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MURRRAAAAY's avatar
MURRRAAAAY3/19/2024

Ok here is what I would recommend for a FIRST TIME PC builder who wants to get some good gaming on the go with their shiny new PC! Total spend £997.27

I have made it here on PC part Picker so the pricing is legit (not hypothetical) and for a first system this would be a pretty impressive one performance wise and looks wise!

The CPU is a solid AMD Ryzen 5 5600x which is more than enough for current day mid tier gaming, also by selecting AMD's previous socket you save some cash! (AM4 for the budget win but for future proofing you may want to look at AM5) !

For the GPU the other main part of a gaming rid we have went for the more than capable 4060 TI (16gb variant so there is a decent amount of VRAM to play with over the 8gb cheaper variant) !

To store all your glorious games we have went for a 1tb NVME SSD from Adata, i can vouch for this one as its in the machine im currently typing this up on lol

Then we have fired in some 3200 mhz RAM from Corsair which also has some RGB on it as that is ESSENTIAL for any first time gaming rid, like seriously has anyone ever build a gaming rid and had NO RGB on it? lol

Then to package all this gaming awesomeness up and so you can flex on your buddies we have it sitting nicely inside this White gaming tower which ahs RBG fans from ANtec!

And to run it all we have included a licence for Windows 11 Home (You could probably save some coins here by trying to buy a key from somewhere online but as this is a first time builder guide id say just go the simple route as if this is new to you it can be very daunting!)

Also the boring stuff is ticket off with a safe and effective PSU to power your rig from Corsair and a nice quiet cooler from Be Quiet funnily enough!

Now download steam and dive into that Spring sale that is on right now and get some games to test out your beautiful new gaming machine! Enjoy! :)

PS Also I could have done this again to include peripherals but they were not mentioned in the bounty so i assume they have a monitor and keyboard / mouse lying around!

L
Laser-Bicep3/19/2024

So, you're thinking about getting into PC gaming without maxing out your credit card – smart move! Building your own rig can be a bit of a challenge and for some people, all the build can be overwhelming.

There's a solution that might just make your life a whole lot easier. Ever heard of Palicomp? They're a company that'll let you pick out all the parts for your PC. The cool part? They'll put it all together for you at no extra cost.

What are the steps.

Step 1: Budgeting

Let's start by setting a budget – keep it under £1000 to keep things wallet-friendly.

Step 2: Handpicking Your Parts

Head over to Palicomp's site (or any another similar retailer, really) and start browsing for parts. Graphics card, CPU, RAM – the whole shebang. Choose what fits your budget and needs.

Step 3: Choose Wisely

For gaming, prioritize a decent graphics card and CPU. Aim for something mid-range to get the best bang for your buck.

Step 4: Tackling the Assembly

Now, if you're feeling brave, you can tackle the assembly yourself. Just be prepared for a bit of trial and error. Or, if you'd rather leave it to the experts, companies like Palicomp are there to lend a hand.

Step 5: Powering Up and Gaming Away

Once your rig's all set up, it's time to dive into the world of PC gaming. Install your favourite games, crank up the settings, and enjoy.

So there you have it – a suggestion on how to build a gaming PC without breaking the bank. Whether you tackle it yourself or enlist a bit of help, just remember: the end result is totally worth it. Happy gaming!

Sturmer's avatar
Sturmer3/17/2024

$4

There is a lot of assumptions in this bounty. 'Very first gaming PC' - could mean the person doesn’t own anything in that regard, so you need to plan for peripherals like a mouse, headphones or speakers, a monitor, a keyboard, and maybe a mic. Most likely, you'd also need a table and chair, as they play a crucial role in the user’s health, and this is not the place where you can take shortcuts. That can eat at least $400 from the budget, meaning we’ve got around $600 for the 'box' and everything inside it. Another major factor is the availability of stores and discounts/promos; for instance, in the US you can build about 20-35% cheaper than in the EU most of the time. So, I’ll focus more on methodology, which can be used when you are building a PC. There are components where you can go cheap, and some are deterministic, dictating the grade of the whole build. With a $1000 budget, we are looking at 1080p gaming. Now, let's take a deeper look:

  1. GPU: This is the number one priority for any gaming build. I personally try to set a goal of 36-40% of the budget exclusively just for this component. We’re down to a single choice here: the 4060ti, and I highly recommend going for the 16GB version as new gaming tech trends are shifting towards utilizing GPU memory (Interleaved VRAM). That extra $50 is a good future-proof investment. Also, go for a 2-fans version; there’s no need for more cooling at this power level.

  2. CPU: In this rig segment, I recommend going up to an i5 level (or Ryzen equivalent). If you go lower, you might bottleneck your GPU or other components. Going higher won’t justify the price increase; again, we need to stay balanced and on the same level as other components, specifically the GPU. Also, ~$1000 rigs are not for overclocking, so there's no need to pay extra.

  3. Motherboard: Again, since there's no overclocking, you don’t really care about VRM and power sockets. An i5 will be fine on a 4+4 power setup. I also do not recommend paying for extra features like built-in WiFi or premium sound. In both cases, you can buy additional PCIe devices for about the same price, but since they are discrete, their performance will be better. It is also protection from faults (if the WiFi module fails, you don’t have to trash the whole mobo since it's soldered to the board).

  4. PSU: My personal recommendation is always to take an 80+ GOLD for efficiency and overall lower electricity bills. Always choose reputable brands (my favorite is Seasonic with a 10-12 years warranty, sadly I’m lacking $20 in the budget this time, and I selected EVGA). There’s no need to pay extra for modular cables, especially if your case has a shroud for the PSU where you can hide them.

  5. RAM: Go for DDR5; it’s a future investment. As for clocks and timings... well, don’t worry about it if you’re tight on budget. Again, try to snap up something from a good brand like G.Skill, Corsair, etc., and prioritize that over fancy LEDs (which might build extra heat, by the way).

  6. Storage: My personal recommendation is to aim for an NVME with Gen4x4. Again, a reputable brand is a good approach: Samsung, WD, and Crucial are my usual recommendations. Double check that your mobo provides a full Gen4 slot with 4 PCIe lines which are not shared with anything else!

  7. Case: On a tight budget, I’d say don’t bother with fancy stuff; just make sure the internal dimensions are ready to accept your GPU and CPU cooling tower. The PSU location should be at the bottom for separate airflow. A shroud is a good way to hide the mess. The back space (behind the mobo) should be at least 2 fingers wide to route all cables.

  8. Cooling: Usually, most PC cases come with 2-3 fans, which are okay for the first time, but my recommendation is to plan for a small upgrade towards Noctua. Their SSO2 bearings and other tech are just insane! They are silent, they do great pressure, squeezing air through any filter or radiator with no problem, and they last for decades. This is the Rolls-Royce in the fans world, and this component usually survives 3-4 generations of upgrades. Since we’re not overclocking, for the CPU you can get any 2-3 heatpipes 150W+ TDP tower; again, as fans start rattling, just buy any generic Noctua fan.

  9. For the paste, I recommend Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut; if not available, the next best option is ARCTIC MX-4. Use it over OEM paste and you will reduce temperature by a couple of degrees. If warranty allows, slap that paste on GPU too.

Now, considering all the above, I combined a shopping list on Newegg.com with a total budget of $999.86, including delivery. By the way, I recommend this site even if you are in another country; the ratings and customer reviews provide a lot of information about any component, so you can use it as a knowledge base.

Total $999.86, including 5.95 Shipping

FluXHound's avatar
FluXHound3/13/2024

HMmm

Ryzen series 5600 ( £120/140)

Msi/gigabyte b550 elite board (£100-120)

16 gb ddr4 corsair vengeance (£40)

Nice and practical case (£40/50)

Corsair 750w PSU (£65-75)

Nmve 1tb (£50/60)

Gefore 4060 (300-350)

Should cover it

avrona's avatar
avrona3/13/2024

$4

For a $1000 budget, your price-breakdown should be something like this

  • CPU and motherboard: Roughly $300-350 in total. Aim for a B-series motherboard and a 3 or 5 tier CPU. If you can get a used combo for cheap, even better.

  • Cooler: For a lower-TDP CPU at this price range, a good $30-50 cooler is enough.

  • Graphics card: Roughly $350-400 in total. Again, if you can go used, you can get a lot more value at this price-point.

  • RAM: 16GB minimum, go DDR4 to make it even cheaper, but make sure you have a DDR4 platform. However even 16GB of DDR5 can be had for around $70 nowadays, and then you can carry it forward to future builds.

  • Storage: 2TB gen 4 SSDs can be had for as little as $120 now, and that's about the minimum amount of storage I'd recommend. If you have any existing hard drives or SSDs from an existing build, carry them over.

  • PSU: 650W minimum from a reputable brand, can be gotten for as little as $60.

  • Case: Up to personal preference, can be had for as little as $50.

  • Extra fans: as we already reached that $1000 point, extra fans are a luxury on top of that, as some basic fans usually come with the case, so you can replace those as you have the money down the line.