Good gaming computer for 700 dollars?

[Durniok]

Anyways, I am in need of finding a decent gaming rig that will run Guildwars and Runescape alike. Obviously Runescape is easy to run, but I like to run Camtasia as I make Runescape related guides, and I need some decent RAM.

Here is what I want preferably.

Good hard disk space

Lots of RAM

A good cooling system

And more of being impractical, I want a clear case. (Maybe one that even lights up!)


But that's all I'm really particular on, I just want to be able to play the games I like, while on vent, or recording, or just messing around. I would really like to have a decent frame rate.

Any guidance is appreciated, thank you!

 

[orihS ‪‪‪Shiro]

So you're doing a build yourself?
Or are you asking for a pre-built?
Also, do you need optical drive, monitor, operating system?
I'll post a build in a few minutes, assuming you need everything except the monitor.

 

[Apokalipse]

rough guide, but something along the lines of this:

* Phenom II X2 555 - you can try unlocking it to a quad
* Radeon 5750
* 4GB DDR3-1333 or DDR3-1600. Maybe 8GB if you have enough money.
* A decent AM3 780G, 785G, 790GX or 790X board (Gigabyte or Asus have a bunch of good ones).
If you want USB 3 and SATA 6GB/s, something like a MA790XTA-UD4
* Corsair 450VX power supply

That will be pretty cheap, and do exactly what you need.

 

[orihS ‪‪‪Shiro]

Newegg.com - Rosewill Blackbone Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Computer Cases
Newegg.com - SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD253GJ 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Newegg.com - POWERCOLOR PCS+ AX5770 1GBD5-PPG Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 CrossFireX Support Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
Newegg.com - OCZ Gold 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV4GK - Desktop Memory
Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - Operating Systems
Newegg.com - Sunbeam CR-CCTF 120 mm Core-Contact Freezer CPU Cooler W/TX-2 - CPU Fans & Heatsinks
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

Total is about $740~

Assuming you need everything except monitor/keyboard/mouse

 

[Apokalipse]

I'd probably get this instead:
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

The board has better power regulation, and the CPU is a C3 stepping chip, which overclocks better. And you will most likely be able to unlock to a quad.

 

[orihS ‪‪‪Shiro]

I'd probably get this instead:
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

The board has better power regulation, and the CPU is a C3 stepping chip, which overclocks better. And you will most likely be able to unlock to a quad.

The board is better, true.
However, C2 stepping chips actually overclock further, read some C2 vs C3 comparison reviews.
It's only a rumor that C3 overclocks further.
C3 just has "SLIGHTLY" lower power draw and somewhat reduced heat. C2 still manages higher clocks on average though.

Also, with the Phenom II X3 720 he's guaranteed at least 3 cores, and possibly 4, whereas with the Phenom II X2 555, he's only guaranteed 2 cores...
I've had Phenom II X2's that weren't unlockable, they do exist, and getting one isn't very fun, especially when you can get a Phenom II X3 720 for about the same price.

 

[Apokalipse]

The board is better, true.
However, C2 stepping chips actually overclock further, read some C2 vs C3 comparison reviews.
It's only a rumor that C3 overclocks further.
C3 just has "SLIGHTLY" lower power draw and somewhat reduced heat. C2 still manages higher clocks on average though.

No, that is categorically incorrect. C3 chips on average get about 200MHz higher at the same volts than C2 chips.

Also, I know from experience, having replaced a C2 stepping Phenom II 940 with a C3 stepping Phenom II 965. The 940 (C2) needed 1.525V to get 3.8GHz 100% stable. The 965 (C3) does it at stock volts (1.4), and can get 4GHz at 1.5V.

the highest speed I got the 940 (C2) to was 4160MHz with a barely stable superpi run.
The 965 (C3) got 4410MHz more stably than the 940 at 4160, at the same volts (1.65V - you need very good air cooling or watercooling for that though).
Also, it was done with the same board (Gigabyte MA790X-UD4P)

If you go to the Tech forums Official SuperPi 1M list, you'll see that my 965 C3 stepping chip is at the top of the AMD list.

For further reference, see anybody at xtremesystems replacing their C2 chip with a C3 chip.

Also, with the Phenom II X3 720 he's guaranteed at least 3 cores, and possibly 4, whereas with the Phenom II X2 555, he's only guaranteed 2 cores...
I've had Phenom II X2's that weren't unlockable, they do exist, and getting one isn't very fun, especially when you can get a Phenom II X3 720 for about the same price.

The probability of getting one that does unlock is good (about 7-8 successful unlocks to 2 failed unlocks last time I checked.)

 

[Hussein19891]

I'd probably get this instead:
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

The board has better power regulation, and the CPU is a C3 stepping chip, which overclocks better. And you will most likely be able to unlock to a quad.

Wouldn't really risk it to be honest, my X2 550 BE unlocked to a quad and went up to 3.6ghz I believe on air. But it was buggy and my net wouldn't work for some reason, kept tweaking around with it, and eventually I had to lock it back up.

Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X4 630 Propus 2.8GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

Get the X4 630, its a decent quad, and if the L3 cache doesn't unlock. At the end of the day you still have a 45nm Quad Core for the same price as a 45nm Dual Core.

 

[Apokalipse]

Not a black edition though, so it can't overclock as much.

Anyway, even if it doesn't unlock, you should be able to get it to 4GHz stable.

 

[Tro1086]

Im gona have to agree with Apokalipse on C3 chips over C2. I dont have any experience with a C2 chip personally but from that Iv seen around the net and what I see with my own C3 PhII, Im very happy I have a C3 chip. C3 chips also seem to have a better voltage vs. speed ratio.

I have a Phenom II X2 555 Callisto on an MSI 790FX-GD70. Unlocked both dormant cores. Running 4GHz, 200x20, 1.4v (usually showing 1.39 and some change in CPU-Z). I also have the NB @ 2600MHz, HT @ 2200MHz, 2x2Gb DDR3 @1600 9-9-9-24.

I have noticed that 1.4v seems to be a little lower than most others running PhII's @ 4GHz, but I have run a few short (1 hr) stress tests in AMD OverDrive (I know, probably not the harshest of stress testers out there) with no failures, and have had it running these settings for a couple weeks with no problems and no BSOD's. Only had the setup less than a month.

I will agree that going with the X3 over the X2 Black Edition with guaranteed atleast 3 cores is probably a better choice. But I do not know if the X2 have any more reliable unlocking history than the X3's. I would guess the % of X2's unlocked to X4's vs the % of X3's unlocked to X4's is probably pretty similar. Is the X3 available in the C3 revision?

Personally I think the name Phenom II X2 555 Callisto just rolls off the tongue a lot smoother than Phenom II X3 720 Heka, lol!