• 1. Video card
• 2. Processor
• 3. RAM
• 4. Motherboard
• 5. Cooling
• 6. Hard drive
• 7. Case and power supply
• 8. Total cost

Every year, new AAA gaming titles become more and more demanding of computer hardware. Which forces all gamers who want to play comfortably to update their PC at least once every couple of years. But contrary to stereotypes, it is not at all necessary to invest huge amounts of money in a gaming computer!

We have prepared two assembly options for gamers. The first config is a gaming computer for 30,000 rubles from 2017-2018, the second option is a little more expensive, but more productive. Below we will analyze in detail and explain the choice of each component. Let's begin!

Video card

The first and most important point in assembling any gaming PC. The quality of textures, processing speed of geometry and other details of the game directly depend on the performance level of the video card. All this affects the quality of the main parameter for gamers - frame rate.

In the first build option we use the Sapphire Radeon RX 460 - the cheapest gaming video card from AMD. The performance level of the RX460 is approximately the same as the GeForce GTX 970. With 4 GB of video memory, the video card will remain relevant for another couple of years. It can be purchased for about 8,200 rubles.

If you don’t mind paying a couple thousand more on top of the cost of the video adapter, we recommend taking a closer look at the most popular option in budget gaming PC builds - the MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. The video card is designed based on Pascal architecture. Price - from 10,000 rubles. We have prepared for you.

CPU

“Stone” is responsible for the processing speed of all system processes. High load on processors is observed mainly in strategies and RPGs, where the computer needs to process a huge number of calculations. The market for these components has long offered a whole range of budget “stones” with good gaming potential.

The cheapest option is the Intel Pentium G4560 with 2 physical cores and hypertrading technology. The hyperclock frequency is 3.5 GHz, and when paired with a 1050ti-level video card, it allows you to play even the latest games at medium settings. Moreover, the G4560 can handle GTX1060 6gb level cards without any problems. The average price in Russian online stores fluctuates around 4,500 rubles.

For a wider budget, the Skylake-based Intel Core i5-6500 is suitable. Installing this “stone” requires an LGA 1151 socket, which is very common among budget motherboards. Four cores and support for DDR4 memory will work great in conjunction with an inexpensive video card. Starting price – 13,500 rubles.

RAM

The amount of intermediate data processed by the processor directly depends on the amount of RAM. When the game starts, locations, textures and other files necessary for work are downloaded from the hard drive to RAM. Therefore, when choosing a RAM stick, you need to pay attention to its volume and speed.

There is no point yet in equipping a gaming PC for 30,000 rubles with several sticks of RAM; one 8 GB is enough. In both versions of our build we will use Samsung DDR4-2133 8192MB. These are OEM boards that Samsung produces for other manufacturers - HyperX, Corsair, etc. The cost of such boards has not yet been increased by unnecessary radiators, backlighting and the like. The average price tag in online stores is 4,000 rubles.

Motherboard

When choosing components, you need to start from the configuration of the motherboard. The lion's share of the potential of a PC for 30,000 rubles depends on it, since it ties together all the purchased components. Before purchasing, pay special attention to the processor socket. It is recommended to first select the “stone” you like, and then buy the appropriate motherboard for it.

As a cheap option, the choice fell on the Asus H110M-K. The most minimal configuration for Socket 1151 without overpaying for “extra” frills. Made on the basis of the Intel H110 chipset, in addition to a video card connector and two connectors for DDR4 RAM sticks, the board is equipped with a video output, which is extremely useful given the presence of integrated graphics in the G4560. Starting price – 3000 rubles.

The ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K4 is suitable for memory of a more modern standard and a wide wallet. This is the most budget option of all i5 overclocking boards based on the Intel Z170. The motherboard also supports seventh generation Intel processors. The average cost is 7,500 rubles.

Cooling

Computer games always place an increased load on every component of a gaming PC. To avoid overheating, the computer needs a good cooling system that will remove the accumulated heat in the case outside.

Both build options work well with the DeepCool GAMMAXX 300 cooler. The device is designed for a maximum power of 130 W and does an excellent job of dissipating heat. There is no point in buying too expensive cooling for a budget PC. For GAMMAXX 300 you will have to pay about 1,100 more rubles.

HDD

Expensive hard drives don't impact gaming performance much. Their indicators determine more how many of these same games the computer can accommodate. And although SSDs have become increasingly popular lately, a decent volume larger than 256 GB will not fit into a budget of 30 thousand rubles. Therefore, the choice remains from traditional magnetic HDDs.

Both assemblies will use Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EZEX 1 TB as a “workhorse”. This is one of the most popular options in the budget price category. Starting price – 2700 rubles.

Case and power supply

When choosing a case, you should take into account the material and number of connectors for components. Also, some models are equipped with a built-in power supply, which is very useful for a budget PC.

An excellent option in our case is the AeroCool V2X Black case, which is equipped with a very high-quality Aerocool VX-500 500W power supply. This power supply power will be sufficient for the PC configuration given in the article. The asking price is 3,200 thousand rubles if purchased as a set, or about 3,500 thousand if purchased separately.

the total cost

So, the first budget build based on the G4560 processor:

• Motherboard: Asus H110M-K – 3000 rub.
• Processor: INTEL Pentium G4560 – 4600 rub.
• Video card: Sapphire Radeon RX 460 – 8200 rub.

Total - 26,600 rubles.

Second option with a processor from Intel Core I5-6500:

• Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K4 – 8200 rub.
• Processor: Intel Core i5-6500 – 12,200 rub.
• Video card: MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti – 10,000 rub.
• RAM: Samsung DDR4-2133 8192MB – 4000 rub.
• Hard drive: Western Digital Caviar Blue – 2600 rub.
• Cooling: DeepCool GAMMAXX 300 – 1000 rub.
• Case + power supply: AeroCool V2X Black 1700 rub.) + Aerocool VX-500 500W 1500 rub.) – 3200 rub.

Total - 41,200 rubles.

At the same time, for games at medium settings, the first build for 27 thousand will be enough for you for the next few years! Then paying extra for a second config with i5 makes sense for enthusiast users who use the computer not only for games, but also for working with video, 3D graphics and other tasks where the 2-core G4560 will not be enough.

In the near future, components will only become cheaper. The assemblies do not take into account the costs of the mouse, keyboard, monitor and related accessories.

Greetings to all readers of my blog! Today’s publication is devoted to a topic that interests many active PC users: “How to build a computer yourself and from scratch?” Therefore, I will try to help you in choosing parts for a desktop computer that is relevant for 2016-2017.

We will look at the components for the system unit, figure out how to install them, and discuss which components will be the best choice. I will also tell you how to choose a good monitor. And to provide more detailed information, I have given several assemblies as examples that fit different price ranges. Let's get started!

System unit components

As you yourself understand, the most important thing in a desktop computer is the system unit. Putting all the necessary ingredients together, checking their compatibility, and then making candy out of it with your own hands is much more difficult, and also longer. So let's start with it.

So, the system unit usually includes: a cooling system (cooler), a hard drive, a power supply and a motherboard on which the processor, video card, audio card and RAM are mounted. Let's look at everything in detail.

Essentially it is a frame for other components. Before purchasing it, and indeed before starting to select components for your PC, you should decide for what primary purpose the computer will be assembled: for training or office work, for games, or maybe for developing heavy projects?

Depending on this, the search for suitable spare parts for the future car will be significantly narrowed.

So, for example, to support graphics at the maximum level in various heavyweight modern games or in other situations where high-quality frame display is required, you will need two video cards. This means you should choose a motherboard with two slots for them.

Well, if you plan to replenish your car with new gadgets after use, then choose a board with a larger number of connectors. This also applies to assembling gaming computers. Typically these motherboards are ATX format.

Be sure to check the compatibility of the processor with the motherboard. Their connectors must match.

When choosing an equipment manufacturer, first of all, pay attention to products from the Asus and Gigabyte brands. They have proven themselves well in the market.

Processor power directly affects the speed of a personal computer. The most powerful processors have a clock speed of more than 4 GHz and a cache memory of 8 MB or more. However, they are quite expensive.

If you are looking for this part cheaper, and you don’t need such power, then standard processors with a clock frequency of about 2 GHz - 3 GHz will fully satisfy your requirements.

Today, the market leaders among processor manufacturers are Intel and AMD. Many people prefer the first company, since their equipment is somewhat more powerful. But similar AMD components are a little cheaper.

Or, random access memory (RAM) is needed to store temporary data and executable machine code, which in turn are processed by the processor.

There are types of RAM such as DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4. The first species is on the verge of extinction, but the young DDR4 is rightfully considered the leader. It entered mass production in 2014 and has leapt ahead in its performance, significantly increasing transmission speeds while reducing the machine's power consumption.

For office computers, a memory capacity of 2 GB is suitable; for ordinary home use, it is advisable to install more. The optimal volume would be 4-8 GB. However, if you want to get the most out of your computer, you can increase the RAM size to 16 GB or more.

If you want to store personal information on a PC, then you will need an SSD (solid-state drive) or HDD (hard drive) with a large amount of memory. They are responsible for long-term data storage.

For home use, hard drives with a rotation speed of about 7200 rpm and a memory capacity in the range of 500 MB - 1 TB are ideal. The most famous brands: Toshiba, Fujitsu and Western Digital.

As for SSD, this type of drive will cost much more and is more suitable for corporate machines. The leaders among manufacturers are: Intel, Samsung and Micron. However, there are other good companies. Their list is quite long.))

The main characteristic of a power supply is its total power across all outputs (buses). It must be 40-50% greater than the total power consumed by all components of the system unit. This will save money in the future when upgrading your PC, and will also reduce the likelihood of PSU failure.

Most machines are suitable for a 350 W power supply, for gaming machines - 500-700 W.

I think here you will have a question: “Is it possible to find out exactly what indicator is required for my assembly?” Yes you can. There are special online calculators for this. In addition, you can always consult with specialists in hardware stores before buying a power supply.

I advise you to take a closer look at the products of STM, FSP and Cooler Master. I also want to emphasize that good power supplies cost no less than $40-$50.

Collecting details into a single picture

Now you are familiar with the main components of the system unit, but you still don’t know in what order and where to connect them. Let's look into this.

1. To start, you'll need a case. Select it so that it circulates air well (it is open or, better yet, has a good cooling system). Sometimes cases already have power supplies built into them;
2. First, we insert the I/O controller into the rear panel of the case;
3. Afterwards, the drive is usually installed in the front panel;
4. If you purchased the power supply separately, now is the time to connect it. It is secured with screws in the upper rear part of the housing;
5. To install the processor, you need to open the socket on the motherboard using a lever. It will be in the shape of a triangle. Place the processor with the correct side to the connector so that the shape of the triangles coincides, and connect the latter with light pressure. Then secure the processor by pressing the lever;
6. This step involves connecting the cooler/radiator. Follow the attached instructions;
7. RAM is very easy to install. You just need to find the slots suitable for the RAM contacts on the board (they stand out from the rest externally) and, after matching, connect the first one with a light press;
8. Now we are introducing the motherboard itself into the system unit. To do this, match the holes for the screws on the case and the motherboard, and secure everything with screws;
9. At this stage, you must connect the cables of other components to the motherboard. Here the connection methods differ, so it is better to consult the instructions for help.

10.Install the video card(s);

11.And finally, you should connect the motherboard and power supply.

Now you know how to assemble a system unit yourself.)

Examples of finished assemblies

In this chapter, I tried to answer your question: “Can you give examples of assemblies and tell me approximately how much they will cost?”

About 30,000 rub.

About 55,000 rub.

About 75,000 rub.

More expensive than 100,000 rubles

	Intel Z170 Express
	Intel Core i7-6700K, 4 cores, 4.0 (4.2) GHz, 8 MB L3
	2x 16 GB DDR4-2400.
Storage device	2x SSD, 480-512 GB + HDD, 2 TB, 7200 rpm
Video card	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080, 1607 (1733) MHz, 8 GB GDDR5X
	Thermaltake Neva 750 W
CPU cooler

I have already written several times that the most important thing when assembling a system unit is the selection of components. All subsequent actions are purely mechanical in nature. In 2015, several computer platforms can be considered relevant. Unfortunately (or fortunately), technological progress has recently slowed down. Therefore, there is no big difference in performance between one generation or another. Of course, the easiest way would be to assemble a system unit based on the most modern hardware, but if there is a shortage of funds, the final result may upset you. You don’t have to run far for examples - in difficult times for compatriots, the site launched a series of articles “Computer of the Month”. Unfortunately, even with a budget of 50-60 thousand rubles, you have to seriously limit yourself. What if I tell you that an assembly of comparable performance can be assembled for 30,000 rubles? You probably won't believe it. However, it is quite possible. As part of the article, I will try to clearly explain how to assemble a powerful gaming computer from formally outdated components.

How to build a powerful gaming computer from outdated hardware

Where can I buy?

“Formally obsolete hardware” is often no longer available for purchase in retail computer networks. Therefore, you will have to look for goods either through public flea markets or on Chinese online platforms. In both cases, it is necessary to weigh the pros and cons. The editors created detailed instructions for working with such trading clusters as ebay and AliExpress. I think they will definitely help you.

Ad on AliExpress

As for purchases through private advertisements (for example, on Avito.ru), ask the seller to check the functionality of the computer device or the Money-back function. Just don't take a person's word for it. In this case, it will not hurt to provide a receipt and a photocopy of your passport. I have often heard stories in which, after a verbal agreement to return the money, a person was sold a non-working used product. As a result, the “victim” only has a mobile phone number among his contacts, but in reality it turns out that the SIM card has long been thrown into the trash bin after the treacherous transaction was made. In fact, this receipt is not very useful, but in most cases it affects a swindler like an aspen stake on a vampire. He will stupidly refuse to deal with you.

In general, there are a lot of options for “extracting” the necessary iron. You just need to make the right choice and not make a mistake.

Private ad on Avito.ru

PC platform

As I already said, computer hardware is progressing extremely slowly these days. This is especially true for central processors. In an article devoted to choosing a “stone” for a gaming computer, it was empirically proven that in modern games the architecture does not have such a significant impact on performance. The main thing is the frequency and number of cores. For greater clarity, let's look at the results of testing several Intel central processors in GTA V - the most processor-dependent game of our time. The booth used an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 video card. The graphics quality settings were far from the highest. As you can see, the Core i7-2600K, introduced in 2011, turned out to be slower than the Core i7-6700K, released at the end of summer, by only 7%. Seven percent, Karl! At the same time, the Core i7-2600K is equipped with an unlocked multiplier. Therefore, this difference can be leveled out by overclocking.

Results of testing processors of various generations in games (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980)

Interestingly, in other applications, representatives of the Sandy Bridge architecture do not look like whipping boys, although in x86 computing the difference between the Core i5-2500K and Core i5-6600K can reach 40%. This lag can again be easily reduced by overclocking.

Results of testing processors of various generations

As an example, I was able to find several advertisements for the Core i5-2500K model. On average, this “pebble” is sold for 8,000-9,000 rubles. On AliExpress you can purchase a “crust” without traces of installation for 10,000 rubles. For clarity: the Core i5-6600K model retails for about 17-18 thousand rubles. But you still need to purchase a modern motherboard and a kit of DDR4 memory for it. But if there is no difference in games, then why pay more?

However, the Core i5-2500K processor is not a panacea. There are plenty of cheaper models on sale that belong to the same family. But there are still solutions based on Ivy Bridge architecture. They are a little more expensive. As you can see, even among formally outdated hardware there is room to roam.

With AMD processors things are even simpler. There is a top platform AM3+. It was introduced back in 2011 and was intended for FX series processors built on the Bulldozer architecture. Then the line of chips was updated to the Piledriver architecture (this event happened in 2012). That's it, FX processors have not changed since then. With the release of new models, only the frequencies increased. But taking into account the fact that the entire family has a free multiplier, reaching the “reference” 4500 MHz will not be difficult. In this case, instead of some AMD FX-8370 (Vishera, 4 GHz, 15,000 rubles), you can purchase the FX-8100 (Zambezi, 2.8 GHz, 8,000 rubles on AliExpress) or FX-8120. According to statistics from hwbot.org, in the air it can easily reach 4300-4500 MHz.

We buy a processor from a private seller on Avito.ru

It’s better not to get into the “architectural jungle” in particular. When assembling a computer from outdated hardware, it is necessary that its performance level will last at least another 2-3 years. Therefore, below I have provided the current table of architectures with all hyperlinks. In my opinion, it is better not to pay attention to chips released before 2011.

Gold processor lots: Core i5-2400, Core i5-2500K, Core i5-3570K, Core i5-3550, FX-6300, FX-8100, FX-8120

After purchasing a central processor, it is worth selecting a motherboard and RAM. The functionality of modern solutions is not much different from models 3-4 years ago. All main interfaces are present. Modern boards support NVMe and M.2/U.2/USB 3.1 ports, but it is quite possible to survive without them for several more years.

Budget models for AMD and Intel chips can be found in retail sales even today. For example, the ASUS M5A78L-M LX3 board is sold for 3,000 rubles. It will make friends with any processor of the Bulldozer family. Just keep in mind that with such a board it will be quite problematic to overclock an 8-core processor. The component base is rather weak. If you still plan to overclock, then it is better to take a more serious motherboard. For example, on the AMD 970 chipset.

Budget solutions are also available for Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge processors. For overclocking you will already need a high-quality board based on the Z77 Express logic. Here you will have to turn to the Chinese for help. So, at the time of writing this article, the MSI Z77A-G41 model was on sale on AliExpress, costing 5,000 rubles. You can no longer find one like this in Russian retail.

Cheap motherboards for outdated processors can still be found in retail stores

All platforms presented in the table above work with DDR3 RAM. The reality is that RAM manufacturers themselves sell goods almost at cost. DDR3 is the most common standard today. So there are plenty of offers in retail. It makes sense to look for whales of “brains” at all kinds of flea markets only if a really, very lucrative offer comes to hand.

If you do not plan to overclock the processor, then it is more profitable to take a budget motherboard. Today there are still similar devices in retail. If planned, then it is necessary to look for a better solution through alternative channels

Video card

The performance of video cards from generation to generation is growing more noticeably than can be seen in the central processor market. However, recently AMD and NVIDIA have not been shy about releasing the same product, but with a new name. This is especially true for the Reds. For example, the line of Radeon R7/R9 300 video cards presented this summer consists entirely of renamed 3D accelerators. Such manipulations are called rebranding. They are aimed at warming up the public’s interest in themselves and increasing sales from “new” devices. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this. It's better than not releasing anything at all. In addition, video cards from the new line, as a rule, receive higher frequencies, but at the same time consume less electricity. For those who want to save on buying a video card, it makes sense to look not at the past, but even the generation before last, of graphics adapters.

I repeat, AMD has distinguished itself the brightest this year. For example, the Radeon R7 370 is an overclocked version of the Radeon R7 265. But if you dig deeper, it turns out that this is actually the Radeon HD 7850, introduced back in 2012. “Three hundred and seventieth” with 2 GB of video memory can be found in Moscow retail for an average of 12,000 rubles. The Radeon HD 7850 has not yet disappeared from store shelves, but it costs 8,000 rubles. At the same time, according to statistics, the device easily runs up to 1000 MHz for the chip and 1400 (5600) MHz for the memory.

In my opinion, the best deals among AMD video cards today are the purchase of a Radeon HD 7970 or Radeon HD 7950. Even in 2015, they are capable of running all modern games in Full HD resolution. Their improved versions are the Radeon R9 280X and Radeon R9 380, respectively. The Radeon R9 380X should go on sale very soon, meaning the rebranding of super-successful cards will continue. So, Radeon HD 7970 (depending on the vendor) can be purchased for 8000-9000 rubles on Avito or for 10-11 thousand rubles on AliExpress. Competitive solutions - Radeon R9 280X and GeForce GTX 960 with 4 GB of memory - are noticeably more expensive.

	AMD Radeon R9 380	AMD Radeon R9 285	AMD Radeon HD 7950	AMD Radeon R9 280X	AMD Radeon HD 7970
	970 MHz	918 MHz	800 MHz	1000 MHz	925 MHz
Memory	GDDR5, 2/4 GB, 1425 (5700) MHz	GDDR5, 2 GB, 1375 (5500) MHz		GDDR5, 3 GB, 1500 (6000) MHz	GDDR5, 3 GB, 1250 (5000) MHz
	190 W	190 W	200 W	250 W	250 W

Finally, in the High-end segment there was also a rebranding. A Radeon R9 290 4 GB model with “mileage” can be purchased at computer flea markets for 14,000 rubles.

	AMD Radeon R9 390	AMD Radeon R9 290	AMD Radeon R9 390X	AMD Radeon R9 290X
GPU frequency	1000 MHz	947 MHz	1050 MHz	1000 MHz
Memory			GDDR5, 8 GB, 1500 (6000) MHz	GDDR5, 4/8 GB, 1250 (5000) MHz
Maximum power consumption	275 W	290 W	275 W	290 W

NVIDIA last resorted to rebranding with the GeForce GTX 770 video card, which in fact turned out to be an overclocked version of the GeForce GTX 680. Both solutions are well suited for modern games in Full HD resolution. But then the “green” ones released their productive solutions based on the Maxwell architecture. They operate at high frequencies and consume noticeably less electricity. However, in terms of performance, these solutions (with the exception of the top ones) differ little from each other. Thus, the performance of the GeForce GTX 970 is comparable to the GeForce GTX 780, and the speed of the GeForce GTX 980 is approximately equal to the GeForce GTX 780 Ti. On the other hand, NVIDIA actively cooperates with many game developers. Therefore, in some games the superiority of the modern Maxwell architecture over the outdated Kepler turns out to be very significant. For example, in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, as well as in applications that consume more than 3 GB of video memory.

Many people want to build a gaming computer in 2017, while staying within a small budget. But this is a very difficult matter, because the cost of computer components increases every year, as well as the demands of games regarding PC performance. At the same time, I want to build a computer whose hardware will remain relevant for at least several more years, because it is not profitable to invest in its modernization every year, and not everyone can afford it. In our material you will learn which parts are most important in games and how to assemble an inexpensive gaming computer.

Assembling a gaming computer 2019 with your own hands

CPU

The first step is to decide on the choice of processor - the most important element of the computer, which is responsible for all computing processes. You have to choose between the products of two world-famous brands, Intel and AMD. It is recommended to find performance tests on the Internet and compare the results with each other. The optimal choice, in our opinion, is the Intel core i5 processor - its power is enough for any games and the fast operation of the operating system.

The higher the processor generation, the better the performance, so take this into account when choosing. To build a powerful budget gaming computer, you can use the i5 7500 - practically the top-end solution in the line, which copes well with resource-intensive tasks. Of course, Intel core i7 processors will be better, but the performance gain in them is not as great as the overpayment. The AMD Athlon II X4 640 will be an excellent solution for building a budget computer, although its capabilities are inferior to solutions from Intel.

Choosing a motherboard

You need to find a motherboard that will support the format of the selected processor. When choosing it, you need to pay attention to the processor socket (for example, to connect an Intel i5 you need an LGA 1151 socket). Also important is the standard of RAM slots, their number and frequency. There may also be additional connectors, which is worth paying attention to in order to choose a motherboard with suitable functionality.

RAM

When assembling a gaming computer 2017, the optimal solution would be DD4 standard RAM with a capacity of 8 or 16 GB. There is simply no need for a larger volume, and everything will fly that way. But 4 GB will not be enough for modern games, especially since part of the memory is consumed by the system. You need to choose the amount of RAM based on your budget - the more you install, the faster games will load and the smoother the interface will work. But keep in mind that if in the future you want to expand the volume, then you need to install a bar with a similar frequency and preferably from the same manufacturer, otherwise it may turn out to be incompatible. It is better to choose memory with the maximum frequency; its performance largely depends on this. When deciding how to build an inexpensive gaming computer in 2017, you need to make sure that the selected RAM standard is supported by the motherboard.

Please note that if you set the RAM level to more than 3 GB, then the operating system must have a 64-bit architecture. Otherwise, no matter how much memory you install, no more than three will be available.

The video card is the most important part when assembling a gaming computer.

The question of how to build a good gaming computer is impossible to imagine without choosing a video card that is responsible for processing graphics in games. The video card and processor are the most expensive parts on which gaming performance is most dependent. When choosing, it is better to read reviews, since manufacturers offer a huge variety of models that vary greatly in their capabilities. For a budget PC, an Nvidia Geforce 1050 Ti with 4 GB of memory will be enough. But lately, not everything is so simple with video cards - they are being snapped up by miners, and if they can be found on sale, they are much more expensive than they should be. This applies to the entire video card market. If you have a large budget, then you should pay attention to Nvidia Geforce 1060, 1070 and 1080 cards - the top solutions today, purchasing which you will get maximum performance.

When deciding how to assemble a gaming computer yourself, you can also pay attention to cheaper solutions from ATI or Nvidia. When choosing, consider the connector to which the video card is connected. DDR5 is in the lead - this is the latest format with which almost all motherboards are equipped. Therefore, it is better to opt for it; DDR3 will become less and less popular over time until it becomes completely extinct. And remember that a higher model number doesn't always mean it's better. You need to look at reviews and comparisons of performance tests on special sites.

Selecting a drive

The best option today is to use an SSD drive paired with a standard one. The system is installed on the first one, which gives a noticeable increase in productivity. But due to the high cost, it will be unprofitable to buy a large-capacity SSD, which means that over time you will no longer be able to store all the files on it.

This is where a standard hard drive, which costs much less, comes to the rescue. So, for 3000-4000 rubles you can buy a 1 TB hard drive, while for the same amount you can find a maximum 128 GB SSD. Again, when deciding how to build a good gaming computer inexpensively in 2017, you should read reviews and pay attention to such characteristics as rotation speed. It must be at least 7200 rpm. The speed of writing and reading data depends on this parameter. A fast drive allows games to launch faster and also reduces installation time.

power unit

When thinking about how to assemble a gaming computer in 2017 yourself, you need to calculate the required power supply power. To do this, you need to look in the specifications to see how much energy each part of the computer consumes, add up the sum and add about 20% just in case. Most power supplies come with 20 or 24 pin connectors, make sure they are compatible with your motherboard. You should not take the power supply included with the case. As a rule, it is not of high quality. For a gaming computer, you will need an option with a power of at least 500 W.

Frame

The case should not only be beautiful, but also contain all the connectors necessary for use. Particular attention should be paid to cooling, because even on the most powerful hardware, games will slow down if it overheats. Some cases have 80mm fans, others have 120mm fans. The top solution is a liquid cooling system, but it is unreasonably expensive, so it is better to opt for a case with 3-4 powerful coolers. The more powerful the filling, the more efficient the cooling system should be.

Article updated: 01/03/2019. The information provided is relevant for the entire year 2019.

It's time to change the assembly, because the previous one lasted a whole year! Yes, a lot has changed during this time, prices jumped up and down, but now we are ready for change. I warn everyone right away: most likely, you will not meet the given budget, but this article will help you buy the most suitable hardware for your money. It will be ready when you have additional funds.

It would seem, what can you buy for 15 thousand rubles? In fact, even now it is possible to assemble a configuration for this modest amount. Let's go through each component in order and choose the most optimal ones. Let’s immediately make a reservation that we will only talk about the system unit without a monitor and other peripherals. They will have to be added separately, but with us every ruble counts. The system will definitely run GS GO, Dota 2, HotS and Fortnite without any problems with good FPS. You can even play GTA 5 and PUBG, Destiny 2, Tom Clancy and other modern games. And if you add a video card (I don’t write about it in the article because I don’t have enough money), then you won’t have any problems at all.

Let's make a shopping list, at the same time it will play the role of content - navigation through the article:

There is much more choice here, so it’s dizzying, but in fact, if you choose the minimum, there won’t be many options left. For an Intel processor on the LGA 1151v2 socket, we can take the H310 chipset. This is a budget option that will cover all your requirements. There is support for all modern interfaces, such as USB 3.1, PCI-E x16 version 3.0, SATA 6 Gb/s and so on. The chipset is quite recent, but has already been tested; it is advisable to periodically update the BIOS, because useful fixes may be released that will reduce power consumption and optimize the already stable operation. You can take another one with the same socket. You most likely won't notice any significant differences. The main thing is to look at the processor socket, we have it Coffee Lake (LGA 1151v2), respectively, the motherboard should have the same one. It is very important!

RAM

Video card

HDD

power unit

Frame

Final assembly

Congratulations! We just assembled a gaming computer for 15,000 rubles! To be honest, I myself didn’t fully believe in it, but, as you can see, everything is real, you just have to want it. So, for ease of reading, as well as for those who missed all the material that I presented above, I am posting the final assembly with links to Yandex Market.

That's all, dear readers. Now you can build your own computer, even with a modest budget. This could be, for example, a child’s first computer, on which he can not only do his homework, but also play a little modern games. By the way, read why games can slow down. The second option for using a computer for 15 thousand rubles could be an office. To work in such configurations as I gave above, it will be enough. If you like to play CS Go or Dota 2, Fortnite, PUBG, then this system, as I already said, is quite suitable, even though it does not have a video card. Nobody plays these two games at maximum settings anyway, since additional details only distract and interfere with concentration.

If you still have questions, ask them in the comments, we’ll look at them together.