This setup is gaming-oriented, but it will of course allow you to handle word processing, photo-editing and web-surfing. The powerful video card associated with a fast CPU ensures good performances even with the most demanding recent games. This configuration represents the minimum required to enjoy today’s 3D games. The PC hosts a 22-inch LCD screen and the sound channel is of high quality to make the most of modern games.
We often receive mail asking what the best stores are to buy online. We’re not going to pretend that we know all of them, but we recommend amazon.com, neweggs.com and bestbuy.com for the number of references they offer, their prices, their seriousness and the overall quality of their service (customer support, product packaging, speed…).
Motherboard: MSI B85-G43
The MSI B85-G43 motherboard supports Intel processors of the 4th generation (Haswell) on a LGA 1150 socket and offers the latest technologies: PCI-Express 3.1 16x video cards, SATA 6Gb/s HDD, DDR3 RAM and USB 3.0. This card doesn’t support overclocking. If you plan on overclocking your video card, you should opt for a motherboard offering a Z87 chipset.
CPU: Intel Core i3-4150 boxed version
Intel core i3-4150 Haswell processors on 1150 sockets are suitable for any use and are approximately 10% more performant than their ivy Bridge (Core ix 3xxx) counterparts of equal frequency. The Core i3 4150 will be powerful enough for a mid-range gaming configuration even though it only hosts two cores. The Core i5 4460 (quad core) is more expensive, but its four cores will offer better performances even though few games take advantage of the four cores.
Memory Module Kit: G.Skill 2x4GB PC12800
Two modules are preferable to take advantage of the motherboard’s Z77 chipset’s dual channel. To make the most of it, two identical modules of the same reputable brand (no no-name!) must be used. RAM from G.Skill, Corsair, Kingston, Crucial, OCZ…are all very good. Considering how affordable RAM is nowadays, it is possible to buy 8Go of RAM directly. You may not need all of it for everyday use, but it won’t hurt…
Graphic card: AMD Radeon R9 270X
The Radeon R9 270X is currently the best mid-range choice (about 160 dollars– 210 Dollars) for budget-minded players. It actually is the new name of the old Radeon HD 7870, slightly improved. This card will allow you to play recently-released games in good conditions. As for the different brands, they’re almost identical; AMD builds the chips and the manufacturers add packaging and stickers (and sometimes better cooling systems, especially with high-end hardware). Our advice is to choose the cheapest one, or the one that offers games you are interested in. To keep the expenses within budget, you could opt for the Radeon R7 270 (or even 260X), especially if you plan on playing on a monitor supporting a medium resolution (1680×1050 pixels or less). On the Nvidia side, GeForce GTX 750ti and 760 are also a good choice.
Sound Card Integrated into motherboard
The 5.1 chip built in the motherboard is a very good one, and offers equivalent performances. However, a dedicated sound card would relieve the processor by about 10% in games.
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200 RPM 1TB
The price of hard drives constantly falling, 1Tb doesn’t cost that much anymore and would provide plenty of space for photos, videos, games… But the choice is entirely yours when it comes to the size. Our preference goes to the Western Digital Caviar Black range for its performance, and the Blue range for its value (the Green range is adapted to storage or small budgets). The Seagate 7200RPM hard drives in its 1TB variant is also a good choice.
DVD Burner Samsung SH-224DB / BEBE (optional)
Fast, versatile and reliable, the Samsung SH-224DB burner is an efficient and inexpensive way to back up your files. With a speed reaching 24x on DVD-R and DVD+R, you can burn a DVD in less than 10 minutes.
Casing: NZXT Source 210 Elite
This case looks good, is well-ventilated and well-built, and all of this for 50 dollars. This is a purchase you won’t regret.
Alimentation Be Quiet ! System Power 7 450 W 80PLUS Silver
Very good 450W power supply unit. It is quiet and well-built at a great value. It is often very well rated in power supplies tests. Its 450 Watts will allow you to eventually upgrade your processor or video card, should you decide to.
Monitor: BenQ Gaming Monitor RL2455HM
LCD monitors are now suitable for games; they put less strain on the eyes because their technology is different than CRTs (better refresh rate) and their latency os not a problem anymore. This BenQ 22” Full HD gaming monitor in its 1ms GTG response time is excellent for 3D games, for a great price.
Mouse: Logitech M500 Laser Gaming Mouse
Without a doubt one of the best optical mouse on the market for gamers! This mouse is perfect for demanding gamers, perfectly suited for action games. A mousepad like the Steelseries 4HD perfectly complements this mouse.
Keyboard: Logitech Keyboard K120
The K120 keyboard from Logitech is sturdy and economical. Its keys are comfortable and quiet. You could of course choose a combo wireless keyboard+mouse of your choosing, like this Logitech MK710 kit excellent and inexpensive.
These good quality 2.1 speakers will allow you to enjoy surround sound and EAX in recent games. Good quality for a reasonable price.
Speakers: Logitech Z313 (2.1)
These good quality 2.1 speakers will allow you to enjoy surround sound and EAX in recent games. Good quality for a reasonable price.
Operating system Windows 8 Pro 64bit OEM (optional)
Microsoft’s new Operating System is stable and powerful. The pro version contains all the features of the classic version of Windows 8 along with extended remote management, network and encryption features (useful for enterprises) and Media center. The classic version can be enough for players, especially since Media center can be bought for 10 Euros. The 64-bit version can manage more than 3Gb of memory and the OEM versions are offered for an attractive price. If you already own a valid XP/Vista/7 license, you can purchase an update toward Windows 8 Pro.
We chose Amazon for the quality of its service, its prices and the number of products offered. Some components can be different than those in the configuration below depending on their availability on Amazon, but they are close in terms of price and performances. Keyboard, mouse, speakers and Operating System are to be added if needed.
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