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Here is a nice guide for a $500 "Steam Box" http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-build-your-own-steam-box/ http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-

Here is a nice guide for a $500 "Steam Box" http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-build-your-own-steam-box/ http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-build-your-own... Great pictures for assembly - components as follows: Processor: Intel Core i3-3220 ($130) Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H61M-HD2 Micro-ATX ($55) RAM: Kingston Value 4GB DDR3 1066 Low-Profile ($30) Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 7770 1GHz Edition ($115) Hard Drive: Western Digital Blue 500GB 7200RPM ($60) Power Supply: Antec NEO ECO 400-Watt ($40) Case: Antec New Solution VSK-3000 ($30) Cooler: Cooler Master GeminII M4 ($30)

networked 14y ago
A great resource for building a custom PC on a fixed budget is http://www.logicalincrements.com/ http://www.logicalincrements.com/.
TillE 14y ago
The GPU is fine, but that build needs more RAM and possibly a better CPU. Would benefit significantly from an SSD; spend ~$100 on a 128GB SSD and watch your loading times drop.
- codesuela 14y ago
  yup, 8 Gigs of RAM should be mandatory. Also a i5 3720 has a excellent performance/price ratio.
- lusr 14y ago
  My machine is always on. Subjectively, having 24GB of RAM made far more of a performance difference than my Plextor PX-256M3P, presumably because with 24GB of RAM pretty much everything of importance ends up being cached in RAM sooner or later.
potatolicious 14y ago
Is there really a point to a custom cooler when there are literally no high-end components in the machine capable of producing an appreciable amount of heat? Seems like $30 wasted. This is going to be a tough sell. The PS4's performance is going to blow this thing out of the water, and it's a practical guarantee that the next Xbox will also - and probably not cost more.
- ghshephard 14y ago
  The fan can run more slowly (with the cooler it's more efficient) - so the the system runs more quietly. Important for a living room appliance.
Shivetya 14y ago
No offense, but can we at least spend more on cases instead of recommending people ugly boxes? Yeah I understand it might be banished to the entertainment center for life, but all the thought into selecting components, assembling it, and wiring it just right, get tossed out the moment I see what amounts to black painted cardboard box equivalent. I know, for many its what inside that counts, but for some its presentation that shows to others that all details matter.

networked 14y ago

A great resource for building a custom PC on a fixed budget is http://www.logicalincrements.com/ http://www.logicalincrements.com/.

TillE 14y ago

The GPU is fine, but that build needs more RAM and possibly a better CPU. Would benefit significantly from an SSD; spend ~$100 on a 128GB SSD and watch your loading times drop.

codesuela 14y ago
yup, 8 Gigs of RAM should be mandatory. Also a i5 3720 has a excellent performance/price ratio.
lusr 14y ago
My machine is always on. Subjectively, having 24GB of RAM made far more of a performance difference than my Plextor PX-256M3P, presumably because with 24GB of RAM pretty much everything of importance ends up being cached in RAM sooner or later.

potatolicious 14y ago

Is there really a point to a custom cooler when there are literally no high-end components in the machine capable of producing an appreciable amount of heat? Seems like $30 wasted. This is going to be a tough sell. The PS4's performance is going to blow this thing out of the water, and it's a practical guarantee that the next Xbox will also - and probably not cost more.

ghshephard 14y ago
The fan can run more slowly (with the cooler it's more efficient) - so the the system runs more quietly. Important for a living room appliance.

Shivetya 14y ago

No offense, but can we at least spend more on cases instead of recommending people ugly boxes? Yeah I understand it might be banished to the entertainment center for life, but all the thought into selecting components, assembling it, and wiring it just right, get tossed out the moment I see what amounts to black painted cardboard box equivalent. I know, for many its what inside that counts, but for some its presentation that shows to others that all details matter.