I’ve toyed with building a computer a few times, and have always concluded it’s way out of my budget, and it’s not happening. Well, sometime in the near-ish future, it might be possible, thanks to the world of sketchy used computer parts. So, here it is, in all of its likely incompatible glory: PARTS MANUFACTURER PRICE CPU (2 options) intel i3-7100 @ 3.9 ghz $60 GPU Zotac GeForce GTX 550Ti $39.95 RAM 4GB DDR3 $25.98 OS Windows 10 Home 64bit $27.99 HARD DRIVE WD Blue 1TB $45.00 PSU 750W Redtek $36.73 CASE Rosewill FBM-01 Dual Fans MicroATX Mini Tower Black Computer Case $22.49 FANS 120mm 12V 7.75 x2 $15.50 MOTHERBOARD-Not sure yet GRAND TOTAL $273.64 (excluding motherboard, keyboard, whatever) Does this suck? Is it completely incompatible? Am I a total idiot? Am I a genius? Please let me know. Also, if you have recommendations for a motherboard I’d love to hear em. Hopefully I don’t have to spend a crap ton of money on one.
Spend that money to 2nd hand machine and you will get better. But about those parts, I'm not sure if 550 is much faster than i3 iGPU, have you checked that? Wouldn't waste money on anything lower than 1050Ti as a GPU, would run on iGPU instead and save for used 1050Ti which probably are around 100 or so. DDR3 is ancient, also often I have seen it being more expensive than DDR4 and i3-7100 can use DDR4, not sure if it even requires. 8GB would be much better, with 4GB some maps are not possible to run. Also what you would do with 750W PSU? I have i7-6700 and GTX1080 now, 16GB on 4 sticks, loads of fans and running 460W PSU, with 72% GPU load in BeamNG I get 160W drawn from the wall which includes 27" MONITOR! So don't buy PSU wattage hype, buy lower wattage high quality brand PSU, like Seasonic platinum or at least gold+ rated, because if things go wrong with the PSU, it will not fry everything else with it like cheap ones and things are less likely to go wrong, unlike with cheap unknown brand ones which blow up every now and then. So if you want to have new parts, aim for quality for motherboard and PSU, but I really recommend that with such budget, you would look used computer, something which is not a brand name (so no HP, Dell etc).
Okay, I’ll look into that some more. I’m not sure about the 550 vs i3 because this computer was pretty much thrown together to make the cheapest thing I could that met BeamNG’s lowest requirements. The difference in price is small enough I’d probably go with 8GB, and thank you for the information on DDR3 vs DDR4. I don’t know what I’d do with a 750W PSU, this was put together to be as cheap as possible really, and that’s what came out as cheapest after my very short time browsing the internet for one. I will more seriously look into a used computer, thanks again. --- Post updated --- Well, I found this on eBay, for $289 or something like that. Approximately same price, and you were right, I get more bang for my buck. No software included, that’s a bummer, but oh well. What are your guys’ thoughts on this? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Powerspec-...115256?hash=item5d7fdc7e78:g:ELEAAOSwawBbYS1C Also, thanks to all of you who’ve responded to my many recent threads about me throwing a bunch of computer stuff at you and getting good feedback.
Freakin awesome! Because this computer would actually be within my budget and if it can deliver the performance, I’m buying it.
I see several problems - That PSU has the potential to blow your hardware and money - Forget buying a 550ti esspecially at that price save a bit more for something way better. - COMPLETELY forget that Rosewill case, it's low build quality will piss you off - 25$ for 4GB of DDR3 is a little much because you can find 8gb of better DDR3 for 30$ CAD. As for that *prebuilt* on Ebay I would say that for what it, I cannot justify the price of 280USD, you can built something way better for even 250USD.
Interesting, although my idea for a build is pretty much scrapped, I appreciate the input. What you said about getting more performance for the same or less amount of money is actually contrary to what I’d found. I’m certainly no master computer builder, but I threw together the cheapest stuff I could find, and it was nowhere near the performance of this eBay computer, despite being only $10 cheaper. For now though, I’m seriously considering the eBay desktop.
You might get similar or better for the lower price, but I have no idea what kind of prices used computers sell in US, that is inline with prices here, but as The_covet points out, it can be expensive for what it is in US market, so worth to check if similar machines run lower prices.
Do you have a suggestion? From the research I’ve done the eBay one isn’t a bad value for what it is, I certianly couldn’t build the same computer for the same price. I have found one that’s pretty similar, and $40 cheaper, so I might go with that if I do anything.
That GPU is older than the hills. Paired with a nearly new CPU. I suppose it's a better way that way than the other way round. But that GPU won't last you long, it's an old card, and not that performant. Also DDR3 is incompatible, use DDR4 (sorry it's more expensive). PSU, 750w for $40!! no way, it's junk. Get something decent, i had Antec Earthwatts E380, sounds silly but it's a decent PSU for cheap price, but you do have to provide a power cable. You won't need much power really, i3 is efficient. I don't see you using much more than 400w at all. Maybe 300w but no more. The case doesn't look too bad. Yes it'll make you swear when you build the PC, but otherwise what else does a case do. Be careful though as there isn't really much fan options. Better to buy a good case, maybe Corsair C100/C200. (your case will outlast everything.) so treat it as an investment, rather than a splurge, same with PSU.
Alright, I’ve come to more or less of a decision, I probably won’t follow through with this exact desktop but maybe. Affordable, and does what I want it to do. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lenovo-K33...428825?hash=item5d80b6e6d9:g:4ckAAOSwhhFbfKQ4 Thoughts? Also, I’m aware, yes I bumped my own thread. It’s constructive though, probably.
