How To: Build An Entry Level Gaming PC for Under $600 | 2D-X

There are many misconceptions that have kept many gamers from venturing into the amazing and liberating world of PC gaming. I?ve heard them all, from the very common ?it?s too expensive,? to the more understandable ?it?s complicated to start.? Well, we?re here to dispel the?misleading thoughts and guide you in building a very reliable and inexpensive gaming PC.

Hopefully, you?ve become familiar with our PC terminologies. If not, I suggest that you do so. Don?t let the terminology discourage you; anyone can build a PC that caters to their needs. It simply takes time and dedication.

Before moving on you?ll need to think about an operating system. There are a few options to choose from, but with this budget build you should either go with Windows 7 Professional or Linux Ubuntu. I don?t recommend Windows 8 because of the fact that we?ll be using a dual-core processor and Windows 8 is?optimized?for newer quad-core processors.

If you choose to go with Windows 7 you?ll have to add $139.99 to the final build price, but it?s easy to set up and you?ll have the largest library of games at your disposal. Most developers tend to develop mainly for Windows so you won?t have to worry about purchasing an incompatible game. It?s also easy to maintain since performing updates is as simple as clicking through menus.

But if you choose to go the Linux Ubuntu route, you?ll be happy to know that it?s free, but there is a downside: Ease of set up. If you?re unfamiliar with Linux you?ll have to spend some time searching forums and learning how everything works. The benefit, though, is that you?ll know exactly how your computer works. Linux doesn?t have a large a PC gaming library as Windows, but Valve if looking to change that with its Steam for Linux initiative.

You also have to keep in mind that this is an entry-level build, so don?t expect to jump in and play Far Cry 3 or Skyrim with the graphics set to Ultra. Instead, expect to run games at just above console quality.

This raises a question: Why should you build a budget gaming PC when you can just play the games on relatively dirt-cheap consoles? PC games tend to be a bit cheaper than their console equivalents, you won?t have to pay for online gaming services like Xbox Live, and you can upgrade your PC at a future time should you want greater fidelity. Plus, you?ll have access to Steam?s amazing library and sales ? sales that see new releases cut by 50-75%.

You?ve come here for a reason, so I doubt you?ll need further convincing. Let?s jump into it.

(?Editor?s Note: Some of the prices may have changed from the time of writing. They have either gone down in price or increased slightly.)

CPU:?Intel Pentium G860 3-GHz LGA1155 65w Dual-Core (Sandy Bridge) ? ?$74.99
The industry standard is moving toward quad-core computing, but this 3-GHz dual-core CPU should run Windows 7 without any hiccups. For cooling, you?ll use the heatsink provided with the CPU ?and not a fancy one as you won?t be overclocking.

MotherBoard:?Gigabyte X77 ? DS3H (Intel) ? $115 ($99.99 after rebate)
This mobo is a steal at this price. It has 12 USB ports (two of which are USB 3.0), PCI Express 2.0, support for 32GB of 64-bit DDR3 RAM, and a 1600-MHz with a maximum clock speed. It also has VGA, DVI, and HDMI ports that will let you hook up your new gaming PC to a monitor. The board is upgradeable, too. It supports second generation Intel i3, i5, and i7 quad-core processors.

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GPU:?ASUS AMD Radeon HD 7750 1GB DDR5 PCI-Express 3.0 CrossfireX ready?- $114.99 ($104.99 after rebate)
This is an amazing graphics card that will let you enjoy most current games at mid- to high-settings. It?s CrossfireX-ready (the X denotes that it works with four GPUs). With the Crossfire capable motherboard and this card you?ll be able to use two GPUs if choose to purchase a second one down the line, ensuring that you can play even the most graphically intense games. The card has three ports (Dual-link DVI, Displayport, HDMI port) to which you can connect a display.

RAM:?Hyper X Red 8 GB DDR3-1600 Two 4GB module - $39.99
This is a decent amount of memory for a starter machine at a really good price. You?re only using two of the motherboard?s four RAM slots, so you can add another 4GB at a later time. For now, 8GB (with a 1600-MHz clock speed) should do the trick.

Hard Drive:?WD Blue WD5000AAKX 500GB Desktop Hard Drive ? 3.5?, SATA, 7200RPM, 16MB Cache?- $59.99
This Western Digital drive is decent what puts it over is its warranty and price. It?s a standard desktop hard drive with 500 GB and great speed. Western Digital drives, for the most part, are reliable.

Display:?ViewSonic VA1912A-LED 19-Inch LED-Lit Monitor?- $89.99
This is an amazingly affordable, reliable, and vibrant LED monitor. It?s certainly not the best on the market, but it has a VGA connector and maximum resolution of 1366?768 that?s reasonable?for its size and price.

Keyboard and Mouse:?Logitech? MK120 Wired Classic Keyboard/Mouse Combo ? $14.50
I recommend this wired setup to cut the cost of batteries and to reduce latency while gaming. It?s an affordable,but quality combo.

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Case:?Cooler Master Elite 430 ? Mid Tower Computer Case - $39.99
This isn?t the most?glamorous case, but it gets the job done. It supports larger graphics cards, and has eight drive bays (three 5.25-inch drive bays and five 3.5-inch drive bays). There?s an I/o panel with two USB ports, one mic, and one audio jack. Fun fact: I used this case for few months.

Power Supply:?Ultra LSP 550-watt power supply ? ATX SATA-ready with lifetime?warranty?- $43.99
Again, this isn?t the greatest component, but it?s serviceable and comes with a lifetime warranty. The Ultra LSP 550-watt is SATA-ready, and has a 135mm fan and short-circuit protection.

The grand total, if you haven?t done the math, comes out to ?about $568.42 before taxes or shipping.

Assembly is pretty straight forward: Each part above comes with an instruction manual indicating how each part connects to another. If you?re worried about doing something wrong we won?t leave you hanging. An upcoming How To will tackle assembly very soon. Once the PC is assembled, you?ll have yourself not only a gaming PC, but a home computer that?s easily upgradeable.

So, there you have it, folks. Building your own gaming PC isn?t ?as expensive as some have made it out to seem. We?ll also put together guides on building a mid-level system and a top of the line system in the coming weeks.

Eric Guzman (146 Posts)

Staff Editor Eric Guzman will play any game at least once. Any game. That even means Detective Barbie, although he prefers to flex his video game muscles with fighting games such as Street Fighter IV and Marvel vs. Capcom 3. When he isn?t in the digital dojo, he loves watching films or reading comics.

Source: http://www.2d-x.com/how-to-build-an-entry-level-gaming-pc-for-under-600/

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