Best gaming PC for $500 (Spring 2016)
We independently test the products and technologies that we recommend.
Previously, the site has already published an article "Introductory gaming computer for $ 300 (Spring 2016)".
Intel Haswell processor
There are three noteworthy processors in the middle price segment: AMD FX 8-Core FX-8300 BOX , Intel Core i3 Skylake i3-6100 BOX and Intel Core i3 Haswell i3-4170 BOX . The AMD chip has as many as eight cores, but each core is relatively inefficient (the Piledriver architecture appeared back in 2011). Thanks to the unlocked multiplier, you can increase performance by overclocking, but this will require not only an expensive motherboard with a heatsink on the power circuit, but also a tower cooler. All these additional costs will not fit into the established low-cost. For about the same money, you can buy an Intel Core i3-6100 based on the latest Skylake architecture. This processor has only two physical cores, but thanks to Hyper-Threading technology, there are four virtual cores. Moreover, the performance of each of them significantly exceeds AMD solutions. That's just motherboards for Skylake processors are still expensive.
Therefore, at the moment, it is most reasonable to opt for the Intel processor of the previous generation - the Core i3-4170 Haswell, which, despite the release of new products, is still being sold at full speed. And the processor itself is cheaper than a similar Skylake, and you can save on the motherboard. And the remaining money is better spent on a more powerful video card.
Virtual four cores; high frequency
Almost no acceleration
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Intel Core i3 Haswell i3-4170 BOX The oldest model in the Intel Core i3 Haswell processor line is the 4170 at 3.7 GHz, which is comparable to AMD at 4.7 GHz. The only pity is that the i3-4170 cannot be manually overclocked: the multiplier is locked, and overclocking on the bus for Haswell processors is minimal (maximum 100-200 MHz, but the difference will not be felt). Officially, the processors of the Core i3 family are dual-core, but, unlike Celeron and Pentium, they support Hyper-Threading. This technology allows each physical core to process data in two threads, thereby creating the appearance of four virtual cores. Of course, this is not the same as true Core i5 quad-cores, but in most tasks, in particular in games, the performance gain from Hyper-Threading will be noticeable. High performance and moderate cost are not the only advantages of the Core i3-4170. This processor is also very energy efficient and cold - only 54 watts. For its stable operation, even an inexpensive power supply and a compact boxed cooler, which is supplied in the kit, are enough. |
Well-placed PCI-E x1 slot
Few USB ports on the back
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The Gigabyte GA-H81M-S2V motherboard is based on the low-cost Intel H81 chipset. On the one hand, this chipset does not support overclocking of processors and RAM, and it also has few PCI-E lanes for expansion cards. On the other hand, its capabilities will be enough for any average PC user: support for LGA1150 processors from low-cost Celeron to top-end Core i7, SATA III connectors for modern SSDs and USB 3.0 ports for high-speed external drives. In most mATX form factor motherboards, a dual-slot graphics card covers the PCI-E x1 slot. But in Gigabyte GA-H81M-S2V this connector is located above the video card, which allows you to conveniently install any expansion cards: network, sound, video recording. If you do not plan to use a discrete graphics card, the VGA and DVI video outputs on the back of the motherboard will come in handy. The analog video interface is still in demand for connecting low-cost monitors and projectors. A modern digital DVI, if necessary, is easily converted to HDMI using an adapter(purchased separately). |
Reasonable price
Boring design won't appeal to enthusiasts and moderators
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Crucial Value DDR3 1x8Gb CT102472BB160B The Crucial brand is owned by Micron Technology, one of the few memory manufacturers that has its own semiconductor fabs. Thanks to this, Crucial RAM modules are cheaper than those brands that have to buy memory chips on the side. The Value DDR3 series is the simplest and most affordable in the Crucial lineup. It does not have any ultra-high frequencies (minimum 1600, maximum 2133 MHz), nor those required to conquer these very frequencies of metal radiators. However, the difference in performance between DDR3 memory with a frequency of 1600 and, say, 2400 MHz in real applications is minimal, and in games on a discrete video card it does not exist at all. Even if you use an integrated graphics accelerator, then a much greater performance boost will be given by the dual-channel mode of memory operation, rather than its increased frequency. Both individual Crucial Value DDR3 memory modules with a volume of 4 or 8 GB are available for sale, as well as ready-made sets of two or four modules (up to a total of 32 GB). |
Very compact dimensions
Not a very large headroom for the future
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Asus GeForce GTX 950 GTX950-M-2GD5 The youngest and, accordingly, the most affordable model in the 900 series of NVIDIA video cards is the GeForce GTX 950 (768 stream processors). De jure, this graphics accelerator is positioned as the optimal solution for MOBA games: Dota 2, League of Legends and Heroes of the Storm. But the de facto GTX 950 does a great job with any modern AAA games at medium graphics settings and FullHD resolution. Directly Asus GeForce GTX 950 Mini is made with an emphasis on miniature size. The thickness of the video card is two expansion slots, and the length is only 17 cm (for comparison, the typical length of video cards is from 25 to 30 cm). Thanks to this, it will fit in any, even the most compact computer case. But now gaming PCs of the MiniITX format, the so-called SteamMachine, are gaining popularity. As a result, the GeForce GTX 950 can be called a mandatory minimum for building a gaming PC. At FullHD resolution, it can handle popular multiplayer games (World of Tanks, CS, Dota) at maximum graphics settings and demanding AAA games (GTA, The Witcher, Fallout and Battlefield) at medium graphics settings. But the performance margin of the GTX 950 won't last long, so if you don't want to think about upgrading again soon, take a closer look at the video cards. |
High, as for a hard disk, read and write speed
Can hum perceptibly in a PC case without anti-vibration pads
Price from 878 up to 2 263 ₴
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Toshiba DT01ACAxxx DT01ACA100 1 TB Price from 878 up to 2 263 ₴ → Despite the gradual decline in the cost of fast SSDs, classic hard drives, slow but roomy, continue to be popular. For example, a 1TB Toshiba DT01ACA100 hard drive costs the same as a 120GB SSD. Due to the high read and write speed (150 MB / s), the Toshiba HDD is perfect for the role of the main disk on which the operating system will be installed. It can also be used as a second drive in addition to the SSD for storing photo, audio and video files. Toshiba DT01ACA100 is compatible with SATA interfaces of all three generations, so you can install it in both new and old PCs. And the key advantage of hard drives over solid state drives is the ability to almost endlessly rewrite, while SSD memory cells wear out pretty quickly. |
Good power supply included
Thin body metal
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Aerocool PGS V2X Advance PSU 550 W A motherboard of any format (MiniITX, mATX or ATX) and a video card of any length (even a three-fan one) can easily fit into a computer case. Seats are provided for both 3.5 and 2.5-inch drives. The main advantage of the case is the complete power supply - Aerocool VP-550 EL. Through the 3.3 and 5 V lines, this PSU delivers 150 W of electricity, and four SATA power connectors and the same number of Molex are enough to power any number of drives and other internal devices. The 12 V line also pleased: 408 W of power will be enough to power almost any modern processor and video card. And two 6 + 2-pin connectors allow you to connect one top-end video card or two medium ones. Even if you are assembling an inexpensive gaming PC for the first time, it is better not to save on the power supply - and the PC will last longer without breakdowns, and the PSU will not have to be changed with a future upgrade. |
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The best models of the low-cost class, on the purchase of which you definitely will not go broke.
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