Reddit mentions: The best desktop computers

I would say there is a sweet spot for performance with every price tier.
I would recommend building with an AMD 570 or 580 as your GPU. at 1080P they are extremely powerful cards for the money and in comparison to the lower priced cards, there is a HUGE performance jump when you get a 570 or higher ( Nvidia 1060 is good too but i feel like you are currently getting more for your money with AMD).


If you go below a 570 you are going to have to cut corners on gfx settings in everything and in the long term you won't feel like your money went as far.


So that GPU is around 180ish bucks and a 580 4gigabyte version is only 210. SO its worth the 30 bucks, bigtime. You can max out pretty much every single game at 1080p 60fps. The 480 is almost the exact same card.


On the CPU front it's going to be a hard choice. Dayz loves faster cores so Intel is def faster, but that comes at a decent cost. If we are talking about the lower tier of CPUs ( sub 200 bucks) the i5's are not overclockable so AMD kinda wins here to IMO. A 1500x or 1400 can be had for 170-190 bucks, they are overclockable and have a decent stock cooler. The intel parts will always need a cooler if you buy one you can OC. I would ALWAYS purchase an overclockable CPU. The return on your investment is worth it.


Above all DO NOT BUY FX series AMD cpus. A cheap I3 will better in most cases.

A B350 ryzen support motherboard is 100 bucks. Would recommend picking one with good onboard sound though.

8 gigs of Ram 60$ is all you need.

50$ for a 1TB hard drive

CASE 50$ bucks and 35$ PSU (get at least a 500w) and you are set.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBL8BER/ref=psdc_13896597011_t1_B01M3UKNVD

This PC is pre built and honestly is a way better value. I feel like this is the sweet spot, you will totally feel like you have a beast rig and not just something that works. It's like 200 bucks more but the difference in performance and longevity is massive. It is also above the minimum spec for VR! This MB and CPU are not capable of overclocking but it is a very strong CPU and won't bottle neck the GPU at all.


If you built it yourself you would be around 700$ish. That Prebuilt is perfect for someone like you. I personally always build it myself since it was surprisingly easy once I learned. If you know someone that could help you IRL then totally build yourself. Otherwise get the PC i linked man. It's going to make your money go so much further.

Above all DONT GET FX amd cpus. You will feel the inadequacy immediately. You can go cheap on the GPU if it is at least a 460 (560) or 1050ti (950, 750ti). That can be easily upgraded later. DO NOT buy any GPUs lower than the ones i mentioned.

Remember that you can plug this PC into your TV. All new flat panel TV's are essentially PC monitors with higher latency. That could save you a good bit of funds till later. I play on a 46 inch in a recliner with a wireless g700s mouse and keyboard. I had to do some research to buy the right TV to get low enough latency, but you can make do with the TV you play consoles on, especially since steam has big picture mode.

I have almost the same level of rig as the prebuilt and i get 60+ fps on high setting 90% of the time. Only in major cites does it drop and it is only around 50fps then. So Dayz looks awesome and is smooth as silk. Heck i play witcher 3, DOOM, and Battlefield 1 on ultra and stay at 60 fps 90% of the time.

If you drop down to the PC you linked you will play on the lowest settings and it will dip into the 30fps range in cites or lower. The difference in how the game feels between the two PC's is like night and day.

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> I live in Canada and I am looking for a powerline adapter in the $10 to $30 range. Anyone have any recommendations?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7zf4o9/daily_simple_questions_thread_feb_22_2018/dunhr4u/

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> Does anyone have a Kraken x62 and Corsair H115i Pro and could do a side-by-side photo for me?
>
> I ask this because I currently have the x62 but if mounted correctly, the tubing pushes into my RAM, not allowing my PC to boot. I'm looking into the new H115i Pros and was hoping the size was small enough to not run into this issue. The motherboard I have this all on is the Gigabyte GA-Z270X-Gaming K7, with all four RAM slots used.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7zf4o9/daily_simple_questions_thread_feb_22_2018/dunvdad/

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> Been loving the PCMR since ascending a month ago, but i’ve been having 2 main issues and i would greatly appreciate it. Windows 10 home btw.
>
> The first one is that settings for some programs keep being reset. For example, In my steam settings, it keeps resetting the automatic download settings and downloading anything it want whenever it wants. In the spotify desktop app it keeps resetting some stupid setting that activates a useless overlay. Any idea why these settings would keep resetting?
>
> Second issue i’ve been having is network related. The first network issues i’ve been having is with windows delivery optimization always activating and eating the entirety of my bandwidth, jumps my ping in games to over 500. I tried every solution i could find online, have delivery optimization turned off in windows settings and set my connection to metered but the program still runs and eats bandwidth until i end the task manually. I’ve also been having weird issues where any time a program begins using a decent amount of bandwidth, the game that i’m currently playing will get huge ping spikes and I usually get disconnected from the match if i dont close the program. Is there no way to ensure that a specific game will always have enough bandwidth to run properly?
>
> Not sure if this is the right sub for these questions, but I would very much appreciate any help, Thanks.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7zf4o9/daily_simple_questions_thread_feb_22_2018/dunxdr1/

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> Could I post a question here about what office chair to get for ergonomic chair with lumbar support? If I can ask it; I need it for health reasons, my therapist said I need a better chair for my back and neck but I am having issues finding something that won't be trash and a waste of my limited money.
>
> I found this on Amazon after filtering to good reviews but again, I have no experience in this whatsoever. My budget is $160-170 but I think if I really can't find anything good below $200 I might be able to push to that.
>
> Serta Style Hannah I Office Chair, Microfiber, Light Beige
>
> I am a very short woman, if that matters. I barely stand five feet.
>
> Thank you! And if this is not permissible to be asked here, I apologize! I honestly have no idea where this might go and thought PCMR might be the best place to ask, if only to be directed elsewhere. :)

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7zf4o9/daily_simple_questions_thread_feb_22_2018/dunyjmk/

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> Just recently got a second monitor on a whim and i've been loving it! however, when i play a game in borderless window and move over to the second monitor to check something on a wiki or whatever, the game on the first monitor minimizes and just shows the desktop instead. is there anyway or setting or something i can mess with so i can have the game up and click around on the second monitor at the same time?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7zf4o9/daily_simple_questions_thread_feb_22_2018/duofw07/

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> Hi there!
>
> I'm looking for a way to combine the audio from my Nintendo Switch and my MasterRace PC to be able to play Nintendo games while talking to my friends on the PC. So I would like to hear the game sounds of the switch and my pc at the same time. So i was looking around for devices that can do this task and found following devices:
>
> astro mixamp pro tr;
> creative sound blaster x g5;
> turtle beach elite pro tac
>
> So which device will fit my need best? The nintendo switch only offers an aux audio jack for connection.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7zf4o9/daily_simple_questions_thread_feb_22_2018/duparmu/

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> is it possible to transfer minecraft worlds from xbox one to pc?
>
> java edition not windows 10 edition.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7zf4o9/daily_simple_questions_thread_feb_22_2018/dupb80e/

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> Is a micro atx mobo compatible with a full tower? I ordered the 750d corsair case.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7zf4o9/daily_simple_questions_thread_feb_22_2018/dupcpad/

----

> Right now there is this crypto currency fad going on, once it dies will there be a steep drop in prices?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7zf4o9/daily_simple_questions_thread_feb_22_2018/dupefnf/

----

> Looking to put together a very basic, budget desktop. First question, is this RX 560 being sold on Amazon the version with 896 Steam Processors, or 1024 Stream Processors? I can't find any information on the store page. Also, would I be able to easily put it into this desktop? Thank you!

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7zf4o9/daily_simple_questions_thread_feb_22_2018/dupf7lm/

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Minecraft is not a demanding game so you don’t need a powerful GPU, so I would recommend The Acer Aspire E 15 would be enough for your usage, because it comes with

• NVIDIA MX150 which is one of the best for this range but still not great for newer games Benchmark(use the same website to check the benchmarks of the other GPU from the right hand list) and it will run Minecraft smoothly.
  
  
• 8th Gen i5 quad core CPU, Full HD IPS 15.6 inch screen, 8GB ram, 256GB SSD, MX 150 GPU (a nice step up from the iGPU 620 on the other acer ).
  
  
• Long battery life (advertised of up to 15-hours of battery life), weight 5.27 lbs, backlit keyboard, USB type C.
  
  
• 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD both are somewhat standards in 600 range so finding them on 500~ range is somewhat a catch.
  
  Here is a little in depth review of it :
  
  
• It is made from plastic, but it feels sturdy, screen comes with anti glare finish so it will work well outside.
  
  
• Battery life is great about 5-8 hours of general usage.
  
  
• Backlit keyboard, quite and comfortable, Trackpad have been getting some mixed reviews, I think it is a software issue, or maybe it is because some people are not used to trackpads.
  
  
• Speakers are good, above average for laptops in this range, the gaming performance is also above average since it is only MX150 but it the best for the budget.
  
  
• Thin, very quiet (can barely hear the fans), It has room for more ram as well as more SSD, Fingerprint magnet.
  
  
  But if you prefer more powerful GPU as a future proof for more demanding games, then I would recommend this [Dell Inspiron] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07F9416JW/?tag=bkadamos_alltest-20) because it has a great balance between value for money, battery life, and very good performance, here is a little detailed review of it:
  
  Screen hinge in the center, which makes the display very stable.
  
  You can open the display with one hand without any problems.
  
  Comes with 3 USB and 1 USB type C that supports Thunderbolt.
  
  Comes with Intel Wireless-AC 9560 which promises 1.7Gb/s but only delivers 485MBit/s (shouldn't be an issue unless you have such a very high speed and the need for it).
  
  Easily upgradeable since you only need to remove a single screw to access the back of the laptop to replace/upgrade ram and storage.
  
  Comes with chiclet keyboard with average sized keys.\
  
  The typing noises is not audible (except for the space key).
  
  The touchpad is large and defined by red accent, the keys (left, right) are in the touchpad itself (not separate keys), and gives a quiet clicking sound when pressed and supports gesture controls with several fingers.
  
  Display is the main con of the unit, it is not super bright (to the point of issues in direct sunshine).
  
  Screen has low sRGB and RGB coverage (57% sRGB and 36% AdobeRGB) and low constractions.
  
  Screen doesn't come with PWM or Screen flickering (it is a good thing because screens that have it put strain on your eyes).
  
  Screen is IPS so it has good viewing angles, but also has slow response rate when compared to TN panels.
  
  Fan noise is another small con, while the sound is low under light usage, it does get loud while gaming but not to the point of it being annoyingly loud.
  
  Heat management on it is very good, and its main selling point along with value for money, CPU/GPU don't throttle(much it is still within acceptable level) and don't get hot to the point of internal damage (however, it does hot enough to be uncomfortable on your lap).
  
  Speakers are user facing, so there is no muffled sound, however, it doesn't offer much base.
  
  GPU is powerful enough to run Minecraft on Medium to high settings, you can view the expected FPs from this link
  
  https://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-1050-Ti-Notebook.168400.0.html

Depends on what specs you want on the prebuilt. I used to recommend the prebuilds from manufacturers like Dell or HP but I realized that someone who purchased one wasn't able to add anything or upgrade it because they're so compact with the actual pc tower and can't fit anything else. So prebuilts through something like cyberpower pc or something that actually uses mid size towers with a ton of room are better options because you can actually reuse parts like the case. But a worthwhile prebuild might still be $700, maybe $600 if on sale. There's not many that would have the specs like the list i have above because it's a bit lower tier of a pc (still really good for gaming though). I don't know what your financial situation is or how long it would take you to save money, but you don't necessarily have to wait years before you can make a pc. Just take some time to get a little more funds to get a solid pc, you won't regret it. And waiting may help as well since prices are really hard to manage right now. Anyway, follow r/buildapcsales as they post a lot of prebuild pc's that are found to be on sale. Something like this is typically on the cheaper side of prebuilds but those are the small cases that have very little room for upgrades. Something like this would be better suited for upgrades.

I'm just basing all of this based on what you said, and it seems like you really want to build your own pc but you're willing to sacrifice that experience initially to get a prebuild until you're ready. So somewhere along the line, you're definitely looking to physically build your own which in that case, I would not look to get a prebuild first. You'd just end up using your money on something that may actually do you well for awhile, giving you little reason to actually upgrade. Then, if you actually decide to upgrade, you're left with little options as you might be replacing 3/4th's of your prebuild to get better components and at that point, it's basically like you're building an entirely new pc.

tl;dr just save up a little more. That was a lot to type but I hope I got the point out for you.

Edit: prebuilt included at bottom of post.

If your issue with building a pc is taking time to select parts, you can have the friendly people at r/buildapcforme put together a list of parts for you, and then you'd only have to visit their neatly organized set of links and put the items in your cart (usually just on amazon.com and newegg.com, occasionally ebay.com as well).

As for prebuilts, just look for something cheap. Basically anything nowadays can run the games you've listed.

If you want to go for dirt cheap, and don't mind ordering parts, you can build a computer with the ryzen 3200g APU (no dedicated GPU), 8 GB of RAM, and a b450 motherboard for... cheap. Just off the top of my head... $100 for the CPU (Actually APU), 8 GB RAM, currently $30ish, though usually around $50 (and the prices are in flux right now), Almost $100 for a motherboard with wifi, though this can be $50 if you plug it into your home router with an ethernet cable. Add a $50 case, a more than adequate, good quality $50 PSU, as well as a small-ish SSD (the linked one is a 512 GB priced at $70) and you've got yourself a completed build. Note that you'll need a desk, chair, monitor, speakers/headset, keyboard, and mouse to use this as well, and a pci-e wireless adapter if you want wifi (assuming you didn't spring for the motherboard that has built in wifi.)

Edit: Ran that through a calculator. Assuming that RAM ends up costing you $50 instead of $30, and you spring for the motherboard with WIFI, your computer will cost $350 $420. A monitor, keyboard, and mouse will jack the price up another $150ish, since most decent 1080p monitors are $100 new. You'll also need speakers, or a headset. I've edited my list above to add this, but didn't factor in price. You're most likely looking at an additional $200 for perhipials, including moniotor, if you go the cheap route; this also assumes that you have a desk (any kind that will fit a monitor, keyboard, and mouse up top, in addition to your computer tower below, will suffice) and a chair to sit in.

If you want to go the laptop route, used gaming laptops with a 960m or similar dedicated GPU usually go for about $500-$600 on Ebay. Feel free to shop around; I recommend looking specifically for a model that has support for an M.2 SSD, as you can rock a small (200-512 GB range) m.2 SSD in addition to a large (but cheap) 1 or 2 TB laptop (2.5 inch) HDD. Install the OS to the SSD, and enjoy fast as hell computer speeds; install games to the HDD and enjoy vast amounts of storage for super cheap. (This can also be done for your desktop, but most laptops only support 1 SATA storage device.)

And, hey would you look at that. I forgot to include a storage device in your system build! I'll add it in and adjust the price accordingly (probably up $50, for a total of $400.)

For comparison, I found this prebuilt computer It's got a better GPU, but the CPU is a generation behind what I've listed. It even seems to come with a keyboard and mouse. All in all, a better gaming machine, but with a price tag to reflect it; It was at $580 when I posted the link. Which honestly isn't all that bad. At all.

You know what. Screw the rest of my post. Buy that prebuilt and you're all set. Well, except for the monitor. And maybe Wifi? And speakers. But still, it's a good price. Note: There's a $530 option, the GPU is a massive downgrade and it's not worth saving $50 to get it instead of the $580 computer. Although, truthfully, both will serve your needs just fine.

Feel free to ask for further information. I'm not sure how knowledgeable you are in computing hardware or expected performance in games.

> [Ryzen & GTX 1050 Ti Edition] SkyTech ArchAngel Gaming Computer Desktop PC Ryzen 1200 3.1GHz Quad-Core, GTX 1050 Ti 4GB, 8GB DDR4 2400, 1TB HDD, 24X DVD, Wi-Fi USB, Windows 10 Home 64-bit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077QDM2DP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_J1f.Bb303ST2K

It's not terrible from specs alone, but I'd expect a lot better for the price. Let's compare:

CPU:

• Amazon $650 build (1200): Last generation 1000 series Ryzen. 4 core with 4 threads. Minimum expected multi-tasking capabilities. Current 2018 games will need to run at low-medium quality.
  
• My $480 build (2400G): Current generation 2000 series Ryzen. 4 core with 8 threads. Current 2018 games will need to run at low, or medium quality with a dedicated graphics card (like the 1050 Ti).
  
• My $600 build (2600): Current generation 2000 series Ryzen. 6 core with 12 threads. Near top-tier level performance for a relatively cheap price. Able to run 2018 games smoothly. Future-proofed for multi-threaded applications, for example, applications that require processing of statistics, data, video editing/encoding, 3D rendering (eg. architectural design, game/film artwork), creating applications (programming), and multi-tasking.
  
  None of these builds will have problems running "e-sports" games like League of Legends, Overwatch, Dota 2, Counter Strike, or similar games. Even in current games, the 1200(+1050Ti) and the 2400G will run similarly. However, current Triple-A games like Battlefield V, Black Ops 4, Hitman 2 and Assassin's Creed are already struggling on 4 core CPUs, and this is especially true for the $650 Amazon CPU which is only 4 cores and 4 threads. My build's $480 2400G has 4 cores and 8 threads. If the 2400G is upgraded with the 1050 Ti, then it would run at medium, and possibly with a bit higher performance than the 1200. However at this price, it would be better to get my recommended $600 build, with 6 cores and 12 threads. Although simplified, think of it this way: each CPU thread can handle one task at a time. Processing speed per thread is also important. See 1200 vs 2400, and 2400 vs 2600. Although the $650 and $480 builds will be able to still complete multi-threaded tasks like the $600 build, it will take more time to do so, and the computer may not be usable in certain circumstances until the processing is complete.
  
  GPU:
  
• Amazon $650 build (1050ti): Good entry level graphic card.
  
• My $480 build (2400G): Acceptable entry level graphic card.
  
• My $600 build (1050ti): Good entry level graphic card.
  
  Although the $650 build has a good graphics card, the reason it may not be able to perform at its best is because the CPU is rather weak. The computer CPU needs to communicate to the GPU to process the game's graphics, and if the GPU is waiting for the CPU to handle that task, the GPU will freeze up momentarily. For e-sports games and basic games, the $650 and $480 build should perform almost the same. However, once the $480 build is upgraded in the future with a dedicated graphics card (as simple as sliding a connector into place and screwing in a panel), it's performance will rise a little above, especially in newer games. With my $600 build, it is safe to say that the CPU will not at all limit the GPU (or even the latest $600 GPUs) in newer games.
  
  Memory:
  
• Amazon $650 build: Minimum expected memory speed - slower 2400. Games may run ~10 FPS slower. In addition, according to the preview images, there is only one stick of memory (1x8) and not two (2x4). This is the number-one sin to avoid. CPUs require two sticks of memory in order to function at optimal speeds. Gaming performance may be reduced by 20-30 FPS which is huge.
  
• My $480 build: (Near) Optimal memory speed.
  
• My $600 build: (Near) Optimal memory speed.
  
  Storage:
  
• Amazon $650 build: No SSD. Only HDD.
  
• My $480 build: SSD and HDD.
  
• My $600 build: SSD and HDD.
  
  The SSD (solid state drive, or the "adata" branded drive in my builds) is completely optional. However, installing Windows 10 to this drive will be worthwhile. The system will be considerably more responsive and faster, and load programs almost instantly.
  
  In regards to Windows, I believe it is still possible to use a windows 7 key to upgrade (despite Microsoft claiming to turn it off December last year). Otherwise, it is possible to install Windows 10 as an evaluation/trial copy, and even after the 30-120 day period, it will continue to function and receive updates like the paid version. However, the trial version will limit customization of the desktop wallpaper/colors (but other programs can override this).
  
  Actual Performance Numbers:
  
• 1200 and 1050 ti: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK_ktjGHyeg
  
• 1200 and 1050 ti (Assassin's Creed): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuFLR7GG5Fw
  
• 2400G and Battlefield V, low settings (50% resolution): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srb8ufOfnJ0
  
• 2400G (+1050 ti): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7lepo4WEX0
  
• 2600: https://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/3288-amd-r5-2600-2600x-review-stream-benchmarks-gaming-blender/page-3
  
• 2600 (+1050 ti): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlcNBTG3CyA

I’m not Canadian, but I’ll try to help.

This PC is a great build with an awesome CPU and a decent GPU but lacks both an SSD and 16 gigs of RAM, both necessary for future-proofing. (The SSD is necessary now, but you can hold off with 8 gigs of ram) Sadly, I can’t find builds that are less than 1k CAD with anything similar or better than this with more RAM or an SSD.

I recommend getting a separate SSD like this. (You can always do the cheaper 250 gb variant for less money). I recommend this SSD because it is one of the fastest and comes with amazing Windows 10 cloning software. this guide is how I installed mine (just ignore the laptop specific parts like removing the battery. You can then order a SATA wire like this one to install your SSD. (If you don’t know where in the case you should put your SSD, just use 3M or double sided tape and tape it someone aesthetically pleasing on the bottom of the case.

The sata cables should be obvious where to install (on the right side of the motherboard, usually stacked on top of each other, slightly above or below the GPU), otherwise, you can look up your motherboard to find the SATA slots. Then just install the cloning software and follow the guide. When you need more RAM, look at the PCs ram slot and order another 8 gig stick (if there is only 1 stick of 8 gigs), otherwise, just order 16 gigs of any DDR4 ram you want. I’m sorry you need to do work to get a fully future proof machine, but remember this isn’t 100% needed, just highly recommended. (Plus you can save 100 bucks from your paycheck a few weeks from now for the SSD, you don’t need it the second u get ur pc. Good luck, let me know if you need any help!

P.S You don’t even need a big SSD, just something to hold Windows 10 and programs like Steam and Chrome. Big stuff like games can go on the HDD

At least a GTX 1050, would be better if you could go for a GTX 1050 Ti. At least 8GB of ram. An i5 processor should be more than enough too, unless you're planning to play other games... but even then, it probably could get by but if it's just Sims 4 you're playing, you'll have no problem.

Other than the GTX 1050, if you're not bothered by the amount of vram, the GTX 1060 3GB is another choice. But just for The Sims 4, 3GB Vram is more than enough, but it also doesn't hurt to go for the 6GB because it's more future proof.

I currently have the GTX 1660, and it performs closely to the GTX 1070. That is another good card for a reasonable price. It also just came out this year.

Any of these specs should be able to run The Sims 4 on High/Ultra settings with most/all expansions/games/stuff packs

https://www.amazon.com/CyberpowerPC-Xtreme-i5-9400F-GeForce-GXiVR8060A7/dp/B07PKXQBHN/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=gaming+desktop&qid=1566267956&s=gateway&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/SkyTech-ArchAngel-Gaming-Computer-Quad-Core/dp/B077QDM2DP/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=gaming+desktop&qid=1566267956&s=gateway&sr=8-9

https://www.amazon.com/SkyTech-Gaming-Computer-Desktop-Quad-Core/dp/B077QDZPXV/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=gtx+1060+desktop&qid=1566268507&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Your best bet is the first one

I don't know much about AMD so don't come for me sksks. But I think the RX 570 and RX 580 are close in performance to the GTX 1060/GTX 1660 and they're a lot more affordable compared to Nvidia, so you might want to look at that too.

The AMD Ryzen 3 2100 is more of a budget processor, it would play The Sims 4 fine, but if you're wanting to play other more demanding games too, look elsewhere.

1Tb HDD of space is the minimum I'd recommend. I've had The Sims 4 on an HDD before eventually switching it to my SSD and I haven't noticed much of a loading time difference, so it probably doesn't matter. But SSD would've made a huge difference in The Sims 3.

If it helps, these are my specs: it runs like a dream, and mind you I have like 20gb of CC.

Intel i7-8700 3.2GHz

16GB Ram

120GB SSD + 1TB HDD + 500GB External SSD

GeForce GTX 1660 Overclocked 6GB

I'd say it's a bit overkill *just* for The Sims 4, but I do run other games as well.

I'm not too knowledgeable, but I know a few basics. I hope that gives you somewhat of an idea. Hopefully someone who knows their stuff can chim in too :) good luck. I could be wrong in a few spots.

I find with the lower budgets, it's honestly a better deal a to just buy prebuilt. A lot of them are getting really good now because they realize people are knowledgable about PC parts. If you want a solid PC for the games you described, this would be my pick.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017HD69Z2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478430507&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=gaming+pc+i5&dpPl=1&dpID=41s5yWuHzJL&ref=plSrch

It's downside is it doesn't have the most amazing graphics card, but for the games you mentioned you really don't need a super amazing card. If you want to put in a few extra bucks but get a superior PC, I'd say go for this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01HNBLHAA/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478430701&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=gaming+pc+i5&dpPl=1&dpID=511WRjswCuL&ref=plSrch

For $720, the PC above is a great deal. Honestly I would go for that one because it's overall better for not that much more money, so not only will it be better for your games, but it will last longer in terms of the parts being powerful for any games you want to play in the future.


Either way best of luck!

I really wouldn't use a Raspberry Pi for this. Don't get me wrong, it's a great little device and it would work in a pinch but it's not really the best fit for this.

If it were me, I would go with something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/ZOTAC-Quad-Core-Graphics-Barebones-ZBOX-CI323NANO-U/dp/B0179S50UU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486571851&sr=8-1&keywords=Zotac+ZBOX+Dual+Ethernet

It's small, quiet and very low power. Has dual Gigabit ethernet and is x86_64 based so you can run anything on it.

You're not likely to find something like that with more than 2 gigabit ethernet ports unless you go with something custom built like a Mikrotik RouterBoard.

Instead of the 3rd ethernet port, why not get yourself a managed gigabit switch (one can be had for about $65USD) and put your LAN and your security system on different VLANs. If you need more info on how to do this I would be more than happy to help.

Good luck, sounds like a fun project! :)

Hello all. Looking to receive a little information that will hopefully help me make an informed and effective purchase of a new PC. I'm hoping to get something pretty heavy duty that can handle my music production/content creation, as well as some gaming capabilities. Saving money would be great, but first and foremost I need a PC that will be powerful enough to handle all my tasks.

I've been looking on Amazon primarily, and have found some interesting options. It seems to me a desktop would afford me the highest performance for the least price compared to a laptop. From what I gather, something with at least 3.5 GHz processor, 16 Gigs of RAM and a good graphics card is what I'll need to get everything done.

This for example seems to be a little too good to be true. 16 Gigs of RAM, 3.5 GHz processor speed. What is the catch? Maybe the graphics card wouldn't be strong enough to support any gaming capabilities. Or the fact that it is a refurbished product?

This Dell Gaming Desktop seems a little more legit. Quite a reasonable price, seems to have the processing, RAM and Graphics capabilities I would need. But is it adequate? Would I be struggling with some games? Would heavy projects in Ableton be too much for it?

So in summation, what is the difference between these mini desktop PCs that are going for just a couple hundred dollars, and the full size gaming desktops that I'm seeing? And further, what is the difference between a relatively inexpensive gaming tower like the Dell I linked, and a more serious gaming tower from a known gaming brand that will be starting closer to the 1200+ range.

​

Thank you in advance for any help you guys are able to give me!

Hi! So I've been a pc gamer for a while (like 7 years...) but I have always owned a laptop (awful for gaming, I am super used to 30fps) and its been a huge frustration for me. But due to being broke I never upgraded and instead was ever-grateful when friends would let me game on their pcs. This year I have finally gotten to the point I am tired of trying to make my laptop work, but I have noticed that GPU prices are way higher (ty crypto-mining) and I don't know if I should just buy a prebuilt PC instead. I want to ideally be able to play overwatch, doom, pubg, and possibly stream them if desired (but definitely stream lol and other lower intensity games).

So far I let my friend make my build (https://pcpartpicker.com/list/bvzv6s) but I feel like these Amazon builds would be cheaper in relation to what I am getting in exchange;
https://www.amazon.com/iBUYPOWER-Ultra-Gaming-Desktop-AM900Z/dp/B073RKHY2H/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1518721735&sr=1-4&keywords=ibuypower+gaming+desktop
https://www.amazon.com/880-Performance-Desktop-i7-8700K-Windows/dp/B0792XZP57/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1518721615&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=hp+omen+desktop&psc=1

Which one should I stick to? Is there a way to improve my friend's build or lower the price? What would be the best option for doing what I am trying to accomplish?

(sorry if this isn't where I am supposed to be posting this question...)

This might get lost in the sea of comments... but...

I love Art, Music, and Computers. I'll give a brief description for now and if you want to know more, just ask!

• Art: I love Computer Art, lately. Using Piskel for pixel art, I used to work with Photoshop a lot, things here and there. I'm still down for some old fashioned pencil on paper sketching and doodling, though.
  
• Music: Video Game Soundtracks/ Movie Soundtracks: I became recently fascinated with the Undertale soundtrack, I love the style it goes for. The Mario and Luigi RPGs I love as well, with the DKC series being one of my all time favorites. Oh, and the Clustertruck OST and the TF2 OST.
  
• Computers: I'm looking at a $600 PC (not buying here) and I love messing around with specs, parts, arguing that PC gaming is better (however, console is okay as well, depends on the person) etc.
  
  Feel free to ask questions!

Sure here are a couple. The first comes with the ryzen 1400 which has more threads than the 1200, making slightly better for games like battlefield 1 which love CPUs that can prioritize better the information (for example having more cores). Of course it won't give you any drastic improvement, just less dips on occasion probably.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/cyberpowerpc-gamer-master-desktop-amd-ryzen-5-1400-8gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-gtx-1060-1tb-hard-drive-black-red/5848610.p?skuId=5848610

Here is another with a last gen quad core i5, dollar for dollar I'd probably go for the ryzen 1400 over this as this CPU doesn't have hyperthreading but again for what you want it for it won't make much of a difference. Both CPUs are more than enough for 1080p medium to ultra settings if aiming for 60FPS.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/cyberpowerpc-gamer-xtreme-vr-desktop-intel-core-i5-7400-8gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-gtx-1060-1tb-hard-drive-black-blue/5712949.p?skuId=5712949

Here is another PC sold by Amazon. Saves you $50 but gives you basically identical performance. It uses the RX 580 which trades blows with the 1060 3GB and 1060 6GB so it's a very good card, it just runs a bit warmer and uses more power.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0747W15QL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-YEIAbP1XAWWK


I'd like to close off by saying that going with a ryzen also gives you the option to replace the CPU later with one of amds future CPUs released before 2020 as the boards will be cross compatible. Also, be wary of prebuilts for the internal componets. While they do offer cheaper alternatives at the moment, you run the risk of getting really generic RAM chips and motherboards. For example, you might buy the ryzen prebuilt but see after you get it that it comes with a really bottom of the list b320 motherboard meaning you can't overclock the the CPU. Don't know if that's the case for the ones I linked, you should call cyberpower to see.

An upside to building your own was the fact that you could get much better components and often for cheaper than it would cost to buy a prebuilt but today it's mostly just the better components due to the insane price increase of GPUs and RAM. Good luck!

Alright, I don't know crap about everything here except Plex, which isn't incredibly demanding. The economically logical thing to do would be to purchase a semi-capable PC dedicated to just your home server and media services, and then purchase another tower if you want to play games. It's definitely possible to get one machine to do both, but it'll most likely cost more than the two machines combined.

Anything from the last 5-6 years should do fine. However, you probably won't save that much money purchasing old hardware (like $150 at MOST). Something like this will do fine for your home server. You can then get something like this if you want to do some semi-light gaming. All for around $1k. Keep in mind these are references.

If I could know your budget (at the very least a range) and the types of games you'd want to play I could give some more specifics. Literally, anything will do for your home server, you shouldn't be paying more than $500 for that. I would recommend trying to get the i5 8th gen for your home server if possible. Wait till Black Friday as I'm sure you'll be able to find suitable PCs for cheap. Good luck!

That's a very good deal except for the GPU, it's a low range low power GPU. According to several benchmarks, the integrated graphics are better but in some CPU intensive games such as CS:GO or LoL, it performs better with a discrete card. Down the line, if you can afford it, you should replace the GPU with a mid range card such as the RX series from AMD or anything GTX 960 above.

If you can save up, you would be better off with this computer as the CPU and GPU are more balanced and it comes with a Wifi card. The i5 6402p performs wonderfully in games and the RX 480 is the perfect card to complement it. For example, on GTA V, at ultra settings, it's able to play at a consistent 80 FPS.

That depends on what you decide to save in money. It's not like you have to rush if you don't have the rest right away because a sale can happen at any time. For what you asked for, you can build a PC to get exactly what you wanted at least a price between $600 and $700. You can go cheaper, but I recommend this area so you at least can have a better experience with quality parts. Also, you still have to factor in accessories, and a monitor (but that's a later worry.) Just to double check, you want to play Dead Space 3 and Shadow of War?

Game performance and value: At medium settings, a 1050 Ti is just enough for that on both games, but I guarantee it will run Dead Space 3 much more stable at higher settings. It's a 7th gen game, and doesn't require much to run at recommended specs. Shadow of War should do fine on medium at 1080p resolution. However, in the case with price and performance, I would at least recommend a 1060 3GB card (possibly 6GB), or an RX 580. Those are both much faster and cost near the price of a 1050 Ti (which is more dated.)

If you can save up to build one, I can recommend you some parts on pcpartpicker to help you budget. Definitely use this site to help out with that.

****

If you're not planning to build a PC, then I recommend the Cyberpower PC. This is actually pretty good value for a new pre-built gaming PC. You can still upgrade it later, and it has more than enough power for games you'll want to play.

https://www.amazon.com/CYBERPOWERPC-GXIVR8020A5-Desktop-i5-8400-Processor/dp/B07B6H4GNY

****

Don't let those prices scare you away. If you don't have that much now, put aside some money each week, and you'll reach your goal before you know it. It'll be worth every penny with budgeting.

(Sometimes, the key idea is to wait for deals to show up.)

To be honest, if you are gaming and want a great experience, you could build a really amazing PC for $800.

If you are looking in the $600-$700 range though, I know the Dell Inspiron AMD Ryzen 7 is a great prebuilt computer; you get a graphics card capable of handling 1080P gaming right off the bat with 16GB of DRAM which is great as well. I don't like that it has an HDD however; but it is 1TB and is very easy to swap out for an SSD.

Also, if you were looking to spend slightly more, I believe the CyberPower PC Gamer Xtreme VR is an excellent choice as well; but again, HDD kinda sucks. Let me know if you have any questions about anything, just PM me and I'd be glad to help you!

This was my response before

You clearly underestimate how long 2 hours really last. If you're playing a game, getting really pissed off and not enjoying your time after 1 hour, it would be reasonable to not want to own the game anymore. You mentioned PC games running worse than consoles. Even if that were true, you could just refund the game until the company optimizes it much better (which is what people did when Arkham Knight came out; and W.B Games actually listened to them)

I'm sorry I didn't cite my sources last time. So I'll do it this time https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/10/game-stop-shares-fall-after-second-quarter-profit-and-revenue-miss.html https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/09/10/gamestop-store-closings-2019-retailer-closing-up-200-stores/2279343001/ https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/06/08/how-much-did-gamestops-sales-fall.aspx

"Where are these companies that make PCs that will stomp console? Never mind it’s in fantasy land" I dunno man. NZXT BLD and OriginPC seem pretty real. Also a prebuilt PC with an RX 580 and a Ryzen 7 2700 CPU only costs about $650 https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Inspiron-Desktop-Processor-Graphics/dp/B07Q3G3B67/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=gaming+PC&qid=1568421808&s=gateway&sr=8-6

Oh I can't ever accept that I'm wrong? I'm sorry, I guess the word objective just completely disappeared from the english dictionary. I guess Better Framerats, Graphics, Upgrade-able hardware, free online, convenience, options, freedoms don't exist to you. Also, don't compare me to liberals. The liberals you're thinking of are completely closed minded.

• Permalink
  
  [–]to Donger-Lord sent 22 hours ago
  
  The fact that you have to use ad hominem attacks in your rebuttle clearly shows how emotionally attached you are to your stance on this subject.
  
  
• Permalink
  
  [–]to Donger-Lord sent 21 hours ago
  
  I know you're probably not the biggest fan of me, but if you ever change your mind about PC gaming, then here's an alternative to building your PC or buying a $600 prebuilt. Get a PC like the Dell Optiplex 7010 which actually has no proprietary parts as far as I'm concerned https://www.amazon.com/Dell-OptiPlex-7010-Minitower-Desktop/dp/B01K0GNUOG/ref=sxin_3_sxwds-bovbs?keywords=dell+optiplex+7010&pd_rd_i=B01K0GNUOG&pd_rd_r=05da0e7d-1fb9-45c2-ac21-d8943f19ee8d&pd_rd_w=zQkzL&pd_rd_wg=Mou8g&pf_rd_p=b866bc3b-cfe5-45c1-897c-a8525a3335d9&pf_rd_r=5DFECSZRTKW3165Y70EN&qid=1568423180&s=gateway
  
  Then what you can do is replace the PSU inside of it with a 3rd party PSU from EVGA, Corsair or Seasonic. Make sure that it's either 80+ or 80+ bronze certified at the very least. After that, you can add pretty much any GPU (the RX 570 4gb is definitely a recommendation) and there you go. You can basically play any game at 1080p60 medium-high settings. An rx 570 is only about $130-150 and a psu like the one I mentioned is about $35-50.
  
  Hope I have helped at least a little bit.
  
  
• Permalink
  
  [–]to Donger-Lord sent 2 hours ago
  
  So what? Did I win the argument? Were my points stupid? Is there nothing more to respond to?

For Cities Skylines you want an an unlocked Intel CPU. The game in my experience is CPU limited and thread limited. For streaming more cores\threads is good. To be honest squeezing in a monitor and windows into the 850$ doesnt leave much room if the monitor is decent. I am skipping the monitor but including windows.

First consider this cyberpower system for 779$ it has the works including windows10 and an rx580 4GB

https://www.amazon.com/CYBERPOWERPC-GXIVR8020A4-Desktop-i5-7400-7200RPM/dp/B0747W15QL/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1522168638&sr=1-1&refinements=p_36%3A77000-85000&dpID=51n3tUIpoSL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Now for my build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel - Core i5-8600K 3.6GHz 6-Core Processor | $234.89 @ OutletPC
CPU Cooler | CRYORIG - H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler | $34.89 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | MSI - Z370-A PRO ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $89.99 @ Newegg
Memory | Patriot - 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory | $79.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Seagate - Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $54.89 @ OutletPC
Video Card | MSI - GeForce GTX 1050 2GB Video Card | $148.98 @ Newegg
Case | NZXT - S340 (White) ATX Mid Tower Case | $48.00 @ Newegg
Power Supply | Cooler Master - MasterWatt 550W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $39.49 @ Newegg
Operating System | Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit | $89.89 @ OutletPC
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $876.01
| Mail-in rebates | -$55.00
| Total | $821.01
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-03-27 12:45 EDT-0400 |

The custom PC has a worse video card because video cards are extremely overpriced at the moment. You get a better processor which will definitely help with light content creation. Cities Skylines will be happy with just a 1050 but if you want to play major releases at high settings that video card wont cut it. For VR your going to want a 1060 6GB or RX580 8GB or better but those are very high cost outside of prebuilts.

Depends on the price range your looking for and what type of machine; high-end intense graphics, mid-range for just playing MMO's or MoBA's or low-end for mainly movies, music, email and office duties.

Mid-range you usually can find quite a bit of decent options. High-end is were you REALLY need to watch the specs for each "Sale" cause they often like to short something essential in order to offer such a good "deal". For example, they amount of memory, for High-end you really need at least 16 gigs to have a solid build but a lot of "Deals" will leave you with ONLY 8 gigs installed and thus cutting the price that way and calling it a "Deal".

Here's a High-end Deal that looks real nice: https://smile.amazon.com/iBUYPOWER-Trace-9220-Overclockable-Motherboard/dp/B07G77QHV8/ref=sr_1_2?s=black-friday&psr=EY17&ie=UTF8&qid=1542973523&sr=1-2&keywords=desktop+computers

and.. Here's a Mid-range Deal that's pretty good too! - https://smile.amazon.com/CYBERPOWERPC-Xtreme-GXiVR8060A5-i5-8400-GeForce/dp/B0757DVF4Z/ref=sr_1_1?s=black-friday&psr=EY17&ie=UTF8&qid=1542973523&sr=1-1&keywords=desktop+computers



Hope this helps and happy hunting!

I recently bought one of these with this RAM and this hard drive to replace my virtualized pfSense install after I was away for two weeks and had ESXi issues that took my VPN offline. I know this sub isn't a fan of Realtek NICs, but what I was looking for was: a processor that supports AES-NI, fanless, compact, dual NICs, low power consumption, and decent price. This machine hit all of those, with the only drawback being non-Intel NICs. So far, I've had absolutely no issues with it. It's a little overkill if you just want basic routing, but I wanted to be able to run OpenVPN, Snort, pfBlockerNG, etc. and have a comfortable overhead for anything I wanted to try in the future.

For an access point, Ubiquiti UniFi UAP-AC-LITE or UAP-AC-PRO are pretty popular "prosumer" products. I'm sure someone can recommend some good switches, but I'm currently running a Netgear GS724T and it provides me with the features I need (VLAN, LAG/LACP) and I'm happy with it.

Hey guys, I built my pc a few years ago but i am now in college and am unable to ship it here. I am about to buy a mid tier prebuilt pc + peripherals for my dorm room. I just want to make sure everything is compatible and i have everything i need, i dont want to realize that i am missing some important cable or something is not compatible. Links below!

​

Ive already done a fair bit of research so i think im good to go, but just wanted to get some other opinions! FYI I am pretty set on buying everything from amazon. Thanks guys!

​

PC

ETHERNET CABLE

HEADSET

MOUSE

KEYBOARD

MONITOR

Elite is complicated for sure. I personally also believe it should only be played with a HOTAS in VR. And it's not a game for everyone. Watch some clips in YouTube if it sounds like a game you'd be interested in. Once you start playing, it's not bad. Myself and several friends got the hang in about a day (Controls, movement, landing, etc) with only one friend to this day only ever manually having been able to land his ship a single time before giving up on the game.

Also, here's a link to the pc I own. I have yet to upgrade it and have no frame rate issues running ED in ultra VR graphics. Feel free to compare to your own build.

CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8060A5 Gaming PC (Intel i5-8400 2.8GHz Processor, 8GB DDR4 DRAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB, 120GB SSD, 1TB HDD, WiFi & Win 10) Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0757DVF4Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Lnj4DbNAFFP57

Roughly $500? I'd recommend keeping an eye on this.

HP Pavilion Power 580-023w

Right now it says $638 for used, but new refurbished deals show up on it every now and then. A few weeks ago it was refurbished for $500, and it was again for a couple days for $502 when I bought it. The only thing it's missing is a SSD, which I popped in my old one, or you can buy one for pretty cheap.

As for how good it runs GW2? It looks like I'm able to record in 1920x1080p in raids at medium settings at a steady 60+fps. So I'd recommend keeping an eye on that page, or head over to /r/buildapcsales where pretty good deals get posted. Keep an eye out for deals on computers with similar specs, for a similar price. They sell out within a day though usually, so keep at it

Ok, so the most upvoted comment is definitely really useful. But this is a 719.99 PC which will run most games at ultra 60fps at 1080p. Unfortunately, i have the old version of this pc, but this one is an upgraded version and is much better than mine. Its a pre-built, but the value is a lot cheaper than you building the pc yourself.

CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8020A3 Desktop Gaming PC (Intel i5-7400 3.0GHz, AMD RX 580 4GB, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HDD, 802.11AC WIFI, Win 10 Home), Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071NG75BW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6W5HzbJNSFQ41

Please consider taking a look at it. You definitely wont be disappointed with it.

Alrighty. Are you comfortable with building your own? I know you said you have never built before, but I built mine only 3 days after my 15th birthday in a total of an hour and a half. No problems at all and I got a much better deal. Of course, prices have gone up, so there won't be as much of a benefit, but still substantial.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD - Ryzen 5 1400 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor | $142.76 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | ASRock - AB350M-HDV Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard | $66.09 @ Amazon
Memory | Patriot - 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory | $79.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $43.21 @ OutletPC
Video Card | MSI - GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB GAMING X Video Card | $374.98 @ Newegg
Case | NZXT - S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case | $66.99 @ SuperBiiz
Power Supply | SeaSonic - 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $49.99 @ SuperBiiz
Monitor | Acer - G226HQLBbd 21.5" 1920x1080 60Hz Monitor | $80.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $905.00
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-05 12:11 EDT-0400 |

Here's this. It's just a tad over budget, and has no SSD, but it'll perform very well. The case has customizable lights, but you can disable that easily.

Alternatively, this prebuilt is a pretty okay deal. It only has the 3 GB version of the GTX 1060, but it'll still work fine to play games. Not nearly as good as the part list I just put together with your budget (assumed you already have a keyboard and mouse).

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Pavilion-580-023w-i5-7400-Graphics/dp/B077S27YLP/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1522944403&sr=1-2&keywords=i5+7400+gtx+1060+3gb&dpID=41wxHZqVs2L&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Yes it will. Load times will be long without a SSD but the game will run well all other times and its super easy to add a SSD later if loading drives you nutty. The CPU, its actually quite OK, functionally equivalent to a 6400 (just different integrated graphics, which you wont use).

This may be more balanced for total war https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HNBLHAA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yGE0xb5JXPYWC but I don't know your monitor resolution you will be playing at.

While building a PC is fun for some of us I don't think the gained value (not much usually) is worth the extra effort/stress for most people.

I'd say that's a decent starter system but definitely not for that hefty price tag. Ever consider building a system yourself? Would cost you a fair bit less for potentially better parts also.

Edit:

I don't live in America but this seems more like it, if anyone could correct me or find something better? :)

Link

Lookup some videos on what you should look for in gaming pcs man. Honestly at such a low budget buying a console might be best. Idk if I can find a good prebuilt in that range but something like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071ZZF7FY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517812388&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=dell+gaming+tower&dpPl=1&dpID=41PlVF-rpiL&ref=plSrch is a bit overbudget but a good sweetspot for price to performance but I'm not an expert so I'm sure someone else could probably find better deals in terms of price to performance I can pretty much guarantee that an inspiron with onboard graphics won't do it though.

Just bought a Rift, what's a good PC under 1k? Leaning towards this Cyberpower one but I feel like building one of the recommended ones is better and cheaper? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

This pc looks pretty good, it has a deepcool cpu cooler, while not the best in the universe is far better than the intel stock cooler they usually put in prebuilts.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073RKHY2H/ref=psdcmw_13896597011_t1_B00IMOND82


This is my mouse, it's pretty awesome
It'll probably fit you well

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B019OB663A/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1510113202&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Logitech%2Bg502&dpPl=1&dpID=41xxUrMt7nL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1



Here's a really good keyboard if you don't have one already


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B019O8YZ4A/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1510113382&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Red+dragon+vara&dpPl=1&dpID=41CU8eiwCwL&ref=plSrch

Thanks for the kind words.

With the caveats that I haven't gone through Prime Day in detail and that we don't really know how Destiny 2 will run, I'll give some recommendations that I'd give to my friends. I'm assuming you want to game at 1080p and that you already have a monitor to do so.

This CyberPower deal seems to be pretty good. You'd have a hard-time DIYing one at that price. The RX 480 would be better if it were 8 GB than 4 GB, but at 1080p it's not that big of a deal.

Similar type of deal for this other CyberPower prebuilt. In general, we'd rank it as a 1080p60 system. The CPU is going to hold up much longer, and the GPU is another 4 GB, but it's the slightly better RX 580 vs the RX 480 in the other one. The GPU will be what ultimately holds you back, but assuming Destiny 2 is anything like the other 2017 releases, it should be able to handle it.

To get technical, both the RX 580 and 480 GPUs average just below 60 fps in Watch Dogs 2 at Very High settings (what we'd call an Open World game). WD2 is one of the most demanding games out there, due to the huge environments and large amount of simulation required. I'm skeptical Destiny 2 will be as demanding at Watch Dogs 2. If it performs more like a FPS than an Open World game, it's going to be hitting well above 60 - like 80-100+ fps based on the way those cards handle pure FPS games. I don't know definitively for Destiny 2, but I'd recommend either as a 1080p60 rig.

the first link isn't bad, but don't get the second link. The fx processors are old tech and not worth investing in. Stick with ryzen or intel processors.

this one has a better cpu and better gpu for the same price

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-i5675-A933BLU-PUS-Inspiron-Processor-Graphics/dp/B071ZZF7FY/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1537987331&sr=1-3&keywords=desktop+ryzen+5

also, you should definitely get an SSD. Either purchase one separately and install windows 10 onto it, or buy a prebuilt that already has one.


this cpu is similar to the ryzen 5 1400, but also has 16gb of RAM and an SSD. It has less graphical power, but is still plenty good for running league of legends. Note -- it's a very small pc.

https://www.amazon.com/Desktop-Radeon-3000MHz-Windows-Computer/dp/B07665SPGW/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1537987476&sr=1-11&keywords=desktop+ryzen+5+16gb+ram

similar to the above, but in a larger enclosure and only 8gb RAM. Would be easier to swap out parts in the future, given the larger case.

https://www.amazon.com/iBUYPOWER-Pro-Gaming-Desktop-PC/dp/B07CLMX2WP/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1537987035&sr=8-6&keywords=desktop+ryzen+2400g

league of legends on vega 11 (ryzen 5 2400g CPUs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS4gmaOApT0

Based off of the links you gave me, it seems that you are restricted to buying in the UK and to some extent Europe correct? If so, then I would definitely suggest buying the Acer Aspire E15, For the same price as your cheaper option, you are also getting a dedicated MX150 2GB graphics card, which will be much better at light gaming than integrated graphics. Battery life is also pretty good as well, at least similar to the Inspiron line. The screen is where a lot of people seem to be disappointed with it, as it comes with a TN panel. Albeit, it is still 1080p and is bright enough even in outdoor use, so I believe that people are just expecting way too much out of a machine at this price.

As per per your other option, the HP Omen is also a decent buy, though obviously for a more gamer oriented user.
The 144 Hz panel is a great feature that'll make gaming and general usage look even better, however the GTX 1050 2GB that it ships with probably won't be able to hit those types of framerates, so you wouldn't even be able to fully utilize it. I'd stick with either your chosen Inspiron or my Acer Aspire. Let me know what you think.

There are some good deals on PCs with Windows OS with it.

CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8060A5 Gaming PC (Intel i5-8400 2.8GHz, 8GB DDR4, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB, 120GB SSD, 1TB HDD, WiFi & Win 10) Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0757DVF4Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_VwV.BbGJW72MV

This seems to be a pretty decent machine. And you can always do simple upgrades like more memory pretty easily. It comes with a good graphics card that should be able to handle any game at decent settings. It has windows 10, a keyboard, and mouse. You said he has a monitor so that should be about everything. Just need a desk to set him up at and a comfy chair. And headphones or a speaker.

At the moment, Prebuilt computers are actually the most economic way to go at the moment because of the whole cryptocurrency mining thing going on atm. But that may change in a year.

Gaming laptops are going to be a lot more than 500 dollars, but a decent computer with the capabilities to play games shouldn't be much more than 500.

I don't know how much you need to run Sims 4 but this computer should play most games fairly well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077S27YLP/?coliid=I351BA7O2V2EM1&colid=H4JY95NTZX2D&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

A similarly specced computer. You could skimp on some things but I think a case should be pleasing to look at. As you can see a lot of the savings is in windows being included.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel - Core i5-7400 3GHz Quad-Core Processor | $177.90 @ OutletPC
CPU Cooler | Cooler Master - Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler | $24.99 @ Newegg
Motherboard | MSI - B250M PRO-VD Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $49.90 @ OutletPC
Memory | Crucial - Sport LT 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory | $82.85 @ Amazon
Storage | Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $46.49 @ OutletPC
Video Card | MSI - GeForce GTX 1060 3GB 3GB GT OC Video Card | $274.88 @ OutletPC
Case | NZXT - S340 Elite (White) ATX Mid Tower Case | $59.99 @ Newegg
Power Supply | EVGA - BT 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply | $39.95 @ Amazon
Operating System | Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit | $89.89 @ OutletPC
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $896.84
| Mail-in rebates | -$50.00
| Total | $846.84
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-03-04 22:51 EST-0500 |

I am considering building my own PC, but I am a novice. I just saw this system on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HNBLHAA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Will that be sufficient to play games such as CS:GO, Black Ops 3, and other FPS games at 1080p on high settings? I am coming from Xbox One to PC, so even if I have to play on medium settings to maintain 60fps (60hz refresh rate on monitor) it will still be a significant improvement and I will be happy. The system linked is at the very limit of my budget. I would need a copy of Windows 10, a keyboard and mouse if I were to build a system myself.

For $720, is that system beatable if I build it myself and use the same or comparable parts?

Yea, sadly. For example, this pc is about the equivalent of this, for $200 less.

Add on the necessary monitor, and it's only $195 more, amounting to around $985.

Given you want to upgrade it a bit, maybe some more ram, ssd and a 8GB RX 580. You get [this] (https://pcpartpicker.com/list/ynrsJ8) list of upgrades.

Add that to the original price, costs around $1700. But you can sell the RX 580 4GB or trade it on r/hardwareswap for at least $300, bringing it down on $1400.

But it's a hassle, and no guarantee anyone would buy the 4GB one. But if you were fine with the 4GB one, the round total would come to $1300.

So if you want value, go for pre-built. If you want flexibility, freedom of choice(this has a non-overclockable CPU with only 4cores and 4 threads) and the satisfaction as well as knowledge that you've chose the best parts you could for your budget and to your preference, you should build it on your own.

hp 8300

Specs are

HP 8300 Elite Small Form Factor Desktop Computer, Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core, 8GB RAM, 500GB SATA, Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit, USB 3.0, Display Port (Certified Refurbished)

It’s $185. I’m not really trying to spend more than $250.

I just want something that I can use for Apple Music, do some excel spreadsheets, basic things. Not really for gaming what so ever. Just everyday tasks when I don’t want to use my lap top.(which is 5+ years old) i3 2gb ram, 500gb storage. I just use it as a notebook at work. Watch Netflix go on the internet.

Already have a dB power keyboard, and a basic laser mouse. My monitor is a asus mx279h. So I don’t need anything else.

Any thoughts or comments help thanks !

I forgot to add. I have a good friend that works for CDW and said he can get me a solid slate drive and ram for pretty cheap if needed

It's a fantastic deal in terms of parts value (the cpu alone is ~$350 CAD new). Especially considering it probably comes with a warranty and tech support. However as the other poster said it doesn't have a dedicated graphics card so you're not going to get much gaming out of it. Frankly that CPU is way more than anyone really needs even for gaming and that's where most of the cost is coming from. I think HP really dropped the ball on this one. I can't really see who their target customer is. Someone who needs a super fast CPU but is okay with being gimped by a slow hard drive? They would've been better off ditching that overpowered CPU for dedicated graphics or an SSD and I think you'd be better off doing the same.

This dell here is 100 cad more and has nearly identical specs with the exception of trading an overpowered CPU for a decent graphics card:

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-i5675-A933BLU-PUS-Inspiron-Processor-Graphics/dp/B071ZZF7FY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

The Linx Derp Lab 0.5

• Modem: Arris SB6141 with 35Mb down 5Mb up
  
• Firewall/Router: Untangle installed on Zotac 323Nano with USB 3.0 to NIC added for WAN - 8GB RAM and 120GB SSD system drive
  
• Core Switch: Cisco 3750G 24port switch
  
• ESXi host 1: HP Proliant DL380 G6 Dual Quad core with 40GB RAM and 8x73GB RAID 5
  
• ESXi host 2: HP Proliant DL380 G6 Dual Quad core with 40GB RAM and 8x73GB RAID 5
  
• CentOS07-1: Whitebox embedded AMD Quad core with 4GB RAM and 60GB SSD
  
• CentOS07-2: Whitebox socketed AMD Tri core with 4GB RAM and 60GB SSD
  
• FreeNAS: Whitebox socketed Intel Dual core (HT) with 10GB RAM and 12 x 1 TB RAID Z2 + 3x120GB SSD cache
  
• Pi2: Raspberry PI2 running raspbian
  
• UPS: APC Smart-UPS 2200
  
  Others
  
  
• Home office AP/Switch: TP-Link WR 1043ND flashed with DD-WRT
  
• Office VPN: Arubba RAP-3WNP
  
• VOIP: OBi202 with Google Voice
  
• Gaming Rig: AMD FX-8350 with 16GB RAM and 2 x 500GB Samsung Evos with a dinky XFX R7-260X
  
  Planned purchases
  
  
• Third ESXi host, similar hardware, and hope to get a VMUG membership
  
• 2nd Cisco switch so I can do A side B Side (or 2 switches of something with easy GUI setup since I lack Cisco IOS knowledge)
  
• A rack that is better than a cheap shelf (and maybe some PDUs)
  
• 10Gb cards for FreeNAS and ESXi hosts (maybe white box servers)
  
• Maybe a 10Gb switch so I don't have to mesh the servers
  
• Pretty network cables
  
• UniFi AC Pro AP , for sure one, but may add a 2nd if it doesn't cover the whole house (2 stories plus basement)
  
• A real router like an EdgeRouter
  
  Plans for lab
  
  
• Play with various flavors of linux and linux services (like understanding LAMP stack)
  
• Host a blog to record my derps of learning linux (Hence the name)
  
• Stand up a windows domain with AD (possible MS certs, but not my focus)
  
• Figure out how to integrate linux with Win AD
  
• Host a generic webserver with the blog, just for experience sake
  
• Learn ESXi beyond my basic understanding
  
• Maybe Cisco CCNA, but its not my priority
  
• Kali/Hacking/Security Lab (this is my priority since I want to get my CISSP)
  
• Learn mysql or just SQL in general (I have just enough understanding to be dangerous at work)
  
• Learn how to use the Pi2 to automate backups or reboots, or controlled shutdowns when the UPS gets low (30 min run time currently)
  
• Stand up pfSense somewhere on the lab network to learn (I tried sophos UTM and didnt like it). I have untangle paid for a year since its GUI makes setup a piece of cake. That should give me time to figure out pfSense and see if I like it better.
  

You want to get a processor that supports aes-ni. That will allow SSL acceleration (opnvpn) and is also being required as of pfSense 2.5 and up.

I would choose this machine and purchase an unmanaged switch for your devices.

Hope that helps!

2nd edit; I was am an idiot... OK, Here you go. Under budget and should do what you need....

You can use this Zotac Barebones PC w/ the Celeron N3150 processor that supports AES-NI. Add some RAM and a SSD. Finally a Managed 8 Port Switch.

1st edit; Did not realize that I linked a celeron ( thanks u/suziesamantha ) as I thought it was a j1900 processor and then realized that the bay trail's also don't have aes-ni support. Sorry for the wrong information. The router I built is based on the Atom Rangley chip. You can use this link to help find aes-ni support.

Wow I'd really appreciate that! Here's the amazon link for the desktop. I'm glad you found the video useful. Please let me know what you find out. Thanks.

That CPU doesn't look very good honestly, even a new cheap dual-core Intel Pentium seems to be around 25% better http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Pentium-G4560-vs-AMD-FX-6300/3892vs1555

The 1050 Ti is quite similar to the GTX 960, maybe even a bit slower. But it has 4GB VRAM which isn't bad but there's also a 4GB version of the 960. I believe 1050 Ti is a bit cheaper than 960 though.

I think this one (found in similar items) would offer a thousand times more value for money and it's only a bit more expensive. The i5-7400 is much better than the FX-6300 and RX 480 4GB is pretty much equivalent to the GTX 1060 3GB.

edit: In other words the last one has much better GPU than the 960 or 1050 Ti and the CPU looks pretty decent too (although not as good as my i5-6600) and it's quite new (seems to be 2017).

Well, if you're going to get that style of prebuilt, I'd recommend this instead.

That said, there are some caveats with buying a prebuilt that you might want to think about before jumping in.

First, they don't specify details on parts. This may not matter much for the GPU (a GTX 1070 is a 1070 even if it's not the absolute best model), but when it comes to the PSU, it's more risk involved (big difference between 600 watt no-name that could blow up and take the rest of the parts with it and a 600 watt established brand known for quality).

Prebuilts also tend to cheap out on certain parts. The PSU is the big one, but many will also throw in any old motherboard that's compatible. Might not be an issue right away, but could cause trouble if you plan to overclock and the mobo doesn't support it or you try to add some extras later only to find the mobo can't handle them.

Finally, depending on where you get the prebuilt and who the manufacturer is, if you ever need support, you could have a rough time. Cyberpower and ibuypower tend to be cheap-ish (with sales, they can match building yourself), but reports of their support quality are mixed.

All of that said, if you decide to go with a prebuilt, this is the time of year to do it thanks to sales. Both what you linked and what I linked could be built for slightly cheaper (maybe $100-200, depending on the part models you pick), but not by much which is a pretty significant improvement over the usual $300+ mark-up prebuilts usually have.

You have an FX 4300 which would be overclockable with an aftermarket motherboard, but not with an OEM motherboard.

The cheap fix is to buy a new video card if you don't already have an Nvidia GTX 1050 or better. It won't operate nearly as well as it would with a more modern machine, but it'll be faster than the GT 1030 or RX 560 you likely already have and can be moved to a newer machine if you decide to do that.

An entirely new gaming computer would be best for gaming but the more expensive option.

This.

This.

If you're willing to spend $50 more, this is a good option.

This will give you similar performance, but has 8gb ram (will still be enough for gaming) and lacks an SSD (which is very nice to have)

This is also a solid machine for 1080p gaming.

​

the 1st and 3rd prebuilt are the best value.

Appreciate the head's up! Honestly I don't know enough about computers to feel super comfortable purchasing something second hand. How does that compare to this deal on Amazon?

Tilt Brush isn't especially demanding so any min-spec VR system (AMD FX and RX470 is IMO may actually be pushing the bottom end there, but I'd guess would be fine if it's just for Tilt Brush) but you'll also need to add $200 for Touch Controllers. I'll also add that (having both a Vive and Rift) that the Vive is still better for room-scale setups (better 360 tracking w/ Lighthouse, longer cable for moving around) and in the summer, will allow a $250 wireless upgrade path, although to balance that off the Rift has Quill and Medium as platform exclusives (if we're talking about art tools).

If you go w/ the Rift, then I think that system is about the cheapest you could expect to go w/o scrounging together parts. (Total cost $1200 w/ the Touch controllers.)

If you decided to go w/ a Vive, this is a better specced system for about $520 as a refurb (so $1300 w/ a new Vive): https://www.amazon.com/CYBERPOWERPC-Xtreme-GXiVR8020A-Gaming-Desktop/dp/B01HNBLHAA/

If you're really budget constrained, I'm sure you can find a VR headset on the cheap from someone who bought one but doesn't really use it (I see the average completed price listings for used Vives at $500-600 for example, a few hundred dollars cheaper than new). You should be able to buy a relatively modern CPU system (like an i5-3xxx or newer) for pretty cheap and add a VR capable GPU either an RX 480, or GTX 1060 for about $200.

None sorry. Compare the specs for those games and it might give you a better idea.

This is the PC I bought a few months back.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B6H4GNY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4g7SBbBWMN30Y
All I upgraded was ram (for non-gaming stuff), added SSD (huge improvement, totally worth money) and new PSU (cheap off-brand one it came with made me nervous).
You could read through reviews on that PC to get a ball park idea of what your build would be like.

Best of luck!

I don't know what followliker does, but if it's a program, you might have trouble running it on a NAS but I might be wrong.
If you're ok with a refurbished PC, an i5 desktop with windows 10 license can be had for ~$220 on amazon. It should be plenty powerful enough to run Plex, serve files, run backups, Xbox media center, some light gaming, social media automation software, etc.
Couple it with a wireless touchpad/keyboard + a DisplayPort to HDMI cable, the PC can be hooked up directly to your PC and serve as a home-media PC, so plex would only be used for streaming to your mac or portable devices.
Sharing a folder on the PC and accessing it with mac over home network is trivial. PC only has about 500GB though, and external USB HD would be required to expand capacity. (The refurb PC is a small form factor, and probably won't have extra drive bays for storage) And it uses more power than a NAS. 24/7 use might also be an issue, but for that, NAS or server would be required.
I have an i7 workstation tower I run like that - it's not constantly used, but it's almost always on. Been running fine for years - I would just make sure it's not inside a cabinet for ventilation. The whole set up can be had for less than ~$300 (without the USB HDs)
A good backup system always includes off-site (ie cloud backup) anyway. I would suggest looking into Amazon Cloud Drive for that.

It's probably the worst time to build a PC at the moment. Graphic card prices are really high due to cryptocurrency mining. RAM prices are also really high due to DDR4 memory being used in newer phones and possible competitor price fixing.

I built my PC in late 2016. I bought my 1060 6GB GPU on Amazon for $250. It now retails for $400-500. I bought 16 GB DDR4 RAM for $75 on NewEgg. It's now $150. I was able to build my PC for around $800, but with the increase in prices nowadays it would easily go over $1,000.

Graphic card price trends for a few cards for example.

At the moment it's cheaper to buy a prebuilt. You can find some decent hardware for a good price if you can't find any good deals on GPUs or RAM. Something like this would be good. You could also check used hardware at /r/hardwareswap for lower prices.

Otherwise you could wait it out until the prices drop back to normal levels.

If you can in the future though, look into getting a 144hz monitor. If your graphics card is powerful enough to reach those high frames, the monitor will refresh twice as much compared to a 60hz monitor. It makes the game feel super smooth when you're playing.

Intel celeron nuc: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVKLSVC/

Ram (4gb): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CQ35GYE/

Disk: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C9TECFO/

Sidecar: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ELQZD10/

Cost of RAM + Disk: $83.99, leaving $216. If we use the Celeron NUC, we have $81 left, enough for a small SSD or Wifi. Bump the cost up to $350 and we have enough for an i3 + wifi when we use the i3 NUC ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HOJAVDG/ ).

The SSD can easily hold an OS if you're using it purely for the OS, but there's some Intel trickery you can use to make it into a cache, or just use it as a storage disk for "Things that are small". Like uh, Business Documents. Plus, it's upgradable to anyone with a screwdriver and a copy of the manual. Plus, the NUCs make the little intel Ding-Da-dun-da-ding sound whenever you open the packaging.

Oh, and 1080p up to 4k. A friend of mine uses a NUC to run his dual 4k coding setup. Oh, and play quake in glorious 4k 120fps.