PC gaming

[Hoopz]

I need to get a new PC for my step son so he can play League of Legends.  I think he has about $500 to spend.  I haven't played PC games in years so I'm not up to date on the GPU specs and what's faster then what.

I need:

3 GHz processor
GeForce 8800 or equivalent video card (Dedicated GPU with 512MB+ Video Memory(VRAM))
Support for DirectX v9.0c or better.

I'm not worried about the gigs of ram needed or HD space as I can make sure that whatever I get meets those minimums.  I'm not going to worry about building this as I've done in the past.  I'd like to find a decent deal for the system but since I'm not up to speed on GPU specs, I need some guidance please.  If the $500 isn't enough, if you could point me to the system(s) he needs, it'll give him a goal to shoot for.

Thanks!

[wp34]

Don't have an answer for you but love the new Avatar!

[JDFan]

Assembled system or are you comfortable enough with assembly\setup ? Does the budget need to include a copy of windows or do you have a spare copy ? (at $100+\- That can make a difference in the rest of the build ) Do you have a monitor or does that need to be included in the budget and if you have one what resolution - since it could make a difference in GPU level needed. ( ie. gaming at lower res requires less GPU muscle and makes having 2GB of VRAM less useful over 1GB. when dealing with a lower budget the price difference between a 1GB and 2GB VRAM GPU can sometimes be better used to upgrade the CPU one step - but 1GB. can require lowering other settings in game if using say 1920x1080 res. )

For reference on the GPU Tom's has this chart http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html does a fairly good job of placing cards in levels of performance for comparing different cards.

Currently you can probably find a good mid level GPU for around $100 -$150 that is much more capable than needed (ie. ATI 7770, 7850, r7 260x etc.)

[Hoopz]

I'd prefer assembled but can do it if necessary.  My first choice is to not have to though.

I have a monitor and have do have a copy of Windows to use.  The monitor is an older model LCD so I doubt it'll go do a higher resolution.  And I'm willing to sacrifice the visual quality up front because of the monitor won't run a high resolution.  He can save for a better monitor.  I would be inclined to get a GPU that maxes out the monitor and can do a higher resolution then the monitor handles as we can upgrade the monitor later.

Thanks for the link to Tom's Hardware.  I stopped looking at his sight a while ago when I stopped building my own PCs.

[05SRT4]

Leagues should not take to much power. I don't play LOL but I do play Dota (same genre) very often and my 500$ manually built I5 2500K Geforce 460 and 4 gigs of ram runs most of my RTS games on high settings flawlessly.

[ark_ader]

This must be the seventh PC rig question in a month.  I am sure the answer is in the search facility. 

[Hoopz]

This must be the seventh PC rig question in a month.  I am sure the answer is in the search facility. 

Apologies. I searched but didn't see a specific thread about this game.  If you would kindly point it out to me, I will lock this thread.

[JDFan]

Here's a decent HP system with an i3 3220 for $400 -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883256808

add a $80 - $100 GPU like this 7750 -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131461 ($100 - $20 MIR)

and for right around $500 out of pocket  (don't like to count on Rebates ) you'd have a system that should be fine for what you wanted -- Chose the 7750 due to the system only coming with a 300 W power supply which will run the 7750 fine with the low power consuming I3 CPU otherwise you'd be spending closer to $600 to get a 550 -600W PSU and a bit higher end GPU.

But for the listed uses with a lower res monitor the 7750 would do fine and keep you in your budget including a new copy of windows.

[Hoopz]

Here's a decent HP system with an i3 3220 for $400 -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883256808

add a $80 - $100 GPU like this 7750 -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131461 ($100 - $20 MIR)

and for right around $500 out of pocket  (don't like to count on Rebates ) you'd have a system that should be fine for what you wanted -- Chose the 7750 due to the system only coming with a 300 W power supply which will run the 7750 fine with the low power consuming I3 CPU otherwise you'd be spending closer to $600 to get a 550 -600W PSU and a bit higher end GPU.

But for the listed uses with a lower res monitor the 7750 would do fine and keep you in your budget including a new copy of windows.

Thanks!  Exactly what I needed.  I could upgrade the graphics card on our PC but would need to replace the power supply and didn't want to deal with that.

If anyone else has any thoughts or suggestions, please let me know.

[Generic Eric]

If anyone else has any thoughts or suggestions, please let me know.

The key to the puzzle is the motherboard.  Newest ram, CPU support, USB 3 and gigabit Ethernet, hopefully a decent on-board video.
The rest you can put in budget items and upgrade individually.  That's my theory anyway.

[fallacy]

League of Legends does not require anything, buy him a laptop.

[Howard_Casto]

Wow I agree with fallacy... that rarely happens. 

Yeah I mean if we wants to run other games, but online only games are specifically designed to run on crappy computers because MMORPGs and similar genres aren't real games. 

Seriously though your internet speed is more important.  Do you have good speed?  Upgrade your pipe if you want to upgrade anything.

[ark_ader]

Wow I agree with fallacy... that rarely happens. 

Yeah I mean if we wants to run other games, but online only games are specifically designed to run on crappy computers because MMORPGs and similar genres aren't real games. 

Seriously though your internet speed is more important.  Do you have good speed?  Upgrade your pipe if you want to upgrade anything.

Thus my response.  Nearly any modern day computer will play LOL, heck even my old AMD Thunderbird would run it.  If the PC runs WOW it will run LOL. 

Minimum System Requirements:
2 GHz processor
1 GB RAM (Windows Vista and 7 users will want 2 GB of RAM or more)
8 GB available hard disk space
Shader version 2.0 capable video card
Support for DirectX v9.0c or better
Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. (Mac Minimum System Requirements can be found here: https://support.leagueoflegends.com/entries/23260481-Mac-Minimum-System-Requirements)

You can pickup a DC7700 for less than $150 with GPU. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883250277

[Hoopz]

I'd prefer to hit more than the minimum and since I don't know what graphic cards are faster than which others, I thought I would ask. 

My desktop PC is an HP that I bought when my gaming rig died about 6 years ago.  It has onboard vga graphics so it won't work.  To put a dedicated card in it, I have to upgrade the cheap ass power supply that it came with.  I don't want to do that for obvious reasons.

My internet line is fine for this.

Thanks for the help and suggestions so far. 

[JDFan]

Here's a decent HP system with an i3 3220 for $400 -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883256808

add a $80 - $100 GPU like this 7750 -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131461 ($100 - $20 MIR)

and for right around $500 out of pocket  (don't like to count on Rebates ) you'd have a system that should be fine for what you wanted -- Chose the 7750 due to the system only coming with a 300 W power supply which will run the 7750 fine with the low power consuming I3 CPU otherwise you'd be spending closer to $600 to get a 550 -600W PSU and a bit higher end GPU.

But for the listed uses with a lower res monitor the 7750 would do fine and keep you in your budget including a new copy of windows.

Thanks!  Exactly what I needed.  I could upgrade the graphics card on our PC but would need to replace the power supply and didn't want to deal with that.

If anyone else has any thoughts or suggestions, please let me know.

OOPS -- ACTUALLY didn't look at the specs and they didn't list it but looking at the pics the MOBO on this does not have a PCI-e slot for a video card - so it wont work !!!! -- But there should be similar with a PCI-e slot for around the same pricing - but if you already have a system it would be cheaper and almost as easy to buy a new Power supply and GPU for it if it has the needed PCI-e slot.

[Zrooney]

I would go with an AMD R9 series. They are slightly slower than there counterpart Nvidia card, but they are also cheaper as well.  If you are looking for performance without breaking the budget (around $170) then I would consider a 270 series card.  If you want to spend a little more and get an even bigger performance increase, then get a 270X card. (about $50 more). And the great thing about these cards is they only consume 150W, so no need for a 600W power supply! Hope this helps.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121823 (Asus Model)

And then this is the benchmarks I looked at are

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-r9-270-review-benchmarks,3669-3.html (starts 3rd page).

All of these games are pretty graphically intensive, so 60FPS in BF4 is a lot more in LOL. 

[Generic Eric]

I think its time for the BYOPC2014.

We'd benefit from using more similar platforms.  They'd yield more common experiences.    Pick a favorite MOBO.  Be it ASROCK, Asus, Gigabyte, whatever.  #TEAMAMD vs #TEAMINTEL.  Then we can compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges.

Is it time?  It might be time.  I want to build a new PC sometime this year.  Preferably before win8 takes hold.

[Howard_Casto]

Yeah I think this is a strange turning point for our hobby.  If you want to play the newer "arcade" games they run on a pc and most of our arcade goodness can be found on steam.  But most of it requires win 8 or above, so it's as good a time as any to upgrade if you haven't already.

[Hoopz]

To update everyone, I received a free Dual Core Duo and he is playing on it.   The onboard graphics aren't great and I had to scale down the resolution and details but he's playing and for free. Win win.

Thanks for all the help and input!

[Generic Eric]

To update everyone, I received a free Dual Core Duo and he is playing on it.   The onboard graphics aren't great and I had to scale down the resolution and details but he's playing and for free. Win win.

Thanks for all the help and input!

I must be miss reading this?  All I see here is a $500 budget of a video card and monitor.

[Hoopz]

Sorry, I got a free PC that he's able to play on.  I mentioned the processor but failed to state it was the whole enchilada.

[knave]

I must be miss reading this?  All I see here is a $500 budget of a video card and monitor.

But why make him play at a lower resolution? use some of that $500 for a faster graphics card...perhaps more memory...

[Hoopz]

1.  Cant upgrade til he turns it off.  Has been playing 24/7 except to eat/some sleep/shovel driveway.
2.  Its an HP which means may need to upgrade power supply still.

I'll talk to him about it.  He's cheap so I bet he decides not to upgrade.  We'll see.

[Howard_Casto]

I would just like to point out that those telling you to spend +100 dollars on a video card should be promptly ignored. 

Video cards become obsolete in a matter of weeks.  Never pay more than around 70 bucks for a vid card because in 6 months, that's what the 170 dollar card will cost.  Pc games are NEVER optimized for the latest card, rather a card that's about a year old, sometimes more.  The reason is common sense.... nobody would be able to play the game properly.

When I was young I always bought top of the line pcs and pc parts.  Then I got older and realized how much money I was throwing away.  You've gotta find that sweet spot.   

[knave]

I would just like to point out that those telling you to spend +100 dollars on a video card should be promptly ignored. 

Video cards become obsolete in a matter of weeks.  Never pay more than around 70 bucks for a vid card because in 6 months, that's what the 170 dollar card will cost.  Pc games are NEVER optimized for the latest card, rather a card that's about a year old, sometimes more.  The reason is common sense.... nobody would be able to play the game properly.

When I was young I always bought top of the line pcs and pc parts.  Then I got older and realized how much money I was throwing away.  You've gotta find that sweet spot.

I half agree with you Howard. There is always a price/performance sweet spot. Sometimes it is above the $100 mark. That said for what he wants to do I think ~$60 on newegg or TigerDirect would be perfect.

...but spending $100 would give better performance at higher resolutions not that I'm recommending that though.

If it were me. I would wait...kids are flighty as it is and with binge gaming he could loose interest and go back to consoles or get into sports or whatever. Or it could be the gateway drug that prompts him to build his own PC with that $500 and that is a great learning experience.  You can always upgrade or build a new unit when the time is right.

Knave's 2¢

[Flip_Willie]

I would just like to point out that those telling you to spend +100 dollars on a video card should be promptly ignored.