The budget PC

The budget PC

If you're motivated, you shouldn't let the word "budget" spoil your experience. Even a modest parts list will allow you to play the newest games with only a slightly diminished experience. Meanwhile you can feast on PC gaming's deep back catalog. Expect to spend around $700 to $750 just for the computer and operating system.

Bear in mind though that buying a computer in the budget tier says you're invested in the platform for the long haul. You'll be buying upgrades in the $200 range every two to three years to stay current.

Shopping with a boutique PC builder means you'll get a box in the mail that's ready to go. You'll also get a single number to call if something goes wrong, a real benefit that you're paying a hefty premium for. Think of tech support like a tutor, and get your money's worth.

If you're partial to Intel chipsets, Alienware's X51 series series is a good starting point. Those with a penchant for AMD should look at iBuyPower.

The fact is though that if you're willing to put in the effort you can get a lot more computer for your money if you build it yourself. The faster processor and graphics card you earn by not paying for premium technical support will save you money down the line.

When planning, you shouldn't be too eager to spend your money all at once. For best results create a parts list and then watch the prices on various components for a month or two. Catching a sale can save tons of money, so you should be ready to pull the trigger on a few hundred dollars worth of gear at all times. In two or three months you'll have everything you need to get up and running, and will have spent less overall.

There's likewise no shame in harvesting parts, gleaning an optical drive or a hard drive from an older computer that might be laying around the house (ed note: features editor Russ Pitts shamelessly scavenged an optical drive from an older PC for his "high-end" build.) Another good tactic is asking friends for hand-me-downs. Sometimes a decent bottle of scotch, or even a malbec, goes down better than the hassle of selling things online.

At minimum, budget builders should be buying a quad core processor, something like Intel's i5-3470. The benefit here is that the i5 will be compatible with the same motherboards that run the more powerful i7 and, theoretically at least, whatever comes next.

The goal is to buy one motherboard and use it for at least one more processor over the next four years. Shop for motherboards that are LGA 1155 compatible and have at least four slots for RAM. Something like the ASRock Z75 Pro 3 fits the bill for less than $80.

A good choice for a budget graphics card would be the PNY Nvidia GTX 660. Springing for a model with 2 gigabytes of video RAM or more will allow for one medium-to-high resolution monitor or dual monitors without compromising performance. Budget builders should expect to upgrade their graphics card in at least a year or two, well before they need a new CPU.

So far we're up to around $500 retail, but by waiting and making good purchasing decisions you should be able to get it down to around $450 or less. Add a 500 gigabyte hard drive and 8 gigabytes of compatible RAM (either 2x4 or 4x2, whatever's cheapest) and the total is closing in on $550. A DVD drive should never cost more than $20.

As far as cases go don't be proud. A good budget pick is NewEgg's house brand Rosewill. Anything that holds an ATX-sized motherboard, like the plain-Jane RB519, will allow a little room for growth. This model even comes bundled with a power supply. When picking your own look for models that put out around 500 watts or better.

Windows 7 continues to be the best value for a PC gaming OS. Not enough of the Steam library is Linux compatible. Paying more for a Microsoft operating system up front will allow budget builders access to more games later. Amazon and NewEgg offer good selections and reliable information like part numbers, but by spending time on eBay builders may be able to save some real money on their OS. Don't settle for anything less than the Professional version.

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