Build a $300 Gaming PC 2014 Best Custom Desktop
Best $300 Budget PC Build 2014
I'm a home theater and PC enthusiast who likes to have everything at my fingertips. In my opinion a home theater PC is better than any streaming player out there simply because it gives me the flexibility to do what I want. In this post I'll cover how I'd put together a super inexpensive PC that can be used as a home theater PC as well as for work at home and light gaming. Overall I feel it's a good build and you might just be surprised at what you can get for that price.
Choosing the Right Hardware for Your Build
Going in to this I knew I was going to have to have certain components in order to make this a really functional build. While this may change depending on what you plan on using it for there are a few things that I highly recommend you budget for. For example I knew that I wanted at least 4GB of ram and a decent APU that would allow me to save money by combining the CPU and GPU purchase together while still giving me the performance I needed to do light gaming and use my rig as a HTPC. An additional money-saving consideration would be to purchase a case that comes with a power supply.
Best APU Graphics Card and Processor Under $100 2014
In this price range it makes a lot of sense to go with one of AMD's APU options as purchasing your graphics card and CPU separately would cost considerably more.
Best DDR3 Ram / Memory Under $25
It's amazing how much ram has come down in the last couple of years and it really benefits this build to grab just around 4GB. I suggest you go with the Corsair XMS3.
Best Hard Drive Under $60
If you have a little extra cash you can easily upgrade one of the drives below to 1TB for just around $20. That being said many people don't need a drive larger than 500GB so this is an easy way to keep yourself in budget.
Best DVD Drive Under $20
A DVD drive doesn't have to be fancy and there are many options in the $20 or under range that will do a more than adequate job.
Best HTPC and Gaming Cases Under $40
The type of case you get will be determined by both your personal preference and what type of PC you are building. Those wanting simply a HTPC might consider going with a minimalist looking case while those wanting a personal or gaming computer may want something larger that they can upgrade.
Best Power Supply Under or Around $30
While an 80 Plus certified power supply would be ideal it's simply not viable for this build. Still, I recommend you using a brand that is durable and will last you a long time.
How much power do you need?
While 400 watts should be more than enough for any build at this price level it's always a good thing to know exactly how much power your PC will use as power supplies are more efficient when they are at a higher load (overall percentage of usage). Check out Thermaltake's PSU calculator to get a very good idea of what your usage will be.
$300 Custom PC Build Summary
In conclusion here's what I actually ended up going for:
AMD APU model A8-3870k: - $90
Gigabyte GA-A55M-DS2 FM1 Socket Motherboard: $45.99 (after rebate)
4GB XMS3 Corsair DDR3 Memory: $22.99
Western Digital 320 GB Hard Drive: $67.93
Sony AD-7280S-0B DVDRW Drive: $17.99
NZXT Source 210 PC Case: 39.98
Cooler Master eXtreme Plus S500-PCARD3-US: 32
Total Price: $298.94
Success in your build and don't forget to leave a comment below and check out my other PC related posts. Cheers!
