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Posts Categorized: Monthly Gaming PC Builds

Gaming PC Builds – May 2013

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Build a PC this May 2013

Gaming PC Builds – May 2013

Choose Your Budget…

Build a PC this May 2013Introduction:

Yep, I have upped the per-usual low budget $500 build to a $600 this May 2013. I have felt that I kept getting pushed higher and higher to keep up with continually increasing prices while still providing a solid quality build – therefore a higher budget build category. This build will be for anyone who is on a tight budget who wants to be assured they are building a high performing gaming build, while keeping up with newer games.

The most exciting build in my opinion though this month is the $1000 build. I decided to  go with all the rage and go with a super sleek compact Mini ITX gaming PC build. I use a BitFenix Prodigy case that comes in several colors and looks very nice. The best part about the build is that not only is it so sexy & compact, it still pumps out the same performance.

Down to the $1500 build you will find a super expandable build. One that not only comes with all of the power you will most likely need for Gaming right now, but room to always keep adding more. The current build comes with an all powerful overclocked version of the Radeon 7970 graphics card, an Intel 3570K to overclock the heck out of, a solid state drive, a total of 16GB of RAM and plenty of space in the full tower Fractal Design Define XL R2 to keep adding hardware as you please.

This is a preview of Gaming PC Builds – May 2013. Read the full post (2178 words, 42 images, estimated 8:43 mins reading time)

Gaming PC Builds of the Month: April 2013

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April 2013 Gaming PC Builds of the Month

April 2013 Gaming PC Builds:

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April 2013 Gaming PC Builds of the MonthIntroduction:

Welcome to this years fourth installment of the 2013 Gaming PC Builds of the Month. April has brought some big hardware changes.

The $500 build has had a major revamp with a swap from the usual Intel i3 3220 processor to an AMD FX 4300 processor. That’s right I have finally included an AMD processor into one of the months builds again. The reason I made this choice was because at this point in time the price of the AMD FX 4300 can match the performance of the Intel i3 3200, especially if you take into consideration its ability to overclock.

The $1000 build is near the same and I have again this month decided to include the all attractive Cooler Master HAF XB case that is nice and compact with a high air flow to keep all of the compact components nice and cool.

The $1500 build this month has been geared for pure performance this month with a Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 OC graphics card, a Corsair 850 Watt AX series PSU and a Samsung 840 PRO (a more efficient & faster SSD). This was all possible with the inclusion of a price dropped NZXT Phantom Full Tower case coming in at only $99.

$500 Gaming PC Build - Newb Computer BuildMonthly Gaming PC Build ( $511 ): April 2013

(Game at Smoothly with Medium – High settings at 1920X1080 resolutions)

Gaming PC Build Recipe:

All hardware is linked to Amazon.com – You Can also try   Amazon.ca (CANADA) • Amazon.co.uk (UK) Newegg.com (US) • Newegg.ca (CANADA)  Scorptec.com.au(AUS)  pccasegear.com (AUS) to shop for these parts.
 
Processor: AMD FX-4300 FX-Series Four-Core Processor Edition, Black AM3 FD4300WMHKBOX
Price: $119.99
Motherboard: ASUS M5A78L-M LX PLUS AM3+ AMD 760G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
Price: $53.18
Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 650 Ti 1024MB GDDR5 128bit, Dual Dual-Link DVI, Mini HDMI, Graphics Card (01G-P4-3650-KR) Graphics Cards 01G-P4-3650-KR
Price: $144.99
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8 GB ( 2 x 4 GB ) DDR3 1600 MHz (PC3 12800) 240-Pin DDR3 Memory Kit for Core i3, i5, i7 and Platforms SDRAM CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9
Price: $47.98
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500 GB SATA III 7200 RPM 16 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive – WD5000AAKX
Price: $59.26
Power Supply: Antec VP-450 450 Watt Energy Star Certified Power Supply Price: $34.50
Computer Case: Apex Computer Technology PC-389-C 10bay ATX Tower No Psu USB / Hd PC389C
Price: $29.99
Optical Drive: Lite-On Super AllWrite 24X SATA DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive – Bulk – IHAS124-04 (Black) Price: $17.99
Estimated Price: $ 507

Overview: $500 Gaming PC Build

There have been some major changes in this months $500 PC build. Generally, I leave the AMD builds up to Obit, our AMD builds article writer, but this month seemed suitable for an AMD change in the lower end $500 budget build. The AMD FX 4300 performs close to the Intel 3220 and especially so considering that it can be overclocked due to an unlocked multiplier. It seems to be getting harder and harder to keep prices around $500 for a good budget PC build and including the AMD FX 4300 processor made this especially possible.

The other major changes for the $500 build include a change in motherboard to support the AMD processor change to an AM3+ ASUS M5A78L-M LX Plus micro ATX motherboard. As well, we have changed the PC case to an affordable Apex Computer Technology case.\

Upgrade suggestions for the $500 Gaming PC Build:

The hardware below are all moderate increases from the hardware listed in the main $500 build and they can all be considered compatible with one another.

If you are ever stumped or have any questions as to the compatibility of any hardware please get in contact with me or leave a comment below and I will try to respond as soon as I can.

Want other suggestions? Then leave a comment and I will try to get back to you as soon as I can

This is a preview of Gaming PC Builds of the Month: April 2013. Read the full post (6371 words, 70 images, estimated 25:29 mins reading time)

Gaming PC Builds of the Month: March 2013

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March 2013 Gaming PC Builds of the Month

March 2013 Gaming PC Builds:

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March 2013 Gaming PC Builds of the MonthIntroduction:

The March 2013 PC Builds are posted, compiled and ready for you to digest. The builds are as solid as usual, but some of you may notice a lack in any huge improvement / and or changes. This is because late February coming into early March PC hardware seems to have take moderate price increases in places. The reason I am not sure of, perhaps supply and demand of some sorts?

Either way, I hate to discredit previous performance for slight price increases, therefore you may notice the $500 build is again slightly higher coming in at a current $534 instead of a flat $500. I could decrease the graphics card for the $500 build to a Radeon HD 5770, however it makes me cringe to take away performance on a future build, therefore a $34 over a $500 build price.

The $1000 build has a swapped brand of the Radeon HD 7950 Boost card for a PowerColor version and the build also has a fancy new Cooler Master Storm Scout 2 Advanced case, an improvement over the previous Storm Scout and furthermore, recent Storm Scout 2.

The $1500 build is pretty similar to last months and still one of the most impressive looking builds yet in my opinion. I have swapped the graphics card to a XFX FX797ATDBC Double D HD 7970 Black Edition giving you plenty of performance and room to play. As well, I have kept the PC Case from last month and this is only because I think the very new Azza Genesis 9000W case deserves much credit for a fantastic pc gaming case.

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$500 Gaming PC Build - Newb Computer BuildMonthly Gaming PC Build ( $513 ): March 2013

(Game at Smoothly with Medium – High settings at 1920X1080 resolutions)

Gaming PC Build Recipe:

All hardware is linked to Amazon.com – You Can also try   Amazon.ca (CANADA) • Amazon.co.uk (UK) Newegg.com (US) • Newegg.ca (CANADA)  Scorptec.com.au(AUS)  pccasegear.com (AUS) to shop for these parts.
 
Processor: Intel Core i3-3220 Dual-Core Processor 3.3 Ghz 3 MB Cache LGA 1155 – BX80637i33220
Price: $123.79
Motherboard: MSI LGA1155/Intel B75/DDR3/SATA3 and USB 3.0/A and GbE/MicroATX Motherboard B75MA-E33
Price: $59.99
Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 650 Ti 1024MB GDDR5 128bit, Dual Dual-Link DVI, Mini HDMI, Graphics Card (01G-P4-3650-KR) Graphics Cards 01G-P4-3650-KR
Price: $149.99
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8 GB ( 2 x 4 GB ) DDR3 1600 MHz (PC3 12800) 240-Pin DDR3 Memory Kit for Core i3, i5, i7 and Platforms SDRAM CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9
Price: $47.98
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500 GB SATA III 7200 RPM 16 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive – WD5000AAKX
Price: $59.99
Power Supply: Antec VP-450 450 Watt Energy Star Certified Power Supply Price: $39.99
Computer Case: GAMMA Classic Series ATX Mid Tower Interior Steel Chassis (Black)
Price: $34.21
Optical Drive: Asus 24xDVD-RW Serial ATA Internal OEM Drive DRW-24B1ST (Black) Price: $17.99
Estimated Price: $ 534

Overview: $500 Gaming PC Build

I know, not much has been done to the $500 build in recent month, but this is because nothing has been able to replace most of the hardware spots for this build. The Intel 3220 Ivy Bridge processor still stands strong for an affordable Intel i3 processor, the GTX 650 Ti is still quite affordable and offers speeds / performance similar to the Radeon 6870 and the GTX 560, so no complaints there.

As for the rest, the MSI B75MA-E33 motherboard has all you need, a B75 Chipset that is perfect for a non ‘K’ Intel processor since you probably won’t be able to overclock much anyways, 8Gb of RAM is plenty of memory (the memory has switched to the Corsair Vengeance 8GB), the 450 Watt Antec PSU covers all of the wattage requirements and the GAMMA Classic Series PC case is simply the best buy for a cheap case; you can go cheaper, but then the plastics start to become wobbly and just feel cheap (all up to you though!).

You will be able to play most of all games and get pretty decent performance playing Medium to Higher settings at a resolution of 1920X1080.

This is a preview of Gaming PC Builds of the Month: March 2013. Read the full post (6655 words, 71 images, estimated 26:37 mins reading time)

Gaming PC Builds of the Month: February 2013

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February 2013 Gaming PC Builds of the Month

February 2013 Gaming PC Builds:

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February 2013 Gaming PC Builds of the Month - newbcomputerbuildIntroduction:

Welcome to the 2013 edition of the Gaming PC Builds of the Month here at Newb Computer Build.

The $1500 build is as solid as ever with some very nice price decreases this month. Still rocking the Radeon HD 7970, a 250GB Samsung SSD and it even includes the very new Azza Genesis 9000W PC case; a very nice full tower spiffy looking case I might add!

The $1000 build has had an increase in graphics with the inclusion of a Radeon HD 7950 3GB BOOST edition card and a switch to an AsRock EXTREME6 motherboard.

This month the $500 build has stayed static as it has for the most part of the last few months. This is because I feel there has been no notable substitutes for any of its hardware constituents. This is good news as the budget $500 build has stood the test of time. Now lets get into the builds -

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$500 Gaming PC Build - Newb Computer BuildMonthly Gaming PC Build ( $513 ): February 2013

(Game at Smoothly with Medium – High settings at 1920X1080 resolutions)

Gaming PC Build Recipe:

All hardware is linked to Amazon.com – You Can also try   Amazon.ca (CANADA) • Amazon.co.uk (UK) Newegg.com (US) • Newegg.ca (CANADA)  Scorptec.com.au(AUS)  pccasegear.com (AUS) to shop for these parts.
 
Processor: Intel Core i3-3220 Dual-Core Processor 3.3 Ghz 3 MB Cache LGA 1155 – BX80637i33220
Price: $119.99
Motherboard: MSI LGA1155/Intel B75/DDR3/SATA3 and USB 3.0/A and GbE/MicroATX Motherboard B75MA-E33
Price: $59.99
Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 650 Ti 1024MB GDDR5 128bit, Dual Dual-Link DVI, Mini HDMI, Graphics Card (01G-P4-3650-KR) Graphics Cards 01G-P4-3650-KR
Price: $139.99
RAM: Kingston Technology HyperX 8 GB (2×4 GB Modules) 1600 MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Kit (PC3 12800) 240-Pin SDRAM KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX
Price: $41.98
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500 GB SATA III 7200 RPM 16 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive – WD5000AAKX
Price: $60.28
Power Supply: Antec VP-450 450 Watt Energy Star Certified Power Supply Price: $38.24
Computer Case: GAMMA Classic Series ATX Mid Tower Interior Steel Chassis (Black)
Price: $35.75
Optical Drive: Lite-On Super AllWrite 24X SATA DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive – Bulk – IHAS124-04 Version C (Black) Price: $16.99
Estimated Price: $ 523

Overview: $500 Gaming PC Build

The $500 build has stood strong few a few months now and I have literally changed nothing in it this month. Everything included is what I could consider a solid budget build and will be fully capable of playing most games relatively well.

The only thing I keep regretting is pushing the price point of the $500 build over the $500 budget – as you can see at the time of writing this article the price of this build in its entirety is $523; albeit well worth it as I would not skimp on any of the hardware included for a solid budget gaming build.

You will be able to play most of all games and get pretty decent performance playing Medium to Higher settings at a resolution of 1920X1080.

This is a preview of Gaming PC Builds of the Month: February 2013. Read the full post (6195 words, 71 images, estimated 24:47 mins reading time)

Gaming PC Builds of the Month: January 2013

Posted by & filed under Monthly Gaming PC Builds, Newb Computer Build Articles.

January-2013-Gaming-PC-Builds-of-the-month

January 2013 Gaming PC Builds:

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January 2013 Gaming PC Builds of the Month - newbcomputerbuildIntroduction:

A fresh new year for fresh new beginnings, so how about a new shiny PC build this 2013? I have been running the Gaming PC Builds of the Month column here on Newb Computer Build for now for over a year and a half and I have enjoyed doing it every month, so I will continue to do so!

In the last year or so we have also added in an additional PC Builds section thanks to a new individual here at Newb Computer Build – Obit’s AMD Builds. We have not created an official landing page for his builds yet, hence why I didn’t link anything here, but you can keep checking back monthly for his builds as well this year for all of you AMD enthusiasts.

I have also had several requests to do more, such as a gaming laptops column, or a peripherals column. I believe these are great ideas and will try my hardest to try and fit some time in to start doing this, however it may take a couple of months, but keep your eyes peeled. Perhaps there is a reader out there who would be interested in contributing to such a column? If there is I would love to hear from you.

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$500 Gaming PC Build - Newb Computer Build

Monthly Gaming PC Build ( $513 ): January 2013

(Game at Smoothly with Medium – High settings at 1920X1080 resolutions)

Gaming PC Build Recipe:

All hardware is linked to Amazon.com – You Can also try   Amazon.ca (CANADA) • Amazon.co.uk (UK) Newegg.com (US) • Newegg.ca (CANADA)  Scorptec.com.au(AUS)  pccasegear.com (AUS) to shop for these parts.
 
Processor: Intel Core i3-3220 Dual-Core Processor 3.3 Ghz 3 MB Cache LGA 1155 – BX80637i33220
Price: $119.99
Motherboard: MSI LGA1155/Intel B75/DDR3/SATA3 and USB 3.0/A and GbE/MicroATX Motherboard B75MA-E33
Price: $59.99
Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 650 Ti 1024MB GDDR5 128bit, Dual Dual-Link DVI, Mini HDMI, Graphics Card (01G-P4-3650-KR) Graphics Cards 01G-P4-3650-KR
Price: $139.99
RAM: Kingston Technology HyperX 8 GB (2×4 GB Modules) 1600 MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Kit (PC3 12800) 240-Pin SDRAM KHX1600C9D3K2/8GX
Price: $41.98
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500 GB SATA III 7200 RPM 16 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive – WD5000AAKX
Price: $60.28
Power Supply: Antec VP-450 450 Watt Energy Star Certified Power Supply Price: $38.24
Computer Case: GAMMA Classic Series ATX Mid Tower Interior Steel Chassis (Black)
Price: $35.75
Optical Drive: Lite-On Super AllWrite 24X SATA DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive – Bulk – IHAS124-04 Version C (Black) Price: $16.99
Estimated Price: $ 513.21

Overview: $500 Gaming PC Build

The same build – a lower price point. The $500 pc build is pretty solid and the same as it was previous with hardly any hardware releases and minimal price drops or increases between December and now. You still get a wonderful Intel i3 3220 processor, a GTX 650 Ti and a full 8GB of memory; really one cannot complain getting all of this in a $500 budget range.

You will be able to play most of all games and get pretty decent performance playing Medium to Higher settings at a resolution of 1920X1080.

This is a preview of Gaming PC Builds of the Month: January 2013. Read the full post (6733 words, 86 images, estimated 26:56 mins reading time)