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GPU, STORAGE, PSU, CASE
GPU: MSI AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB TWIN FROZR – $269
MSI’s R9 290 TWIN FROZR combines AMD’s powerful R9 290 GPU, featuring 4GB of GDDR5 and a 512-bit memory interface with MSI’s amazing Twin Frozr cooler design, allowing for higher overclocks and much cooler operating temperatures.
The bottom line is there is no better GPU when it comes to price-to-performance ratio on the market today than the AMD Radeon R9 290, and at $269 it delivers performance close to Nvidia’s GTX 970, while under-cutting it in price by as much as $80. It will also be able to deliver top-notch graphics at our desired 1440p resolution without issue.
SSD: Kingston SSDNOw V300 240GB – $99
The Kingston SSDNow v300 features a Sandforce SF-2281 memory controller, capacities ranging from 60GB-960GB and a price-to-capacity ratio that is unbeatable in today’s market.
While the SSDNow V300 isnt’ the best performing SSD out there, but it will definitely serve us just fine in our gaming build. With a capacity of 240GB will have lots of fast storage for the games we play the most, without breaking the bank.
The Western Digital Blue features 1TB of capacity along with 64MB of cache, 7200 RPM disk speeds and SATA 6GBps interface. WD Blue sets the baseline for everyday storage by consistently delivering improved performance over previous generations while successfully maintaining WD’s quality and reliability for over six generations.
What can be said about this HDD that hasn’t been said a million times before? It is fast, reliable and offers a large amount of space for a great low price. It’ll pair well with our Kingston SSD, covering everything that doesn’t need to be at blazing fast SSD speeds, without bottle-necking our experience like a slower Green drive would.
PSU: EVGA 600B – $54
EVGA has recently made quite the reputation for themselves when it comes to power supplies. Providing top-notch quality, performance and features for very affordable prices. The 600B features 80+ Bronze efficiency, a single 12v rail, and 2x 6+2 pin PCI-E connectors making it able to power virtually any single GPU on the market.
We chose this power supply because it is affordable, reliable and will provide enough power for both our CPU and GPU and a bit of overclocking. It isn’t the most high-end unit on the market, but it will serve us just fine for our budget.
CASE: Corsair SPEC-02 – $54
The Corsair Carbide Series SPEC-01 is one of the latest in Corsair’s budget-friendly lineup. It offers clean styling, a full windowed side panel, dust filters for front and PSU intake fans as well as front access USB 3.0 and space for up to four 2.5″ or 3.5″ drives.
With red LED and a nice large side-panel this case will match perfectly with the rest of our system while still providing all the features we need for an affordable price.