CPU cooler but I heard the stock one is really noisy, so the max you can do is to change GPU to GTX660 EVGA Superclocked that will save you 50$

@PredatorRules:

He's better off with an i5 with stock cooler than a cheap AMD, and that motherboard is too low end, he wants a little room for upgrades. Why do Americans (assuming u are one, could be wrong) keep going to EVGA for GPUs, Asus make by far the best built GPUs, long lasting parts.

And remove that filthy Windows 8 from the list, the man asked for W7 :).

Windows 8.1 is working excellent, I couldn't put a 100$ MOBO with SLI because it'll be at the cost of a good CPU or GPU.

i5 is expensive, speaking of budget PC it's better to go with AMD.

As for the GPU, I try to get the max power in terms of the same price, EVGA is known for a good GPU brand so yeah...

I wouldn't go lower then GTX 760 at this point.. But this looks like a solid budget build. For now he can just use a "SpeedFan" until he gets a better CPU cooler. (FX AMD CPUs do have LOUD stock coolers).

@PredatorRules:

That motherboard is garbage, it doesn't even have USB 3.0 which is ridiculous, also in the future he might want to upgrade to a CPU with an unlocked core for overcloking, u can't go cheap on any of the parts because they will bottleneck the rest. EVGA aren't anything special, I'd rather make sure I have long lasting parts than save 10$.

If he can put in that extra 100$ my built gets him a 1080p gaming PC with room for better a CPU, GPU or extra memory a couple of years down the road if felt necessary.

FX-6300 are excellent budget CPUs for gaming. EVGA is garbage..? I've owned EVGA GPUs for past 5 years or so and NEVER once had a problem with them. ACX cooler is quiet, I'm running 2 ACX 760s and can't even hear them. Also, ACX cooler lifetime is 5 times longer then its competitors.
He said, he can't afford to spend more then $700 and as far as gaming budget builds, you can't go wrong with FX-6300. You're not gonna go and buy an i5 when you don't have that much money to blow. I've had a budget build before and I had an AMD FX CPU, I ran my games perfectly fine. In matter of fact I still have my older FX CPU in a different tower and it's running like a champ!

@insane_metalist:

I said that motherboard is garbage, not the EVGA GPU, pay attention.

EVGA got nothing special? well the offer best balls to the wall performances with their Superclocked/Dual Classified GPUs for people like this guy right here who said he's not going to deal with OC.

I personally don't think USB3 is a must, I own 2 last gen USB2 external HDDs, I could pick a different MOBO for extra $ if that's what bothers you.

If he'd put extra 100$ I could pick him 2 way SLI MOBO for future proof, that's the only thing IMO that isn't that great, but he could still change CPU to FX8 series in the future and any other GPU that he wishes.

@the_bi99man: BTW! I was at Microcenter last week and I saw FX-8320 for cheap. It was $100 for 8320 which is a pretty damn good price if you ask me. If you have a local Microcenter in your area, you might wanna check it out ASAP!

You must be new to PC hardware.

Evga has the most solid track record in terms of reliability (there is no large gaps of inconsistency like there has been with other third party manufactures) and there coolers/thermal paste are top notch. Not only that but there customer supports/RMA makes others (such as MSI, Asus, and Gigabyte) look like a joke......

I can't believe someone actually asked why people like Evga ? (it should be pretty freaking obvious why).

@mastershake575:

their* coolers/thermal paste.

You must be new to grammar (had to do it),

I could not care less about their coolers or thermal paste in this discussion, I clearly mentioned GPUs not anything else (it's like I'm saying that Mercedes make better cars than Toyota and you're bringing up how good their motorcycles are, zero relevance). I'd like to see where you got this idea of them being the most reliable. EVGA is big in the US where it has RMA centers, Asus is the number one manufacturer in the world and it got that title for a reason.

At the end of the day you can buy what you want, it's your money to invest in what you think is best for you.

You do realize that quality coolers and thermal paste are major deal when speaking on longlivity of GPUs?

Also havne't seen any Mercedes nore Toyota motorcycles.

@PredatorRules:

That's just cooling, which Asus are really great at, their cards run super cool and super quiet. I was talking about the entire built, all of the components, from capacitors to chokes.

And that wasn't supposed to be taken literally, it was meant to underline comparing the same things instead of praising some other thing they do well.

But here's a Toyota motorcycle (who knew :P) http://blog.motorcycle.com/2009/11/24/motorcycle-news/toyota-motorcycle/

LOL WTF?! Toyota motorycyle.

Yes Asus is also known for quality brand.

Here you go. 500$, it runs Windows 8, and plays multiplatforms under 1080p. You still have 100$ left over to buy games... When they eventually come out. :p

I would go with a R9 270X and FX 8320 build if you are looking for a gaming PC at that price range.

Here's a pcpartpicker for you.

WTF are you smoking ? Coolers and thermal paste is a big deal when buying a GPU. PCB's and capacitors on middle to high-end third party brands are often from the same manufacturer so the only difference is paste and cooler.......

You must be on drugs or something (you have some sort of Asus fanboy relationship).

Evga has amazing quality, great customer support, and there classified GPU's are the most overclockable chips on the market...... (please try to dispute ANY of that statement).

I know right! Just another fanboy.. :P

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I've got some stuff to think about now, and a pretty good idea of what I'll be able to get in that price range. Thanks again.

Not sure if your still looking at this thread but I thought I might still be able to help.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/32lkL

It doesn't have an optical drive but you can boot your OS from a usb. I kept it as close to 600 as I could.

Don't be in a rush, you always make mistakes when rushed. Save up more pennies and then build the PC you've always wanted.

Yah, I have to agree. Might as well get what you really want and if that means saving up money for another few months, in the end it'll be worth it.

Yeah, I'm gonna try for that, but it's getting to the point that more and more games aren't working on my laptop, just because of no DX11, plus my laptop is starting to show its age in other, non-gaming ways, as well. I'm gonna need a new PC at some point this year, even if I gave up gaming, just for the work and music production I do. So, I'll continue saving, but I'm gonna have to pull the trigger eventually, probably this summer. So I'll get whatever I can afford by then, since literally anything would be a huge upgrade compared to what I currently have, and if it's not as beast as I wish it was, I'll slowly upgrade it over the next year.