At the beginning of January Intel company introduced a new generation of processors. Although they did not bring revolutionary changes, they became a little better than their predecessors. The most significant innovation for those who want to build a powerful gaming computer In 2017, for little money, Pentium processors supporting HyperThreading technology were released. Thus, they are now practically no different from previous Core i3s, and are well suited for games. What else, besides the Pentium, do you need to buy in order to play well for little money? Read below.

Processor - Intel Pentium G4560, from 3540 rubles

As mentioned in the introduction, the best build of a budget gaming computer is based on an Intel Pentium G4560 processor. This is a new chip of the Kaby Lake generation, which only recently went on sale. At a frankly budget price, it is equipped with a pair of powerful cores operating at frequencies up to 3.5 GHz. If we compare the Bulldozer microarchitecture with AMD's competitors, at equal frequencies one Intel core can be equal to three AMD cores. Thanks to HyperThreading technology, the Intel Pentium G4560 is capable of processing 2 threads per core, so the system recognizes it as quad-core.

In addition to two cores, the processor has 3 MB of cache memory, a RAM controller that supports DDR4 and low-voltage DDR3 memory. There is also a built-in Intel HD 610 graphics card on board, but we won't need it. The declared TDP (power consumption/discharge level) of the processor is 54 W, but in practice it is much lower. At full load, the processor consumes 20-30 W. Therefore, the stock cooler that comes with the BOX version of the Intel Pentium G4560 is sufficient for cooling without unnecessary noise. Like all Kaby Lake, the chip is installed in boards with socket 1151.

Motherboard - Asus H110M-K, from 3185 rubles

Asus H110M-K is a budget motherboard designed for assembling computers that do not support overclocking functions. She's different high quality with a very affordable price tag, so the best build for a budget gaming computer will be based on it. The board has everything you need to a simple user: 2 slots random access memory DDR4, 6-phase component power circuit, 4 SATA III ports, 1 PCI-E x16 for the video card and a pair of PCI-E x1 for peripherals (like sound card Hi-Fi class) or high-speed SSD (although why would it be in a cheap gaming PC).

There is a good set of connectors on the back panel of the board. There are even sockets for connecting PS/2 mice and keyboards, which are as old as the world. There are also a pair of USB 3.0 ports and four USB 2.0. You can output the image from the built-in video card using the old VGA and the newer digital DVI. There is also a network port and three headphone/speaker/microphone jacks. Inside there are also a pair of USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, as well as a connector for audio connectors on the front panel. The audio path looks interesting: it is isolated to protect against interference, soldered using solid-state Japanese capacitors and illuminated in orange. Of course, it can’t compare with Hi-Fi cards in terms of sound quality, but it can reveal the potential of good speakers/headphones a little better than regular integrated sound.

Important point: When purchasing this board (or any other on the chipset Intel series 100) ask the seller to update the BIOS firmware to latest version. Otherwise, Kaby Lake processors will not be able to work. If the seller cannot do this, you will have to overpay a little and buy a board on an Intel B250 chip, for example, MSI B250M PRO-VD.

RAM - Crucial CT8G4DFS8213, from 3185 rubles

When choosing RAM for a budget gaming PC, there is no point in going through various heatsinks and decorations. DDR4 without overclocking is not prone to significant heating at all, and all external elements on it are more of a decoration than a necessity. It is more important to pay attention to the memory chips than to the manufacturer. Crucial CT8G4DFS8213 is just an example of inexpensive and high-quality RAM without frills. One 8 GB stick is enough for games in the near future, and if it becomes not enough, you can buy a second one.

The brand was not chosen by chance: unlike Kingston, Patriot, Corsair, Cruical is a trademark of Micron, which independently produces chips. The listed companies do not produce the semiconductors themselves, but only purchase them from others (Micron, Hynix, Samsung), and assemble ready-made modules who sell under their own name.

Video card - Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1050 Ti G1 Gaming 4G, from 11,640 rubles

Without a powerful video card, building a good gaming computer makes no sense. The optimal candidate for this role in our case is the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1050 Ti G1 Gaming 4G. This is one of the best implementations of the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti on the market, and at the same time, it is not the most expensive. The map has something to show competitors and something to please gamers. All modern games can easily run on high settings; only ultra-graphics with stable 60+ FPS and 4K gaming on high settings are too tough for it. But for the rest - perfect option for their money.

The card is equipped with a GP107 graphics processor, which has 768 cores for image processing. There are also 48 texture blocks. The chip operates at a frequency of up to 1481 MHz, but this value can be increased. A good radiator with heat pipes, a pair of fans and an additional power connector allow you to overclock the card without problems. When overclocked, you can reach values ​​of almost 2 GHz. There is 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on board, it operates at an effective frequency of 7 GHz.

On the back of the card there is a DVI port (no analogue lines), three HDMI and one DisplayPort. A standard set, as for 2017, the absence of VGA does not look unusual. Therefore, anyone who wants to connect a card to an old VGA-only monitor will also be forced to buy an HDMI-VGA adapter for about 500-1000 rubles.

Power supply - Chieftec GPS-450A8, from 2327 rubles

Despite the fact that now any assembly of a budget gaming computer consumes little energy, you should not skimp on the power supply. Complete power supplies sold together with cases are usually not of high quality and are only suitable for an office PC with integrated graphics. Chieftec GPS-450A8 is a high-quality power supply unit with powerful hardware that can withstand high loads. It has an active PFC mechanism, so it is not afraid of load changes.

The unit has, in addition to 4 and 24-pin cables for the processor and board, three SATA cables for power hard drives and SSD, 6+2-pin cable for video card and two Molex connectors. For a computer that is not equipped with a bunch of HDDs, the set is more than sufficient. And even during an upgrade, if over time you want to install a Core i5 or i7 and a video card like a GTX 1070 or 1080, the Chieftec GPS-450A8 has enough power.

SSD drive - Kingston SKC400S37/128G, from 4097 rubles

The best gaming computer build of 2017 could do without an SSD, but now its absence can ruin the impression of a good PC. Simply because the capabilities of the HDD have long since reached the ceiling, and a slow drive reduces the responsiveness of the system as a whole. With Kingston SKC400S37/128G, the system will start in 20 seconds, programs will open very quickly, and there will be less noise. This drive has very decent speed characteristics: about 540 MB/s for reading and about 440 MB/s for writing. In addition, this SSD belongs to the business segment, so it comes with a 5-year warranty.

• 1. Video card
• 2. Processor
• 3. RAM
• 4. Motherboard
• 5. Cooling
• 6. Hard drive
• 7. Case and power supply
• 8. Total cost

Every year, new AAA gaming titles become more and more demanding of computer hardware. Which forces all gamers who want to play comfortably to update their PC at least once every couple of years. But contrary to stereotypes, it is not at all necessary to invest huge amounts of money in a gaming computer!

We have prepared two assembly options for gamers. The first config is a gaming computer for 30,000 rubles from 2017-2018, the second option is a little more expensive, but more productive. Below we will analyze in detail and explain the choice of each component. Let's begin!

Video card

The first and most important point in assembling any gaming PC. The quality of textures, processing speed of geometry and other details of the game directly depend on the performance level of the video card. All this affects the quality of the main parameter for gamers - frame rate.

In the first assembly option we use Sapphire Radeon RX 460 - the cheapest gaming video card from AMD. The performance level of the RX460 is approximately the same as the GeForce GTX 970. With 4 GB of video memory, the video card will remain relevant for another couple of years. It can be purchased for about 8,200 rubles.

If you don’t mind paying a couple thousand more on top of the cost of the video adapter, we recommend taking a closer look at the most popular option in budget gaming PC builds - the MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. The video card is designed based on Pascal architecture. Price - from 10,000 rubles. We have prepared for you.

CPU

“Stone” is responsible for the processing speed of all system processes. High load on processors is observed mainly in strategies and RPGs, where the computer needs to process a huge number of calculations. The market for these components has long offered a whole range of budget “stones” with good gaming potential.

The cheapest option is the Intel Pentium G4560 with 2 physical cores and hypertrading technology. The hyperclock frequency is 3.5 GHz, and when paired with a 1050ti-level video card, it allows you to play even the latest games at medium settings. Moreover, the G4560 can handle GTX1060 6gb level cards without any problems. The average price in Russian online stores fluctuates around 4,500 rubles.

Suitable for a wider budget Intel Core i5-6500 based on Skylake. Installing this “stone” requires an LGA 1151 socket, which is very common among budget motherboards. Four cores and support for DDR4 memory will work great in conjunction with an inexpensive video card. Starting price – 13,500 rubles.

RAM

The amount of intermediate data processed by the processor directly depends on the amount of RAM. When the game starts, locations, textures and other files necessary for work are downloaded from hard drive into RAM. Therefore, when choosing a RAM stick, you need to pay attention to its volume and speed.

There is no point yet in equipping a gaming PC for 30,000 rubles with several sticks of RAM; one 8 GB is enough. In both versions of our build we will use Samsung DDR4-2133 8192MB. These are OEM boards that Samsung produces for other manufacturers - HyperX, Corsair, etc. The cost of such boards has not yet been increased by unnecessary radiators, backlighting and the like. The average price tag in online stores is 4,000 rubles.

Motherboard

When choosing components, you need to start from the configuration of the motherboard. The lion's share of the potential of a PC for 30,000 rubles depends on it, since it ties together all the purchased components. Before purchasing, pay special attention to the processor socket. It is recommended to first select the “stone” you like, and then buy the appropriate one for it. motherboard.

As a cheap option, the choice fell on the Asus H110M-K. The most minimum configuration on Socket 1151 without overpaying for “extra” frills. Made on the basis Intel chipset H110, in addition to a video card connector and two connectors for DDR4 RAM sticks, the board is equipped with a video output, which is extremely useful considering the G4560 has integrated graphics. Starting price – 3000 rubles.

The ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K4 is suitable for memory of a more modern standard and a wide wallet. This is the most budget option of all i5 overclocking boards based on the Intel Z170. The motherboard also supports seventh generation Intel processors. The average cost is 7,500 rubles.

Cooling

Computer games always place an increased load on every component of a gaming PC. To avoid overheating, your computer needs good system cooling, which will remove the accumulated heat in the case outside.

Both build options work well with the DeepCool GAMMAXX 300 cooler. The device is designed for a maximum power of 130 W and does an excellent job of dissipating heat. There is no point in buying too expensive cooling for a budget PC. For GAMMAXX 300 you will have to pay about 1,100 more rubles.

HDD

Expensive hard disks do not greatly affect game performance. Their indicators determine more how many of these same games the computer can accommodate. And although in Lately SSDs are becoming very popular; a decent volume of more than 256 GB will not fit into the budget of 30 thousand rubles. Therefore, the choice remains from traditional magnetic HDDs.

As " workhorse» both builds will accept Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EZEX 1 TB. This is one of the most popular options in the budget price category. Starting price – 2700 rubles.

Case and power supply

When choosing a case, you should take into account the material and number of connectors for components. Also, some models are equipped with a built-in power supply, which is very useful for a budget PC.

An excellent option in our case is the AeroCool V2X Black case, which is equipped with a very high-quality Aerocool VX-500 500W power supply. This power supply power will be sufficient for the PC configuration given in the article. The asking price is 3,200 thousand rubles if purchased as a set, or about 3,500 thousand if purchased separately.

the total cost

So, the first budget build based on the G4560 processor:

• Motherboard: Asus H110M-K – 3000 rub.
• Processor: INTEL Pentium G4560 – 4600 rub.
• Video card: Sapphire Radeon RX 460 – 8200 rub.

Total - 26,600 rubles.

Second option with a processor from Intel Core I5-6500:

• Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K4 – 8200 rub.
• Processor: Intel Core i5-6500 – 12,200 rub.
• Video card: MSI GeForce GTX 1050 Ti – 10,000 rub.
• RAM: Samsung DDR4-2133 8192MB – 4000 rub.
• Hard drive: Western Digital Caviar Blue – 2600 rub.
• Cooling: DeepCool GAMMAXX 300 – 1000 rub.
• Case + power supply: AeroCool V2X Black 1700 rub.) + Aerocool VX-500 500W 1500 rub.) – 3200 rub.

Total - 41,200 rubles.

At the same time, for games at medium settings, the first build for 27 thousand will be enough for you for the next few years! Then paying extra for a second config with i5 makes sense for enthusiast users who use the computer not only for games, but also for working with video, 3D graphics and other tasks where the 2-core G4560 will not be enough.

In the near future, components will only become cheaper. The assemblies do not take into account the costs of the mouse, keyboard, monitor and related accessories.

Assembly desktop computer may turn out to be a much more complex undertaking than it seems. If you don't have a computer-savvy friend and your own knowledge is limited, you may decide to rely on the computer store employees to do this. However, you may end up with a terrible-looking device in black without any texture. Such a computer is bad even before it is turned on. It will be even worse if its configuration used components from the previous generation found in the warehouse.

If you care appearance computer, then you probably want to make it as less boring as possible. You might even want an aesthetically pleasing piece of art—and many users will agree with you. Personalized computers can be completely different. They are decorated with colored LEDs or equipped with a liquid cooling system. Some particularly dedicated gamers spend a lot of effort to turn their computers into truly unique machines. IN this manual you will learn how to choose the newest computer components to build a powerful and fashionable computer with a snow-white color for a reasonable price.

1. Processor: Intel Core i3-8100

The processor is the “brain” of the computer and its most important component. At present best choice are the eighth generation Intel processors (Coffee Lake series), which are distinguished by modern characteristics and have excellent performance. The model number of these processors, consisting of four digits, starts with an eight: Core i3-8100, Core i5-8400, Core i7-8700. For casual gaming, we recommend the Intel Core i3-8100 model. It is the most affordable, but quite powerful. In the eighth generation of its processors, Intel increased the number of cores from 2 to 4, and the size of the built-in L3 cache from 4 to 6 megabytes. Clock frequency The Core i3-8100 can boost up to as much as 3.6 GHz, and the thermal package is only 65 W. Overall, this processor is faster than most of its competitors in the same price range.

2. Memory: CORSAIR Vengeance LPX DDR4 8GB

More RAM means more fast work computer and allows the user to work with multiple applications simultaneously. If your budget is limited and the computer is intended to be used for general purposes, installing one memory module will be enough. However, it should be remembered that the capacity of one module must be at least 8 GB. The motherboard recommended in this article has an additional memory slot that can be reserved for upgrading and switching to dual-channel mode in the future. A higher priority is purchasing a more powerful video card, which is where you should spend the rest of your budget. This solution would be optimal, given the current high prices for DDR4 memory modules. As for speed, then Intel processor The Core i3-8100 supports memory up to DDR4-2400, and the MSI H310M GAMING ARCTIC motherboard supports up to DDR4-2666. The CORSAIR Vengeance LPX series DDR4 memory modules that we recommend in this article operate at 1.2 V, are cooled with aluminum heatsinks, are made in a compact form factor and have an 8-layer printed circuit board, designed for overclocking. Quality guaranteed.

3. Power supply: CORSAIR CX500 500W

The power supply works like a heart, providing stable and sufficient power to every component of the computer. For our configuration, we chose one of the Corsair models, which are highly regarded by gamers for their outstanding quality. We recommend the CORSAIR CX500 500W power supply for a budget PC like ours. It is "80 PLUS Bronze" certified, meaning greater than 82% efficiency at low, medium and high loads, and is efficiently and quietly cooled by a 12cm temperature-controlled fan, allowing the entire computer to run at full speed without any hiccups. problems. The power supply is not modular, but is cost-effective and offers a separate PCI-E cable for graphics cards, as well as up to five SATA cables for HDDs and SSDs. Thus, it provides ample room for upgrades.

4. Hard drive: Seagate Barracuda 1 TB

Solid State Drives Are Different high speed transfer data, but have less capacity and are also more expensive than traditional hard drives. Users who don't prioritize peak performance may want to skimp on these in favor of other components. Unless you download a huge amount of movies, the 3.5-inch HDD The 1TB Seagate Barracuda is a great choice for storage without breaking your budget. It connects via SATA 6 Gb/s interface and has a built-in 64 MB cache with a throughput of 210 MB/s. This high-performance and reliable device is designed to operate for 2,400 hours per year with an annual load of 55 TB.

5. Body: CORSAIR Carbide 275R

The case is the most important element when assembling a personalized computer. The CORSAIR Carbide 275R is an affordable mid-size case available in black or white. Of course, for a snow-white computer you need to choose the white option. The case has a cubic shape with a laconic design. Both inside and outside it is painted pure white. The front panel finish is finely sanded and the large side panel can be made from acrylic or tempered glass– There is almost no difference in price between these options. The transparent side panel allows you to see the inside of your computer. Overall the body has a very nice texture.

The case is spacious and has holes for neat routing of power cables. It can accommodate an ATX motherboard and up to seven expansion cards. It is compatible with CPU coolers up to 17 cm in height, graphics cards up to 37 cm in length and power supplies up to 18 cm. In addition, the CORSAIR Carbide 275R is equipped with a powerful cooling system in the form of built-in 12 cm fans: three on the front panel, two on the rear and one on the top. The case is compatible with liquid cooling systems. It is worth noting that there is no room for a 5.25-inch optical drive, however, there are several removable cages for 3.5- and 2.5-inch devices, so there is good scope for expanding the configuration.

6. MSI Product Description
6.1 Motherboard: MSI H310M GAMING ARCTIC

If you want to build a snow-white computer with an 8th generation Intel Core processor for a reasonable price, then the best choice is the MSI H310M GAMING ARCTIC motherboard. This is the only white model in this price range, as this finish adds to the cost of production. This is why most white motherboards tend to cost more than regular ones.

The H310 GAMING ARCTIC motherboard has other advantages besides its beautiful white finish. The layout of all elements, including memory slots, and the power system have been optimized to improve stability and meet the requirements of modern multi-core processors. The PCI-E slot has been reinforced with MSI Steel Armor technology, which protects the graphics card from damage and electromagnetic interference. To connect the drive, there is an M.2 slot with support for PCI-E Gen2 x4 mode, which provides a throughput of up to 20 GB/s. In the future, it will be possible to install a high-speed solid state drive to get maximum performance from your motherboard.

6.2 Video card: MSI GeForce GTX 1060 ARMOR 3G OC

MSI GeForce GTX 1060 Armor 3G OC is a mid-range video card based on GPU NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060. In terms of performance and power consumption, it is better than previous generation video cards. It comes with overclocked settings and its frequencies are quite high. It is equipped with 3 gigabytes of GDDR5 video memory, which allows you to comfortably play in Full-HD resolution (1080p). This video card has modest power consumption (120 W) and can be powered using a single 8-pin cable. It offers two DisplayPort and HDMI ports, as well as a dual-link DVI-D interface. The maximum supported resolution is 7680x4320 pixels.

The MSI GeForce GTX 1060 ARMOR 3G OC is a masterfully designed graphics card. Its graphics chip is cooled using two heat pipes and a radiator with longitudinal aluminum fins, which provide a large heat dissipation area. The cooling system also includes two 10cm Armor 2X Propeller Blade fans, which produce more powerful airflow than conventional ones. Under low loads, the fans stop, making the video card silent.

7. Shopping list for building an Arctic gaming PC

Processor: Intel Core i3-8100

Motherboard: MSI H310M GAMING ARCTIC


RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 8GB

Video card: MSI GeForce GTX 1060 ARMOR 3G OC

Hard drive: Seagate Barracuda, 1 TB

Power supply: CORSAIR CX500, 500 W

Case: CORSAIR Carbide 275R

Looking for more PC buying tips? The latest MSI recommendations can be found at complete guide On the page:

Modern powerful solutions for game lovers are not affordable for everyone. Corporations that produce PC components make super-profits, but they don't care about the average user. Therefore, the question of assembling a game or simply powerful computer for the right price. Who wants to feed a pack of unscrupulous world-class producers? So, our question can be formulated something like this: “How to build the cheapest computer for gaming without sacrificing too much performance?” This is exactly what we will talk about.

What is it for?

First of all, you should look at the cost of components for any PC, and you can easily answer this question. Your hair will stand on end when you find out how many percentages manufacturers mark up on their products. The record holders in this regard are Apple. When the cost of iPhones is $216, they sell them for $900. What is the markup percentage? Manufacturers of computer components do the same. The cheapest computer, assembled from components from well-known brands, will cost about 25,000 rubles. And this is a basic configuration PC.

That is why the urgent question arises about assembling a PC on your own using the cheapest components. They are exactly the same in quality, but there is no increase in price “for the brand”. And if there is no difference, then why pay more? The cheapest computer components behave no worse than their “pedigree” counterparts. So let's talk about selecting the “right” components.

Component #1: Motherboard

This is the basis of any computer. His alpha and omega. It is she who decides what your PC will be capable of. Saving on a motherboard is bad form. But even here you can find cheaper options. For example, a board from MSI called H110M Pro VD. It costs about 3,500 rubles, but has all the characteristics expected of a gaming motherboard. Support for high-speed SATA interface and modern video cards is present. The cheapest computer deserves a much more modest foundation. But why not take this one if finances allow?

There is another good option, but it will cost a little more. The motherboard is from the same company, but with improved characteristics. More powerful components can be placed on its base. True, it will cost more. So in terms of savings, it’s better to stick with the first option. The best one will work perfectly with this motherboard.

Component #2: Processor

Another important element of any course is to use “stones” from Intel. They are more productive and reliable. But products from AMD are much cheaper. As a compromise, you can choose Intel Skylake. This is a processor from latest generation"Intel". So it works as expected. It will cost approximately 3,500 rubles. Quite a normal device for the money. The cheapest computer could have been equipped with something simpler.

In the camp of analogues from AMD, oddly enough, there is no adequate replacement for this “Intel”. All comparable models are either an order of magnitude weaker, or, having comparable power, are much more expensive. Therefore, Intel is the most preferable option, based on practicality considerations.

Component #3: RAM

There is much more variety here. But we need a cheap and productive product. You need to install at least one 8 GB stick. For games you can't do less. And even better - two 8 RAMs - that's something. The Kingston HX421C14FB can be considered as a RAM. One 8 GB stick will cost you 3,600 rubles (approximately). So it’s quite possible to take two at once. It is important that both strips are from the same manufacturer. Otherwise, conflicts may occur.

RAM greatly affects the performance of the entire system as a whole. That's why there's never too much here. For games, it is very important to have a decent number of gigabytes in RAM, because all textures are loaded there.

Component #4: Video Card

It is impossible to imagine a gaming PC without a discrete graphics card. Usually, graphics adapter- the most expensive computer component. But you can save money here too. For example, an ASUS Radeon R7 360 with two gigabytes of RAM will cost approximately 8,000 rubles. With such a card you can easily play all modern games. The path is not even at maximum settings.

If you don't want to pay for a video chip, then the selected processor has a built-in graphics chip that can handle some games like Dota or CS Go. But you shouldn’t count on good performance and beautiful graphics in this case.

Other components

The remaining components of a PC do not have such a strong impact on its price and performance. So here you can find your way around. Moreover, the remaining components are usually presented in a very wide range.

Conclusion

So, the above computer configuration (including the components that we ignored) will cost somewhere around 15-20 thousand rubles. Now you know how much the cheapest gaming PC costs, and don't let manufacturers and retailers fool you. Collect everything yourself and you will always be in the black.

If you need a new computer, you can build it yourself. The main thing is to choose compatible and high-quality components, with which we, of course, will help you. Today we’ll try to assemble a budget computer - for office or home needs, “tailored” not for resource-intensive games, but for more simple tasks like surfing the internet and playing good quality videos.

But let’s immediately stipulate: the iron must have a reserve of power. Although we are talking about a budget build, it should not be based on an outright low-power processor and other important components X. In our opinion, you can assemble a good PC for about 35 thousand rubles, not counting the cost of the monitor (8-11 thousand rubles) and peripherals - keyboard, mouse, printer (if needed).

For about the same money you can buy a laptop with an Intel Core i5 processor. By the end of the article, we will offer you one of the options for such devices.

Budget doesn't mean weak

In our case, we are talking about a computer whose processor and built-in video system will have enough processing power for both simple office tasks and most graphics and multimedia programs. By the way, the power available on the Intel HD Graphics 630 is enough for modern and not so games at medium quality settings. In general, we will put together the best option for most home users.

What do we need?

In most cases, desktop computer components are selected in the following order: Processor, Motherboard, Video card, Power supply, Cooler, RAM, Drives, Case. In our case, we can save on some components, because... We build a PC for work, not for games.

Modern processors from Intel have a quite powerful built-in video card, which means you can at least temporarily abandon the external one (if urgently necessary, you can buy it later).

Also, you can refuse the optical drive, because... its demand is currently waning due to the widespread transition to flash drives.

Choosing a processor

The golden mean for home PCs is the processor Intel Core i5. Currently, 6th, 7th and 8th generation chips can be found on sale. But, if the last solution is currently too expensive (from 22,000 rubles). Seventh generation chips have all the requirements for a modern PC and cost a quarter less.

For our build we chose a processor Core i5-7600(from 16,200 rubles, OEM, without cooler). If in the future you intend to slightly increase the performance of your PC by overclocking, then it is better to choose Core processor i5-7600K, which costs almost the same, but has a free multiplier.

True, for this you will also need a motherboard with overclocking capabilities, for example, ASUS PRIME Z270-K, which costs about 6,600 rubles. But this option is more suitable for gamers, which means an external video card will be required. Our configuration is not suitable for gaming loads, so we will try to make do with lower costs.

IntelCore i5-7600 has 4 physical cores, which will provide your PC with a very good performance reserve. If you decide to do more serious work with photo and video materials, you will not be disappointed in it.

For overclocking enthusiasts, there are also more budget options, for example, a 2-core Core i3-7350K processor (about 13,000 rubles) with a free multiplier. During our test, this chip, already operating at a very high base frequency of 4.2 GHz, was easily overclocked to 5 GHz. But in serious graphic tasks and games, it can exhaust its reserves of power very quickly and this option is not for the future.

The basis for everything is the motherboard

With the choice of system (motherboard) for those who are not cool gamers, everything is quite simple. It must fit the selected processor, be spacious enough to mount components, and be upgradeable.

ASUS PRIME B250-PLUS

In our case, the choice fell on maternal ASUS board PRIME B250-PLUS(LGA1151 chipset) as an inexpensive (about 5200 rubles), but high-quality and reliable basis for the entire system. It has all the slots necessary for operation, thick durable textolite and convenient placement of components. In addition, there is a gigabit LAN card, 11 USB ports are available (including 4 USB 3.0, of which 2 are on the rear panel and 1 USB 3.1 on the rear panel).

As an alternative, we offer a budget option MSI H110M PRO-VD costing about 3,000 rubles. This is also a fairly reliable option for the selected processor, but users note some difficulties with drivers and installation of Windows 7 (all instructions are on the manufacturer’s website).

Cooling system

AeroCool BAS

The OEM processor we have chosen requires a high-quality and quiet cooler. As optimal option we offer very quiet AeroCool BAS kit(about 550 rubles).

It has perhaps the lowest noise level - 19 dB, a high-quality durable fan with a hydrodynamic bearing and an efficient aluminum radiator.

There are quite a few alternatives, for example Aerocool Verkho 2, it is louder (about 25 dB), but with copper tubes, recommended for hot stones. This option costs more - about 700 rubles.

RAM

RAM isn't cheap these days, but we found a good affordable option Hynix H5AN4G8NMFR-UHC 4 GB. You need to take two such modules so that the RAM unit works in dual-channel mode.

Even for gaming PCs, and even more so for our office and multimedia tasks, a total of 8 GB is sufficient. This module does not have a radiator, and it is not needed, because... Our PC will not experience any special loads with high heating.

As an alternative, you can consider the module HyperX HX426C15FB/4. It costs a little more - about 3,100 rubles per bar (you need two of them), but it is already equipped with radiators. The reliability of both options is very high.

Case and power supply

AeroCool V2X

These two important components are directly related to each other and are responsible: the first for the convenience of placing the components, the second for a sufficient and reliable supply of energy to them.

There can be a great variety of options, differing not only in design and construction, but also in the location of body parts and openings.

For example, we suggest taking a closer look at AeroCool V2X for about 1900 rubles. It's a Midi-Tower designed to fit most PC configurations with plenty of room for better cooling components.

All edges inside the case are rounded, which will protect against cuts during installation. On the top there is a bar with 3 USB ports, and headphone and microphone jacks.

But you will also need a power supply for it. A good option maybe P overman PM-500ATX-F 500W. It has a fairly quiet cooler and can withstand the stress of gaming systems. This means there will be some reserve in our configuration.

As an acceptable and more economical alternative, take a closer look at a case with a 500 W power supply already installed inside ExeGate AB-221U 500W Black(Midi-Tower) for about 2600 rubles. It has a more austere design, but the ventilation conditions here are no worse. There is also a strip with USB ports on the front side.

Hard drive or SSD

Ideally, it is advisable to install it on your computer as system disk SSD of at least 128 GB (we have a budget build, we remember) and one HDD of 1-2 TB. As a first, a good and reliable option would be the model Plextor PX-128S3C for about 2500 rubles.

If you need a larger capacity, say 240 GB, then take a closer look at the option SanDisk SDSSDA-240G-G26, but this disk will cost more - about 3,300 rubles.

A capacious hard drive will be useful for working with large files and storing all user files, including home photo and video archives, as well as multimedia. Therefore, it is desirable that it be reliable and fast. There are not many options here, and the most budget-friendly is WD Blue Desktop 1 TB (WD10EZRZ) for 2800 rubles. There are almost no alternatives: a smaller volume - 500 GB, costs 2400 rubles, and a larger one - 2 TB soars to 4100 rubles.

So, the selection of components for your desktop is complete, you can go to online stores and choose the best prices. According to our calculations The budget for this PC will be about 40,000 rubles. About 5-8 thousand rubles can be saved on alternatives.

More budget options will already be fraught with low CPU power and low reliability, which we do not recommend.

Mobile alternative: ASUS X507UB laptop

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, there is an option to buy a similar configuration for about 36,000 rubles, but in the form of a laptop.

For example model ASUS X507UB is built on a similar processor, but with it you will already get a Full-HD screen, a keyboard and the ability to work anywhere, i.e. mobility. Although you shouldn't expect desktop PC performance from it.