"Rescue Computer" Part 2

OK. The "rescue machine" is pretty much ready to go. So let me do a quick post so we can tie a bow on it. Since you've already seen most of the parts going into the machine in the last post; this one will mostly be rationale with just a little bit about the final parts.

The last piece got added this weekend and I put it all together to check function. I've been looking into graphics cards for the better part of the last month...... really 2 months. It started with me replacing the GTX 650 with a GTX 750 (more performance, less power draw) in my son's gaming rig. Then I replaced the Radeon HD 7850 in my workstation with a GTX 770, then went right into looking at cards for this cheap gaming build for the friend's son. In the last post, I had discussed the possibility and merits of nVidia's "10 Series". But that was before I found a 660 Ti FTW Signature 2 for $60 on Craigslist. That pretty much completes the build right around $400 total. Is using this 660 better than the 1050... that's a close call. Is it a better deal than the 1060.... absolutely! I'm not crazy. He'll be playing for months at only slightly lower performance instead of saving up, the additional $150-200 it'll take to buy the alternative. Play vs. No Play? I'd call that better; hand's down!

So..... am I satisfied? Should I be? Well..... yeah, I'd say so. Here's why. The basic components have a few rounds left in them. The high-end AM3+ socketed board can take processor upgrades through the latest AMD hex and octo-core processors. The RAM can be bumped all the way up to 32Gb. The SSD is big enough to use for some time and there's expansion well beyond what's in this box. As an enthusiast board, there's lots of over-clocking potential. The SSD is pretty snappy and should be good for a few years. The 660 is a great card for the money invested and will allow game-play at medium to high detail at well over 30-35 fps on current titles. For the games this kid plays, he'll go between 50-75 fps! The best pieces are the case/PSU combo which is good enough to go several builds down the road. At the end of the day, $400 just isn't very much money for the capabilities of this machine. It will be a good starting point for it's new owner.