New build for semi-gaming

[Phaetos]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

My current laptop is getting long in the tooth for any gaming, even for PoE or Diablo3. That's really all the gaming that will going on is this build. The other uses will be for self-teaching. It's difficult to multi-task between watching a video of the material and doing the examples at the same time. I can see one but not other. So that means I need a dual-monitor setup, nothing extravagant, or maybe just one decent large monitor, so input on both options would be helpful.



2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread

Let's say $500 -$600

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

USA

4. IF you're buying parts OUTSIDE the US, please post a link to the vendor you'll be buying from.

Nope

5. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.

We use Dell monitors at work and they seem to be nice crisp and good color, I've seen a few BenQ's but they all look horrible to me.

6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
Nope


7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

Nope

8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using?
Edited: let's shoot for 1080p, somewhere around a 20-22" size

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?

Next couple months, I hope

Note that it is usually not cost or time effective to choose your build more than a month before you actually plan to be using it.

10. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu
Ray playback software?

Nope

 

[Phaetos]

wow, 138 views and no suggestions? I know I didn't stump the experts around here

 

[Ken g6]

You need a $600 build with "a dual-monitor setup, nothing extravagant, or maybe just one decent large monitor"? Including the monitor(s) in that price? I don't think that's feasible.

 

[Cerb]

You need a $600 build with "a dual-monitor setup, nothing extravagant, or maybe just one decent large monitor"? Including the monitor(s) in that price? I don't think that's feasible.

Only being here for a few hours, I hadn't seen it yet, but basically this. It reads like you have under $350 for the PC, if you build, and still only $400 or so if you buy.

 

[Phaetos]

So I've done some digging around, and came closer to $700 before shipping, but here's the catch. I was looking at this thing: http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4748#sp

Add memory and a mSATA HD and a monitor, right around $700. It can be mounted to the back of a monitor with a VESA bracket. That would be nice.

Do ya'll think this would be sufficient? I am trying to minimize the space used.

 

[mvbighead]

Even semi gaming done on a that kind of form factor is bad news. You need somewhere to fit a video card, and most of those simply don't have anywhere to put the card.

However, Diablo 3 and Path of Exile can both run with somewhat modest hardware.

For $280, this ought to be a decent start:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/39l7g

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/39l7g
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/39l7g/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/39l7g/benchmarks/

CPU: AMD A6-6400K 3.9GHz Dual-Core Processor ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A55M-HD2 Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($41.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Rosewill RANGER-M MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $279.92
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-13 17:56 EDT-0400)

Would still leave roughly 70 or so for a better video card option, but the integrated may get you buy with the games you have selected. My guess is you'll want better, but this is really cheap config that would leave you with some money to buy the monitors you want.

It's not perfect, but it is very cheap and should perform reasonably well.

At $250 for the monitors shipped: http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-monitor-s22c350h

This would leave $70 even on a $600 budget to grab a better video card. That ought to be a good enough start for what you're looking at.

 

[Phaetos]

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-8510G.87918.0.html

That is the specs on the onboard video of that gigabyte brix. Which is FAR and away better than the GT 310M in my laptop. It shares memory with the main RAM, so 16GB is the way to go probably.

 

[mfenn]

Nice build mvbighead. It ain't going to be super fast since it's basically the equivalent of a single-core with HT, but it sure is inexpensive! Any reasonable GPU will be heavily bottlenecked by the CPU, so I'd be very tempted to go for a higher-end APU like the A10-6800K rather than trying to get a discrete card.

Oh yeah, OP anything with dual monitors is going to use a lot of desk space, so I wouldn't worry about getting a really tiny PC. You can always put the PC itself on the floor.

 

[mfenn]

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-8510G.87918.0.html

That is the specs on the onboard video of that gigabyte brix. Which is FAR and away better than the GT 310M in my laptop. It shares memory with the main RAM, so 16GB is the way to go probably.

Even an APU isn't powerful enough to really handle more than about 1GB of VRAM, so you don't need to worry about it stealing a huge chunk of memory from the CPU.

 

[Phaetos]

Even an APU isn't powerful enough to really handle more than about 1GB of VRAM, so you don't need to worry about it stealing a huge chunk of memory from the CPU.

That's a good point. What do you think of my idea of using that gigabyte brix? Small, add ram and msata ssd, and moint it on a compatible monitor with a vesa on the back. It's gonna perform better than my laptop/video I got going now. Like I said, I don't hardcore game on PC anymore. I save that for the consoles. Just little games like PoE and D3. That's it.

 

[mvbighead]

Nice build mvbighead. It ain't going to be super fast since it's basically the equivalent of a single-core with HT, but it sure is inexpensive! Any reasonable GPU will be heavily bottlenecked by the CPU, so I'd be very tempted to go for a higher-end APU like the A10-6800K rather than trying to get a discrete card.

Oh yeah, OP anything with dual monitors is going to use a lot of desk space, so I wouldn't worry about getting a really tiny PC. You can always put the PC itself on the floor.

Probably an even better idea than throwing money at a discrete card, true.

 

[mvbighead]

That's a good point. What do you think of my idea of using that gigabyte brix? Small, add ram and msata ssd, and moint it on a compatible monitor with a vesa on the back. It's gonna perform better than my laptop/video I got going now. Like I said, I don't hardcore game on PC anymore. I save that for the consoles. Just little games like PoE and D3. That's it.

What you see with that system is exactly what you get. You can't add anything to it, ever. Multiple disks? Nope. New video card? Not gonna happen.

If you're comfortable with buying something that you cannot improve in any feasible way, go for it. But like I said, if you want to game, and if your interest in gaming increases, you'll eventually want a discrete card. If you go with the brix, that'll mean buying a whole new computer and starting from scratch. If you build something out or start with a dell even, you can at least add a video card and generate a decent upgrade at minimal cost.

I would never go with something like that unless it was for a VERY specific purpose, such as an HTPC. Just to save real estate on your desk? Nope.

 

[Phaetos]

What you see with that system is exactly what you get. You can't add anything to it, ever. Multiple disks? Nope. New video card? Not gonna happen.

If you're comfortable with buying something that you cannot improve in any feasible way, go for it. But like I said, if you want to game, and if your interest in gaming increases, you'll eventually want a discrete card. If you go with the brix, that'll mean buying a whole new computer and starting from scratch. If you build something out or start with a dell even, you can at least add a video card and generate a decent upgrade at minimal cost.
.

You're not getting the whole picture here. It will majority be used for course study, hence the need for 2 monitors to move windows about to see and do at the same time. It is not meant for heavy gaming. D3 and PoE are light weights in this area. Any heavy gaming will be done on a console. I don't get into the stupid upgrade cycles of hardware every 6 months just to be on top for the next wonder game that comes out.

 

[pcsavvy]

That Brix is going to so limit you. If you wanted a basic HTPC or Office use set up then go for it. It is not needed anymore with today's processors and motherboards for mainstream folks to upgrade every year. In the past due to the big improvements there was a need to upgrade but now not so much. You can get a fairly decent DIY rig that would last you for a couple of years or more for not a lot of money. You may not need two monitors, you could probably get one that supports split screen and that may do the job for you.

 

[Phaetos]

Nice build mvbighead. It ain't going to be super fast since it's basically the equivalent of a single-core with HT, but it sure is inexpensive! Any reasonable GPU will be heavily bottlenecked by the CPU, so I'd be very tempted to go for a higher-end APU like the A10-6800K rather than trying to get a discrete card.

Oh yeah, OP anything with dual monitors is going to use a lot of desk space, so I wouldn't worry about getting a really tiny PC. You can always put the PC itself on the floor.

Ok, so going with the AMD A10-6800K, with the Gigabyte board suggested above, Gigabyte GA-F2A55M-HD2 Micro ATX FM2, the A10 runs CPU and GPU duties right? And that board referenced has a VGA, DVI, and HDMI output, correct?

ETA: I keep seeing this Adata company for RAM, anyone ever used it, seems really cheap prices?

ETA: Based on what was recommended in a previous post, I put this together at partspicker: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/39EUO

RAM is confusing for me. So many options, speed, size, manufacturer. Who's cheap but good to go, who's not? I can probably come down on the ram cost, just need to know where to go with it.

Another ETA: Should I use a single 8GB stick and add aonther like it later if I want to, or go ahead and get a 2x4GB setup?

ETA: Upodated RAM to two choices....

 

[mvbighead]

Ok, so going with the AMD A10-6800K, with the Gigabyte board suggested above, Gigabyte GA-F2A55M-HD2 Micro ATX FM2, the A10 runs CPU and GPU duties right? And that board referenced has a VGA, DVI, and HDMI output, correct?

ETA: I keep seeing this Adata company for RAM, anyone ever used it, seems really cheap prices?

ETA: Based on what was recommended in a previous post, I put this together at partspicker: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/39EUO

RAM is confusing for me. So many options, speed, size, manufacturer. Who's cheap but good to go, who's not? I can probably come down on the ram cost, just need to know where to go with it.

Another ETA: Should I use a single 8GB stick and add aonther like it later if I want to, or go ahead and get a 2x4GB setup?

ETA: Upodated RAM to two choices....

For RAM, I generally go with whatever fits the best price/GB and the best ratings. If it has poor ratings, I move onto the next option as there are MANY to choose from.

Now, for your two selections, they run the same price. I'm a prime member, so I'd be inclined to go the Amazon route. However, this build has another thing from newegg, and you could likely move some bits around and get a few more items from newegg to avoid ordering from 5 different places.

As for DDR3-1333 vs DDR3-1600, it's pretty much a wash. However, when using the integrated GPU, I would figure you might see a slight boost from the 1600. Probably to the tune of a few percent tops, but at the same price, no sense in going with the slower stuff.

As for a single stick... I would not do that. I had 16GB of RAM for a while, and I tend to do a LOT here or there, and I never really even touched it. 8GB should suffice for a LONG time. Running dual channel should provide a boost to your GPU as well, so unless you plan to upgrade immediately, I wouldn't bother.

I have had some Adata RAM in the past and never had an issue. If the ratings are good and it fits your needs, buy it to save coin. However, the Kingston I selected earlier seem to be a dollar or two more, and are a much more established brand with a longer track record.

Looking at the pictures, the board does have SVGA, DVI and HDMI. And you're correct, the CPU runs the GPU/CPU duties. Should be better than most integrated configs, but if you ever decide you need more, the slot is there for an upgrade.

Back to the memory, if you can find a faster clock of RAM cheap enough, it might be worth a few extra bucks:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/a10-6700-a10-6800k-richland-review,3528-5.html

Such as: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...301&nm_mc=AFC-IR&cm_mmc=AFC-IR-_-na-_-na-_-na

 

[Phaetos]

ok,so how does this PartsPicker site work? Does it already figure shipping prices in somehow, or do you end up paying shipping to 5 different places to get the components at lower prices? That seems to defeat the purpose of searching out the lowest price.

 

[mvbighead]

Price is added at the bottom. Most sites offers free shipping on select items. Amazon prime and Newegg both usually have a good amount of options with free shipping.

Edit: This was tagged at the bottom of my parts list:
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-13 17:56 EDT-0400)

 

[mvbighead]

Another monitor option:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...24009316-L012A

1080, and there is a promo code to knock some of the cost off. Shipping is a flat $5, so $105 per monitor, for a total of 210.

 

[mvbighead]

Oh, and a slightly more costly RAM option, but would make the GPU more happy:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-20231666-L08B

Also with promo code to drop price to 76.49.

 

[Phaetos]

thanks mvbighead and mfenn. Been some good advice. Now i just gotta find monitors. Think I'm gonna have to start with one and scale up in a few months.

ETA: The monitor I use at work is a Dell 24" Widescreen. I really like it and think I would like to stay in that range for sizes. I know, it's gonna hurt my $600 arbitrary price range I listed in the OP, might as well do it right the 1st time, yes?

and I think I just found a winner: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824116657

It's a Viewsonic, they used to have some of the best CRT's on the market. Are they still relevant when it comes to monitors today? The reviews are all over the place on it .....

 

[mvbighead]

thanks mvbighead and mfenn. Been some good advice. Now i just gotta find monitors. Think I'm gonna have to stat with one and scale up in a few months.

I went this route at one time, and while it does work, a lot of times you end up with two monitors of different types. You may get lucky and find the same one available next time around, but sometimes it doesn't work that way.

Granted, you may want to get a better monitor as primary and a different one as secondary, but I'm a big fan of a matching set. It just looks nicer/cleaner.

 

[mvbighead]

Not sure what you really are looking for in monitors, but here is a slightly bigger option at a slightly higher cost:
http://promotions.newegg.com/NEemai...x-_-E0-_-PromoWord&et_cid=6026&et_rid=2418524

 

[Phaetos]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A10-6800K 4.1GHz Quad-Core Processor ($139.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A55M-HD2 Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($41.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Apex TX-381-C MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($41.97 @ OutletPC)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($19.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Asus VN247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $548.87
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-14 15:51 EDT-0400)

My final setup. I think it will do me nicely. And it comes in under $600

 

[mvbighead]

Personally, I would spend the extra $10 on the memory mentioned above as it should provide a decent improvement on your gaming at a very modest cost.

As for the current monitor, not a bad choice. However the one I mentioned with slightly lower specs has both a promo code AND rebate to save you some considerable coin.