PC gaming on a budget - The Mercari PC Build #pc #pcgamer #pcgaming

Summary

In this video, the creator attempts to build the most affordable PC possible using second-hand and old components. They start with a $70 computer from Makari, which includes an Intel Core i7 477k CPU, RAM, and a motherboard. They also acquire an RX 580 graphics card for gaming tests. After initial setup and troubleshooting, including a BIOS update and adding a new CPU cooler, the system runs surprisingly well, especially on a 1440p resolution at 60 frames per second. The video concludes with plans for a custom 3D-printed case and the need for a more suitable power supply, promising a follow-up for the next steps.

Takeaways

• 💻 The video is about building a budget PC using used and old parts to keep costs as low as possible.
• 🛒 The main computer was purchased on Maki for $70, which included RAM, a CPU, and a motherboard.
• 🔍 The CPU is an Intel Core i7-4770k, which is an overclockable model and is claimed to be better than the Steam Deck CPU.
• 🤔 The functionality of the computer components was uncertain at the start, as they were used and the seller's claim could not be verified.
• 💡 The video includes troubleshooting steps such as checking the power supply and CPU installation.
• 🎮 The PC was tested with gaming, specifically with Spider-Man, to see how well the old CPU performs.
• 🌡️ There were issues with high CPU temperature reaching 100 degrees Celsius, indicating the need for a better cooler.
• 🛠️ An Assassin X90s Heat CPU cooler was added later in the video to address the overheating problem.
• 📦 The total cost of the build was slowly increasing, but the video creator was still aiming to keep it as cheap as possible.
• 🎮 The game performance was tested again after BIOS update and addition of the CPU cooler, showing improved results.
• 🔄 The video ends with plans for part two, which includes finding a suitable power supply and possibly 3D printing a custom case.

Q & A

What is the main objective of the video?

The main objective of the video is to build the cheapest PC possible using used and old parts.

What was the initial cost of the computer mentioned in the video?

The initial cost of the computer, including RAM, CPU, and motherboard, was $70.

What CPU was included in the computer purchased for $70?

The CPU included was an Intel Core i7 477k, which is an overclockable model and is better than the Steam Deck CPU.

What was the condition of the CPU when it was received?

The CPU had some thermal paste already on it, which looked wet, indicating it should be fine to use.

How did the video creator test if the computer components were working?

The video creator tested the components by attempting to power on the computer and checking if the fan and graphics card turned on.

What graphics card was used in the build and how much did it cost?

An RX 580 graphics card was used, which was purchased for $70.

What was the total cost of the PC build before adding a power supply and other peripherals?

The total cost of the PC build, including the computer and graphics card, was $140.

What game was used to test the performance of the built PC?

The game 'Starship Troopers' was used to test the performance of the built PC.

What issue did the video creator encounter with the CPU temperature?

The CPU temperature reached 100 degrees Celsius, indicating a need for a better cooler.

What was the final cost of the CPU cooler and how did it affect the system?

The Assassin X90s Heat CPU cooler cost about $18, and after its installation, the system's performance improved significantly.

What was the outcome of updating the BIOS on the built PC?

Updating the BIOS improved the system response, made it snappier, and allowed the PC to run games more smoothly.

What was the video creator's plan for the PC case?

The video creator planned to 3D print their own case for the PC and find a more suitable power supply.

Outlines

00:00

🛠️ Budget PC Build Introduction

The video begins with the host introducing a project to build the cheapest possible PC using old and used parts. The aim is to keep costs as low as possible. The host starts with a computer purchased on Makari for $70, which includes RAM, a CPU, and a motherboard. The CPU is an Intel Core i7-4770k, which is an overclockable model and is said to be better than the Steam Deck's CPU. The host is unsure if the components work but is hopeful. They also mention receiving two of these for $70, implying a potential profit if one is sold. The host then proceeds to apply thermal paste and test the components, including the power supply and a graphics card, which is a RX 580 that appears to be in good condition and not used for mining.

05:02

🔥 Overheating CPU and Cooling Solution

The host encounters an issue with the CPU overheating, reaching 100 degrees Celsius during testing. This prompts the need for a better cooling solution. After a few days, the host installs a new CPU cooler, the Assassin X90s Heat by Thermaltake, which was an affordable option costing around $18. The installation process reveals a mistake in the application of thermal paste, which was likely the cause of the overheating issue. With the new cooler in place, the host tests the system again, this time playing Starship Troopers on a high-end LG OLED 4K 120Hz screen. The game, which is quite demanding, runs choppy on the old hardware. However, after updating the BIOS, the system's performance and responsiveness improve significantly, allowing the game to run at medium settings with better frame rates.

10:03

💻 BIOS Update and Future Plans

The host reflects on the significant improvement in system performance after updating the BIOS from a 2004 version to a 2019 version. They express surprise at how well the game performs at 1440p resolution, even better than at 1080p, and note that the system is much snappier and loads faster. The host then discusses future plans for the PC build, which include finding a more suitable power supply, as the current 1000W unit is excessive. They also mention the idea of keeping the SSD and 3D printing a custom case for the PC. The host invites viewers to stay tuned for part two of the project, hinting at potential challenges in finding a used power supply due to high shipping costs and the possibility of purchasing one from Amazon.

Keywords

💡Overclocking

Overclocking refers to the practice of increasing the clock rate of a computer's CPU beyond what the manufacturer specifies for operations. It is often done to achieve increased performance. In the video, the Intel Core i7 477k is mentioned as an overclockable CPU, indicating it can be pushed beyond its standard operating frequency to potentially enhance its gaming capabilities.

💡Steam Deck

The Steam Deck is a handheld gaming console developed by Valve Corporation. It is relevant in the video as a benchmark for the performance of the CPU being tested, with the script mentioning that the Intel Core i7 477k is 'actually better than Steam Deck CPU,' suggesting a comparison of gaming performance.

💡Thermal Paste

Thermal paste is a compound applied between a CPU and its cooler to ensure efficient heat transfer. In the video, the presenter mentions applying a 'little bit of thermal paste' and notes that there is 'a bit of thermal paste still on' the CPU, indicating its importance for maintaining optimal temperatures during operation.

💡Graphics Card

A graphics card, also known as a GPU, is a component in a PC that handles the rendering of images, making it crucial for gaming and graphic-intensive tasks. The video discusses the installation of an RX 580 graphics card, which is noted for its good condition and minimal dust, suggesting it was not used for mining.

💡Power Supply

A power supply unit (PSU) is what provides the necessary electrical power to a computer's components. The script mentions uncertainty about whether the power supply works and later confirms it does by trying a different known working power supply. It's an essential component for the functionality of the PC being built.

💡BIOS

BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System, which is firmware used to perform hardware initialization during the booting process. The video discusses updating the BIOS from a 2004 version to a 2019 version, which resulted in improved system responsiveness and performance.

💡Starship Troopers

Starship Troopers is a reference to a game being tested on the built PC. It is used as a benchmark to evaluate the performance of the system, especially after updates and hardware changes, to see if it can handle a demanding 2023 game.

💡CPU Cooler

A CPU cooler is a device used to dissipate the heat generated by the CPU during operation. The video mentions installing an Assassin X90s Heat CPU cooler to address overheating issues, which is critical for the stability and longevity of the CPU.

💡SSD

SSD stands for Solid State Drive, a type of data storage that is faster and more reliable than traditional hard drives. The script refers to a 'fifteen-dollar mic SSD,' indicating the inclusion of an SSD in the build for improved system performance.

💡3D Printing

3D printing is a process of making three-dimensional objects from a digital model. The video ends with the idea of 3D printing a custom case for the PC, showcasing a creative and cost-effective approach to completing the build.

💡Blue Screen

A blue screen, often referred to as the 'Blue Screen of Death' (BSOD), is an error screen displayed when Windows encounters a critical system error. In the script, a blue screen occurs after updating the BIOS and playing Starship Troopers at 1440p, indicating a potential issue with the system's stability.

Highlights

Building the cheapest PC possible using used and old parts.

Purchased a computer from Makari for $70 including RAM, CPU, and motherboard.

The CPU is an Intel Core i7 477k, which is better than the Steam Deck CPU.

Received two motherboards for the price of one, potentially making a profit.

Installed a RX 580 graphics card, which was not used for mining.

Total cost of the PC components without the power supply was $140.

The PC booted up successfully with 16GB of RAM and an i7-4770k CPU.

The PC struggled to run Spider-Man at high settings due to the old CPU.

CPU temperature reached 100 degrees Celsius, indicating the need for a better cooler.

Installed a new CPU cooler, the Assassin X90s Heat by Thermalright, for $18.

After installing the new cooler, the PC was reassembled and tested.

Played Starship Troopers on a 4K 120Hz OLED screen to test the PC's performance.

The game was choppy at medium settings, with the CPU utilization at 99%.

Updated the BIOS from 2004 to 2019, which improved system response and load times.

Achieved 60 frames per second at 1440p on low settings after BIOS update.

The PC crashed and blue-screened, possibly due to the old hardware.

Plans to 3D print a custom case and find a suitable power supply for the PC.

Transcripts

what is up guys welcome back to another

video today we are gonna try to build

the cheapest PC I can build

um possible buying used in Old parts

and I want you to keep in mind in this

video the whole point is to try to make

this thing as cheap as possible

and you'll notice that this tattoo won't

line up I filmed this thing three weeks

ago and now let's get into the video

uh we are actually working on this

computer that I bought on Makari for 70

bucks so it came with ram

it came with a CPU a motherboard that's

about it I think it was like 75 bucks

and it is Intel Core i7

477k uh it's a overclock or a bowl one

it's actually better than steam deck CPU

and I wanted to see how well this thing

can can game all right I don't even know

if it works to be honest um a guy said

it worked but you never know

um people lie and let's see if this

person was a decent person so

chrisma pretty much came just like this

I'm just gonna put a little bit of

thermal paste that should be fine

there's a bit of thermal paste still on

there and it looks pretty wet so I think

it should be good I hate Intel CPU

colors because I never know how to put

them on correctly

[Music]

I don't even know if this thing turns on

I don't even know if this power supply

works I hate these Intel freaking

brackets crazy thing is the guy actually

gave me two of these for 70 bucks so if

you can sell the other one technically

we're making a profit do you want to see

if this fan turns on

don't worry

I got a light some motherboards getting

power

let's just try another power supply that

I know Works cool so fan turned on okay

that's good all right we're gonna power

it down and then we're gonna attach a

graphics card all right so one of the

main reasons why I got this thing was

because I went ahead and picked up this

graphics card it is a RX 580 never owned

a 580 and it's in pretty good Nick it

doesn't look like it has a mining card

because the amount of dust is very

minimal unless this person really kept

it clean but if it was a mining card you

could tell from the inside here it would

be a lot of dust and another reason why

I don't think it was a mining card is

that they never unscrewed it they never

took off the screw and repasted it which

is cool because I definitely want to do

that but before we do anything like that

I don't even know if this thing works

this thing was 70 bucks

so right now we're in at 140.

with everything not included in power

supply power supply was something I

already had and then we'll just see if

we can get the fans to spin all right

let's try this again

sweet all these cables continue to clog

up this fan all right looks like the

graphics card powered on that's a good

sign everything's on of this amount real

quick

everything is working

um now we'll just test the system

overall

see every if everything's showing up I

think that's 16 gigs and then um I guess

we'll uh plug into

the main desktop over there

all right so

what we have here we have everything set

up we just need our peripherals the CPU

in general I think is like eight years

old all this stuff's eight years old

it's old stuff so we're all in about 140

bucks then and remember we got two

motherboards there's another motherboard

here the guy's sent over two so excited

all right just turned back on

it's weird

we might need to reset oh there we go

there we go

oh everything works

okay so we have

i-74770k 3.5 gigahertz

um total memory 16 gigs

yeah everything's showing

dude

140 dollars 160 obviously we need a

power supply I had to get this one this

is a fifteen dollar mic SSD so 30 bucks

you can get one on Amazon I thought the

graphics card it was a sweet deal he was

asking 80 and I offer 70 and think we

met in the middle at 75 somewhere like

that

2017. so this car is not that old

doing the driver download I am liking

what we see come on Spider-Man

how do you like this 10 year old CPU

Spider-Man yeah it really doesn't like

this CPU like whatsoever it's like

freaking hates it there's CPU

temperature 100 degrees Celsius holy

crap we're uh oh my God our CPU is at

100 degrees right now no God please no

we can't stress the system down it's so

old I don't want to push at 100 degrees

we need to get a better cooler

all right it's been a couple days we got

a new CPU Cooler assassin x90s Heat by

thermal right this thing was pretty

cheap it was about I think all together

18 bucks

um this should be more than adequate I

think our total build is slowly creeping

up

all right

wow what a dinky fan oh my God they gave

us um thermal paste that's so cool

that's so nice of them

[Applause]

I hate the oh my God

we were not making any contact

are you stupid or something no wonder we

were at a hundred percent

well

regardless we got this bad boy

that was my fault

probably could get away with the stock

one

um let's put this back together all

right let's give this thing a go

op

all right so Asus optimal

cool

swallow all right so this is another day

and just for a little context we are

playing Starship Troopers on a LG OLED

4K 120 hertz screen

um and it's the new starship trooper

it's a very fun game you should check it

out it will actually play on the steam

deck gonna come out with a video about

it on the steam deck soon uh maybe I

don't know but that's the context we're

testing this PC with a 2023 game which

is pretty demanding if you ask me my 39e

kind of struggles at 4K Max settings a

little bit 60 frames 60 70 frames

somewhere around there so it's not the

most well optimized game all right so

last time we were playing we were pegged

at 60

um in 99 10th on CPU

this game

oh it is very

very choppy

very choppy

look at look at the tearing it's so bad

it wasn't the best experience

um definitely

um very choppy

um when the when the fights kick in it's

bad it's bad all right so we went ahead

and updated the BIOS

and I think everything is running a lot

better now

one thing I noticed is the system

response was like really good meaning

like

um it's just snappier things loaded

quicker operating system more quicker

that bios was from

2004 13. now we have a 2019 bios

we are in medium settings we're getting

48 49 frames right now medium settings

looks pretty good to me really happy

with the performance right now

I'm thinking if we dump it down to low

we can um really let's try to see if we

can get 60 frames so we're gonna go low

but I'm Gonna Keep My View distance at

medium I'm definitely holding

um 60 frames easy now as you can see the

texture quality is not that much better

I mean worse

I just want to try Starship Troopers at

1440p we're at um

we're on low everything oh we're getting

60 frames oh yeah this looks great

why are we getting better frames at

that's so weird we're 100 utilization

we're getting better frames than we did

before

wow that's very interesting yeah it's

playing so much better at 1440p wow 16

yeah we're holding 60 frames this is

really good all right guys wow I am

generally surprised how well this is

playing right now at 1440p versus 1080p

which makes no sense

for the price we paid

um this is not a bad system oh we

crashed 200 bucks

1440p 60 frames be blue screened

um I don't know why exactly but it's so

much snappier loads so much better

updating the BIOS was a good call I

don't know why I didn't do it I was just

being

didn't think it was going to make that

much of a change and made a huge change

because I didn't realize how old the

BIOS was a big shout out to Aces for

updating this thing this was fun now

we're gonna case it but we need to do we

do need to pick up a new power supply

because a thousand Watts power supplies

a little much so my ultimate idea for

this is to get its own power supply I'll

keep the SSD and try to 3D print my own

case for it because why not so stick

around for part two not sure when's

gonna come out I still haven't found a

power supply it is tough to find a used

one because shipping is so expensive so

I might just buy one on Amazon one that

might set my house on fire

stay tuned for that