Build a 500 dollar pc capable of playing skyrim?

[Vorkose]

Is it possible?

I need everything but a keboard OS and mouse/speakers.

I need the system and a monitor.

---------- Post added 2013-03-25 at 09:15 AM ----------

If a 500 dollar laptop exits that could lay it i will consider it. I know asking for a monitor in a 500 dollar budget is bad, but i dont need A 1080p one.

[solvexx]

What area of the world are you from?
Plus 500 dollars for a computer and monitor is going to be near impossible.
It'll probably look like you're playing Skyrim on a potato.

[Vorkose]

I live in the united states near the east coast.

---------- Post added 2013-03-25 at 09:19 AM ----------

Ive seen videos about building a console like pc for 300 bucks etc. I just wanted more personal build help. If 500 isnt possible how much would i need to meet that goal? If im saving more money i want to play gw2 as well then.

[Deleted]

imo, have patience, save some more dough. In the meanwhile see if you can buy a nice 2nd hand monitor, 2nd hand case and a maybe a 2nd hand powersupply if its from a reliable source.

My personal experience is that people regret it within 6 months that they didnt save a bit more to build a decent rig.


edit : typo

[vesseblah]

It would be possible to get really cheap roughly console powered computer made with your budget using AMD's A10-5800k processor (preferably overclocked) and no graphics card at all for playing Skyrim with good graphics on 1366x768 or 1440x900 monitor, but it's never gonna run GW2 or WoW above low settings. There's no possible upgrade path either going from the super-cheap playable computer into higher end without replacing pretty much everything. With $600-650 budget it would be possible to pull off computer+monitor that doesn't suck today in Skyrim and can be upgraded later.

This thread few posts lower than yours have about $600 budget (with windows but no monitor, those cost about the same so easily changeable in your case) you can look for some more comments and ideas. http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...budget-ish-pcs

[Vorkose]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834216457

I do need a laptop for travel and school anyways. Can you build me a desktop including monitor thats alot better then that for under 650?

[vesseblah]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834216457

I do need a laptop for travel and school anyways. Can you build me a desktop including monitor thats alot better then that for under 650?

Think really hard if you want 17" laptop for travel and school. It's really big and really heavy to lug around whole day. Wouldn't recommend taking over 15" unless you're absolutely sure about it.

At low price range like yours laptop will give better value for money but also zero upgradeability besides SSD.

[Hunterpower]

Depends if you want max, 500$ won't get you full on settings, but it will get you medium-high, with constant high fps if you use some of those fps optimizers. you will not be able to use any enbs though, i have a 500$ computer i got recently and it slows to 10 fps when i try an enb lol

edit: you want monitor and a tower for that price? Well, then forget what i said... you'd have trouble running skyrim for sure. i only got the tower for 500$

[Lemmiwink]

The answer my friend, is a10 5800k.

[Vorkose]

The answer my friend, is a10 5800k.

wow thats nice. With that i wouldnt need a gpu would i?

[Biernot]

As already said: If you want a really cheap "gaming" computer, the A10-5800k is your best choice.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A55M-DGS Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($62.98 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case: Rosewill R363-M-BK MicroATX Mid Tower Case w/400W Power Supply ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($16.97 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Acer G205HVbd 20.0" Monitor ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $446.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 09:45 EDT-0400)

If you do not plan to upgrade this computer anytime soon, you could even get a smaller case so that it looks more like a gaming console:
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-case-r379m ($50)

[Vorkose]

As already said: If you want a really cheap "gaming" computer, the A10-5800k is your best choice.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A55M-DGS Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($62.98 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case: Rosewill R363-M-BK MicroATX Mid Tower Case w/400W Power Supply ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($16.97 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Acer G205HVbd 20.0" Monitor ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $446.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 09:45 EDT-0400)

If you do not plan to upgrade this computer anytime soon, you could even get a smaller case so that it looks more like a gaming console:
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-case-r379m ($50)

Oh I plan to upgrade if the mobo is up gradable to an i5 and can hold something above a 7850. Not for a while though. I dont need to play on high. If i could play gw2 with that build on low at a steady 30fps ill be happy. Like for it to play wow on medium or high, but ill take what i can get.

[Tahapenes]

The other option, if you're near a MicroCenter, would be to use the IGP on an Intel chip until you can get the money to buy a video card. It's not going to be as good as the A10 5800k, but you'll have the upgrade path. You can pick up at MicroCenter an i3 3225 + MB for around $200 (that still leaves about $300 for case, memory, PSU, storage, and monitor which is doable). If you go to around $250 for an i5 3570k + MB (still leaving you $250 for case, memory, PSU, storage, and monitor, little more difficult). That will atleast leave you an upgrade route.

Here's everything, but the CPU and MB

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Case: MSI TC- (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($19.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Thermaltake TR2 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($27.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Acer G206HLBbd 60Hz 20.0" Monitor ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $256.92
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 09:50 EDT-0400)

So again, if there's a MicroCenter near you, you can pick up either a i3 3225 or an i5 3570k + MB (best be would be the Z75 or Z77, especially if you go the i5 route). But realize, until you can get the money for a GPU, you're going to be playing at low settings, but it gives you an upgrade path (considering you can probably pick up a decent GPU for around $150 like the GTX 650 Ti).

[Vorkose]

The other option, if you're near a MicroCenter, would be to use the IGP on an Intel chip until you can get the money to buy a video card. It's not going to be as good as the A10 5800k, but you'll have the upgrade path. You can pick up at MicroCenter an i3 3225 + MB for around $200 (that still leaves about $300 for case, memory, PSU, storage, and monitor which is doable). If you go to around $250 for an i5 3570k + MB (still leaving you $250 for case, memory, PSU, storage, and monitor, little more difficult). That will atleast leave you an upgrade route.

Here's everything, but the CPU and MB

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Case: MSI TC- (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($19.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Thermaltake TR2 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($27.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Acer G206HLBbd 60Hz 20.0" Monitor ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $256.92
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 09:50 EDT-0400)

So again, if there's a MicroCenter near you, you can pick up either a i3 3225 or an i5 3570k + MB (best be would be the Z75 or Z77, especially if you go the i5 route). But realize, until you can get the money for a GPU, you're going to be playing at low settings, but it gives you an upgrade path (considering you can probably pick up a decent GPU for around $150 like the GTX 650 Ti).

Sadly i don't live anywhere near close enough to one. the closest i think is like 5 hour drive.

---------- Post added 2013-03-25 at 02:12 PM ----------

As already said: If you want a really cheap "gaming" computer, the A10-5800k is your best choice.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A55M-DGS Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($62.98 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case: Rosewill R363-M-BK MicroATX Mid Tower Case w/400W Power Supply ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($16.97 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Acer G205HVbd 20.0" Monitor ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $446.89
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 09:45 EDT-0400)

If you do not plan to upgrade this computer anytime soon, you could even get a smaller case so that it looks more like a gaming console:
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-case-r379m ($50)

Oh wow i didnt even notice u fit a monitor in that 450. Wow very good. I may just go with that build.

would that motherboard work with an i5 and a 7800 or 7900 gpu?

If so what upgrades would you recommend i get first down the line?

[Tahapenes]

This is about $30 over budget after mail in rebates, but it gives you an i5 (and you'll need to use the IGP, HD4000, which isn't as good as an A10 5800k) until you can get a GPU:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock Z75 Pro3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Case: MSI TC- (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($19.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Thermaltake TR2 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($27.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Acer G206HLBbd 60Hz 20.0" Monitor ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $526.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 11:23 EDT-0400)

Upgrading to an i5 later, you can go with the following:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-3225 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($136.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z75 Pro3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Case: MSI TC- (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($19.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Thermaltake TR2 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($27.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Acer G206HLBbd 60Hz 20.0" Monitor ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $473.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 11:25 EDT-0400)

You can pick up the following GPU later
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Video Card: Galaxy GeForce GTX 650 Ti 1GB Video Card ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $124.99
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 11:27 EDT-0400)

or for about $30, double the RAM on the same series of card:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 650 Ti 2GB Video Card ($154.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $154.99
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 11:28 EDT-0400)

With a 7870 XT:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7870 XT 2GB Video Card ($239.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $239.99
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 11:53 EDT-0400)

[Vorkose]

Well the build that i go with has to last me like 10 months with 0 upgrades. After that time i would have the money to scrap the entire system if i wanted. If any system mentioned has great upgradeability, then ill go with that and upgrade it. Im still leaving towards the A10 though. I may be able to spare 150 dollars in a few months, so i need to know where to put that money. I was thinking about going with the 10 build and putting a better gpu in later to last me until next year.

[googz]

I see you keep asking if you could upgrade to an I5 and seem to be refering to the A10 builds. This is not possible being that the A10 is an AMD CPU and the I5 is an Intel CPU. They use completely different sockets thus completely different MoBo's. If you're wanting to possibly upgrade to an I5 you must go with one of the !3 builds listed.

[vesseblah]

Oh wow i didnt even notice u fit a monitor in that 450. Wow very good. I may just go with that build.

would that motherboard work with an i5 and a 7800 or 7900 gpu?

I already explained this in post #5 above.

A10-5800k is the only way you can get playable fps now in Skyrim for less than $500 but it has zero upgrade options for processor. So no, you can not put i5 on it or anything else for that matter, only a graphics card like all the way up to Radeon 7970 if you want. But the problem is that with A10-5800k processor MMORPGs like GW2 and WoW will always run slow and there's nothing you can do about it.

i3 based computers above for less than $500 have really shitty integrated graphics compared to A10-5800k processor so you'll have to play Skyrim at lowish settings with it until you can afford to buy a real graphics card for few hundred more. But the good thing is that the i3 processor handles GW2 much better and can be upgraded later.

[Vorkose]

I already explained this in post #5 above.

A10-5800k is the only way you can get playable fps now in Skyrim for less than $500 but it has zero upgrade options for processor. So no, you can not put i5 on it or anything else for that matter, only a graphics card like all the way up to Radeon 7970 if you want. But the problem is that with A10-5800k processor MMORPGs like GW2 and WoW will always run slow and there's nothing you can do about it.

i3 based computers above for less than $500 have really shitty integrated graphics compared to A10-5800k processor so you'll have to play Skyrim at lowish settings with it until you can afford to buy a real graphics card for few hundred more. But the good thing is that the i3 processor handles GW2 much better and can be upgraded later.

I find it hard to believe that the build wouldn't play wow on at least good-high settings to be honest. I played wow the other day on my sisters crappy 400 dollar laptop and played on a mix of low and fair settings. I got an average of like 38 fps. I am fine getting 40 fps in gw2 on low though. Like i said the system only needs to last me until next year.

[Tahapenes]

I find it hard to believe that the build wouldn't play wow on at least good-high settings to be honest. I played wow the other day on my sisters crappy 400 dollar laptop and played on a mix of low and fair settings. I got an average of like 38 fps. I am fine getting 40 fps in gw2 on low though. Like i said the system only needs to last me until next year.

If you're dead set on upgrading to an i5 later, get the following (that I posted in post 15)
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-3225 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor ($136.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z75 Pro3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($47.98 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Case: MSI TC- (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($19.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: Thermaltake TR2 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($27.99 @ Microcenter)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($15.98 @ Outlet PC)
Monitor: Acer G206HLBbd 60Hz 20.0" Monitor ($89.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $473.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-03-25 11:25 EDT-0400)

This way you're not having to buy a MB and processor later, you're just buying the processor and can get a really good GPU later (like the 7870XT or a 660 Ti or even 670). No sense on throwing away $50 on a MB that will be useless later if you truly do want to go with Intel at a later date.