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$560 Entry Level Gaming Build

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BoyScout

Nov. 21, 2016

Looking to assemble a gaming PC on a budget? We've put together a build video based on this month's Entry Level Gaming Build Guide using Corsair's brand new Carbide 270R mid tower case.

A big thanks to Corsair for providing the case for use in this build.

PCPartPicker part list

Type Item Price
CPU Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor $104.99
Motherboard ASRock B150M Pro4S Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard $68.99
Memory Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory $50.98
Storage PNY CS1311 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive $64.99
Video Card Zotac GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB Mini Video Card $138.99
Case Corsair 270R ATX Mid Tower Case $69.00
Power Supply SeaSonic 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply $62.99
Total $560.93

 

After the build boots up, there's still work to do -- check out the completed build for benchmarks and more pictures and be sure to watch our time lapse of Barry managing the cables.

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Comments

  • 38 months ago
  • 8 points

If I going to make a Entry Level Gaming Build. I preffer focus all my money in FPS.

Look this: $542 Entry Level Gaming Build

$542 w/ mail-in rebates. But: -> i5 6400 instead i3 6100 -> 16gb ram instead 8gb -> 2tb hd instead 240gb ssd (240gb will really small to actual games) -> rx 480 instead 1050ti

This cfg will delivery alot more fps per $, that's matter

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

That build you linked to: - uses the USA version of PCPartPicker, so the price of each component will be different than in Canada (and usually cheaper even with the exchange rate) - 16GB but no SSD is a terrible idea given how cheap a decent 120-256GB SSD is nowadays. I'd certainly opt for an SSD over the extra RAM. Adding more RAM later is always possible (and even easier than adding a new OS/boot/main drive). Also, some games take forever to load without an SSD while the extra RAM does nothing and to the best of my knowledge, 8GB is still more than good enough esp. for cheap builds like this. All of these modern cards - RX 480, 1050 Ti, etc are more than good enough to run modern games at pleasing rates. A few extra FPS isn't worth much once you've already hit 60+ FPS... - mail-in rebates are notoriously difficult to actually get - even if you fill them in properly! A 'Don't count your chicken until they've hatched' sort of deal. - Lastly, buying the cheapest item possible per category isn't always the best idea. Sometimes it's worth it to pay a little more for something considerably better. So I would rethink the $10 PC case... Cooling for example could take a hit. Also, you might not be able to fit as large a video card in the cheap case - limiting your future upgrades. The case they used above is pricey though, I agree - there are plenty of good options @ around CAD$50.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

I would disagree with you about the 1050 Ti. Given the cheap prices of the Rx 470 and how powerful it is vs. the 1050 Ti, I'd just grab the 470. The 1050, 460, and 1050 Ti are more for off the shelf pre-builts with a 300w power supply.

Cheaper 480's and 1060's are also worth a look, although I'd steer clear of the 3gb 1060 myself. 3gb is just not enough anymore.

I agree with every other point you make however, especially about Mail in Rebates, which are mostly a sham imho.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

In this comment you said youd use rx480 but in the build i see now you have a gtx 1060. Whyd you change?

[comment deleted]
  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

Look: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=-1&IsNodeId=1&Description=2tb&bop=And&Order=PRICE&PageSize=36

2TB options starting at $39.99

This build I try focus all in fps

  • 38 months ago
  • 3 points

With that case and PSU, why not get a 470 for $25-30 more? The system can handle it. Or, just drop the PSU to the Corsair CX450/550M and the Case to a 88R and save $60. She really is a beautiful case. Look at all that cable management room in the back...

  • 38 months ago
  • 3 points

The RX 470 can do quite a bit better than the 1050Ti for only a $25 more...

Great videos, though! =-)

  • 38 months ago
  • -1 points

But.. Nvidia... But yeah it could use a RX 470, although the 1050ti should be fine for 1080p gaming anyways.

  • 38 months ago
  • 3 points

But.. Nvidia...

I personally like Nvidia more than AMD, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to recommend their cards. The RX 480 and RX 470 are great budget options, and the 1050Ti feels like a bit of a letdown right now, at its current price.

although the 1050ti should be fine for 1080p gaming anyways.

True. It's ok for 1080p gaming, but the point is you can get so much more for your money. UserBenchmark states that for only $20 more, you can get 60%+ better gaming performance if you go AMD.

Even though red is my favorite color, go green! =D

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

Some people can't afford that extra 20 dollars though

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

You could always buy used. As in, a used GTX 970 or something similar. In a little while, you could probably also buy a used RX 470.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

I agree, but with this particular build, you can shave off c osts on quite a few things, like the PSU and case for starters. This build is not very efficient in terms of cost per benefit. You can easily fit in $20 for a 470 by cutting down on less essential components elsewhere.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

It would be very easy to shave off $20-30 between the case and PSU without sacrificing quality and power significantly.

  • 38 months ago
  • 3 points

Why do you never include the OS in the price? A lot of people don't have the OS, like myself

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

We don't include the OS because some people already have one, or choose to use something free like Linux. Honestly, we'd get complaints whether we added it or not, so it seems easier to just talk about balance of the core system components at a given price range. Note that we also don't list a mouse, keyboard or monitor as those are pretty personal choices that no matter what we'd select it wouldn't be "the right choice" depending on the person planning their build. And that's okay -- we love seeing folks customize our guides to fit their tastes.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

Alright, sorry.

  • 38 months ago
  • 4 points

Nothing to be sorry about -- it's a pretty reasonable question that comes up from time to time. Hope the video and guide help with your build!

If you have more questions or need help customizing the build further to suit a specific need or budget, be sure to ask on the forums or even on the guide's comment section. There's always folks happy to help you tweak your part list to get it just right.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

They sure did! I pretty much need every bit of info, every tip available, since this will be my first build.

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

This looks awesome! I hope to build something similar for my first build (with an RX 470 instead).

...unless you're not doing anything with that one ;)

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

The price is a bit misleading because you're leaving out the price of the OS.

I made came up with a similar build that includes the OS and more SSD storage. https://pcpartpicker.com/user/MongooseCrusader/saved/WzKpgs

  • 38 months ago
  • 5 points

Thanks for the feedback. We're not attempting to mislead, but you are correct -- we deliberately don't include the OS in our guide listings, choosing instead to focus on the core components for a given price point.

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

Fair enough. =)

Though maybe add a note at the bottom with something like " Note: This build does not take the cost of Windows 10 into account, which may add on $80-90 more"?

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

It always bugs me that OS is left out but once explained this way I can get behind it.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

Awfully nice case and power supply for an entry level system. I think a Corsair Carbide Series 88R MicroATX Mid Tower Case is better sized and better priced for a base system. And, a semi-modular like the Corsair CSM 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

And, a semi-modular like the Corsair CSM 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply.

The gray Corsair CXM power supplies are better than the CSM's.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

So I have 2 hard drives I am planing on putting in to a PC. Would this case, power supply, and motherboard be able to handle all of those?

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

Sure -- this case has room for two 2.5" drives (typically SSDs), plus two 3.5" hard drives. The motherboard has a 6 SATA ports available, so plenty for the 4 total drives you could fit in the case.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

Ok, Thanks! Oh, and i'm sorry if that was a very basic question. This is my first build and i'm being really cautious.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

So I went looking and was just going to ask if this was a fairly good build. (The two hard drives are my own. I already have them) https://pcpartpicker.com/user/FemaleWalrus/saved/DcDcf7

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

Looks like you've added the case using our custom part feature, which doesn't support compatibility checking. We have the Masterbox 5 in our case listings, though. The system builder wouldn't let you add it because it doesn't have a 5.25" bay for the optical drive you selected.

You might consider posting in the forums to get some more feedback or ideas on your build.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

Oh ok Thanks, and I will.

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

Good, but i would get the Asus H110M-E/M.2 Micro ATX LGA1151 motherboard for a bit cheaper and get 1x8gb ram for expandability and convenience. Also, if this is a gaming pc then i would pick a RX 470 or 480 as a video card. And if you want to cut down the price a little go for a Corsair CXM 550W 80+ Bronze Semi Modular power supply. But, this guys more professional than me, so yeah.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

So, im new to this...would a 430W power supply work for this?

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

Yes it would, considering this build takes approximately 200 watts

  • 37 months ago
  • 1 point

So, I changed things... what about this https://pcpartpicker.com/list/w7DzXH But i already own the motherboard and case fyi

  • 37 months ago
  • 2 points

That looks great! Thats a lot of storage!

Continue this thread
[comment deleted]
  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

Would it be wise to save up more for an i5 if I wish to future-proof my budget build? Even though the i3 has hyperthreading, it seems that dual core CPU's will soon be holding back performance in games in a few years.

  • 38 months ago
  • 2 points

It wouldn't be worth it to get an i5, because with this build don't expect to be future proofing much, and most games take only a couple threads to run.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

It wouldn't be wise with that motherboard, in my opinion. If you're going to upgrade to an i5, you might as well upgrade to an i5 6600k which will require a Z170 motherboard.

When Kaby Lake drops, I think Intel is going to be releasing an overclockable i3. So you should probably wait a little while anyway.

I know I'm being picky, but there's no such thing as future-proof. =D

Hope this comment gave you a little bit of advice.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

What kind of games would this be able to handle? Around what FPS to?

  • 38 months ago
  • 0 points

With this I would throw in a Pentium G3258 and Asus H81M-A mobo, then OC the Pentium to 4.3 ghz (done this and it's stable), then pour the money you saved into an EVGA GTX 1060 SC gpu. More FPS for the $$$.

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

In the past, that would've worked, but more games nowadays are using 4 or more cores and using them well. Plus, some games won't even start / run unless the system detect 4 cores (including virtual cores like hyperthreading) without a lot of inconvenient tweaking.

I agree that you can save money on this build to get a better GPU and stuff, but I feel like an i3-6100 is the minimum people should consider nowadays, with DX12 and Vulkan being more of a thing in the future.

DX12 can handle up to 6 cores for gaming, and Vulkan can handle more. 2 physical cores without hyperthreading just isn't enough nowadays, imho.

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  • 38 months ago
  • 8 points

asrock makes great boards !

  • 38 months ago
  • 1 point

Agreed. I wouldn't have gone with this one, though (the H97 PRO4 is an awesome mATX mobo), but minus that, this build is awesome.

Also, that cable management is sexy.

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