re: PC Discussion - Gaming, Performance and Enthusiasts

quote:

---

Not anymore. I could go $1000 or a little more now.

---

Cool. Number of ways we can do that. If you're looking for max gaming performance, the $1,000 budget can get you a video card suitable (and most optimal) for 1440p and above. However, if this is a machine for more than just gaming, or you have no plans to go 1440p anytime soon, something like an R9-280x would be fitting for that budget (and still not a bad mid-level card for 1440p), with room for small enhancements elsewhere.

Here's a $1,000 build with a 280x:

PCPartPicker part list: LINK
Price breakdown by merchant: LINK /

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($234.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock Z97 EXTREME4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($115.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: A-Data XPG V1.0 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($72.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($259.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 w/Window (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Rosewill Hive 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1013.89
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-25 23:41 EDT-0400

You can save some money by going with used parts, especially the 280x. There are also 290's to be had on ebay for under $300. The ones with reference coolers are going for dirt cheap, but odds are they were used for mining -- that in itself is not bad, but those reference coolers are loud and require high speeds to cool the GPU effectively, which means the fans might have been running at near 100% for months on end. Not exactly good for the life of the motor or the bearings. Overall, AMD reference coolers just suck, though. Very noisy.