Starting your first PC build with a $500 budget. Seeking a solid motherboard costing less than $80.
Starting your first PC build with a $500 budget. Seeking a solid motherboard costing less than $80.
Hello everyone, I'm starting this project and collecting everything I need for my first gaming PC. I’m not planning to play games on it, but my siblings will be using Minecraft, COD, and possibly Fortnite. My budget is around $500. I already have a motherboard that supports the Ryzen 3 3100, a Crucial Ballistix 16GB RAM, ADATA 512GB SSD, and a 500W 80+ Bronze power supply. I want a motherboard that can handle 4K video since I use a 4K TV as my monitor. I searched online and found several options like the ASROck B450 Pro4, MSI B450, ASUS B450, and GigByte B450 all under $80. I’m unsure which one is best and whether it will be enough for future upgrades like more RAM or a better graphics card. Buying a new GPU isn’t an option—I’m considering a used RX 570 under $100.
I suggest the MSI and Asrock models, specifically the B450 Tomahawk Max and the B450 Pro4. The first offers more advanced features at a higher price, whereas the second provides solid performance at a lower cost but lacks capabilities such as addressable RGB, BIOS flashback, and USB 3.2 Gen2.
You need to use the GPU for this project. Otherwise, most Ryzen CPUs don’t come with a GPU, which should be fine. This looks promising. Try to look for something better and consider increasing your budget a bit. Consider buying a used 2600 for about $100. CPU, 100GB storage, possibly around $20 on sale for 120GB SSD+1TB HDD case. PSU, get a decent one for $40. RAM, 3200MHz GPU—replace the whole setup first and put everything else into the GPU. r9 graphics start at $120-$150, a 980 model is about $150, and a 1660 model is around $200 when on sale.
I discovered a Tomahawk MAX for $114.99 and an Asrock B550M Pro4 for $104.99. Would the B550M be a more worthwhile purchase? I’m willing to adjust my budget slightly and cut back on accessories like cases or storage. A Reddit discussion suggested the B550M offers better value compared to the Tomahawk, but recent reviews indicate the B550M has several problems. It seems the B550M isn’t performing as well as hoped.
He’s looking for a balance between performance and budget, weighing FPS needs against GPU limitations. The 2600 seems preferable to the 3100 for better threading, though I’m curious about its impact with a GPU restriction. At $150, the 980 Ti looks promising. I’m also considering a 9xx GPU and have a dual-link DVI display that often craves upgrades.