It's a little tricky to build a good gaming computer especially when you are tight on budget. To be honest, the ideal budget to build a strong gaming machine is around $1000, unfortunately, not all gamers have such a big budget. But don't worry, even $500 is enough to build a cheap computer which is strong to handle new games with decent frame rate.
Well, my target when choosing the components to build a cheap gaming computer is this article are:
* The computer should be stronger than the last gen consoles (Playstation 3 and Xbox 360).
* It can run new games on 900p or 1080p with good quality settings.
* The component don't draw a lot of power, so they can run with 450Watt or 500Watt power supply.
* My target budget is around 500$: 100$ for the motherboard, 150$ for the processor, 150$ for the graphics card, 50$ for RAM, and 50$ for the power supply.
Note:
* Due to limited budget, i recommend you to build an AMD gaming computer, instead of Intel.
* I don't include monitor and computer case in this article.
A. Recommended processor
* AMD FX-6300 6-Core Processor Black Edition
Socket Type: AM3+
Max TDP: 95W
Six core processor is ideal for gaming nowadays, and one of best example is AMD FX-6300. Though it's not as strong as Intel quad core, when talking about price, nothing can beat the AMD FX-6300's performance.
The only problem with this processor is, it might get overheated if try to overclock it. However, if you want to buy this CPU and want to invest more budget, it's advised that you get better CPU cooler for this processor.
Best alternative:
- AMD FX 6350 FX-Series 6-Core Black Edition.
- AMD FX-8320 FX-Series 8-Core Black Edition.
B. Recommended motherboard
When building a gaming computer, it's not necessary for you to buy a $200 motherboard, the reasons??, because such motherboard comes with features that you probably never use, like multiple CPU sockets.
And my favorite motherboard in this article goes to Gigabyte AM3+ GA-78LMT-USB3. I choose it, not just because it's cheap but it supports the AM3+ processor, and the most important, Gigabyte, beside Asus, is well known for their durability products.
Best alternative:
- MSI AM3+ Motherboards (970A-G46).
- ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AM3+ AMD 990FX.
C. Recommended RAM
How much RAM do you really need for gaming??, 4, 6, 8, 16, 32 or 64GB??. Though some next gen games like Mad Max and GTA 5 requires at least 8GB RAM, 6GB is sufficient for PC gaming, as long as there are no other programs running when you are playing games.
Personally i recommend Kingston HyperX FURY 4GB 1600MHz DDR3. Beside the cheap price, this RAM looks so futuristic and unique. Well, if you want to invest a little more budget, Kingston HyperX FURY 8GB Kit (2x4GB) 1600MHz DDR3 is the best alternative.
This is without a doubt, the most important thing for PC gaming. When choosing a good graphics card, there a few things to note:
* Avoid 64-bit video cards, get at least 128-bit instead.
* Get the DDR5 video cards for better performance in gaming instead of DDR3.
* Consider the resolutions. If your monitor resolutions is 720p, a HD 6670 DDR5 is more than enough, obviously, for larger resolutions, you need stronger graphics card.
Among all the video cards out there, the one i really recommend is the GTX 750 Ti, the reasons??, it's strong even for 1080p gaming, cheap, and it doesn't need PCI Express power connector (its max TDP is just 60Watts).
Best alternative:
- Radeon HD 7750 DDR5
- Radeon R7 260X
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