Planning to build a budget gaming PC - some questions

**the_mango55** · October 29, 2012, 05:57 PM

I thought there used to be a perpetual build thread stickied? I would post this in another thread but I don't want to hijack someone else's thread.

So I've had my current PC in some configuration for about 6 years, upgrading and replacing parts when they become outdated or break, very little is the same as the one I put together back in college. But the old girl has been on her last legs for a long time and it's finally time to give it up and start over.

Recently I've stopped being able to connect to the internet. I thought it was the wireless card so I replaced that but it didn't work. I'm sure I could reformat again and jury rig something up to string it along for another 6 months or so, but I'm tired of doing that (the power button stopped working over a year ago and I had to cannibalize the power button switch from a previous case, so it's just a wire with a button attached hanging loose).

Some basic information:

I no longer care to have the highest graphics, I just want to be able to run games well for the next few years and spend as little as possible.
I'm totally over windows and blue LEDs.
Also I'm tired of wires. Wireless keyboard and mouse all the way for me.
I'm keeping my PSU. I've had the same PSU for over 2 years, which is a remarkable streak considering my luck with PSUs. I also have a couple large hard drives for storage to go along with an SSD. Everything else will be replaced.

Any disadvantage to microATX? I don't plan on doing crossfire/SLI
Should I just go intel/nvidia? more expensive but people seem to be unanimuous that they are better these days
I have no idea how to choose a motherboard

**the_mango55** · October 29, 2012, 06:38 PM

Just added links to the parts.

**Jaketh** · November 01, 2012, 03:32 AM

MictoATX has no real disadvantages to full ATX aside from the lack of SLI/Crossfire support which you stated you are not interested in. As for an Intel/Nvidia setup it depends on your budget, the general rule is AMD for budget Intel/Nvidia for maximum performance. AMD and Nvidia are closer in performance and price to eachother on the GPU side but Intel processors are generally quite a bit more expensive then there AMD counterparts for processors; but the benefit being better performance.

I would recommend spending the extra money on a GTX660, it has one of the best price to performance ratios of the current generation of cards and would last you a solid 2-3 years of playing games on very good settings.

**Totalheadache** · November 01, 2012, 04:04 AM

Well all looks good 2 me. What is your psu btw? Just to check...I wouldnt use the psu's that come with the matx cases. I did a microatx build and the generic psu that came with the case died after a yr or so.

I stuck in a coolermaster 450w and was pleasantly suprised by how quiet and yet still cheap it was. But if you have a good one then no worries.

My choices of case atm would be the silverstone sugo and the corsair carbide.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...id=1092&subcat=

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...id=1489&subcat=

if it were me i'd spend the extra if it was gonna be my main rig.

re the cpu and cooler, look fine. just make sure you get cheapest quad you can overclock (you can still oc decently even in a smaller case).

def intel for cpu atm.

re gpu i'd hold off a bit till amd launch next series and i'd make sure u get min 2gb gpu to be future proof.

Still cant see much wrong with what you have chosen. I'd say around 300gb is enough for os and around ten games (that's where I am at atm...tbh i'd prefer a bit more).

ask crazeyesreaper to choose you a mobo...he's good on that score.

**Ybbon** · November 01, 2012, 06:53 AM

There are some threads, Bolkonsky's http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...0#post11844540 on useful questions for builds, and the "Big Basement Book" http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...1#post11847531 just in case you want to check them out.

**the_mango55** · November 01, 2012, 09:44 PM

Alright so the "budget" part seems to have gone out the window. Oops. Well at least it should last me a while. Anyway, someone critique this:

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/Pu...umber=21396526

And let me know if my wish list doesn't work.

**Love Mountain** · November 02, 2012, 02:34 AM

Originally Posted by the_mango55

Alright so the "budget" part seems to have gone out the window. Oops. Well at least it should last me a while. Anyway, someone critique this:

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/Pu...umber=21396526

And let me know if my wish list doesn't work.

Question, why that particular heatsink?

**Totalheadache** · November 02, 2012, 03:46 AM

I'd steer clear of the cases with the extra psu, what is your current?

I'd go for the 660 ti or the 7950. Also we arent far off new AMD cards so I'd wait. Def better getting latest tech and if they do the game bundle offer could be win win (that's why 7950 is a very nice offer atm).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814202006

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811163206

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811163218

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112279

i'd say that lian li is looking the nicest.

i think the first cpu cooler you posted was ok. you might want to check the amount of case fans the cases come with and order some.

ideally go for something with low noise and a good amount of flow. also a quiet psu is a must...but always better to choose quality over those "silent" versions.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835233084

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182262