In this guide, we’ll navigate the exciting realm of assembling your own gaming powerhouse without breaking the bank. Custom-built PCs offer a unique advantage over their pre-built counterparts, allowing you to tailor every component to suit your specific needs. Not only does this provide more bang for your buck, but it also ensures that you’re not paying for unnecessary bells and whistles.

Throughout this guide, we’ll provide you with practical tips and tricks to help you maximize your budget, make informed decisions on components, and even a few tricks to enhance performance without emptying your wallet. So, let’s embark on this budget-friendly gaming adventure together and unlock a world of immersive gameplay without the hefty price tag.

1. Set a Clear Realistic Budget

Before you dive into the world of component specs and benchmarks, it’s crucial to establish a clear budget. This initial step will serve as your guiding light throughout the entire build process.

Balancing Performance and Affordability

Determining the right budget is a delicate balance between performance and affordability. It’s tempting to splurge on the latest and greatest, but often, a more strategic allocation of funds can yield better results.

Consider the type of games you’ll be playing and their system requirements. This will help you prioritize components like the CPU and GPU, where gaming performance is most heavily influenced. Allocate a larger portion of your budget here while being mindful of the other crucial elements like RAM, storage, motherboard, power supply, and peripherals.

Allocating Funds for Components

Breaking down your budget by component category ensures you’re allocating funds where they’re needed most. Here’s a rough guideline:

• CPU and GPU: These are the workhorses of your gaming rig. Allocate a significant portion of your budget to these components for optimal gaming performance.
• RAM and Storage: Aim for a balanced approach. 16GB of RAM is generally sufficient for most gaming needs these days but more could be required in the future. Investing in a speedy SSD for your operating system and frequently-played games can significantly enhance loading times.
• Motherboard and Power Supply: While critical, these components don’t require the largest chunk of your budget. Look for options that provide the necessary features without unnecessary frills.
• Peripherals: Don’t forget about peripherals like a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and headset. Allocate a portion of your budget for quality peripherals that enhance your overall gaming experience. However, in a pinch, this section is the easiest to upgrade at a later time.
• Case: While not required in the strictest technical sense (Most everyone has run their system on a motherboard box at some point), you will want something to house and protect your components.

By carefully planning your budget allocation, you’ll ensure that you’re getting the most out of every dollar spent on your custom gaming PC.

2. Prioritize Components for Gaming Performance

Now that you’ve set a budget, it’s time to focus on the components that have the most significant impact on gaming performance. By allocating more of your budget to these key elements, you’ll ensure a smooth and immersive gaming experience.

Components that Matter Most for Performance:

1. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU): The GPU is the powerhouse behind rendering graphics. It’s arguably the most crucial component for gaming performance. Investing in a capable GPU will allow you to run modern games at higher resolutions and frame rates.
2. Central Processing Unit (CPU): While not as critical as the GPU for gaming, a capable CPU is still essential. It handles tasks like AI processing, physics calculations, and game logic. Look for a CPU that offers a good balance of performance and cost.
3. Random Access Memory (RAM): Adequate RAM ensures smooth multitasking while gaming. 16GB is typically the sweet spot for most gamers, providing enough headroom for running the game alongside background processes.
4. Storage: Consider a combination of an SSD for your operating system and frequently-played games, and an HDD for additional storage. An SSD significantly improves load times, enhancing your gaming experience.

By prioritizing these components, you’ll maximize the gaming performance within your budget. Remember, finding the right balance between these elements is key to achieving an optimal gaming experience without overspending.

3. Look for Deals and Discounts on New Components

Finding the best deals and discounts on PC components can significantly stretch your budget. With a bit of patience and savvy shopping, you can save a considerable amount on your custom gaming PC build.

Where to Find Deals:

1. Online Marketplaces: Websites like Amazon and Newegg often have competitive prices and frequent sales on a wide range of components.
2. Seasonal Sales and Promotions: Keep an eye out for major sales events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and holiday promotions. Many retailers offer significant discounts during these periods.
3. Newsletters and Notifications: Subscribe to newsletters from tech retailers and manufacturers. They often send out exclusive deals and promotions to their subscribers.
4. Price Comparison Tools: Use price comparison websites, like PCPartPicker, or browser extensions to quickly find the best deals across different online retailers.
5. Open-Box Items: These can offer substantial savings without sacrificing quality. Just be sure to buy from reputable sources that offer warranties or return policies.

Tips for Deal Hunting:

1. Compare Prices: Don’t settle for the first price you see. Compare prices across different retailers to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
2. Read Reviews: Before making a purchase, read customer reviews and expert opinions to ensure the component meets your expectations.
3. Consider Bundles: Some retailers offer bundles that include multiple components at a discounted price. This can be a cost-effective way to acquire several parts at once.
4. Set Price Alerts: Use tools that allow you to set price alerts for specific components. This way, you’ll be notified when they go on sale.

By keeping an eye out for deals and discounts, you can significantly lower the overall cost of your custom gaming PC build without sacrificing quality.

4. Consider Used or Refurbished Parts

Opting for used or refurbished components can be a savvy way to save money without sacrificing performance. However, it’s essential to approach this option with caution and ensure you’re making informed decisions.

Benefits of Used or Refurbished Parts:

• Cost Savings: Used or refurbished components are typically more budget-friendly compared to brand-new ones.
• Environmentally Friendly: Choosing refurbished parts supports sustainability by extending the lifespan of existing components.

Components to Consider Buying Used:

• Graphics Cards (GPU): Many gamers upgrade their GPUs regularly, meaning there’s a healthy market for second-hand cards. Look for cards from reputable brands and sellers. If possible, try to test out used cards before actually purchasing them.
• CPUs: Processors can have a long lifespan if well-maintained. Look for models that meet the requirements of your desired games.
• RAM and Storage: These components are generally robust and can often be found at a significant discount when bought used.

Tips for Buying Used or Refurbished:

1. Buy from Reputable Sellers: Stick to trusted platforms and sellers with good ratings and reviews. eBay has historically had very strong seller protection policies in place.
2. Check for Warranty or Return Policies: Make sure there’s a guarantee in case the component arrives faulty.
3. Verify Condition: Ask for detailed pictures and descriptions to ensure the component is in good working order.
4. Ask Questions: Don’t hesitate to ask the seller about the history, usage, and condition of the component.

Proceed with Caution:

While buying used or refurbished parts can be a great way to save money, it’s important to exercise caution and do thorough research. With the right approach, you can find high-quality components that fit your budget.

5. DIY vs. Pre-Built: Weighing the Pros and Cons

Choosing between building your own custom gaming PC and buying a pre-built one is a decision that comes with its own set of advantages and considerations. Let’s explore both options to help you make an informed choice.

Building Your Own Custom PC:

Pros:

1. Customization: You have complete control over the components, allowing you to tailor the PC to your specific gaming needs.
2. Cost-Effectiveness: Building your own PC can often be more cost-effective, as you can prioritize components based on your budget and needs.
3. Learning Experience: It’s an opportunity to learn about the inner workings of a computer, which can be a valuable skill.

Cons:

1. Time-Consuming: Building a PC can be time-consuming, especially if it’s your first time. Researching, assembling, and troubleshooting can take a significant amount of time.
2. Potential for Mistakes: There’s a chance of making mistakes during the build process, which can lead to compatibility issues or even damage to components.

Buying a Pre-Built PC:

Pros:

1. Convenience: Pre-built PCs are ready to use out of the box, saving you the time and effort required for assembly.
2. Warranty and Support: Pre-built PCs often come with warranties and customer support, providing peace of mind in case of any issues.

Cons:

1. Less Customization: You have limited control over the components, so you may not get exactly what you want in terms of performance and features.
2. Potentially Higher Cost: Pre-built PCs can be more expensive due to factors like labor, markup, and the inclusion of additional software.

Which Option Is Right for You?

• If you value customization and are willing to invest the time: Building your own PC allows you to create a system perfectly tailored to your preferences.
• If you prefer convenience and want a hassle-free experience: A pre-built PC might be the better choice, especially if you’re not comfortable with the assembly process.

Ultimately, the decision comes down to your individual preferences, budget, and level of comfort with PC hardware.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step towards building a custom gaming PC that not only fits your budget but also delivers a stellar gaming experience. By following the tips and tricks outlined in this guide, you’re well on your way to creating a powerhouse that won’t break the bank.

Remember, setting a realistic budget is the foundation of a successful build. Balancing performance and affordability ensures you get the most value out of every dollar spent. Prioritizing key components like the GPU and CPU, and seeking deals and discounts, can further optimize your build.

Don’t be afraid to explore the world of used or refurbished components, as they can provide excellent performance at a fraction of the cost. And lastly, whether you choose to build your own PC or opt for a pre-built option, both have their merits. It ultimately comes down to your preferences and comfort level with the building process.

Now armed with these tips and tricks, you’re ready to embark on your custom gaming PC journey. Whether you’re diving into the latest AAA titles or immersing yourself in the world of esports, your budget-friendly rig will be up to the task.

Happy gaming!

Build a Raspberry Pi Buggy – One of the milestones of hobby robotics is a vehicle that is controlled with a Raspberry Pi.

Build an air quality monitor – Great way to get started with Sensors and detecting the world around you.

How to Set Up a Safe and Free VPN on Android – You know to use a VPN on your computer over public wifi, but we should all be doing the same with our phones as well.

So try your hand at building something or just try and make your phone a little bit safer on the open internet.

-DH

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• As an “HTPC” probably using Raspbmc. I’ll probably want to use this as a receiver for a more powerful media streaming server.
• Driving a wall mounted LCD as a digital signage type display
  • An upgrade would be to drive a touchscreen and make it a “Control Center”
• Home monitoring and automation
• Data Acquisition system – I don’t know what this means yet, but it sounds cool…
• Car computer
• Kitchen computer
• Weather Station
• Of course there’s always the option of using it as an actual computer too…

I think it would be a good fit for any of these type projects, and the low cost makes it ideal for specialty purposes. I’ve seen plenty of people say that they would use it as a NAS and while it would be able to function like one, the performance on it isn’t going to be good at all. The mass storage will be limited to the USB (2.0?) speeds. It could work if you’re wanting to play around with some concepts or as a Pogoplug replacement, but you’ll quickly want a more robust full blown NAS solution when you inevitably scale past the Raspberry Pi’s performance.

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Hardware

So the machine I could go with was an older Gateway E-4620D desktop. It’s specs coming out of the surplus sale (after taking the donor parts) made it an Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 running at 2.2GHz with 3GB of RAM. No hard drives (like all the surplus computers) and only integrated graphics (fine for running a headless server), It also came with a DVD drive. Since I didn’t have much in the way of spare hard drives around my house, I planned on buying some to put in this. I also bought 4GB (2x2GB) of RAM to put in my main desktop and moved 2GB (2x1GB) to this machine. So here are the  bullet points of the final specs for what I’ve got right now.

• CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 @ 2.2GHz
• RAM: 4GB (4x1GB) DDR2 800
• OS/VM HDDs: 4x160GB Western Digital Blue SATA drives; configured in software RAID 10 (see notes)
• Data/Backups HDD: 1TB Western Digital Green SATA Drive
• NIC: Integrated Gigabit Ethernet
• Optical Drive: DVD RW

HDD NOTE: apparently, running a virtual server on software RAID is the dumbest thing anyone can do on the face of the earth… I have no idea why, but since I’m literally running this on a computer I spent $4 on (without HDDs), I don’t really see the need to drop $500 on a “recommended” hardware RAID controller. You’ve been warned, if you follow advice from someone doing the dumbest thing on earth, that’s your problem.

I’m don’t think there’s anything else that I want to do hardware wise to this machine for now. I might add a second NIC, but not do anything with it for right now. I went through a few hardware iterations before I landed with these as “final” specs, and if possible I’d recommend that you try to settle on hardware before trying to build up the environment. Technically you should always be able to backup running virtual machines and restore them. I however, ran into some issues probably on account of either drive types (IDE and SATA) and not booting to the right set. I wasn’t far along though so it wasn’t very painful to wipe everything out and start from scratch.

Hypervisor

I should start off by saying what I was looking for in my hypervisor choice. My main concern was ease of maintenance. I wanted to be able to just figure out the bulk of the server maintenance and then look up any specifics that I might run into. I also wanted something pretty easy to setup from bare-metal. This mostly limited my choices to anything with some graphical management interface, because command line doesn’t lend itself to being about to easily figure something out. Initially I was planning on using XenServer for my virtual environment and actually started by installing it first on this server. The biggest problem I ran into is the CPU doesn’t support hardware virtualization, so this limits me to running virtual containers (or similar technology). I tried as best I could for a while to figure out how to create containers in XenServer, but could never find an easy way to set those up.

After doing some more research I gave a second look at Proxmox Virtual Environment. I’ve had some exposure to it before, not in person but on a video podcast that I watch regularly, Hak5. They created a clustered virtual environment using Proxmox and used it for some projects on the show. In this round of research, I found that Proxmox comes equipped with support for OpenVZ containers right “out-of-the-box” and they are dead simple to get up and running. You basically download a template of your base operating system, create a container from that template, and start it up. That’s it… most everything is also controllable from their slick “Ajax-ified” web interface. So since it meets my biggest requirements, I’m now underway with a Proxmox Virtual Environment running on my surplus server. All told if everything went well, you could be up and running well with a solid weekend’s worth of work.

The easiest thing to do is do a fresh install from the ISO file. My case was a bit more difficult since I wanted to install on a software RAID.

1. First, is to do a fresh install of 64-bit Debian 6 (Squeeze).
   • During the partitioning:
     • I set the boot drive to be the first part of /dev/sda, about 150 MB should do.
     • I setup a RAID 10 using the 4 160GB drives.
     • And be sure to allocate some swap space.
   • On the RAID device I setup an LVM with these 3 Volumes.
   • When selecting base packages and additional software, the ONLY thing I usually select is SSH Server.
2. After the base Debian install is done, you can follow this guide on the Proxmox Wiki to install Proxmox, I just left out the optional part at the bottom of the guide.

Now you should be up and running. In the next I’ll talk about some of the virtual machines I have setup.

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Well, the last sale was about a week ago now, and since I didn’t want to deal with that massive line I head over about 30 min after they “open”. My plan was to find a machine to replace an old P4 Linux server I had running, so I head back to the computer cage to wait my turn to get in and see what’s left. From what I could tell of people going to checkout, the desktops everyone was getting were Gateway Core 2 Duo machines. When I could get in most of what was left of the desktops were Gateway Pentium D machines, but after looking around and digging in the back row on a bottom shelf I found a couple of Core 2 Duo machines with no RAM. So I picked up one of the Core 2 Duo’s with no RAM, a Pentium D with 3GB of RAM, and a  monitor all for $8.

The sad part of this story is after I got everything working and did some tests and research, I found the $2 Core 2 Duo that I bought is better than what I’m currently using as my desktop and “gaming” rig. So I’m gearing up for a switch-over between all the systems that I currently have. My plan is to take the Core 2 machine and make that my main desktop and “gaming” rig, then take my current desktop (an AMD Athlon 4450e) and run XenServer on that with a some virtual machines as a replacement for the P4 Linux server.

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UPDATE 4/10/2012: After backing up my current desktop and getting ready to start switching hardware between machines, I found out that my graphics card won’t fit in the Core 2 machine. The graphics card requires two slots and the PCI-E slot in the Core 2 will only allow one slot due to the motherboard layout. So I’m moving forward with using the Core 2 machine as the XenServer, which limits me some since it doesn’t support hardware virtualization and the AMD does. This mostly keeps me from running any Windows VMs and since I don’t plan on running any Windows VMs anyway, it’s not that big a deal. I’ll go through later and post about my setup and configuration.

Parts List:

1. Old Dell Dimension 4400 – bought at university surplus sale, $5
2. Various old IDE hard drives I had sitting around – two ~20 GB; one 160 GB, probably cost me something at some point…
3. USB thumb drive – “borrowed” from family, free

I followed the standard install guides around the interwebs, going straight to the horses mouth at FreeNAS.org (here) is a good option. I’ll do some quick steps here for install and some of the setup, but let me tell you what the setup looks like. I mentioned that I have the 160 GB drive setup as the boot drive with OS and data partitions, the OS is pretty small so there’s lots of data space. I have the two smaller drives setup in a RAID 1 configuration using the software RAID in FreeBSD.

• First setup the computer to boot from a CD drive. There are some ways that you can install FreeNAS without needing a CD but it’s easier to go ahead and install from a CD.
• Download the liveCD that matches the system you are installing on and burn that onto a CD. Pop that into the computer and boot up the FreeNAS CD. If you are installing to a USB drive don’t plug it in yet, it will write the config file to the USB and will cause errors on the install because the disk is in use.
• Wait until the console setup menu comes on screen (if you want to install to USB you can put it in now) and select option 9 to install to disk

"Console setup"
"*********************"
1 ) Assign Interface
2 ) Set LAN IP address
3 ) Reset WebGUI password
4 ) Reset to factory defaults
5 ) Ping host
6 ) Shell
7 ) Reboot system
8 ) Shutdown system
9 ) Install/Upgrade to hard drive/flash device, etc.

• This will bring up the following install menu, the first 3 are going to be of most interest to us right now.

"Install"
"*********************"
1 ) Install 'embedded' OS on HDD/Flash/USB
2 ) Install 'embedded' OS on HDD/Flash/USB + DATA + SWAP partition
3 ) Install 'full' OS on HDD + DATA + SWAP partition
4 ) upgrade 'embedded' OS from CDROM
5 ) Upgarde 'full' OS from CDROM
6 ) Upgrade and convert 'full' OS to 'embedded'

• After selecting one of the install options you’ll get some info about what it’s going to do. In any of the Install options it should ask you to select the source location and the install location. Once the installation is complete go back to the main menu (press ESC), remove the CD and select option 7 to reboot the computer. Once the computer reboots make sure that Option 9 (Install OS) doesn’t show up, if it does you probably didn’t take out the installation medium before rebooting.
• Select option 1 to assign the network interface you will use. Most of the time if there is just one FreeNAS will use that by default but this makes sure that the OS uses the right interface.
• Once you’re back to the main menu, select option 2 to assign the IP address for the LAN. Most of the time you will use DHCP to automatically get the IP address from your router. Be sure to take note of this IP address so we can do the setup in part 2.
• Back at the main menu select option 5 and try to ping another device on your network to make sure you are connected (optional).

Now you have FreeNAS installed, granted it’s not very useful in it’s current state. We’ll cover the basic setup in Part 2 and start adding some features that you can actually use.

Setup Tab:

• Basic Setup
  • WAN Connection: PPoE
  • Service Name: blank <- I had a problem getting my DSL to connect when I would put in “Verizon DSL” the best thing I could tell from my searches was there is an issue with having a space in the service name.
  • Router Name: DD-WRT
  • IP/Subnet Mask: 192.168.1.1/255.255.255.0
  • DHCP Start IP: 192.168.1.100
  • Three boxes checked for DNSMasq
• DDNS – Future Setup

Wireless Tab:

• Basic
  • Mode: AP
  • Channel: 9
• Security
  • Mode: WPA2 Personal Mixed
• Advanced – All Default

Services Tab:

• Services
  • DHCP Server, Used Domain: LAN & WLAN
  • LAN Domain: huss

Admin Tab:

• Management
  • TCP Timeout: 300

DH

and the fact of the matter is that if you have more than just a simple on-board video card you may already be set to do multi-monitor setups. To determine if you have more than one display available right-click on your desktop and select “properties.” after clicking on the settings tab all you need to see is more than one display to determine if your machine is capable of running a dual-monitor setup. Now, granted just because you are capable doesn’t mean you can run a dual-monitor and get the performance you want.

Leave this window open because we’ll need to activate the monitor here, but first grab that second monitor you have sitting around.

1. Find the extra monitor port you should have and plug the monitor into that extra monitor port you have. Technically it doesn’t matter the size of the monitor so it doesn’t have to be the same size as your current primary monitor but it does make for a more enjoyable dual-monitor setup.
2. Once the monitor is plugged into both the extra monitor port and a power outlet and set in a good position on your desk, we need to activate the secondary monitor in the display settings window we have open.
   1. To do this select the secondary monitor in the display settings by clicking on the monitor w/ the number 2 on it.
   2. Then check the box that says “extend my desktop to this monitor.” It’s important to note that the resolutions, color depth and other settings don’t have to be the same for each monitor, but again keeping them the same makes for a better experience.
   3. Make sure your second monitor is on, click “Apply” and keep your fingers crossed. If the second monitor flashes on congratulations, your second monitor should now be an extended desktop of your first. You’ll want to take this time and adjust all the settings to make your dual monitor setup to your liking. You’ll want to be sure and click the “Identify” button to flash a number up on the monitor then change the layout on settings box to match what is actually on your desk; for example if you have monitor 2 on the left side of monitor 1 you’ll more than likely want to drag the second monitor to the other side of the primary in the display settings window. Depending on your desk layout this might be easier than trying to move the monitors around.
3. Take this time to play around with all the settings, each time you make a change click the apply button to test it out before committing to the change. This also has the added benefit of if a change you make has a negative affect, all you have to do is wait and windows should change the settings back to original. Of course your mileage may vary and there’s no real way to write for all setups.

If something didn’t go according to plan or your setup can’t handle dual monitors as is, you’ll have to do a little extra work to get a second monitor setup. Most likely buy a second video card or a video card that can handle dual output. Here are two GeForce 6800 cards with 256MB video RAM that will easily handle your dual monitor setup. Both are running $75 at the time of this writing.

XFX GeForce 6800 for PCI Express

XFX GeForce 6800 for AGP