Choose a cost-effective CPU option.
Choose a cost-effective CPU option.
I'm trying to assist your cousin in getting his first gaming PC. He's not interested in building it himself and has a tight budget around $500–750 for the whole setup. The best option I've found so far is an Intel i7 6th gen build, but I worry he might struggle with more demanding games. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Similar setup: 6 cores, 12 threads, modern CPU. Stylish RGB cooler, top choice among budget options. 16GB RAM, 1TB M.2 SSD. Sufficient GPU for 1080p games, with potential for future upgrades. Reliable power supply at a reasonable price. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/WLMTwg
Just like this, thank you. I hadn’t realized how much cheaper the latest Gen Intel options are now. Ready to move forward with the prebuilt setup.
Building it myself would save money. I tackled the same challenge on the forum three weeks back with another person. He wanted a prebuilt for $700, which turned out to be the top option we could find at that cost. It was likely 30% slower than what we accomplished independently. I supported him through the process on Discord for a few hours until the system was running. He had never worked with any computer components before—his first builder. The parts list matched closely with what we created for him, including the same CPU and GPU. Just remember, it contains an outdated i7 4th gen 4770 from 2013, DDR3 RAM, and a lot of unnecessary accessories, plus probably a faulty power supply.
Demonstrate the extra distance performance gains get from building versus buying ready. Propose constructing it together or share the process so you both learn how to assemble and optimize it. Make minor tweaks inspired by @Hinjima’s design to squeeze out a bit more speed. The 5600x offers a slight edge with the stock cooler, but I added another affordable cooler for more flexibility. PCPartPicker provides the full list: CPU, cooler, motherboard, RAM, storage, graphics, and case. Total comes to $720.79, including shipping and taxes. Prices are listed as of July 31, 2023. The second video focuses on the R5 3600, highlighting its performance close to an i7 6th gen in a single shot. It also shows how a small adjustment can bridge the gap for your gaming setup. Note: The A520 model won’t support PCIe 4.0, which may limit the RX6600’s potential in certain titles. Updated August 1, 2023 by IkeaGnome (oops)
I also like this build—it's almost the same as the 5600x. I believe this is the top option you can find in that price range of 700-750 dollars, and it's a solid 1080p setup. Two PCs working together make great performance here. You won't match it with a prebuilt unit; check out the updated link I shared above, man!
I was working on my post when I realized the A520 lacks PCIe 4.0. This isn't a major issue with the RX6600, but in certain games it can cause extremely slow performance, leading to stuttering.