Budget Gaming PCs v3.4: Now with speakers, headphones, earphones and headsets recommendations!
Updated on April 26th 2012.
Never built a PC before and need help? No problem.
You don’t have to be a Geek to build a PC!
Building a PC has never been easier. We have hundreds of readers who had no experience and who built their first PC with the help of Hardware Revolution. If they can do it, so can you!Start by reading our “Building Your First PC?” article, which covers everything that you need to know to get started.
Is this the right type of PC for me?
If you’re looking for a budget Gaming PC, to play video games, or a PC to browse the web, you’re at the right place. Otherwise, check out our other Do-It-Yourself Computer Systems or The Best Laptops For Your Money instead.
The video card for Tier 0.75 of the Gaming PCs got upgraded to the more powerful Gigabyte Geforce GTX 550 Ti 1GB.
Click on a section to jump to it:
- Five Tiers to choose from
- Recommended parts summary
- Computer Builds FAQs
- Recommended parts in details
- Mainstream/High-End Gaming PCs
- Mainstream/High-End SFF Gaming PCs
About Hardware Revolution’s Budget Gaming Computers:
Performance and reliability at a low-cost
With their low-cost, our Budget DIY(Do-It Yourself) Gaming Computers feature parts that were hand-picked to offer the maximum bang for your buck, or in other terms: to offer the best performance possible at a given price, while fitting within your budget.
However, these low-cost PCs are still designed with reliability in mind. They feature a safe, reliable power supply and a case with good cooling abilities, so that your PC will last you many years and to ensure that it will not overheat.
Tier System:
Instead of having several articles that each cover one specific build, there are Tiers, allowing you to pick one of several systems at broader price points.
The Tiers are color coded as such:
Choose from five Tiers:
Tier 0.5: Web PC (Identified by a Light Blue color): $278
This is our lowest cost Tier that’s perfect if all you want to do is browse the Internet, watch some videos, listen to some music, do some Office work and the like, on a reliable and relatively quiet PC that doesn’t consume much power.
Tier 0.625 (Identified by a Dark Red color): $392
This is our lowest cost Gaming PC, which is fine for older games or more modern games at a low or medium resolution (1600 x 900 or 720p HDTVs).
Tier 0.75 (Identified by a Fuchsia color): $437
Our 2nd lowest cost Gaming PC. Recommended for older games, or for more recent games on a low or medium resolution (1600 x 900 or 720p HDTVs).
Tier 1 (Identified by a Green color): $488
Great entry-level gaming machine, perfect for gaming at a 1680 x 1050 or 720p resolution.
Tier 2 (Identified by an Orange color): $566
This Tier can handle most games at high/maximum settings at 1920 x 1080/1080p.
Need a Tier recommendation for a specific video game?
Ask us on the forums: Tell us about the video game, the level of details that you want (i.e. I just want to be able to play the game, medium, high or maximum details) and the resolution (e.g. 1920 x 1080. NOT the size) of the monitor (HDTVs: 720p or 1080p) that you’ll use.
Recommended Parts Summary:
Main recommendations, upgrades and alternatives:
1. Recommended Components are in Bold, with one or more colors/symbols for the Tier(s).
2. Suggested Alternatives and Upgrades are in Italic. You can upgrade as many parts as you want to, including parts from higher Tiers.
3. All Parts are interchangeable/compatible with each other. Ask us on the forums if you want us to double-check your build.
Building this System, Got a Question, Need Help?
Computer Builds FAQs:
I often get questions such as:
- Who are you to tell me which parts to choose?
- Can you suggest me a step by step guide to build a computer?
- Why should I build a PC instead of buying one in a store?
- And many more…
1. You will find the answers to all of these questions and more in this article: FAQ: How to Build Your Own Computer
2. Is this your first build? Here are 10 Quick Tips for 1st Time Builders to get you started.
3. Newly built computer won’t start? I invite you to read Help me: Why won’t my newly assembled PC start or boot?
4. Visit our forums here, where you can join our helpful community and ask questions.
Recommended step-by-step guides to build your PC:
Newegg TV has three great videos on how to build your PC. The first covers choosing your parts, which we help you with in this article, so I chose not to include it. The second one, below, shows you in detail how to assemble your PC. The 3rd one shows you how to install Windows and software.
If you prefer a text version with pictures, here are two great guides by ArsTechnica, the first one covering the assembling and the second one covering Windows and software:
- Arstechnica Outstanding Guide for Hardware (Building the PC)
- Arstechnica Outstanding Guide for Software (EFI/BIOS, Windows, etc.)
Free Assistance
If you have any question(s) about the build, simply head over to the forums and our community will be there to assist you.
No worries, there are no stupid questions here on Hardware Revolution. We all started from scratch and learned through our mistakes. We”ll just help you make sure to avoid those mistakes 
If you want to have your final build double-checked and get my opinion on it before ordering, or for anything else, don’t be shy, just post a thread on the forums.
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Recommendations in details:
Motherboard:
Tier 0.5, 0.625, 0.75, 1 and 2:
$50 – BIOSTAR H61MGC Intel H61 LGA1155
This motherboard offers Intel LGA1155 support at a great price ($50), making it an excellent choice for the Budget Gaming PCs.
It also comes with video outputs (VGA and DVI), making it a perfect choice for the Web PC.
It also allows you to use the integrated graphic processor (IGP) from the CPU, so that you can use your PC without a dedicated video card if necessary. This is great if you’re waiting to get your dedicated video card or to troubleshoot your PC if your dedicated video card isn’t working.
Note that since it’s based on the Intel H61 chipset, it does not support CPU overclocking. Mind you, none of the CPUs recommended for the Budget Gaming PCs do support overclocking anyway, since their multiplier is locked and that overclocking via the BCLK won’t result in much more than a 5% overclock before you get stability issues.
Ports, expansion slots, features, what’s included in the box, etc.
Ports on the back: Four USB 2.0 ports, two PS/2, VGA and DVI outputs, Gigabit LAN and 6 Channels audio on the back.
Expansion slots: On the board itself, you have one PCI-Express 2.0 16X and two PCI-Express 1X slots.
Other connectors/features on the motherboard: Two fan connectors (One for the CPU Cooler, one for a case fan. Note that all recommended cases either have one 3-pin fan or use Molex connectors for their case fans), four SATA 3.0Gb/s and two USB 2.0 headers.
Included in the box: Motherboard, two SATA cables, manual, CD with drivers/utilities and I/O backplate.
Do note that as I write this, the BIOSTAR H61MGC does not support Intel 3rd generation of Core CPUs, codename “Ivy Bridge“, but only the 2nd generation of Core CPUs, codename “Sandy Bridge“. All CPUs recommended in this guide will work with this motherboard, but if you intend to upgrade to Intel 3rd generation of Core CPUs, codename “Ivy Bridge”, you’ll want to upgrade to one of the two alternatives below.
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Alternatives
- $83 – ASRock H77M LGA 1155 H77 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX
Based on Intel’s new 7 series chipset, this motherboard natively supports Intel’s new CPUs, Ivy Bridge (Core ix-3xxx), SATA 6.0Gbps and USB 3.0, at a reasonable cost. Note that it does not support CPU overclocking. Of course, it does support the 2nd generation of Core CPUs too, codename “Sandy Bridge“, recommended in this guide.
- $90 – BIOSTAR TZ77B LGA 1155 Z77 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX
In short, if you intend to invest into your PC and upgrade it as time goes by, the last motherboard is as future-proof as it gets.
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CPU:
Regarding “Ivy Bridge”, the new 3rd generation of Intel’s Core CPUs:
As you may have heard, Intel just launched “Ivy Bridge”, the new 3rd generation of their Core CPUs. For now, they are only launching the mainstream and high-end quad-core CPUs, starting at $174. The more affordable budget dual-core CPUs are expected some time in May or June, which means that we’re sticking to the 2nd generation of Core CPUs, “Sandy Bridge” for the Budget Gaming PCs at this point in time. Ivy Bridge brings an extra 10-15% in performance, so you’re not missing out on a lot of performance if you decide to buy and build your PC now.
Tier 0.5
$46 – Intel Celeron G530 Dual-Core 2.4GHz
Don’t get fooled by the frequencies or the Celeron brand:
The Intel Celeron G530 is based on Intel’s Sandy Bridge architecture and despite running at 2.4GHz, it has no problem outperforming the $65 – AMD A4-3300 Llano Dual-Core 2.5GHz at this price range, thanks to the high performance and efficient Sandy Bridge architecture.
Lower power consumption:
On top of outperforming the AMD A4-3300 Llano, the Celeron G530 is also more power efficient, consuming less power at load than the AMD A4-3300 Llano CPU.
Lower cost:
Finally, the Intel Celeron G530 only costs $46, versus $65 for the A4-3300 Llano CPU, a $17 advantage for the more powerful and more energy efficient Celeron G530.
Ideal for:
Budget builds, if all you want to do is browse the Internet, watch some videos, listen to some music, do some Office work and the like.
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Tier 0.625:
$70 – Intel Pentium G620 Dual-Core 2.6GHz
Higher performance than the competition:
In the same price range, we have the AMD A4-3400 Llano that’s available for $70.
Just as with the Celeron G530 vs the A4-3300, the Pentium G620 has no problem outperforming the AMD A4-3400.
Lower power consumption:
On top of outperforming the AMD A4-3400, the Pentium G620 is also more power efficient, consuming less power at load than the AMD A4-3400 Llano CPU.
Ideal for:
Budget Gaming PCs with a really tight budget or a budget build, to browse the Internet, watch some videos, listen to some music, do some Office work and the like.
The 300MHz faster Pentium G850 recommended below is quite faster than the G620, as you can see here, so if you can afford the extra $13, go for it.
Tier 0.75 and Tier 1:
$85 – Intel Pentium G850 Dual-Core 2.9GHz
VS the Competition:
AMD’s similarly priced CPU is the Athlon II X3 455 ($80, Triple-Core 3.3GHz, No L3 cache)
I picked the Intel Pentium G850 over the AMD Athlon II X3 455 because:
- The Pentium G850 easily outperforms it in gaming and pretty much any applications.
- The Pentium G850 is way more efficient, consuming 51.8W less at load, according to AnandTech.
Ideal for:
A budget Gaming PC, when you can’t afford the much faster Core i3-2100.
However, if you have $25 more to invest and can afford that Core i3-2100, then by all means, go for it. AnandTech’s bench tool clearly shows how much more powerful the Core i3-2100 is versus the Pentium G850.
Alternative:
If you have an extra $10, you can upgrade to the $93 – Intel Pentium G860 Dual-Core 3.0GHz
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Tier 2:
$110 – Intel Core i3-2100 Dual-Core + HyperThreading 3.1GHz
VS the Competition:
AMD’s similarly priced CPU is the Phenom II X4 955 (AM3, Quad-Core 3.2GHz).
I picked the Intel Core i3-2100 over the Phenom II X4 965 because:
Don’t let the dual-core part fool you.
Thanks to Hyper-Threading, its high 3.1GHz frequency and the high IPC performance of the SandyBridge architecture, the $110 Core i3-2100 performance is, on average, 8.8% higher than the $120 AMD Phenom II X4 955, when it comes to gaming, according to this Tom’s Hardware article.
Even better, the Core i3-2120 outperforms the Phenom II X4 955 by 17.5% when it comes to minimum frames per second, according to the same Tom’s Hardware article.
On top of that, the Core i3-2100 consumes about 40W less at load compared to the AMD Phenom II X4 955.
Alternative:
If you have an extra $13, you can upgrade to the $123 – Intel Core i3-2120 Dual-Core + HyperThreading 3.3GHz
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Video Card:
A few important recommendations and notes regarding video cards:
- Get the latest version of the video card drivers directly from AMD or Nvidia. That way, you’ll be sure to get the latest bug fixes as well as the best performance possible from your video card(s).
- Most video cards require one or two PCI-Express 6 or 8 pin power connector(s) to be plugged into them to function properly. Make sure that your power supply comes equipped with enough 6 and/or 8 pin connectors for your video cards. Of course, I double-checked that already for the recommendations in this article, I simply mention it if you decide to modify a build to your own taste.
Looking for a monitor? Visit The Best Monitors For Your Money article.
Tier .05
Free – Intel HD – Integrated
Seeing as all you’ll be doing with this Web PC is browsing the web, listen to music, watch videos and other tasks that don’t require a powerful dedicated video card, an onboard video chipset offers plenty enough power, while being free since it’s integrated in the CPU.
The recommended motherboard has a VGA and a DVI output, allowing you to use older or newer monitors or even two monitors at once if you wish to do so!
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Tier 0.625:
$90 – Radeon HD 6750 1GB GDD3
Replacing the previously recommended Radeon HD 6670, the Radeon HD 6750 is significantly more powerful and is currently the best video card for $90.
Note that this $90 Radeon HD 6750 is equipped with GDDR3 memory, as opposed to the faster GDDR5 found on the standard $100+ Radeon HD 6750 1GB.
This makes it slower than the $100 Radeon HD 6750 equipped with GDDR5, but it still faster than the previously recommended Radeon HD 6670 and the Nvidia competition at this price range.
Tier 0.75:
$114 – Gigabyte GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB
Replacing the previously recommended Radeon HD 6770
The Geforce GTX 550 Ti performs slightly faster on average versus the Radeon HD 6770/factory-overclocked 7750, being on par in some games Crysis: Warhead, Metro: 2033, DiRT 3, Total War: Shogun 2, Skyrim and Batman: Arkham City) and faster in other games (Portal 2, Battlefield 3 and Starcraft II).
What games can this video card handle?
This card is capable of handling the vast majority of games at 1600 x 900, although you might have to lower details for the most demanding games.
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Tier 1:
$135 – Radeon HD 6850 1GB
15-40% faster than a Geforce GTX 550 Ti
I’m recommending the Radeon HD 6850 1GB once again, seeing as the Geforce GTX 460 256-bit is no longer available for $130 and also seeing that there’s currently a $20 price gap between the Radeon HD 6850 1GB and the more powerful $155 Radeon HD 6870.
The Radeon HD 6850 1GB supports DirectX 11 and will do the job at 1680 x 1050 and even 1920 x 1080 although you might have to lower details in more recent and more demanding games.
The Radeon HD 6850 1GB also offers a significantly step-up in performance over the Geforce GTX 550 Ti, despite costing only $21 more.
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Tier 2
$155 – Radeon HD 6870 1GB
Performance:
A nice step-up over the Radeon HD 6850.
The Radeon HD 6870 has no problem outperforming the Geforce GTX 460 1GB or outperforming the Radeon HD 6850.
It also performs on average almost on par with the $190+ Geforce GTX 560 (Non-Ti).
The Radeon HD 6870 is capable of handling most games at 1920 x 1080, although you might have to lower details in more recent and more demanding games.
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Upgrade to a more powerful video card:
$210 – Galaxy Geforce GTX 560 Ti Dual fans
The Geforce GTX 560 Ti, which is not to be confused with the Geforce GTX 560 (without the “Ti”, which is a slower card), is an excellent card for ~$210, that performs nearly on par with the more expensive Radeon HD 6950 ($250+).
Do note that this particular model from Galaxy comes with a nice dual-fan cooling, giving you some overhead to overclock this video card, if you want to that is.
Rest assured that the GTX 560 Ti has a lot of overclocking potential for you to take advantage of. As a matter of a fact, with a decent overclock, the GTX 560 Ti can perform on par with the more expensive GTX 570.
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Alternative: An even more powerful Radeon HD 6950 2GB
The $240 – Radeon HD 7850 2GB is out of the box, a powerful video card, outperforming the GTX 560 Ti and the previously recommended Radeon HD 6950 2GB without any problem, while using considerably less power.
This card will run pretty much any game at 1920 x 1080, including Crysis Warhead and other demanding games, with less or more AA/AF, depending on the game.
Need a monitor recommendation?
No problem, I invite you to visit The Best Monitors For Your Money article.
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RAM:
Tier 0.5, 0.625, 0.75, 1 and 2
$23 – G.Skill 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 1333MHz
4GB of RAM is pretty much mandatory to handle the latest video games along with Windows and background background such as your anti-virus, web browser, music/video player, etc.
Considering the price of RAM these days and the ever-expending memory use of games and programs, 4GB of high-speed DDR3 memory is a no-brainer.
I went with this particular kit from G.Skill for their mind-blowing low price and excellent reliability.
Is it worth it to get RAM with higher frequencies (e.g. 1600/2000MHz RAM vs 1333MHz RAM)?
In my opinion, there is little incentive to move to faster frequency RAM, as this usually only brings only a small performance increase, nothing noticeable (According to Tom’s Hardware ), while costing quite a bit more in some cases.
Besides, the recommended motherboard only supports up to 1333MHz RAM.
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Is it worth it to get more than 4GB of RAM?
Except for a few exceptions, according to Tom’s Hardware, current games and applications won’t take advantage of more than 4GB.
However, if you intend on keeping this Gaming PC for more than say, 2-3 years, I’d highly consider getting more than 4GB of RAM now, considering that RAM prices have never been this low!
Faster or More RAM?
Can’t decide between getting faster (Higher frequency) RAM, or more (More GB) RAM?
I recommend going with more RAM, as this will allow your PC to be more future-proof and it will improve its responsiveness when you’re using demanding programs/games.
In short: More RAM will give you more performance, in the long run.
Maximum amount of RAM: Motherboards in this guide that supports two sticks of RAM can be equipped with up to 8GB (2 x 4GB) of RAM and the motherboards that support four sticks of RAM, can be equipped with 16GB (4x4GB) of RAM.
If you want more than 4GB of RAM, here’s my recommended upgrade:
- $38 – G.Skill 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1333MHz
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Heatsinks and CPU cooler clearance:
Every kit that I recommend in this guide feature either no heatsinks or small heatsinks that don’t raise too much above the RAM sticks.
Why?
- Because RAM heatsinks barely make any difference when it comes to RAM temperatures. Besides, even if you overclock it/raise the voltage (at your own risk), RAM temperatures aren’t a problem as long as you have decent airflow in your case.
- Tall RAM heatsinks can get in the way of larger aftermarket CPU Coolers, preventing you from installing your aftermarket CPU Cooler!
Important: RAM can require manual configuration within the BIOS to reach its full potential or function properly!
By default, some RAM kits will boot at lower frequencies than they are rated for. This is perfectly normal, it does not mean that your RAM is defective.
You simply have to go within the BIOS (The first thing that you see when your PC starts) and enable XMP, for your RAM to function at its rated speed. If XMP is not available or doesn’t work for some reason, you can adjust the RAM settings manually, such as frequency (In MHz, usually linked to the CPU, look for a CPU:RAM ratio), voltage (e.g. 1.65v) and timings (a series of numbers, such as 9-9-9-24). Refer to your motherboard manual and your RAM specifications for more information.
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Storage:
Tier 0.5, Tier 0.625 and Tier 0.75:
$70 – Western Digital Caviar Blue 250GB SATA III
The Western Digital Caviar Blue 250GB hard drive is available for $70 and it’s pretty much the least expensive modern hard drive that’s available on the market right now.
SATA III hard drive on a motherboard with SATA II? Not a problem.
The SATA standard is backward compatible, meaning that SATA III hard drives will work on a motherboard equipped with SATA II.
As I explain below, this will not result in any performance bottleneck, seeing as no hard drive offers performance that’s high enough to be bottlenecked by a SATA II connection.
SATA II 3.0Gb/s vs SATA III 6.0Gb/s: No performance difference for hard drives!
SATA 3.0 Gb/s (SATA II) and SATA 6.0Gb/s (SATA III) refer to the speed of the connection between the drive and the motherboard.
However, the best hard drives reach about 210MB/s (or 1.68Gb/s) in best scenarios. SATA 3.0Gb/s is plenty enough to handle that and for hard drives, SATA 6.0Gb/s does not offer any performance advantage, since the hard drives can’t even max out a SATA II 3.0Gb/s connection.
Only SSDs take advantage of SATA 6.0Gb/s due to their higher transfer rates.
In other words, if you take two otherwise identical hard drives, the SATA III model will not be faster than the SATA II model. SATA III for hard drives is just a marketing scheme 
Tier 1 and Tier 2:
$80 – Seagate Barracuda ST500DM002 500GB SATA III
Seagate new Barracuda hard drives:
In November, Seagate launched their latest Barracuda line-up of hard drives, featuring higher density, with 1TB per platter.
Performance wise, they simply dominate the competition, as you can see here in this HardwareCanucks review.
The Seagate Barracuda ST500DM002 is one of those new Seagate Barracuda hard drives that offers great performance.
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Hard Drive alternatives:
- $100 – Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB SATA 6.0Gbps
– Part of the new Seagate Barracuda line-up, offering top-notch performance.
- $110 – Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001 2TB SATA 6.0Gbps
– Part of the new Seagate Barracuda line-up, offering top-notch performance. $110 for the fastest 2TB hard drive on the market is a much better deal than it used to be, two months ago, it was $170!
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Following the major flooding in Thailand last fall:
If you were not aware of this yet, there has been a horrible flooding in Thailand last fall, which has resulted in:
A horrible human tragedy and Western Digital/Seagate (who now owns Samsung hard drive division) been forced to cut down their production of hard drives since October, due to either factories or suppliers of hard drive parts that were affected by the flooding.
While production has resumed in many factories, it will most likely take another 2 to 5 months before availability to return to normal and for prices to return to what we were used to before, according to Seagate and Western Digital statements.
Finally, lower prices on hard drives:
Prices of hard drives have dropped significantly since February, especially on the larger capacities, with the Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 dropping $22, from $122 to $100, the Samsung Spinspoint F3 1TB dropping $50, from $160 to $110, the Seagate ST2000DM001 2TB going down from $170 to $110 and the Seagate Barraduca ST3000DM001 3TB going down from $215 to $160!
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Recommended alternatives:
Solid State Drives
SSDs dramatically improve storage performance. With their prices coming down and capacities going up, they are getting more and more attractive.
Ideally, what you want to do is get a SSD to store Windows and your favorite (or most demanding) games, with the rest of your media/games on the hard drive.
Here are my recommendations, in order of storage capacity and price:
- $65 – Patriot Torqx 2 2.5″ 32GB SATA II SSD
– Ideal as a boot drive, however not for much more than that, as Windows 7 64-bit takes about 20GB.
- $85 – Crucial 64 GB SATA III SSD
– 64GB is a great choice for a boot drive with a few games. Upgrade your motherboard if you want this one, in order to take fully advantage of its SATA III performance.
- Crucial M4 128GB 2.5″ SATA III SSD
– A great reliable 128GB SSD that’s selling for only $140!
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Optical Drive:
$18 – Sony SATA 24X DVD Burner
This drive is able to read and burn CDs and DVDs. Silent, compatible with all major formats including DVD-RAM.
The recommended motherboards includes at least two SATA cables (One will be used for the hard drive and one for this DVD Burner), so no need to worry about cables, unless you decide to add a SSD or additional hard drive(s) or additional optical drives.
Also, seeing as DVD Burners often go out of stock, here are a two alternatives that you can use to replace it. Both are SATA based and are compatible with any Tiers.
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Upgrades:
If you’d like to watch BluRay movies or TV shows, this $45 – LG Black 6X BD-ROM SATA Blu-ray Reader/16x DVD Burner
If you want the ability to burn Blu-Ray disks as well, then the $75 – Pioneer Black 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE SATA Blu-Ray Burner
Regarding Blu-Ray playback:
As far as I know, you still require a specific software to playback Blu-Ray disks on a PC.
Based on various reviews and feedback on various forums, PowerDVD 12 is the software that I recommend to you. Note that you’ll need at least the Pro version for Blu-Ray playback.
PowerDVD 12 is fully compatible with Windows 7 and shouldn’t give you any problems.
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Case:
Tier 0.5, 0.625 and 0.75:
$40 – NZXT GAMMA Classic 1 x 120mm fan
- Cooling wise, this case includes one 120mm case fan, which is enough for the Web PC and the Gaming PC Tier 0.625/0.75.You can also add five additional 120mm case fans (Two on the side, two at the top, one in the front) if you wish to.If you live in warm weather without A/C, adding a front 120mm case fan is recommended. See the cooling section for my case fans recommendations.
Features wise, you get:
- Plenty of ventilation holes, so your parts won’t starve for fresh air.
- 2x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA, Audio out, MIC in at the front.
- Various holes and space to route and hide your wires.
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Tier 1
$60 – Cooler Master HAF 912 2 x 120mm case fans
- Cooling wise, this case includes two 120mm case fans, insuring proper cooling for your Gaming PC. You can also add many more case fans if you wish to. Here’s what possible:
- Front: 120 mm fan x 2, 1200 RPM, 17 dBA (one is included, one is optional, can be swapped for one 200mm fan)
- Top: 120 mm fan x 2 or 200mm fan x 1(optional)
- Rear: 120 mm fan x 1, 1200 RPM, 17 dBA (included)
- Side:120/140 mm fan x 1 (optional)See the cooling section for my recommended case fans.
Features wise, you get:
- Mesh design front panel with dust filters.
- 2x USB 2.0, Audio out, MIC in at the top.
- An unique industrial look.
- An hole on the back panel, to easily install after-market CPU Cooler without having to remove the motherboard from the case.
- Various holes and space to route and hide your wires.
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Tier 2:
$70 – NZXT Tempest 410 2 x 120mm USB 3.0
With the Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced back to $80, I’m now recommending the NZXT Tempest 410 for $70.
- Cooling wise, this case includes two 120mm case fans, ensuring proper cooling for your Gaming PC. The Tempest 410 also supports another 5 optional fans (2 top fans, 2 side fans and 1 bottom fan).
Features wise, you get:
- Two dust filters for the front fans.
- The inside of the case is painted in black
- An hole on the back panel, to easily install after-market CPU Cooler without having to remove the motherboard from the case.
- Various holes and space to route and hide your wires.
- 3x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0 (with an internal header to plug into a compatible motherboard), Audio out and MIC in on top of the case.
- 7 internal drive bays that support for 2.5″ (e.g. SSDs and laptop hard drives) and 3.5″ drives.
Recommended alternatives:
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If you a want with a different look, more case fans, a smaller form-factor, an handle (LAN parties anyone?) and/or other features (e.g. fan controller, USB 3.0 front ports, etc.), take a look at my list of other recommended cases.
The vast majority of them are compatible with any Tier, although it’s always good to check the video card length clearance, CPU Cooler height clearance and the accepted motherboard form factors (ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX, etc.).
Ask us on the forums if you have a doubt about whether a case is compatible or not with your build.
- $40 – Rosewill Blackbone 3 x 120mm fans
- $40 – Cooler Master Elite 430 2 x 120mm fans
- $50 – Rosewill Destroyer Mid-Tower, 3 x 120mm fans
- $60 – NZXT Apollo 2 x 120mm fans
- $50 – NZXT M59 2 x 120mm fans
- $70 – NZXT Guardian 921 3 x 120mm fans
- $70 – NZXT Vulcan 2 x 120mm, 1 x 200mm fans + handle
- $70 – LIAN-LI PC-K57 1 x 120mm, 1 x 140mm fans
- $80 – NZXT Lexa S 3 x 120mm, 1 x 140mm
- $50 – LIAN-LI PC-K57W 1 x 120mm, 1 x 140mm
- $90 – Cooler Master Storm Scout 1 x 120mm, 2 x 140mm
- $90 – Cooler Master Storm Enforcer, 1 x 120mm, 2 x 200mm
- $80 – Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced 1 x 120mm, 2 x 140mm
- $80 – LIAN-LI PC-K7B Aluminium 3 x 120mm
- $89 – Cooler Master HAF 922 Red LEDs 1 x 120mm, 2 x 200mm
- $100 – LIAN-LI PC-K62 1 x 120mm, 3 x 120mm
- $90 – LIAN-LI PC-K59W 1 x 120mm, 2 x 140mm
- $70 – Fractal Design Core 3000 1x140mm 1x120mm
- $100 – Fractal Design Arc Midi 3x140mm
- $100 – NZXT H2 H2-001-WT White 3x120mm
- $100 – NZXT H2 H2-001-BK Black 3x120mm
- $100 – SILVERSTONE Precision PS06B-W 1x180mm 1x120mm
- $100 – Corsair Carbide 400r 3x120mm
- $57 – Rosewill Challenger Mid-Tower 2 x 120mm, 1 x 140mm fans
- $100 – Fractal Design Define Mini Micro-ATX 2 x 120mm fans
- $100 – NZXT Phantom 410 Black 1x140mm + 2x120mm fans
- $100 – NZXT Phantom 410 White 1x140mm + 2x120mm fans
- $100 – Antec Eleven Hundred 1 x200mm + 1x120mm fans
- $70 – Antec Three Hundred Illusion 3x120mm 1x140mm fans
- $70 – Antec Three Hundred Two 1x140mm 1x120mm
- $89 – Corsair Carbide Series 300R 1x140mm 1x120mm
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Power Supply:
Tier 0.5 and Tier 0.625:
$31 – ENERMAX NAXN ENP350AST 350W
With Tier 0.5 that uses an IGP and Tier 0.625 that uses a Radeon HD 6750 that doesn’t need much power, you don’t need a power supply that’s very powerful.
However, the power supply is one of the most important components when it comes to the stability and reliability of a PC.
This is why I’m not cutting corners here, by making a recommendation for a fairly high-quality Enermax 350W power supply.
Mind you, at 31$, it is a very affordable power supply considering its quality.
It is capable of delivering up to 350W, but more importantly, 25A on the 12V line, the most important line for a power supply in a modern PC.
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Tier 0.75 and 1:
$39 – Antec VP-450 450W
With Tier 0.75 featuring a Geforce GTX 550 Ti and Tier 1 featuring a Radeon HD 6850, video cards that draw quite a bit more power, I’m making a recommendation for a 450W unit.
This power supply is capable of delivering up to 450W, not that you should rely on this information only as I often point in posts such as Warning: 6 Surefire Ways of Blowing Up Your Computer Due to an Inadequate Power Supply, but more importantly 30A on the 12V line, the most important factor when it comes to choosing a power supply for a gaming computer.
At only $39 for a reliable 450W power supply, this is one great bargain.
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Tier 2:
$60 – Rosewill HIVE 550W 80 PLUS Bronze Modular
With Tier 2 featuring a more power-hungry dedicated video card, I’m making a recommendation for a more powerful power supply here, a Rosewill HIVE 550W unit.
This power supply is capable of delivering up to 550W, not that you should rely on this information only as I often point in posts such as Warning: 6 Surefire Ways of Blowing Up Your Computer Due to an Inadequate Power Supply, but more importantly 38A on the 12V line, the most important factor when it comes to choosing a power supply for a gaming computer.
It is also 80 PLUS Bronze certified, making it quite efficient for a budget power supply, so that you don’t waste money on your electricity bill. Its efficiency also helps it remain fairly cool and quiet, as there is less wasted energy converted to heat to dissipate.
Finally, it’s a modular power supply, meaning that you only need to plug in the cables that you actually need, resulting in less of a cable mess when you’re done building your PC.
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Power Consumption:
How to calculate power consumption:
I recommend using the eXtreme Power Supply Calculator. Here are the settings that I used:
- CPU depending on the Tier, 90% TDP.
- Video Cards depends on the Tier
- Two sticks sticks of DDR3
- One regular SATA drive
- 1 DVD-RW/DVD+RW Drive
- 4 USB Devices
- 4 x 120mm regular fans
- System Load: 90%
- Capacitor Aging: 20%
A quick note about the eXtreme Power Supply Calculator:
While this is the main tool that I use to estimate power consumption, do note that sometimes, I’ll do some additional research on my own to verify these numbers. This is why you may notice that the numbers that I give below may or may not match what the eXtreme Power Supply Calculator gives you. In doubt, stick with my numbers or ask us on the forums.
Give your power supply some overhead:
While you can match a 650W PSU with a 630W requirement, it is good practice to add about 75-100W of overhead, so that your PSU doesn’t run at full capacity all the time, as that will reduce its lifespan, increase its chance of failure, increase its heat output and its noise output.
Estimated Power Consumption, per Tier:
According to the eXtreme Power Supply Calculator, with the settings that I described above, it is estimated that this system will require at load (peak usage), the following numbers. The minimum requirements are in Italic, while my recommendations (including overhead) are in Bold:
- 175W/300W with the Intel Celeron G530 and the Integrated Intel HD (Tier 0.5).
- 240W/350W with the Intel Pentium G620 and the Radeon HD 6750 (Tier 0.625).
- 346W/450W with the Intel Pentium G850 and the Geforce GTX 550 Ti (Tier 0.75).
- 350W/450W with the Intel Pentium G850 and the Radeon HD 6850 (Tier 1).
- 385W/500W with the Intel Core i3-2100 and the Radeon HD 6870 (Tier 2).
- 400W/500W with the Intel Core i5-2310 and the Radeon HD 6870.
- 440W/550W with the Intel Core i3-2100 and the Geforce GTX 560 Ti.
- 455W/550W with the Intel Core i5-2310 and the Geforce GTX 560 Ti.
- 390W/500W with the Intel Core i3-2120 and the Radeon HD 7850 2GB.
- 405W/500W with the Intel Core i5-2310 and the Radeon HD 7850 2GB.
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Cooling:
CPU Cooler:
All Tiers:
Stock Cooler
To save on costs, I recommend using the cooler included with the CPU.
While there are better coolers, the one that is included is good enough to keep the CPU at safe temperatures.
The recommended case includes several cooling fans as well to help you keep your system cool.
However, here are two reasons why you may choose to upgrade your CPU Cooler:
- To keep your CPU temperatures lower, which improves the reliability of your PC and the longevity of your CPU.
- To lower noise, as the stock cooler can get noisy at times, especially during prolonged work sessions, or in a warm room.
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Alternative:
$24- Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
The Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus remains the heatsink that offers the best bang for your buck, offering great cooling performance and much lower noise compared to the stock cooler, for only $26.
Need help figuring out how to put the Thermal Compound with the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus?
Follow this tutorial, where they compare different methods to figure out the best one.
Thermal compound:
All recommended CPU Coolers include thermal compound which are pretty good, so no need to spend more money on a tube of thermal compound.
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CPU and Case Fans:
On the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus, you can add a second 120mm fan to improve performance.
If you want to add a different fan to your CPU Cooler, or simply want to add a case fan to help keep your computer components cool, here are my recommendations:
- $12- CM Barometric Ball .6k-2k RPM 26-86CFM 13-30dBA PWM
- $10- Rosewill 1.2k-2.2k RPM 43-87CFM 23-38dBA Blue LED fan contr.
- $10- AC Fluid Dynamic .3k-1.35k RPM Max 57 CFM w/ 4 Pin PWM
- $19- Silverstone 2Ball .8k-2.4k RPM Max 110CFM 17-40dBA fan contr.
- $25- Noctua SSO .9k-1.1k-1.3k RPM 33-54CFM 13-20dBA adj. speed
- $9 – Cooler Master 120mm Red LED Fan
- $10 – Cooler Master R4 Series Silent 140mm Fan
- $13 – 200mm Red LED fan for Cooler Master HAF cases
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Sound:
5.1 channels sound card: Integrated on the motherboard
Integrated with the motherboard, this sound card will handle many different sound setups, including headphones, a microphone and more.
While integrated audio on a PC used to be absolutely horrible, it has gotten much better in the last few years, thus why I have no trouble recommending it.
Recommended upgrade:
However, if you do want better sound quality, the recommended BIOSTAR H61MGC motherboard supports only PCI-Express 1x sound cards, which start at $90+, so I recommend going with an USB sound card instead. The $42 – ASUS Xonar U3 USB Sound Card w/ Headphone Amplifier
Equipped with an headphone amplifier, with three settings in the control panel, it will bring out the best out of your headphones!
Speakers:
While I do not include speakers in the Tiers budgets, seeing as you may already own some or simply do not want any, here are some recommendations for great speakers at various price points:
Note that the power output is in RMS Watts, a more accurate measurement.
2.0 speakers: 2 satellites and no sub-woofer:
- $28 – Logitech X-140 2.0 5W
- $50 – Creative Inspire T12 2.0 18W
- $65 – Creative Gigaworks T20 Series II 2.0 28W
2.1 speakers: 2 satellites and a sub-woofer:
- $29 – Logitech Z313 2.1 25W
- $36 – Logitech Z323 2.1 30W
- $82 – Logitech Z523 2.1 40W
- $125 – Logitech Z623 2.1 200W
5.1 speakers: 5 satellites and a sub-woofer:
Headphones/Earphones
I do not include headphones nor earphones in the Tiers budgets, seeing as you may already own a pair or simply do not want any.
Also keep in mind that sound quality is subjective, so while these are some great recommendations, in my opinion, at their respective price points, those recommendations are based on my own research, not yours. I do recommend that you do your own research, to figure out the best headphones for your needs, based on the type of music that you listen to and the games that you play.
Open Design Headphones:
As the name implies, an open hear headphone means that it doesn’t cover or seal off the ear from hearing outside noises.
Pros: Enough airflow to keep your ears cool. On average lighter than closed design headphones. Resonance is significantly reduced providing better audio quality and a better audio experience.
Cons: You hear outside noises, so they can’t be used in noisy environments. They leak out sound, so they provide no privacy and can bother people that are close to you.
- $15 – Koss KSC75 Clip on headphones
- $49 – Koss PortaPro
- $55 – Superlux HD668B
- $79 – Grado SR-60i
- $99 – Grado SR-80i
- $105 – Audio Technica ATH-AD700
Closed Design Headphones:
These are the opposite of open design headphones. These headsets usually have larger ear cups that isolate the user’s ears from his surroundings and its design is typically meant to block out outside sounds.
Pros: 1- Closed ear cups that seal off the ear from the outside world so you can expect sounds not to leak in and out of the headphones.
2- You can enjoy exclusive audio entertainment particularly in a typically noisy environment.
Cons: 1- Due to the closed ear design, airflow is greatly minimized or prevented, producing more resonance and this can negatively affect the quality of sound.
2- Due to how they isolate you from outside noise, it makes you more vulnerable to accidents.
- $16 – Koss UR-20
- $30 – Panasonic RP-HTX7 (Available in Black, Red, White, Pink and Green)
– I’ve been using these headphones for a few days and let me tell this: For $30, they are a steal. They sound more like $60-$80 headphones in my opinion. Best of all? You have five colors to pick from!
- $45 – Audio-Technica ATH-M30
- $91 – Shure SRH440
- $127 – Audio Technica ATH-A700
– Usually $150+, currently at a great price.
- $141 – Audio Technica ATH-M50S (Straight Cable)
– There’s also the $154 – Audio-Technica ATH-M50 (Coiled Cable)
, non-S version, which comes with a coiled cable. I personally ordered myself a pair of the ATH-M50 a few months ago and I love them, they sound better than any other ~$100 headphones that I tried before and isolate fairly well from the sound. They are tight at first, so you need to “flex” them a bit. Of course, as in with any good pair of headphones/earphones/speakers, having a good source of source makes all the difference in the world. I use them on the laptop with an ASUS Xonar U3 and they are a great combo.
In-Ear Headphones:
Simply put, these are headphones that you insert straight into your ear, to create a seal between the headphones and your ears.
Important: Make sure to take your time to properly test the different size of included tips, to find the ones that best fit your ears. This will make all the difference between a poor sounding pair and a good sounding one.
Microphone:
If you want a dedicated microphone, to talk to your teammates online or for any other purpose, I recommend the $20 – Logitech USB Microphone
) . I’ve been using that very microphone for years now and I have nothing to say against it.
Personally, I recommend going for a pair of headphone with this dedicated microphone versus going with a headset that has a microphone, for two reasons:
1- The sound quality is on average superior with a dedicated pair of headphones and a dedicated microphone vs a headset at comparable price points.
2- If the microphone on the headset breaks down (and they do more often than not…), you’ll be stuck without your headset if you get it replaced, or either getting a new headset ($$) or a separated microphone. If either the headphones or the microphone breaks down, you still have the other that you don’t have to replace.
Headsets:
Headsets are basically headphones with an integrated microphone.
If you go with an headset, make sure to check them all out, since they vary considerably in design.
- $15 – Yapster TM-YP100A
- $25 – Koss SB-45
- $35 – Corsair Vengeance 1100
- $50 – Sennheiser PC 151
- $46 – Razer Moray Plus
- $50 – ARCTIC Sound P531
- $87 – SteelSeries Siberia V2
- $95 – Logitech G35
- $127 – ASUS Vulcan ANC
- $90 – Creative Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Wrath Wireless
- $120 – Logitech G930
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Network:
Ethernet RJ-45 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN: Integrated on the motherboard
Integrated with the motherboard, this network adapter will allow you to access your local network and Internet, using a standard LAN (RJ-45) cable.
If a LAN network is not an option or if a wireless network is preferable for you, know this before you use wireless for a Gaming PC:
The problem with wireless is that:
- It’s not as reliable as LAN, with signals dropping out, interference and the like.
- It induces additional latency compared to LAN, which is the last thing that you want when you’re playing online, especially with first-person shooters.
In short, for reliability and getting a low ping, LAN is simply superior (and cheaper!).
If you understand that and still want to go with wireless, here are my suggestions:
I recommend two adapters:
1- If you want a fast adapter without spending a fortune, I’d consider the $20- Rosewill RNX-N180UBE Wireless USB 2.0 Dongle 802.11b/g/n w/ 5 dBi Antenna, which connects in a USB 2.0 port. It comes with a base, so that you can move it away from the PC for better reception and a 5dBi external antenna to improve reception further more. It support 802.11b/g/n, with transfer rates up to 300Mbps.
2- The best solution is the $50 – TRENDnet TEW-684UB Dual Band 802.11b/g/n 450Mbps USB2.0
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Recommended operating systems:
The operating system cost, if there’s one, is not included in the total cost. The two reasons for this are:
- The budget only considers hardware.
- You may be able re-use a previous license, go with an open-source OS such as Linux or, if you’re so inclined and are aware of what you’re doing, use torrents.
If you decide that you need an OS, here are some recommendations:
Windows 7
Despite Linux gaining more and more support, Windows still is the platform of choice for compatibility at the moment.
Considering that you’ll have 4GB of RAM or more, along with a dedicated video that also has memory (512MB or 1GB), you’ll need a 64-bit version, as 32-bit is limited to 4GB of memory for the entire system, which is not enough now, nor in the future if you decide to upgrade.
64-bit drivers are widely available for pretty much any devices nowadays.
Windows 7 is by far better than Windows Vista, looks better, more functional, less annoying, consumes less resources and brings DirectX 11 to the table.
Three Available Versions:
- Windows 7 Home Premium: The basic edition, with all the looks, most of the functionality and DirectX 11.
- Windows 7 Professional: If you want the virtual XP mode, you’ll need at least the Professional edition. Also required if you want to backup to a network, using the built-in backup mode in Windows. Also good to know: You’ll need at least the pro version to take advantage of Remote Desktop Connection.
- Windows 7 Ultimate: To help protect data on your PC and portable storage devices against loss or theft with BitLocker and to work and switch between 35 languages.
OEM Versions:
- Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OEM SP1
– $99
- Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit OEM SP1
- Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit OEM SP1
Retail Versions:
- Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Retail
– $182
- Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Retail
– $250
- Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Retail
– $233
OEM vs Retail:
The OEM version allows you to only install it once on a computer. You cannot transfer the license to another computer in the future and you do not receive support from Microsoft. It’s the same type of license you get when you get Windows on a desktop or laptop that you buy from Dell, HP and such. It’s less expensive, but gives less flexibility. Ideal if you intend on keeping your computer for many years.
The Retail version is the full version, which allows you to transfer the license to another computer in the future and you can call Microsoft if you need any form of support. Ideal if you intend on upgrading/changing your computer down the road.
Other than that, you get the same features on both, only the license differs. The price between the two differs obviously.
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Linux
A lot of people these days boot more than one OS. Linux is a wonderful choice: powerful, cool, and cheap. Take your pick of distribution and have fun! For Fedora, Ubuntu, Debian, Slackware, and Mandriva, try Distrowatch.com, Cheapbytes.com, LinuxQuestions.org or one of the many others.
While Linux does not offer the wide compatibility of Windows with video games, gaming on Linux is still possible, through projects such as Wine, Cedega and Crossover. For more on the topic of Linux Gaming, I invite you to read this excellent article from AnandTech: Linux Gaming: Are we there yet?
What about Word processing, Excel and other Windows-based programs that you need? Linux, being an open platform, has many free alternatives for you. For Word/Excel and such, try LibreOffice.
Cost: Free
Conclusion
What do you think of the latest version of the Budget Gaming PCs? Let me know if you have any suggestion to improve this article or your opinion on it by leaving a comment below. Additionally, if a part goes out of stock, let me know.
Don’t agree with my choices? Have a better idea?
Feel free to leave a comment. There’s always place for improvement and after some research I may change the part according to your suggestion.
Building this PC?
If you build this system, I invite you to share your experience on how well it runs: What applications do you use, what type of work do you do, how well does this PC performs, is there anything that slows it down? Your feedback will help other people make an informed decision on what to buy for their own needs.
Do you need a guide on how to build a computer, need help or do you have some questions?
Computer Builds FAQs:
I often get questions such as:
- Who are you to tell me which parts to choose?
- Can you suggest me a step by step guide to build a computer?
- Why should I build a PC instead of buying one in a store?
- And many more…
1. You will find the answers to all of these questions and more in this article: FAQ: How to Build Your Own Computer
2. Is this your first build? Here are 10 Quick Tips for 1st Time Builders to get you started.
3. Newly built computer won’t start? I invite you to read Help me: Why won’t my newly assembled PC start or boot?
4. Visit our forums here, where you can join our helpful community and ask questions
Recommended step-by-step guides to build your PC:
Newegg TV has three great videos on how to build your PC. The first covers choosing your parts, which we help you with in this article, so I chose not to include it. The second one, below, shows you in detail how to assemble your PC. The 3rd one shows you how to install Windows and software.
If you prefer a text version with pictures, here are two great guides by ArsTechnica, the first one covering the assembling and the second one covering Windows and software:
- Arstechnica Outstanding Guide for Hardware (Building the PC)
- Arstechnica Outstanding Guide for Software (EFI/BIOS, Windows, etc.)
Free Assistance
If you have any question(s) about the build, simply head over to the forums and our community will be there to assist you.
No worries, there are no stupid questions here on Hardware Revolution. We all started from scratch and learned through our mistakes. We”ll just help you make sure to avoid those mistakes
If you want to have your final build double-checked and get my opinion on it before ordering, or for anything else, don’t be shy, just post a thread on the forums.
Build your Gaming PC today!
Why should you?
For the same price, you’ll get more performance out of your custom PC, or you’ll save money while getting the same performance compared to a retail PC. Not to mention that retail PCs come with tons of bloatware and limited warranties. Why settle for less?Stop relying on HP, Dell and other companies:
Build your own custom PC today. It’s easier than you think!This Build includes all the parts/cables that you need and it was double-checked to ensure compatibility. Simply order your parts, set aside some time, grab a screwdriver and build your own personal PC. No worries, we’ll (the HR community) be there to assist you if you have questions or need help.
Then you’ll be able to say, “See that computer over there? Yeah, I built that.” Talk about being proud of a job well done.
Want or need a more powerful Gaming PC? No problem.
If you’re looking for a Gaming PC that boots and launch games/applications faster thanks to a SSD (Solid State Drive) and that can handle most of the latest video games at a 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution at their maximum graphic settings, head over to our Mainstream Gaming PCs article.
If you’re looking for a Gaming PC that can handle all of the latest video games maxed out at a 1080p (1920 x 1080) on a 120Hz monitor or to play video games on a multiple monitor setup or to play games in 3D, head over to our High-End Gaming PCs article.
Want or need a Gaming PC in a much smaller case? No problem.
Tier 4 or Tier 5 of the Mainstream HTPCs/SFF Gaming PCs are Gaming PCs that come in a much smaller Mini-ITX case.
Performance wise, Tier 4 of the Mainstream HTPCs/SFF Gaming PCs is equivalent to Tier 1 of the Budget Gaming PCs, while Tier 5 of the Mainstream HTPCs/SFF Gaming PCs is equivalent to Tier 2 of the Budget Gaming PCs.
Do note that they both come with a SSD (Solid State Drive), meaning that they boot and launch games/applications much more quickly than the equivalent Budget Gaming PC.
If you want more power, check out the High-End HTPCs/SFF Gaming PC, which, at its stock settings, offers performance equivalent to about Tier 6 of the Gaming PCs, while still being in a case that is more compact than the usual Gaming PC case.
However, thanks to its outstanding pre-assembled, all-in-one liquid-cooling, it can be overclocked to offer even more performance, without sacrificing reliability nor noisy.
All of those builds being HTPCs (Home Theater PCs) as well, you can rest assured that they are very quiet too.
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Category: Gaming PC
