Budget WoW PC

[Aeriedk]

Hey all. I'm back again. This time around I'm building a PC for my girlfriend. After completing my most recent build and seeing the success that I've had she is now interested of one of her own. I started to build one on PCpartpicker, but I quickly realized that I'm not quite seasoned enough to know what I'm really looking for.


Budget - $600

Resolution - 1920x1080 is pref.

Games / Settings Desired - She really is interested for playing WoW, and other than that simple games like plants vs. zombies. In regards of settings she just wants the best that she can get on the budget. If you can give me an idea of the settings she would get on wow like high -60 fps or so that would be great so I can tell her what to expect before I do anything.

Any other intensive software or special things you do (Frequent video encoding, 3D modeling, etc) - Nothing

Country - United States

Parts that can be reused - None she is currently using a laptop

Do you need an OS? - Nope

Do you need peripherals (e.g. monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, etc)? She will need a monitor... She will likely buy http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-030-_-Product

Thanks for your help in advance!

[tielknight]

Even got a SSD in there.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3220 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($56.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H81M-H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: A-Data XPG V1.0 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($36.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($106.81 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked Video Card ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill RANGER-M MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($14.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: BenQ GW2255 60Hz 21.5" Monitor ($107.24 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $582.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

The price is after rebates though, $630 before them and you have a $15 promo code on that case so the total is roughly $650 before any discounts.

[Aeriedk]

Even got a SSD in there.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3220 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($56.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H81M-H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: A-Data XPG V1.0 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($36.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($106.81 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked Video Card ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Rosewill RANGER-M MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CSM 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB/BEBE DVD/CD Writer ($14.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: BenQ GW2255 60Hz 21.5" Monitor ($107.24 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $582.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

The price is after rebates though, $630 before them and you have a $15 promo code on that case so the total is roughly $650 before any discounts.

I guess my question would be what type of performance could she expect out of this build?

In addition could the money being spent on the SSD be spend on a normal HDD (mainly because I doubt 256GB could get her very far) and try to get to an i3 CPU?

Just a thought. Thanks again for your help!

[Mirishka]

Just one thing I want to add in case no one else says it: WoW is a very, very CPU-dependent game. You'll get more of a performance increase with a significant CPU upgrade than you will with a significant video card upgrade. So factor that into your build/plans.

[tielknight]

Just one thing I want to add in case no one else says it: WoW is a very, very CPU-dependent game. You'll get more of a performance increase with a significant CPU upgrade than you will with a significant video card upgrade. So factor that into your build/plans.

Well it is very dependent on single-core performance, which the G3220 just happens to be very good at for it's price.

A i3 would run about twice as much as the pentium and just isn't worth that price increase at this kind of budget IMO.

In regards to the SSD, a 256GB is plenty of space for a few-dozen games(depends on the size of course) and other things, but if they like storing lots of files like music and video, then they would be better off with a 1TB HDD like the Caviar Black.
If they can live with the smaller size, the SSD is definitely the way to go as it will greatly decrease load times on any program(booting windows included) you run as well as in WoW(all them loading screens). You could always throw in a 1TB Barracuda later on to act as storage if you like.

Basically, if you are using a HDD as your primary drive(where your OS is), try to get a Caviar Black as they are the best of the bunch and have a good warranty to go with em. Otherwise a SSD like the MX100 as your primary drive and a HDD like the Barracuda as your storage drive is generally the way to go.

[Aeriedk]

I'll have to discuss this more with her. See how much she cares about the storage and see if her budget is flexible at all.

[Deleted]

Here's an i3 setup, but it goes over, personally i think 4gb ram is too low nowadays, also ssd's are nice but don't belong in this budget build. 600$ without monitor is a decent budget but with one you need to cut down from everywhere and you don't get a good monitor either.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($112.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-D2V Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($59.79 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked Video Card ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($44.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts Green 380W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($47.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: AOC E2360SD 60Hz 23.0" Monitor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $632.20
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

[Mirishka]

Here's an i3 setup, but it goes over, personally i think 4gb ram is too low nowadays, also ssd's are nice but don't belong in this budget build. 600$ without monitor is a decent budget but with one you need to cut down from everywhere and you don't get a good monitor either.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($112.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-D2V Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($59.79 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Superclocked Video Card ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($44.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts Green 380W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($47.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: AOC E2360SD 60Hz 23.0" Monitor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $632.20
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Was awesome of you to put this list of links together, Kosta, but that power supply is a bit on the weak side, isn't it? The video cards I've been using for the past 3 or 4 years have required 500W minimum and the one in my new/current PC requires a 650+.

[Deleted]

Newer cards of same range require less power . This particular build won't even break 200W with everything at full load.

- - - Updated - - -

Apparently that specific psu doesn't include a power cord
Quoting: "No power cord included. By reusing your existing cord, you can reduce waste and help protect the environment"
Other than that is a good psu

[stormgust]

Was awesome of you to put this list of links together, Kosta, but that power supply is a bit on the weak side, isn't it? The video cards I've been using for the past 3 or 4 years have required 500W minimum and the one in my new/current PC requires a 650+.

An i7 4770k (OC'ed to 4,4k) on a R9 290X peaks at 430W afaik, so you'd definitely be fine with 500W PSU on any system below that.

[Afrospinach]

Was awesome of you to put this list of links together, Kosta, but that power supply is a bit on the weak side, isn't it? The video cards I've been using for the past 3 or 4 years have required 500W minimum and the one in my new/current PC requires a 650+.

The 750ti it rated at like 60w and can be powered by the PCI slot alone which is rated at 75w max. Processors from intel barely top 80w, the MB is probably <50w or some such and all the rest is sprinklings. You are looking at headroom

[Aeriedk]

Hey all I went ahead and attempted to put a build together because she changed her budget on me. This could be terrible.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: MSI Z97 PC MATE ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk Solid State Drive 64GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($53.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($57.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 270 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair SPEC-03 Red ATX Mid Tower Case ($51.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Apevia 500W ATX Power Supply ($24.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Hannspree HE225DPB 21.5" Monitor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($32.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $771.87
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Anyone care to audit this build and tell me what I did wrong and tweak it for better parts etc. within her budget which is now $800.00

[tielknight]

A 64GB SSD is just pointless. Very expensive and lacking in space for much of anything. At least get a MX100 128GB. The PSU is pretty much junk.

Total is ~$810 before mail-in-rebates. That PSU is pretty much a steal at that price, I would suggest buying it ASAP while it is heavily discounted so you don't miss it.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($109.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: MSI B85M-P33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($58.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($72.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($76.24 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 270X 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Zalman Z5 ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($25.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: BenQ GW2255 60Hz 21.5" Monitor ($103.16 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Cooler Master CM Storm Devastator Gaming Bundle Wired Gaming Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($29.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $738.28
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

[Aeriedk]

Thanks for the audit tiel. Really appreciate it. We liked the build and it is now purchased!

[tielknight]

Just to add that it looks like it has space for 2 more case fans(1 up top and one more slot up front). You can always grab a 4-pack of case fans and swap the front & top LED fan out and put 2 up front and 2 up top and leave the rear fan in to fill out the case and keep the light-show to a minimum or grab a 2-pack of blue LED fans to add to the light-show, adding one to the top and one to the front.

edit: looks like it also has a spot at the bottom for a case fan, right next to the PSU(you can see it in the 4th and 5th pics here).