Looking for guidance on creating an affordable gaming setup?
Looking for guidance on creating an affordable gaming setup?
Spent some time looking into it and found the chipset is outdated, not compatible with Ivy Bridge. Need to purchase a Q77 board instead.
Update quick: I’m using an i7-3770 with 8GB quad-channel 10600U RAM (240 pins). I have a Seagate 5400.6 320GB drive for extra storage and a basic cooler. My motherboard’s Q series chipset doesn’t support Ivy Bridge, so I’m relying on an SSD (240GB) for booting and essential apps/games. For the GPU, I’m leaning toward an R9 290 or RX 470. A power supply and case are also needed. The ThinkCentre case isn’t compatible with any replacement PSU.
Some affordable GPU options:
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/r9-290-4g-sapph...4b70f0ffe4
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/PowerColor-AMD-...Swq1ld-FsL
Build link: https://pcpartpicker.com/user/intel-is-f...ved/FLXXvK
Keep your ears close and skip this card. Blower style cards tend to overheat often, which means they throttle their performance. So far the rest of the build looks fine, but if you can squeeze a little more into your budget, consider a Corsair CX series power supply—they’re of higher quality.
I started with components from a previous Lenovo build: i5-2400, 4 x 2gb DDR3, 1333MHz, 1TB HDD, 7200 RPM drive Q67, and a motherboard from eBay. I sold the i5 for $12.50. I bought a refurbished i7-3770 for $69.98, a Q77 motherboard for $38.87, and a 4GB RAM stick at a local distributor. I exchanged the DDR3 for two 4GB sticks at 1600MHz, swapped the 1TB drive for a 500GB 7200RPM drive with $15 off a Samsung 850 Evo 120GB (used). I purchased an EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze power supply for $50. No one would buy the Q67 motherboard, so I gave it to a store trader. The board should arrive today, letting me install the system. For the GPU, I prefer an R9 290 over a RX 470 or 480. I found a listing here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/r9-290-4g-sapph...4025606968. P.S. @Whiro Oof. I wasn’t aware. I already got the power supply, but the store doesn’t allow returns. Also, I’ll add another 8GB of RAM after assembly.
Tyat offers a solid CPU performance, making it a reasonable pick. I rarely suggest purchasing used SSDs since it's hard to tell what people were doing with them or how long they lasted. Still, it’s not a bad deal. As I said earlier, blower-style cards tend to get hot and noisy but remain a solid option. Adding another 8GB of RAM will help you stay in the optimal range, and 16GB is a decent amount—especially if certain games require more than that or you have background processes running.
I didn't realize choosing a motherboard from an OptiPlex would cause issues... I'm really confused. I thought it would work fine. It's not a typical board because it has unique connectors for fans and power buttons. I won't be able to set it up properly. Swapping it back would be a big hassle, so I might just go for a standard one instead. Also, the cooler won't fit. I need one CPU cooler, one motherboard, and a case. I was hoping everything would fit together without the graphics card by the end of the day.
It's frustrating to admit, but an i7 2600 would have changed everything. Why share this experience on forums when someone with more knowledge already has the answers?