Budget Build - Steam box

SheriffHD

SheriffHD

SheriffHD

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Joined
14 Feb 2013
Posts
24
Location
Kent, UK
Ok, well after an argument with a friend, who said that a game pc is too expensive, and more hastle than a console and that he doesnt like gaming with a keyboard and mouse, although I agree than a console is less hastle, so long as it doesnt RROD/YLOD then yeah no hastle, but I had to inform him that being a PC you can pretty much use anything you want as a controller.

Any way, after all this, I said I would build a computer capable of running games at equal graphics as that of a console.

and so I built this rig.

End specs. (including indervidual cost)
MSI H61 G3 motherboard. - £28
G540 2.5Ghz Dual core CPU - £32
Nvidia GTX 550Ti - £70
CIT 500w PSU - £10
PNY 8GB 1333Mhz DDR3 Ram (2x 4Gb)- £40
CIT Imp Case. £15
Western Digital 300gb HDD (spare, I have about 10 of these things)
DVD drive - £8

with the case I had to cut some additional holes in the case for cable management, luckily the CPU cut out was large enough to extend past the mobo which was nice, but I had to cut additional holes at the top of the case and at the bottom.

this is what I have assembled so far. just to check that the holes and cables reach are in the correct place.
IMG_0224_zpsce1a74cb.jpg


the CPU and an external CD drive will arive next wednesday, and the gpu is in parts atm as I am removing the damn stickers of the shell. (I hate colorful stickers)

But in all, Im sure you can all agree, £200 mark for a computer capable of gaming to a good standard isnt half bad.

for the most part, the majority of these components were brought in store (which is something i always rather do than via websites) only the CPU and DVD drive were brought online.

Any way, tell me what you guys think of this build.

Once it is all finished, I'll be sure to post Cinibench tests.
 
How long do you want this to last? :P
Any problem with that power supply it will probably explode and take all those components with it!
I'd return that PSU and get something like a corsair builder series for £40 if i was you, and i;m sure everyone else would say the same thing.

I was in the same position myself quite a few years ago, and tried to get the cost of the system i got down by getting a cheap tacky generic psu and it blew taking my motherboard with it, again after a replacement it blew as well, so i got a new corsair tx750w with a HD6950 to replace the GPU. The same thing happened to two of my mates who also got tacky PSU's so take this as a friendly warning ;)
 
T345 said:
Pretty much anything beats a xbox original now :D
Click to expand...

haha you try telling the die hard console fanboys that.

my brother used to play xbox and was happy with it, he used to play a few online games on our old pc and once that broke I built him a budget pc.

G620
8gb patriot ram
7750 1gb

He was amazed at how much better it was. it plays skyrim happily at 60fps with all the settings on max with a small overclock.

only cost him £300 total.

anyone who says the xbox is better than a pc is just stupid. it may be cheaper but thats because its massively out of date. I could probably put a pc together to match the xbox in terms of spec for less than the xbox costs now. could probably buy a budget pc of ebay and stick a cheap gpu in and be on a winner.
 
You'd be surprised how good these little CIT PSUs are, not the most ideal, but ive had em before in budget builds and they held up well in low end builds.

Although I will at a later date get a CX500M
 
Guess I have the luck of the Irish on my side then :cool:

although I aim to replace the case and PSU at a later date, although doing so would put the cost up and not help my cause of proving my friend wrong.

although for a replacement case, I really do like the look of the Arc Mini. shame the price of it though. seems like a waste to put £60 into a case I'll shelf.
 
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