ANONG MABIBILI MO SA 3, 000 PESOS MO?

Saving money for upgrades is just one of the many perks (if you like it that way) of PC Gaming. After all, no PC Gamer should stagnate and be left behind especially if you are always looking for that 60 FPS + nirvana and vows never to go back to the sub 60 FPS club. PC Upgrades isn’t just about achieving buttery smooth frames, it’s also about going to the next level – be it in the form of a brand spanking new keyboard, a gaming mice, or a new Power Supply Unit. Thus, we’ve made this guide to check out what you can do with 3, 000 Pesos.

The Best Holiday PC Upgrades 3K 2015 (1)

BUT WHY 3, 000 PESOS?

3, 000 Pesos is our ideal budget, since it is not that hard to save in around 2 months time – just in time for Christmas shopping or just before 2015 ends. 3, 000 Pesos could be achieved via saving 50 Pesos everyday for 2 months so if you start saving now, it ain’t that hard to do.

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3, 000 Pesos is also a more realistic figure for a small yet significant upgrade especially if you have yet to enter the realms of mechanical keyboards, and true game changing upgrades. For this guide, we’ll tackle everything we could find around 3, 000 Pesos without going further above the price point to keep our budget in check.

PROCESSOR & MOTHERBOARD: DON’T BOTHER

There’s hardly anything viable for upgrade in these categories for under 3, 000 Pesos as you’ll usually find average performing parts with the said price-point for your platform. I would recommend the Anniversary Edition Intel G3258 if you have an LGA 1155 platform but not all LGA 1155 boards out there could take advantage of the CPU’s overclocking potential and you might end spending extra dime for a board.

GRAPHICS CARD: GT 730 KEPLER EDITION

The Nvidia GeForce GT 730 is a card under 3, 000 Pesos and is a good value for money for budget gamers especially for those who are looking forward to blast 60 FPS on MOBA games. But, be aware that there are multiple models of the GT 730. Basically, what you need to look out for is the GT 730 with 64-bit memory bus, which is the Kepler version of the GT 730 family. It is also noteworthy to add that that the GDDR5 variant is a much more recommended option. Difference in FPS rendered is day and night compared to the GDDR3 version.

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MEMORY: 4GB IS NOT ENOUGH

The latest game titles are demanding, and and extra memory should always help. Nowadays, 8GB of RAM is a requirement, and there are many kits to choose from. The G.Skill Aegis 1600 MHz with 4GB of RAM (F3 16000C11S 4GIS) is a nice stick at 1, 260 Pesos, and you could get Two (F3 1600C11D 8GIS) for Dual Channel mode at 2, 520 Pesos.

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Alternatively, the Corsair Vengeance with the same frequency and 4GB capacity at 1, 310 Pesos is also good if you can’t find the Aegis, and it looks quite nice with its heat-spreader. It is also available in 2x2GB kit which we used on our 20K Gaming PC Challenge.

POWER SUPPLY UNIT: SEASONIC & CORSAIR

If your power requirements are in need of an upgrade, then the Seasonic S12II 520watts PSU with 80+ Bronze efficiency should be right under the 3, 000 Pesos radar with its 2, 620 Pesos MSRP. Another great PSU is the Corsair VS650 at around 2, 800 Pesos with a lower end unit, the VS450 at 1, 730 should do the trick if you require a certified PSU over a generic one. Alternatively, you could get a Seasonic S12II 620watts PSU with 80+ Bronze efficiency for 3K flat.

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CASE / CHASSIS: TECHWARE ALPHA, BITFENIX, & COOLERMASTER

The case or chassis symbolizes your taste but a good chassis is recommended nonetheless. For mATX form factor lovers, the Bitfenix Prodigy M at 2, 990 Pesos will do the trick. Alternatively, the CoolerMaster N200 could be had for 2, 240 Pesos. For the ATX form factor, the TechWare Alpha is hard not to notice with its sleek looks and cable management for around 2, 250 Pesos.

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The SilverStone Temjin TJ08-E is also on sale at PCHub for 2, 199 Pesos. It wont be added officially to the list as it is on a timed sale basis. However, if you happened to see one in stock, go grab it as it is one of the best mATX cases available with a price to match. The Cougar QBX is also a good choice for ITX lovers at 2, 750 Pesos.

COOLER: CM SEIDON 120V 2200

Overclocking or not, a capable cooler is still a good investment. For 2, 200 Pesos you could get a  CoolerMaster Seidon 120V which is a nice upgrade for gamers especially if you’re anticipating the start of summer. For heavy overclockers, you might need a better cooling solution as the stock fan of the 120V requires to push more air but if all you need is a good nudge in CPU performance, then the 120V will do.

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GAMING KEYBOARD: COUGAR, COOLER MASTER, & TteSPORT

If you’re already tired gaming on a generic membrane keyboard, then you could at least take a look at the Cougar 200K for 1, 430 Pesos.  It’s not a mechanical keyboard but has a good price, better feel than membrane keys and its short travel distance to actuation might be of great use for some gamers that prefers low actuation point and silent operation. It also has bling-ey LED lit keycaps. Alternatively, you could get a good membrane keyboard from CoolerMaster as well with their Devastator Bundle at 1, 995 Pesos. The Devastator features a membrane yet solid keyboard plus a mouse. Both are LED lit too.

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If you could stretch the budget, get a proper mechanical gaming keyboard.  At just 3, 250 Pesos, the TteSPORTS Poseidon ZX is a proper budget mechanical gaming keyboard that should be on your radar. It is by no means under 3, 000 Pesos but we really have to recommend it for its price considering its mechanical nature. A good alternative is the Ducky DK1087 but it’s hard to find nowadays.

GAMING MOUSE: AVAGO SENSORS FTW

There are tons of gaming mice available under 3, 000 Pesos but if you’re looking forward to step up your game, what you should look out for are the gaming mice with zero acceleration & prediction features on their sensors. The Avago 3090 & 3310 are basically the king of the hill when it comes to competitive level sensors, and offers zero prediction and acceleration for accuracy. After filtering the gaming mice with the said sensors, it’s now time for you to decide which one to get based on your personal preference, A.K.A. the grip and features.

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The Zowie ZA series is my top choice. They aren’t exactly dirt cheap but they are well below the 3, 000 Pesos price point and are available in 3 variants. Ambidextrous is the name of the game, and they are fit for palm (ZA11) and claw grip gamers (ZA12 & ZA13) with natural mouse design similar to that of the revered Microsoft IntelliMouse. The switches on the mouse are made by HUANO which has a distinct tactile feel, and travel. Other great choices are the Zowie FK1 (Claw), the  Logitech G400, G400s, G303, G502 and the SteelSeries Rival (Claw & Finger Tip). The Roccat Savu is a good choice as well.

GAMING HEADSET: LOOK AT THE CLOUD

Hands down, the Kingston HyperX Cloud family is one of the best – if not the best under 3, 000 Pesos. The Cloud Family offers the same styling which means the same comfort level across the variants. Best of all, they sound great (READ OUR REVIEW) and has a great microphone with good gain and noise cancellation.

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Price starts at 2, 395 Pesos for the Core version, while the Cloud PRO should retail around 2, 995. The higher end HyperX Cloud II retails just above 3, 000 Pesos. All of the variants sounds similar to each other which is great.

INTERNAL DRIVES: SSDS & HDDS

The Sandisk 128GB with the part number SDSSDP-128G-G25 is a budget SSD with a price point of 2, 700 Pesos. It’s a good deal especially if you’re looking forward to buy your very first SSD. With Read Speed up to 475 MB/s and 375 MB/s Write Speeds, there’s nothing to worry about this small champ.
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Expanding your game library cannot be done with an SSD alone if your budget is a concern and HDDs proved that they are still the king when it comes to bulk storage needs. The WDC Caviar Blue 1TB with 7200 RPM is a great choice for an HDD with its 2, 480 Pesos price point. Its reliability and a proven warranty  process is also hard to beat. Solid choice.

FINAL WORDS:

Some said there isn’t anything good available under 3, 000 Pesos, but there are actually many things you could buy with it. I consider the area around 3K a sweet spot for budget conscious gamers, as it is easily attainable within 2 months provided that you could save 50 Pesos and above within the time frame. If you have better recommendations, feel free to add them here. Happy holidays and have a great time saving for that upgrade of yours!

One Response

  1. Jeff
    November 1, 2015

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