Hey everyone! I’m looking to build a gaming PC, my first in over a decade, specifically for Linux. Right now, I’m stuck with a basic Walmart laptop featuring a Core i7 1200 series and an iRIS Xe graphics card, which honestly can’t keep up and crashes a lot while I’m playing War Thunder. The fan kicks into overdrive every time I start a game, and I’ve set a frame limit to try to ease the pressure on the GPU.
I’m not looking for a high-end rig; just something reliable that doesn’t overheat or crash on me. I have a Micro ATX case and a 300w power supply I could use.
My questions are: 1) Can I get a decent CPU/MB combo and GPU for under $500? 2) What options do I have? As I can, I plan to upgrade the PSU, get an SSD, and max out the RAM later on. I mainly want to play without crashes, with my sights set on DCS World eventually. Thanks for any advice!
1 Answer
Yeah, you’ve got options! AMD is definitely the way to go for budget builds lately. Look into getting a Ryzen CPU with integrated graphics, which should work just fine with your 300W PSU for now. For decent performance, consider something like a Ryzen 5 3400G, which can handle games while you save up for a dedicated GPU. Also, you can look at pairing it with 16GB of RAM for a smoother experience. Just keep in mind that investing in a better PSU later on will be necessary if you want to upgrade to a discrete graphics card down the line.
Thanks for the advice! I appreciate the recommendation.