Build a Budget Gaming PC

RECIPEWhen it comes to PC performance, gamers are a power-hungry breed. But with high-performance rigs commanding a $3,500 to $5,000 investment, today's gamers with limited resources are in a tough position, especially with the arrival of software hogs like Vista and DirectX 10.

System builders can help. White-box builders can offer clients a value-added investment focusing on the right Vista- and DirectX 10-compatible components, leaving performance-enhancing upgrades for later.

In this recipe, I'll guide you in making choices on components that will ease the transition to Microsoft's new OS and the improved gaming experience it will eventually offer. The result is a capable game rig (sans monitor and speakers) that will cost you less than $2,000 while still satisfying your gamer clients both today and—via simple and cost-effective upgrades—tomorrow.

To meet this goal, you will need to invest in a quality case, power supply, motherboard and video card. That way, you put the lion's share of capital into components that don't require near-term replacement. A faster processor, additional hard drives, quality audio card and second SLI-capable video card can be added later to enhance the user's game experience.

IngredientsLet's start off with the list of ingredients for concocting our budget system. As a disclaimer, let me say that, apart from several key components, most of the parts listed below are interchangeable. For example, as long as the specs are similar, leeway exists on items such as memory, video cards, hard drives and optical drives. Moreover, options exist for those who want to trim the cost further or expand capabilities. I'll discuss those options at the end of this recipe.

While I've included ballpark prices for these components, for bargain hunters, I suggest checking out a Web site called <="" b="">Pricewatch.com. It's a terrific portal that offers pricing comparisons and direct links to suppliers' sites. For general purchasing, I usually shop on Newegg, as they offer consistent low prices and deliver products in a timely fashion.

Case: When choosing a case, construction, cooling, expandability, noise dampening and aesthetics are all important considerations. Select an enclosure made of quality materials that is large enough to accommodate the required components without being too cramped inside, but which also offers sufficient cooling, allows for future expansion, features a "quiet" design and is aesthetically pleasing.

Many chassis fulfill all of these requirements but one: aesthetics. Most mid-range gaming cases are gaudy monstrosities with an overabundance of windows, lights and protrusions. The outcome? Too much "bling" looks cheesy. Instead, stand out from the crowd by choosing a case design that's classic-looking and stylishly simple. A perfect example is Antec's P180, available in silver or black at around $145. It offers a clean design, separate cooling zones, triple-layer sound deadening, low-noise 120-mm fans and more—all at a mid-range cost. And since Antec has a track record of building solid, reliable cases, you can trust it to hold up well. Here's a look:

If a smaller case is desired, Lian Li offers a wide array of sleek, affordable enclosures. Regrettably, these are not as expandable as the Antec P180, and they cost significantly more.

Power Supply: Choose a quality power supply that's based on not only present requirements, but also future upgrades. In other words, a power supply that's SLI-ready with sufficient output for dual graphic cards, high-end processors and other power-hungry components. If unsure, err toward overkill. And make sure it provides stable output, is energy efficient and environmentally friendly, and has sufficient component connectors. A good choice is Antec's SLI-certified TruePower Trio 650, which goes for $120. It features three +12V rails and a large 120-mm low-noise fan.

Processor:: While AMD recently reigned supreme for building game-oriented systems, Intel has regained the crown with its Core 2 Duo processors. Affordable options range from the E6300 running at 1.86 GHz to the E6600 purring along at 2.4 GHz. For this project, I will use Intel's Core 2 Duo E6300 processor. Two reasons why: It's extremely affordable ($189), and it overclocks well, in excess of 3 GHz. I will also go with the stock Intel heat sink fan (HSF) assembly. Here's a shot of the E6300 processor:

Motherboard: Motherboards run the gamut in price and features. It's difficult, however, to match the blend provided by the EVGA nForce 680i SLI, which you should be able to find for about $245. It's overclock-friendly and sports features that include Dual PCIe x16 SLI video slots (a wise investment on a game-oriented machine); supports a pair of NVIDIA GPUs in an SLI configuration; a third PCIe slot for graphics expansion/physics; dual Gigabit Ethernet; and acceptable on-board 7.1 channel audio. All in all, it offers the best Core 2 chipset for the money right now. Here's a look at the nForce 680i SLI:

Video Card: It makes sense to include a video card that supports DirectX 10 when building an expandable game rig today. Right now, that limits the choice to cards based on NVIDIA's GeForce 8800 series GPUs, the top-of-the-line and gut-wrenchingly pricey 8800 GTX, and the more affordable ($420) but slightly less potent 8800 GTS. Keeping budget in mind, we'll opt for the latter.

Even though the 8800 GTS costs less then its big brother, a wide range of performance levels and price points do exist. GTS cards vary by as much as $100, with the least expensive hovering around $400. Weighing performance against price, and with plans of eventually pairing two 8800 GTS cards in an SLI configuration, the choice was simple: a default-clocked unit. The card chosen for this recipe is the PNY 8800 GTS 640MB PCIe featuring a core clock of 500 MHz, shader clock of 1200 MHz, and an effective memory frequency of 1.6 GHz. Outputs include two dual-link DV-I (supporting resolutions up to 2560 x 1600) and one S-Video (with cable and HDTV adapter). Here's a shot of the PNY 8800 GTS 640MB PCIe:

Memory: While it's possible to hobble by on 1 GB of memory with Windows XP, 2 GB is preferred on a machine dedicated to gaming. Under Vista, consider 2 GB a minimum requirement. Selecting an enthusiast product with performance in mind, as well as low cost ($410), this rig will be outfitted with 2 GB of Crucial's SLI-ready Ballistix Tracer DDR2 800 memory, which comprises two 1-GB modules. Here's a look:

Hard Drive: When choosing hard drives, system builders often need to compromise to find the right balance between performance, capacity, reliability, noise and cost. Fortunately, those concessions are minimal with Seagate's Barracuda 7200.10 SATA drives, which feature perpendicular recording technology. With capacities from 200 GB to 750 GB, these drives are fast (courtesy of NCQ and SATA 3Gb/s), reliable (with a five-year warranty), offer a low price tag ($95), and run cool and quiet. They're an excellent choice for desktops: a 320-GB drive that hits the sweet spot.

Concerning RAID: While it's outside our budget for this recipe's system, it can be an option for those who favor it. In my estimation, RAID 0 provides little performance benefit for gaming. Instead, if you go this way, variants which offer a level of redundancy—namely, RAID 1, 0+1, and 5—are preferable.

Optical Drive: I find it hard to beat the value-added nature of Lite-On drives. The company's newest model, the LH-20A1H, retails for about $40 and offers a maximum writing speed of 20x for DVD+/-R media, 8x for DVD+/-R9 and DVD+/-RW, and 12x for DVD-RAM. Also, it supports LightScribe disc labeling.

Keyboard & Mouse: To minimize desktop clutter and maximize gaming freedom, go cordless on input devices. Both Microsoft and Logitech offer some great options, but for the best value, Logitech's MX 3200 Laser Desktop is a winner. At $75, this keyboard is sleek, comfortable and responsive, has programmable keys, and is accompanied by a high-performance, sculpted laser mouse. It's also Vista-compatible. Here's a look:

Operating System: For this recipe, we'll deploy Windows XP Professional SP2 rather than the recently-shipped Vista. The reasons are simple. Until DirectX 10 games arrive, Vista is not necessary. Also, I expect Microsoft will need several months to stomp all the major bugs, address all application incompatibilities, mature the drivers. Most existing games perform better under Windows XP than Vista, at least for now.

What's more, many older games and game hardware simply won't work with Vista. Joystick-port peripherals are out, and support for DirectSound 3D and hardware-accelerated 3D audio have been excised in favor of OpenAL (though Creative is working on special drivers to convert DirectSound 3D to OpenAL). Conversely, game-oriented consumers with little invested in older hardware and software may wish to move directly to Vista. So for these users, Vista is a viable option.

Now comes the fun part. With components in hand, let's assemble the system, install the software, run the benchmarks and tweak the settings. First up is the assembly phase.

How to Assemble the Budget Gaming System

The steps for building any computer are always similar. Nevertheless, here's the recommended procedure for successfully assembling this recipe's system from the ground up.1. Case: Start by removing the side panels from the case and placing them out of harm's way. Remove the stock I/O shield, too.

2. Optical Drive & I/O Shield: Before other components get in the way, install the optical drive. Remove the appropriate drive bay cover and metal plate behind it, attach the drive rails to the drive, and slide it in until it locks in place. This is a good time to mount the motherboard I/O shield, as well.

3. Processor (HSF Backplate/Chipset Fan): Next, install the processor on the motherboard. This could wait until the motherboard's mounted, but the job is easier now. However, if the HSF being used employs a backplate, attach it before installing the processor (Intel's stock unit doesn't require one). Also, if an overclock is planned and the motherboard comes with an optional chipset fan, attach the fan now.

4. Motherboard, HSF & Front Panel: Install the motherboard in the case using all provided screw mounts. Once the motherboard is secured, attach the HSF, and plug in the fan connector. While finish wiring is usually reserved until the end of the assembly process, neaten and secure the HSF wiring while it's easily accessible. This is also the best time to route, connect and cable-tie the front panel wiring before they're obscured by other parts.

5. Hard Drive: Secure the hard drive in its drive cage. Central mounting in the cage makes sense, providing even airflow to both the top and bottom of the drive.6. Memory and Video Card: Next, install the memory. Place the DIMMs in slots 0 and 1 to take advantage of dual-channel mode. Flip out the retention clips, insert the memory, and press down until the clips lock in place. Then install the video card in the slot closest to the processor; secure it with two coarse-thread screws (it consumes two adjoining slots).

7. Power Supply: Usually, the best time to mount the power supply unit (PSU) is before the enclosure becomes crowded. This reduces the chance of dropping the PSU on a delicate component. But with the P180's chambered design, the PSU can be added at any stage in the process. So install it now.

8. Secure Wiring: Once all components are mounted, route and connect the wiring (the HSF and front-panel wiring should already be secured). Attach the appropriate cables from the PSU to the motherboard, video card, hard drive, optical drive and case fans. Run the SATA and EIDE cables from the motherboard to the hard drive and optical drive, respectively. Use cable ties and mounts to hold all wiring securely and away from spinning fans. Also, attach the keyboard and mouse at this time. And plug in a monitor.

9. Initial Boot: The time has arrived to boot the system. If everything is assembled correctly, a proper POST (Power-On Self-Test) message will be displayed on the monitor, along with an audible beep. If so, replace the side panels and move on. If not, check all connections and try again.

How to Install the Software

Now that the hardware installation is complete, it's time to configure the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), format the hard drive, and install the operating system.1. Configure the BIOS: Initial BIOS configuration is limited to basic tweaking. Change the boot order and disable floppy drive support. Set the order to hard drive first, then optical. Any overclocking will come later.

2. Install the OS: Insert the OS disc in the optical drive, reboot the system, and follow the prompts for installation. When the OS is up and running, install the motherboard chip-set drivers and video-card drivers in that order. Then, install any other software that is part of the system package.

As a side note, partitioning the hard drive into at least two partitions is highly recommended: one for the OS and applications, and one for all other data and game installs. I also recommend that you install drive image software with a restore image provided on the second partition, as well as on disc; with Vista, basic imaging is already included.

3. Run the Benchmarks: Next, run benchmarks to verify that the component mix offers gamers a good value. For a baseline, a good shortlist comprises PCMark05, 3DMark06 and Fear 1.07. For a broader game performance comparison, add Quake 4, Half-Life 2: Lost Coast and/or Call of Duty 2.

4. Tweak the Settings: Most of the larger system vendors don't offer overclocking. Instead, they install a top-of-class CPU and charge a price to match. The same is true with video cards. This is where small- and medium-size builders can specialize and set themselves apart.Overclocking is as much art as science. In general, overclock a system only after it's operating correctly at stock settings. I recommend you employ only modest overclocking to improve system performance. Never compromise stability or reliability. Work in small increments starting with the CPU and memory, then move on to the video card.

With a highly-tweakable board like the EVGA nForce 680i SLI, it's possible to overclock an Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 from a stock 1.86 GHz to just over 3 GHz. But stopping at about 2.8 GHz is a much safer and saner tweak, and the end user can always push it harder on their own. As for the GeForce 8800 GTS, it's possible to gain a 10 percent boost, but shooting for five percent is a good starting point, if tweaked at all. This card is extremely powerful, even at its stock settings.

Final Considerations

As with any build, it's possible to cut back and reduce costs, as well as upgrade for greater performance. Here are some related suggestions:

To ramp up performance:

To pare down the price:

Remember, whatever the final loadout, both the gamer and builder win by getting high-performance gaming in a value-added package. Good luck with your budget game PCs.

Chuck Miller is a technology journalist and games consultant who has covered the computer and video game industry for nearly two decades. Chuck previously filled editorial roles at publications including Computer Gaming World, Game Briefs and GamePower.