Build Guide | 15K Budget Gaming PC | Q4 2016

Overwatch Capable Budget Gaming PC

The title says it all – A budget gaming PC around 15K PHP capable of handling titles at modest settings under 1080P with frame rate hoovering around 60+ FPS as our main concern. 15K PHP will actually net you a Radeon RX 480, or a GTX 1060, so we are pretty excited to see what this mid-range graphics card equivalent PC has to offer.

Credit Goes To Capew for the Performance Review

Now for this build, we’ve taken the opportunity to utilize a budget platform for the 6th Generation Intel micro-processors. We’d love to create an AMD equivalent, but that’s a topic that could be dissected at the end of 2016 where the next generation AM4 based chipsets are slated to be launched. Prices are definitely not final, so you might see fluctuations on actual street prices. The prices and items you’ll see here are mostly taken from PCHub, and other TipidPC based retailers. Now without further ado, let us check out the list.

PROCESSOR: Intel Pentium G4400 @ 2, 700 PHP

The Intel Pentium G4400 is a budget oriented LGA 1551 based Dual Core CPU running at 3.3 GHz with 3MB of cache. It’s not a number cruncher, but it should be enough for light to medium titles especially this side of 2016. The G4400 is by no means a powerhouse but it excels at affordability which suites our build well. A review from LegitReviews shows that it is indeed a capable CPU at just under 3, 000 PHP.

MOTHERBOARD: Asrock H110M DVS @ 2, 700 PHP

The ASRock H110M DVS might be an entry level board but it has the feature set that makes it a great proposal for its given market price. The board for an instance, is capable of overclocking memory kits, and has a 5+1 power phase in spite of its relatively low price. On top of those, this board has 4 USB 3.0 ports, and features an enhanced audio solution. The board also comes with 100% solid capacitors, has 4x SATA III ports, and looks rather neat. What’s not to like?

MEMORY: KINGSTON VALUE RAM 2X4GB 2133 MHZ DDR4 @ 1, 800 PHP

With memory module prices skyrocketing this end of 2016, it is hard to recommend a flashy high frequency kit from the start. There isn’t much to choose from here so we decided to go with the Kingston Value RAM 4GB 2133 MHz DDR4 module at 900 PHP – the cheapest single stick of 4GB RAM we could find at the market. 4GB wont really cut it on today’s games and applications so get two at 1, 800 PHP.

GRAPHICS CARD: ZOTAC GTX 750 Ti 2GB @ 4, 900 PHP

While it’s the year of the GTX 10 series, the GTX 750 Ti is still one of the best budget oriented graphics card in the market. The cheapest or should I say, the most affordable option down this path is ZOTAC’s GTX 750 Ti at 4, 990 PHP. Sure there’s the AMD Radeon RX 460 priced beyond 5, 000 PHP but this one supports Nvidia’s GeForce Experience which should help you optimize your games in a breeze. The GTX 1050 is also a good choice, but it commands an extra 1, 000 PHP premium.

STORAGE: TOSHIBA 500GB SATAIII HDD / 120GB TEAM GROUP L7 EVO @ 1, 950 PHP

You’ve got a choice to make here. Get an average capacity HDD or get a fast SSD from Team Group at the same price of 1, 950 PHP. The HDD is a good choice if you require the space for music, movies, and games but will net you a slower loading time between applications. The SSD on the other hand will limit you to a maximum of 3 to 5 games (if they are 10GB each + future patch data) but will definitely help you load your game, and Operating System way faster. If you only wish to play a number of eSport titles, then the SSD is for you. We’ve got a review of its 240GB model HERE for your reference.

POWER SUPPLY: FSP HEXA+ 450 @ 1, 500 PHP

The HEXA+ 450 is a reliable 400W Power Supply Unit from FSP that sports all the connectors we require for the build. The PSU also features sleeved cabling as a plus. It’s basically a cheap, yet a reliable 80+ efficient PSU from a well known brand in the industry. Nothing to laugh at.

THE CASE: EASY PC RAKK @ 400 PHP OR EQUIVALENT

The case is least of our concern for this build. You can get a cheap one from any retailer but make sure to get a mATX model for better PSU cabling compatibility. The EASY PC RAKK is a good choice around 400 PHP but we will leave this for you.

TOTAL COST & RECOMMENDATION:

The cost of this build nets us around 15, 950 PHP. That’s without the peripherals and the display which should cost you an extra 4, 000 Pesos. You should also note that prices fluctuates every now and then especially when the US Dollar is at its highest compared to the Philippine Peso. That said, make sure to bring an extra amount of money should the components features a higher value compared to our listing. As for parts availability, it is still better to visit Gilmore Avenue. After all, it is a place where major PC retailer are within reach of each other. For a build guide, you can check our 20K Gaming PC Guide HERE.

If you can find these items on a single retailer in one swoop, you can actually ask for freebies. I usually haggle for a free mouse, keyboard, and a headset instead of a discount.

EXPECTED PERFORMANCE & CLOSING THOUGHTS:

This build is actually pretty amazing for its price. It’s dirt cheap but it can actually hold its ground at Crysis 3, Fallout 4, and many other titles at Medium to High Settings at 1080P. With that said, Overwatch, DOTA2, and other eSport titles are perfectly playable using the parts we listed above. Watch the video below from RandomGaminginHD for more details about the build’s performance at 1080P. It’s rather impressive.

Credit Goes To RandomGaminginHD for the Performance Review

If you have no more than 20K to spend on a Gaming PC then this is the one that you should build. It’s not hard to believe that a budget Gaming PC got what it takes to ensure a smooth gameplay through various titles. This build might be for gamers wanting to upgrade from older systems. But, it is also for those wanting to get a piece of the PC Gaming Platform without burning their wallets. Welcome to the #PCMasterRace.