Need Assistance with: budget gaming PC + Case Help

[HeadFonez]

This is going to be used for gaming, such as MMOs like WoW (Like! I don't play but this is an example ), FPS like Modern Warfare 2, Borderlands, CS:S, and for Video Editing or Video Watching (Movies?), My Dream for this PC is to make it able to run Crysis around medium (I researched that Crysis has one of the best graphics in gaming ) Also, I am building this due to the fact that my brother has the family Xbox in his room and doesn't allow me to play it, and it seems really fun to do with my friend.

My Budget is around 450$-500$ (PC, Not Including Monitor, Keyboard, or Speakers I plan on using the Dell Default ones I am on now and not including OS).

I am in Northern New Jersey, Bergen County If you must

I can buy online but really prefer not to if I am capable of getting the other parts faster. The only thing I expect to buy online would be the case, which I can buy 1st.

I have a Dell Vostro 200 Slim, My Friend tells me that it is not very good and is amazed that I can run a game like Maplestory or Team Fortress 2, so no, BUT I will scrap the 2 1GB Ram I put in before, maybe give to my brother for his PC or sell.

Do you need other peripherals like a monitor, keyboard and mouse, among others? Nope

Have you already bought any parts? No D:

Do you have an Operating System (OS)? Windows 7 probably 64-bit *NOTE: Not including in my Parts Cost)

Will you need any aftermarket cooling, such as a CPU\GPU cooler or a watercooling setup? I don't know I am really a beginner so I would need some help

I have another friend who lives in Texas and he helped me pick out parts, due to he is around 18 or so he doesn't always have the time to help me.

Here is my Parts List, Care To Help by suggesting a better part or telling if they are compatible. *NOTE: My Father works at http://microcenter.com/index.html and I can get a little discount if I get parts there*

Parts:

Processor: Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition (3.2 GHZ: http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0327512)

Motherboard: GA-MA78LM-S2H Socket AM3 760G mATX (http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0326255)

RAM: Vista Performance 4GB (http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0264254)

Graphics Card: GeForce 9800 GT 1024MB GDDR3 (http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0316772)

Power Supply: CORSAIR 400CX 400W (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...n&AID=10446076&PID=3675192&SID=skim951X490024)

Optical Drive: A Samsung Optical Drive (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0293049)

Hard Drive: 500GB Deskstar 3.5" SATA 7,200RPM (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0315532)

If you could reccomend a better Optical Drive that would be fantastic!

Also I need help for a case, I love LEDs and would like a flashy case that would also have a high Airflow and could be kept cool

If this is in the wrong place, I apologize I am new.

 

[dustin_ds3000]

you are missing a video card, without that you wont be going any game other that maybe css

 

[HeadFonez]

Woops! Sorry, I edited it in :3, My friend said that Graphics card can play Crysis at Medium

 

[dustin_ds3000]

the PSU looks to be a bit on the cheap side and cheap PSU's kill computers

 

[HeadFonez]

Would this PSU be a good Sub?: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817162023

 

[dustin_ds3000]

CORSAIR 400CX 400W this psu will work good for you. around $50 is the bear min of what you need to spend on a PSU

or this OCZ Technology StealthXStream 500 Watt

 

[HeadFonez]

The Graphic Card requires 400W and the Processor requires 80W, does it all add up or what? If I need atleast 480W then I would go above an beyond and get a 550 so I am not so close to the required.

 

[dustin_ds3000]

the video card doesn't requires 400W by its self, that's the whole computer

 

[red1776]

take Dustin's advice. here is a good indicators of how bad that PSU you picked is. the Broadway is (ahem) 600w with 29A on the 12v rail(s). the Corsair 400w has 30A on the 12v rail(s) not to mention the build quality. beware of 600w for $29

 

[HeadFonez]

Ohhhh, My friend never explained!, So How Can I check if everything will fit and what kind of case I should get?

 

[red1776]

take Dustin's advice. here is a good indicators of how bad that PSU you picked is. the Broadway is (ahem) 600w with 29A on the 12v rail(s). the Corsair 400w has 30A on the 12v rail(s) not to mention the build quality. beware of 600w for $29
and the GPU does not require 400W, that's the total system draw. The 9800 GT requires 130W and 11A at peak.

 

[HeadFonez]

I guess the 400W one would be perfect for me!

 

[dustin_ds3000]

if you going to buy the stuff from microcenter store and not online you will need to ask them to upgrade your BIOS on your Motherboard because if you don't you cpu wont work in that motherboard. besides that how much do you wanna spend on the case

 

[HeadFonez]

50-60$, would there be any way I could upgrade the BIOS manually? I have another friend (the one in my town and my age) who is a techie and is going to help me build this. Does it usually cost more ?

 

[dustin_ds3000]

To upgrade the BIOS you might need a cpu that is fully supported on your motherboard. the motherboard isnt that new so it might come with the newest BIOS. just be ready when you get all the parts this might be a problem you run into. now for the case you can get this NZXT M59 Classic $59.99

 

[HeadFonez]

About the USB Ports, is that the # of USB ports total or just on the front? If total, should I invest in a new case or just get a USB Hub. Will this be able to play most games?

After that, I really just need to know how to check if all fits or not and If you could rate the system out of ten like 1/10 if it is a bad gaming PC or 10/10 if it is the best gaming PC. Thank you for cooperation, dustin and red.

 

[dustin_ds3000]

yes thats the number of USB ports on the front of the case. But you will have more on the back where your motherboard IO is. Everything will fit just fine, as to how good it will be. i say 10/10 for the money your spending.

 

[red1776]

what resolution do you,or want to game at? that makes a huge difference in what settingsand frame rates you will be able to play at.

 

[HeadFonez]

Thank You Dustin and Red again for all the help!

 

[HeadFonez]

Oh red sorry for not responding, I am new at PCs, and have a lot to learn, I am getting books and already have a PC World Guide, once I build the PC i feel I will know a lot more. If you could reccomend, then that would be great I have default Dell 17.5 inches by 11.5 inches monitor.

 

[red1776]

sounds like a 20" monitor so your native resolution is 1600 x 900??
that system will do well on most games on high settings, the exception being the likes of Crysis,Stalker, etc.

 

[HeadFonez]

1440 x 900 I just found a checker online, :3 Might buy a new monitor or get one from a friend.

 

[Ritwik7]

These are the components I suggest:

AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition - $95.99
ASRock M3A770DE AM3 AMD 770 ATX - $59.99
VisionTek Radeon HD 5750 1GB - $149.99
BFG Tech GS-550 550W PSU - $49.99
Patriot Gaming Series 2 x 2GB DDR3 1333- $96.99
Antec Three Hundred Illusion - $69.99
Sony Optiarc AD-7241S-0B - $29.99
Seagate Barracuda 500GB - $54.99

Total - $607.92

The above would be a very decent system to play games on. However, since it exceeds your budget slightly, you could look into getting the Radeon HD 4770 or HD 4850 GPU. They should be considerably cheaper.

 

[HeadFonez]

When you calculate my total with parts, it comes around 500. That is the price I am looking for, but If I find most of my parts at microcenter, my father's discounts can make the computer system cost around 150$ less then what I have to pay for total parts. the discount makes the PC a steal and that is why i want to buy from there, i might switch up some parts, but thanks for the help.

Anyway, why do you suggest the 550 over the 555? 555 is a newer processor and is faster.

 

[Ritwik7]

I presume that the difference between the Phenom II X2 550 and 555 is very little (0.1 GHz). You can easily OC your 550 to about 3.9GHz. However, if there's no significant price difference, get the X2 555.