Buying a PC is a big thing for most people. Be it for educational purposes, gaming or work, getting the right configuration is crucial to make sure the money is not wasted on unnecessary parts. Of course you can’t get everything in a budget, but you can make sure you get what’s best for your needs at the budget.
CPU
First of all, to all those who call that “big box with the power switch” lying on the table a CPU, IT’S A CABINET, NOT A CPU! A CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a processor is a small (~1 inch square) chip that executes instructions.
Currently, you have the choice between CPUs and APUs. APUs are nothing new but a fusion of CPU and GPU onto a single chip launched by AMD. Though even all consumer Intel CPUs and some Xeons have integrated graphics, that of an APU is much faster. APU’s are preferred if a gaming PC is required and the budget isn’t sufficient to include a discrete graphic card. The problem with APUs is the lack of motherboard options in India. If you get an APU, make sure you get more RAM that you need for your daily tasks as the APU's IGP can consume substantial amount of system RAM. Two 4 GB sticks rated at 1600 MHz speed in Dual Channel (read 'RAM' section) mode are idle. Keep in mind a discrete graphic card is still much faster than an APU.
CPU’s can be considered if gaming is not a priority or a discrete graphic card can be accommodated if gaming performance is needed. Both Intel and AMD have their offerings here. Note that AMD’s FX line of CPUs do NOT have an Integrated Graphics Processor (IGP), so you’ll need to include a discrete graphic card to get the display.
At the very bottom is Intel’s G2020 processor which has enough power for browsing, media usage and basic office work like using Office suite. Above it is Intel’s i3 series. 4[SUP]th[/SUP] generation (Haswell) is the latest in Intel CPUs and should be preferred. 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] gen can be considered if availability of motherboard is an issue. Older than 3rd generation chips should be avoided. Looking for more power brings to AMD’s FX 6300 CPU (with no IGP). With 6 cores, it’s a very powerful chip considering its price. Next comes AMD’s APUs. These are available for ~7.5k to ~12k. They offer a good value for money and provide respectable gaming performance without a discrete graphic card. AMD FX 8320 and FX 8350 come next. Both have 8 cores and are very powerful, especially at multithreaded applications.
Intel’s i5 comes next. Though there is argument all over the Internet over i5 vs FX 8350, it depends on your use case rather the specs that which will suite your needs. Only 4[SUP]th[/SUP] generation (Haswell) i5 should be bought as older generation are already EOL’d (End of Life). Next comes the i7 processors which offer great performance but with an equally large price tag. For anything else, Intel Xeon is the only way to go.
Motherboard
The choice of motherboard isn’t critical for budget systems, but is very important for high end, overclockable systems. The first thing you need to look when deciding on a motherboard is which CPU socket it has. Intel’s Haswell processors, for example, fit into LGA 1150 socket. Similarly, Kaveri APUs fit into FM2+ boards and FX series fits in AM3+ socket.
Next thing to look is the board manufacturer. This is important to know about the After Sale Service (A.S.S.) status and reputation of the manufacturer. Asus, Intel, Gigabyte are all good, Digilite, AsRock have improper A.S.S., at least in India.
Next most important thing to look is the chipset used on the motherboard. Different chipsets have different compatibilities and different feature sets. For example, FX x3xx processors support 970, 990X and 990FX chipsets but only 990X and 990FX supports x8-x8 or x16-x16 CrossFire and SLI with 970 chipset supporting only x16-x4 CrossFire and no SLI.. Similarly, Intel’s Z series and X series are the only chipsets which officially supports CPU overclocking via the multiplier.
Other things to look at are presence of SATA 6 Gbps ports if you plan to use an SSD (Solid State Drive), SLI or CrossFire certification if you want to use a dual GPU setup and number of RAM slots. Form factor is also important if you want to build a particularly sized system. Onboard display slots like HDMI, VGA and DVI should also be checked if relying on IGP.
RAM
There is nothing much to look for into RAM. Include 4 GB RAM as minimum, unless your budget is really low. Most local shopkeepers provide EVM or Kingston 1333 MHz RAM. Though they aren’t bad, it’s worth investing a few extra hundred rupees more to get a Corsair or G.Skill 1600 MHz RAM. Corsair offers 10 years warranty on Value Select series and lifetime warranty on Vengeance, similar to G.Skill’s RipjawsX. EVM offers only 2 or 3 years of warranty. All modern processors natively support 1600 MHz modules so it makes more sense getting one instead of slandered 1333 MHz module.
Getting two identical small RAMs instead of one large RAM will make them run in dual channel mode, providing increased bandwidth which can provide moderate performance improvement in some applications. For running RAM in dual channel mode, you’ll have to make sure you get identical pair of RAM. Using different modules together isn’t recommend, they it may cause no problems. On motherboards with 4 RAM slots, two of them will have different color than the other two. To make RAM work in dual channel mode you’ll have to insert them into same color slots. For example, if your board has Red – Blue - Red – Blue slots, insert then RAM into either black or blue slots.
HDD
There are very few things too look into when buying a Hard Disk Drive (HDD). Capacity is the biggest thing to look at. These days, the price difference between a 500 GB drive and a 1 TB drive is of just a few hundred rupees which makes getting a 1 TB HDD more sensible. The main manufacturers available are Seagate, Western Digital and Toshiba. Though Seagate is what most shopkeepers give and what is most popular, keep in mind that WD’s A.S.S. (After Sale Service) is much better than that of Seagate, making WD preferred over Seagate.
With Seagate, things are simple but with WD, you have the Green, Blue, Red, Black and the newly launched Purple line of HDDs. Blue is the one aimed at regular PC, Green is to be used as secondary drive (storing user data other than OS) and Black offers the best performance out there. Red is aimed at NAS (Network Attached Storage) and Purple is specialized for video surveillance devices. You’ll be looking for Blue for normal usage, Green for higher capacity to price ratio or for HTPC and Black for best performance at a price premium.
Another storage device which is gaining rapid popularity is Solid State Drive or an SSD. While HDD is a mechanical device, SSDs are completely solid and contain no moving parts. Due to this, they have ultra-low latency (the delay between read/write request and starting of actual operation). Even a basic low-end SSD can put the fasted HDD to shame at read and write speeds. The only problem is the capacity to price ratio. A 120 GB SSR retails for ~ Rs.6000 and a 250 GB retails for Rs.12000 to Rs.15000. Due to this, they are used in complement with a HDD. OS and other software are installed on SSD for speed and user data like media, documents and games are installed on HDD. OS has the most benefit from a SSD, providing very fast boot times.
A combination of HDD and SSD fused together in a single package, called SSHD (Solid State Hybrid Drive) is also becoming popular. It includes a standard HDD with a SSD built into it. Depending on the implementation, the included SSD and HDD may appear as separate drives to the computer (allowing user to decide which files to place on which drive) or as a single HDD with SSD being used as acache to store frequently accessed files based on usage pattern.
Graphic Card
The most important thing one should look at when building a gaming PC is the graphic card. It can make or destroy one’s gaming experience.
Note: DO NOT buy GT210, 8xxx, 9xxx or simply anything below GT630 for gaming: it just won’t be useful.
If you have the budget and need to go for a discrete graphic card, both Nvidia and AMD have offerings at literally any price you can imagine paying. AMD cards generally offer better performance than equally priced Nvidia cards. Performance wise, the best way to choose from a set off cards with similar pricing is to look at benchmarks and decide based on the gaming performance.
AMD HD6670 is the bare minimum you should get for gaming. Cards like GT620 are built for HTPCs, not gaming. For a hierarchical list of all graphic cards, take a look at this wonderful thread: TDF GPU hierarchy list
Companies like Asus, Zotac, and Sapphire are reputed manufacturers and have good A.S.S. in India. HIS, PowerColor and MSI have little to no support in India. Zotac offers 2+3 years warranty as compared to 2 years of most manufacturers. You’ll need to register the product online on Zotac’s website to avail the extra 3 years of warranty.
Most sub 10k cards do not require any auxiliary power connectors but, higher end cards like GTX 660 or R9 270X require 6-pin, 8-pin PCI power connectors or a combination of these. Make sure your PSU has the required number of connectors. If you do not have them, you can use ‘Molex to PCI convertor’ too. Also important to consider is the graphic card’s length. Local cabinets aren’t long enough to accommodate cards like GTX 660 or HD 7950. Check the card manufacture’s website for card’s length and cabinet manufacturer’s website to check the maximum allowable card length.
You’ll also need a decent PSU with enough Wattage to properly run a graphic card. This wonderful online PSU Wattage calculator will come handy. A graphic card will dissipate high amount of heat into the cabinet so make sure you have a good cooling setup with at least one fan throwing air directly onto the card.
PSU
A Power Supply Unit or PSU is a device that supplies required voltage and current to each component in your system. Getting a quality PSU is critical to proper working of a computer, especially in the long run. Local PSUs like those from Zebronics and VIP are total crap and must not be used for anything above an Intel G2020 without a graphic card. Corsair, Antec, Seasonic and some high quality PSU manufacturers with Cooler Master’s higher end PSU also being good. Corsair’s VS series PSUs and Cooler Master’s Thunder and Extreme series PSUs should also be avoided.
Quality PSUs have either of 80 Plus, 80 Plus Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum or Titanium certification indicating the minimum electrical efficiency the product will offer. Though it’s not critical, if two power supplies are available at similar price and one is certified higher than the other, then you should get the one with the higher rating. Modularity of PSU cables is also worth considering when building high end system. Modular PSUs have removable cables which help avoid cable clutter. If you are including a graphic card, make sure your PSU has enough PCI power connectors as required by the graphic card. Number of Molex ports is also important as they can be used to power almost any aftermarket component like fans, lights, etc.
Do check out this thread for suggested PSUs- PSU Suggestion List - 2015 Q2
Cabinet
Cabinet is the most overlooked component in a PC. Its importance is realized only in the long run – when you decide to upgrade your graphics card, install a new CPU cooler or get tiered of cleaning the PC too often. A good cabinet has optimum fan placement for cooling. They may also come with air filters to keep dust out. To allow usage of long graphic cards, you’ll need such a cabinet as local Zebronics and iBall cabinets do not allow long cards to be fit. Cable management is also one the biggest advantage of good cabinets. They have gourmet holes to route cables. The build quality and material used is also superior.
Looks are the biggest thing to look for when buying a cabinet. You’ll be looking at that for a pretty long time, so you’ll want to make sure you get a cabinet you like. Next thing to look is to make sure the cabinet has USB 3.0 ports. With all new motherboards shipping with USB 3.0 compatibility, you’ll want to make sure your cabinet has the right USB ports to make use of it. USB 3.0 ports are characterized by blue color. If a cabinet doesn’t have USB 3.0 ports, they can be purchased separately for a price of approximately Rs.900.
Next to look for is number, size and position of case fan slots. One rear exhaust, one side intake and one front intake is the minimum you should look for. Additional slots are always welcome. Make sure the slots can accommodate 120 mm fans. Most local cabinets can only accommodate 80 mm fans which make a lot of noise.
Budget - 20k
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blu / Fury is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 30k
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 30k (gaming rig)
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 40k
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 50k (overclockable)
Skip optical drive to lower the price.
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 60k
* Exclude the gaming mouse to bring the price lower.
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 70k
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 80k
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 90k
Budget - 90k alternative config* - more processing power, no SSD.
*this config is recommended when higher processing power is needed. People who also require to extensivelly run multimedia, CAD, compilling or simulation and renderring softwares should choose this config.
Budget - 100k
Budget - 110k
Note: make sure you setup a good air flow using appropriate case fan positions. Also, investing some time in proper cable management provides good returns especially when you show your rig to friends and get a "wow!".
Use this link to search for PC parts on all major Indian online stores - Google Custom Search
Buying Guide
CPU
First of all, to all those who call that “big box with the power switch” lying on the table a CPU, IT’S A CABINET, NOT A CPU! A CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a processor is a small (~1 inch square) chip that executes instructions.
Currently, you have the choice between CPUs and APUs. APUs are nothing new but a fusion of CPU and GPU onto a single chip launched by AMD. Though even all consumer Intel CPUs and some Xeons have integrated graphics, that of an APU is much faster. APU’s are preferred if a gaming PC is required and the budget isn’t sufficient to include a discrete graphic card. The problem with APUs is the lack of motherboard options in India. If you get an APU, make sure you get more RAM that you need for your daily tasks as the APU's IGP can consume substantial amount of system RAM. Two 4 GB sticks rated at 1600 MHz speed in Dual Channel (read 'RAM' section) mode are idle. Keep in mind a discrete graphic card is still much faster than an APU.
CPU’s can be considered if gaming is not a priority or a discrete graphic card can be accommodated if gaming performance is needed. Both Intel and AMD have their offerings here. Note that AMD’s FX line of CPUs do NOT have an Integrated Graphics Processor (IGP), so you’ll need to include a discrete graphic card to get the display.
At the very bottom is Intel’s G2020 processor which has enough power for browsing, media usage and basic office work like using Office suite. Above it is Intel’s i3 series. 4[SUP]th[/SUP] generation (Haswell) is the latest in Intel CPUs and should be preferred. 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] gen can be considered if availability of motherboard is an issue. Older than 3rd generation chips should be avoided. Looking for more power brings to AMD’s FX 6300 CPU (with no IGP). With 6 cores, it’s a very powerful chip considering its price. Next comes AMD’s APUs. These are available for ~7.5k to ~12k. They offer a good value for money and provide respectable gaming performance without a discrete graphic card. AMD FX 8320 and FX 8350 come next. Both have 8 cores and are very powerful, especially at multithreaded applications.
Intel’s i5 comes next. Though there is argument all over the Internet over i5 vs FX 8350, it depends on your use case rather the specs that which will suite your needs. Only 4[SUP]th[/SUP] generation (Haswell) i5 should be bought as older generation are already EOL’d (End of Life). Next comes the i7 processors which offer great performance but with an equally large price tag. For anything else, Intel Xeon is the only way to go.
Motherboard
The choice of motherboard isn’t critical for budget systems, but is very important for high end, overclockable systems. The first thing you need to look when deciding on a motherboard is which CPU socket it has. Intel’s Haswell processors, for example, fit into LGA 1150 socket. Similarly, Kaveri APUs fit into FM2+ boards and FX series fits in AM3+ socket.
Next thing to look is the board manufacturer. This is important to know about the After Sale Service (A.S.S.) status and reputation of the manufacturer. Asus, Intel, Gigabyte are all good, Digilite, AsRock have improper A.S.S., at least in India.
Next most important thing to look is the chipset used on the motherboard. Different chipsets have different compatibilities and different feature sets. For example, FX x3xx processors support 970, 990X and 990FX chipsets but only 990X and 990FX supports x8-x8 or x16-x16 CrossFire and SLI with 970 chipset supporting only x16-x4 CrossFire and no SLI.. Similarly, Intel’s Z series and X series are the only chipsets which officially supports CPU overclocking via the multiplier.
Other things to look at are presence of SATA 6 Gbps ports if you plan to use an SSD (Solid State Drive), SLI or CrossFire certification if you want to use a dual GPU setup and number of RAM slots. Form factor is also important if you want to build a particularly sized system. Onboard display slots like HDMI, VGA and DVI should also be checked if relying on IGP.
RAM
There is nothing much to look for into RAM. Include 4 GB RAM as minimum, unless your budget is really low. Most local shopkeepers provide EVM or Kingston 1333 MHz RAM. Though they aren’t bad, it’s worth investing a few extra hundred rupees more to get a Corsair or G.Skill 1600 MHz RAM. Corsair offers 10 years warranty on Value Select series and lifetime warranty on Vengeance, similar to G.Skill’s RipjawsX. EVM offers only 2 or 3 years of warranty. All modern processors natively support 1600 MHz modules so it makes more sense getting one instead of slandered 1333 MHz module.
Getting two identical small RAMs instead of one large RAM will make them run in dual channel mode, providing increased bandwidth which can provide moderate performance improvement in some applications. For running RAM in dual channel mode, you’ll have to make sure you get identical pair of RAM. Using different modules together isn’t recommend, they it may cause no problems. On motherboards with 4 RAM slots, two of them will have different color than the other two. To make RAM work in dual channel mode you’ll have to insert them into same color slots. For example, if your board has Red – Blue - Red – Blue slots, insert then RAM into either black or blue slots.
HDD
There are very few things too look into when buying a Hard Disk Drive (HDD). Capacity is the biggest thing to look at. These days, the price difference between a 500 GB drive and a 1 TB drive is of just a few hundred rupees which makes getting a 1 TB HDD more sensible. The main manufacturers available are Seagate, Western Digital and Toshiba. Though Seagate is what most shopkeepers give and what is most popular, keep in mind that WD’s A.S.S. (After Sale Service) is much better than that of Seagate, making WD preferred over Seagate.
With Seagate, things are simple but with WD, you have the Green, Blue, Red, Black and the newly launched Purple line of HDDs. Blue is the one aimed at regular PC, Green is to be used as secondary drive (storing user data other than OS) and Black offers the best performance out there. Red is aimed at NAS (Network Attached Storage) and Purple is specialized for video surveillance devices. You’ll be looking for Blue for normal usage, Green for higher capacity to price ratio or for HTPC and Black for best performance at a price premium.
Another storage device which is gaining rapid popularity is Solid State Drive or an SSD. While HDD is a mechanical device, SSDs are completely solid and contain no moving parts. Due to this, they have ultra-low latency (the delay between read/write request and starting of actual operation). Even a basic low-end SSD can put the fasted HDD to shame at read and write speeds. The only problem is the capacity to price ratio. A 120 GB SSR retails for ~ Rs.6000 and a 250 GB retails for Rs.12000 to Rs.15000. Due to this, they are used in complement with a HDD. OS and other software are installed on SSD for speed and user data like media, documents and games are installed on HDD. OS has the most benefit from a SSD, providing very fast boot times.
A combination of HDD and SSD fused together in a single package, called SSHD (Solid State Hybrid Drive) is also becoming popular. It includes a standard HDD with a SSD built into it. Depending on the implementation, the included SSD and HDD may appear as separate drives to the computer (allowing user to decide which files to place on which drive) or as a single HDD with SSD being used as acache to store frequently accessed files based on usage pattern.
Graphic Card
The most important thing one should look at when building a gaming PC is the graphic card. It can make or destroy one’s gaming experience.
Note: DO NOT buy GT210, 8xxx, 9xxx or simply anything below GT630 for gaming: it just won’t be useful.
If you have the budget and need to go for a discrete graphic card, both Nvidia and AMD have offerings at literally any price you can imagine paying. AMD cards generally offer better performance than equally priced Nvidia cards. Performance wise, the best way to choose from a set off cards with similar pricing is to look at benchmarks and decide based on the gaming performance.
AMD HD6670 is the bare minimum you should get for gaming. Cards like GT620 are built for HTPCs, not gaming. For a hierarchical list of all graphic cards, take a look at this wonderful thread: TDF GPU hierarchy list
Companies like Asus, Zotac, and Sapphire are reputed manufacturers and have good A.S.S. in India. HIS, PowerColor and MSI have little to no support in India. Zotac offers 2+3 years warranty as compared to 2 years of most manufacturers. You’ll need to register the product online on Zotac’s website to avail the extra 3 years of warranty.
Most sub 10k cards do not require any auxiliary power connectors but, higher end cards like GTX 660 or R9 270X require 6-pin, 8-pin PCI power connectors or a combination of these. Make sure your PSU has the required number of connectors. If you do not have them, you can use ‘Molex to PCI convertor’ too. Also important to consider is the graphic card’s length. Local cabinets aren’t long enough to accommodate cards like GTX 660 or HD 7950. Check the card manufacture’s website for card’s length and cabinet manufacturer’s website to check the maximum allowable card length.
You’ll also need a decent PSU with enough Wattage to properly run a graphic card. This wonderful online PSU Wattage calculator will come handy. A graphic card will dissipate high amount of heat into the cabinet so make sure you have a good cooling setup with at least one fan throwing air directly onto the card.
PSU
A Power Supply Unit or PSU is a device that supplies required voltage and current to each component in your system. Getting a quality PSU is critical to proper working of a computer, especially in the long run. Local PSUs like those from Zebronics and VIP are total crap and must not be used for anything above an Intel G2020 without a graphic card. Corsair, Antec, Seasonic and some high quality PSU manufacturers with Cooler Master’s higher end PSU also being good. Corsair’s VS series PSUs and Cooler Master’s Thunder and Extreme series PSUs should also be avoided.
Quality PSUs have either of 80 Plus, 80 Plus Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum or Titanium certification indicating the minimum electrical efficiency the product will offer. Though it’s not critical, if two power supplies are available at similar price and one is certified higher than the other, then you should get the one with the higher rating. Modularity of PSU cables is also worth considering when building high end system. Modular PSUs have removable cables which help avoid cable clutter. If you are including a graphic card, make sure your PSU has enough PCI power connectors as required by the graphic card. Number of Molex ports is also important as they can be used to power almost any aftermarket component like fans, lights, etc.
Do check out this thread for suggested PSUs- PSU Suggestion List - 2015 Q2
Cabinet
Cabinet is the most overlooked component in a PC. Its importance is realized only in the long run – when you decide to upgrade your graphics card, install a new CPU cooler or get tiered of cleaning the PC too often. A good cabinet has optimum fan placement for cooling. They may also come with air filters to keep dust out. To allow usage of long graphic cards, you’ll need such a cabinet as local Zebronics and iBall cabinets do not allow long cards to be fit. Cable management is also one the biggest advantage of good cabinets. They have gourmet holes to route cables. The build quality and material used is also superior.
Looks are the biggest thing to look for when buying a cabinet. You’ll be looking at that for a pretty long time, so you’ll want to make sure you get a cabinet you like. Next thing to look is to make sure the cabinet has USB 3.0 ports. With all new motherboards shipping with USB 3.0 compatibility, you’ll want to make sure your cabinet has the right USB ports to make use of it. USB 3.0 ports are characterized by blue color. If a cabinet doesn’t have USB 3.0 ports, they can be purchased separately for a price of approximately Rs.900.
Next to look for is number, size and position of case fan slots. One rear exhaust, one side intake and one front intake is the minimum you should look for. Additional slots are always welcome. Make sure the slots can accommodate 120 mm fans. Most local cabinets can only accommodate 80 mm fans which make a lot of noise.
Suggested Configs
Budget - 20k
| Processor | Intel G3220 | 3,830 |
| CPU Cooler | Stock | 0 |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-H81M-S1 | 3,600 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury DDR3 4 GB 1600 MHz | 2,250 |
| Graphics Card | none | 0 |
| Power Supply | Bundled with cabinet | 0 |
| Cabinet | Any local cabinet with PSU | 1,100 |
| Internal Storage | WD Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD | 3,500 |
| Optical Drive | Asus DRW-24D3ST DVD Burner | 1,000 |
| Monitor | Dell IN2030 19.5" LED Monitor | 6,600 |
| Keyboard | Logitech MK200 Keyboard & Mouse Combo | 750 |
| Mouse | included in combo | 0 |
| Total | 22,630 |
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blu / Fury is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 30k
| Processor | Intel i3 4150 | 8,000 |
| CPU Cooler | Stock | 0 |
| Motherboard | GIGABYTE GA-H81M-S2PH | 4,400 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX FuryDDR3 4 GB 1600 MHz | 2,250 |
| Graphics Card | none | 0 |
| Power Supply | Corsair VS350 | 2,200 |
| Cabinet | Any local cabinet without PSU | 900 |
| Internal Storage | WD Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD | 3,500 |
| Optical Drive | Asus DRW 24B3ST DVD R/W | 1,000 |
| Monitor | Dell S2240L | 8,400 |
| Keyboard | Logitech MK200 Keyboard & Mouse Combo | 750 |
| Mouse | included in combo | 0 |
| Total | 31,400 |
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 30k (gaming rig)
| Processor | Intel G3220 | 3,830 |
| CPU Cooler | Stock | 0 |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-H81M-S1 | 3,600 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury DDR3 4 GB 1600 MHz | 2,250 |
| Graphics Card | Sapphire R7 250X 1 GB DDR5 | 8,000 |
| Power Supply | Corsiar VS450 | 2,450 |
| Cabinet | Any local cabinet without PSU | 900 |
| Internal Storage | WD Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD | 3,500 |
| Optical Drive | Asus DRW 24B3ST DVD R/W | 1,000 |
| Monitor | Dell IN2030 19.5" LED Monitor | 6,600 |
| Keyboard | Logitech MK200 Keyboard & Mouse Combo | 750 |
| Mouse | included in combo | 0 |
| Total | 32,880 |
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 40k
| Processor | AMD FX6300 | 7,400 |
| CPU Cooler | Stock | 0 |
| Motherboard | Asus M5A78L-M/USB3 | 4,765 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury DDR3 4 GB 1600 MHz | 2,250 |
| Graphics Card | Asus GTX 750 2 GB DDR5 OC Edition | 9,900 |
| Power Supply | Antec VP500 | 3,100 |
| Cabinet | Any local cabinet without PSU | 900 |
| Internal Storage | WD Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD | 3,500 |
| Optical Drive | Asus DRW 24B3ST DVD R/W | 1,000 |
| Monitor | Dell S2240L | 8,400 |
| Keyboard | Logitech MK200 Keyboard & Mouse Combo | 750 |
| Mouse | Included in combo | 0 |
| Total | 41,965 |
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 50k (overclockable)
| Processor | AMD FX 8320 | 10,800 |
| CPU Cooler | Stock | 0 |
| Motherboard | MSI 970A-G43 | 5,800 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury DDR3 4 GB 1600 MHz | 2,250 |
| Graphics Card | Sapphire R9 270X DualX 2 GB DDR5 OC | 14,500 |
| Power Supply | Antec VP550 | 3,900 |
| Cabinet | Cooler Master Elite 311 | 2,300 |
| Internal Storage | WD Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD | 3,500 |
| Optical Drive | None | 0 |
| Monitor | Dell S2240L | 8,400 |
| Keyboard | Logitech MK200 Keyboard & Mouse Combo | 750 |
| Mouse | included in combo | 0 |
| Total | 52,200 |
Skip optical drive to lower the price.
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 60k
| Processor | Intel i5 4440 | 13,000 |
| CPU Cooler | stock | 0 |
| Motherboard | Asus B85M-G | 6,400 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury DDR3 4 GB 1600 MHz | 2,250 |
| Graphics Card | Asus GTX 960 2GB DDR5 DC II OC Strix | 16,950 |
| Power Supply | Seasonic S12II 520 | 4,800 |
| Cabinet | Corsair Spec-1 | 3,600 |
| Internal Storage | WD Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD | 3,500 |
| Optical Drive | Asus DRW 24B3ST DVD R/W | 1,000 |
| Monitor | Dell S2240L | 8,400 |
| Keyboard | Logitech MK200 Keyboard & Mouse Combo | 750 |
| Mouse | included in combo | 0 |
| Total | 60,650 |
* Exclude the gaming mouse to bring the price lower.
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 70k
| Processor | Intel i5 4440 | 13,000 |
| CPU Cooler | stock | 0 |
| Motherboard | MSI H97M-G43 | 7,850 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB | 4,500 |
| Graphics Card | Zotac GTX 970 4GB DDR5 | 26,500 |
| Power Supply | Seasonic S12II 520 | 4,800 |
| Cabinet | Cooler Master Force 500 | 2,800 |
| Internal Storage | WD Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD | 3,500 |
| Optical Drive | none | 0 |
| Monitor | Dell S2240L | 8,400 |
| Keyboard | Logitech MK200 Keyboard & Mouse Combo | 750 |
| Mouse | Included in combo | |
| Total | 72,100 |
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 80k
| Processor | Intel i5 4570 | 15,000 |
| CPU Cooler | stock | 0 |
| Motherboard | MSI H97M-G43 | 7,850 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB | 4,500 |
| Graphics Card | Zotac GTX 970 4GB DDR5 | 26,200 |
| SSD | Samsung 850 Pro 120 GB SSD | 7,500 |
| Power Supply | Seasonic S12II 520 | 4,800 |
| Cabinet | Cooler Master Force 500 | 2,800 |
| Internal Storage | WD Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD | 3,500 |
| Optical Drive | none | 0 |
| Monitor | Dell S2240L | 8,400 |
| Keyboard | Logitech MK200 Keyboard & Mouse Combo | 750 |
| Mouse | Included in combo | 0 |
| Total | 81,600 |
Note: for RAM, if any of Corsair Vengeance, G.Skill RipajwsX or Kingston HyperX Blue is available at same price, get one of them.
Budget - 90k
| Processor | Intel i5 4570 | 15,000 |
| CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO | 1,700 |
| Motherboard | Asus H97-PLUS | 8,900 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB | 4,500 |
| Graphics Card | Asus GTX 970 4GB DDR5 DC II OC Strix Edition | 28,500 |
| SSD | Samsung 850 Pro 120 GB SSD | 7,500 |
| Power Supply | Seasonic S12II 520 | 4,800 |
| Cabinet | Corsair 300R | 5,000 |
| Internal Storage | WD Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD | 3,500 |
| Optical Drive | Asus DRW 24B3ST DVD R/W | 1,000 |
| Monitor | Dell S2240L | 8,400 |
| Keyboard | Cooler Master Devastator KB and Mouse Combo | 2,600 |
| Mouse | included in combo | 0 |
| Total | 91,400 |
Budget - 90k alternative config* - more processing power, no SSD.
| Processor | i7 4790 | 22,700 |
| CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO | 1,700 |
| Motherboard | Asus H97-PLUS | 8,900 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB | 4,500 |
| Graphics Card | Asus GTX 970 4GB DDR5 DC II OC Strix Edition | 28,500 |
| SSD | none | 0 |
| Power Supply | Seasonic S12II 620 W | 5,600 |
| Cabinet | Corsair Spec-1 | 3,700 |
| Internal Storage | WD Blue 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD | 3,500 |
| Optical Drive | Asus DRW 24B3ST DVD R/W | 1,000 |
| Monitor | Dell S2240L | 8,400 |
| Keyboard | Cooler Master Devastator KB and Mouse Combo | 2,600 |
| Mouse | included in combo | 0 |
| Total | 91,100 |
*this config is recommended when higher processing power is needed. People who also require to extensivelly run multimedia, CAD, compilling or simulation and renderring softwares should choose this config.
Budget - 100k
| Processor | Intel Xeon E3-1246 V3 | 22,700 |
| CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO | 1,400 |
| Motherboard | Asus H97-PRO | 10,000 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB | 4,500 |
| Graphics Card | Asus GTX 970 4GB DDR5 DC II OC Strix Edition | 28,500 |
| SSD | none | 0 |
| Power Supply | Seasonic S12II 620 W | 5,600 |
| Cabinet | Corsair 400R | 5,500 |
| Internal Storage | Seagate Baraccuda 2 TB | 5,800 |
| Optical Drive | Asus DRW 24B3ST DVD R/W | 1,000 |
| Monitor | Asus VK248H LED | 15,900 |
| Keyboard | Cooler Master Devastator KB and Mouse Combo | 2,600 |
| Mouse | 0 | |
| Total | 1,03,500 |
Budget - 110k
| Processor | Intel Xeon E3-1246 V3 | 22,700 |
| CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO | 1,400 |
| Motherboard | Asus H97-PRO | 10,000 |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB | 4,500 |
| Graphics Card | Asus GTX 970 4GB DDR5 DC II OC Strix Edition | 28,500 |
| SSD | Sausung 850 EVO 256 GB SSD | 8,350 |
| Power Supply | Seasonic S12II 620 W | 5,600 |
| Cabinet | Corsair 400R | 5,500 |
| Internal Storage | Seagate Baraccuda 2 TB | 5,800 |
| Optical Drive | Asus DRW 24B3ST DVD R/W | 1,000 |
| Monitor | Asus VK248H LED | 15,900 |
| Keyboard | Cooler Master Devastator KB and Mouse Combo | 2,600 |
| Mouse | 0 | |
| Total | 1,11,850 |
Note: make sure you setup a good air flow using appropriate case fan positions. Also, investing some time in proper cable management provides good returns especially when you show your rig to friends and get a "wow!".
Use this link to search for PC parts on all major Indian online stores - Google Custom Search
.
the AMD one was ok as it had a GPU for HDMI out. I was saying about the Intel one.
