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I Built a GAMING PC Using only...CeX?

Budget-Builds Official · 1:02:07 · 1 weeks ago

It is feasible to assemble a functional gaming PC using only secondhand components from CeX for approximately £36, provided the builder possesses the technical expertise to perform undervolting, driver tuning, and component troubleshooting.

  • Base platform — Purchased a complete pre-built desktop for £13 to provide the necessary chassis, motherboard, and 250W power supply .
  • Storage speed — Replaced the slow mechanical hard drive with a £2 solid-state drive, reducing operating system boot times from 10 minutes to 4 seconds .
  • Graphics integration — Exchanged a faulty RX 5500 XT for an R9 380X, which necessitated undervolting to operate within the strict power limitations of the original power supply .
  • Memory upgrade — Installed 8GB of higher-speed DDR3 RAM for £4, exceeding the capacity and bandwidth of the original OEM memory .
  • Processing power — Upgraded the CPU to a Core i7-3770S for £12 to increase thread count and computational overhead for modern software .
  • Net expenditure — Calculated a total cost of £36 after recouping £15 by selling the original RAM, processor, and graphics card .
  • Gaming output — Achieved playable frame rates in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and GTA 5, sustaining between 30 and 60 frames per second at 1080p .
  • Software compatibility — Validated that the hardware configuration functions on Linux, though it required configuration to maintain stability .

How does undervolting affect the lifespan and stability of older GPU architectures? What are the limitations of using a restricted power supply for modern gaming workloads?