The $69 Gaming PC RETURNS
Linus Tech Tips
·Linus Tech Tips
·2019-05-06
·
3,011 words · ~15 min read
0:00
If you're a budget gamer,
0:01
who's less concerned with 4K 120 Hertz
0:04
and more concerned with running any games at all,
0:09
then this video is for you.
0:13
Riley here, who's actually gonna be doing some more work
0:15
here on the LTT channel moving forward,
0:18
was given the task of taking our previous $69 gaming PC,
0:23
which frankly was barely deserving of the title PC,
0:26
let alone gaming, and taking it out behind the shed
0:30
and putting a bullet in its head.
0:33
Oh, that's violent.
0:35
And looky what he found on eBay.
0:38
A full PC for, get this, $27 US.
0:45
27 bucks.
0:47
And can it game?
0:48
Actually, yeah, kind of.
0:51
And we're gonna show you guys how
0:53
after this message from GlassWire.
0:55
GlassWire allows you
0:56
to instantly see your current and past network activity,
0:59
detect malware, and block badly behaving apps
1:02
on your PC or Android device.
1:04
Use offer code Linus to get 25% off at the link below.
1:17
We always say that when you set out to build a PC,
1:19
the most important consideration
1:21
is what you intend to use it for.
1:23
That's how you avoid spending too much
1:26
or cheaping out and hurting the experience.
1:28
So then, knowing that we weren't gonna be running
1:32
Shadow of the Tomb Raider with RTX on,
1:35
we set out with what we hoped would be a reasonable goal,
1:38
running casual and eSports games like Minecraft,
1:41
League of Legends, Dota 2, and CSGO
1:44
with Overwatch for extra credit.
1:46
So do you wanna run me through this beauty?
1:50
So this is a Dell Optiplex 380, beautiful machine.
1:55
It's got an Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 in it,
2:00
four gigs of DDR3 RAM, and a 160 gig hard drive.
2:05
That's 7,200 RPM.
2:07
Beautiful.
2:08
It didn't come with Windows 10.
2:09
And a parallel port.
2:10
Oh, yeah.
2:11
Oh, yeah.
2:12
You need one of those.
2:12
Oh, yeah, there, buddy.
2:13
Oh, yeah, buddy.
2:14
Drivers for everything.
2:16
$27.
2:17
For 27 bucks.
2:18
Yeah.
2:19
Dang.
2:19
Plus shipping.
2:20
Right.
2:21
Plus shipping was another 30.
2:22
How much for shipping?
2:23
$37.
2:24
Oh, okay, well.
2:25
Okay, in fairness to us, though,
2:26
if we were in the US, shipping would've been way cheaper.
2:29
Yeah, oh, it actually booted up.
2:31
Oh, see, here's another quirk.
2:32
Take a little bit there.
2:33
No, here's another quirk.
2:34
You have to plug the USB.
2:35
The mouse into a different USB port.
2:38
Oh.
2:40
And then it works.
2:42
Beautiful.
2:43
Wonderful.
2:43
Okay.
2:44
Now, Optiplexes are more geared towards
2:46
the corporate or education markets.
2:49
So while they do tend to have decent networking,
2:52
this guy's got Gigabit, which is nice to have,
2:55
and reliable components, they lack some of the features
2:59
that you would normally find in a gaming rig,
3:01
like a graphics card.
3:03
There is nary a graphics card
3:06
to be found, which isn't to say, though,
3:08
that we aren't gonna try to run games on it
3:10
straight out of the box.
3:12
So what do you got there?
3:13
I have a crash message.
3:16
Yeah.
3:17
Oh, beautiful.
3:17
Oh, beautiful, too.
3:18
You've got matching.
3:19
I got two.
3:20
In SLI.
3:21
Yep.
3:22
Even though we did find drivers for everything,
3:25
that doesn't mean that they're perfect.
3:27
None of the games we tried to launch
3:29
managed to successfully open.
3:31
And among other probable issues, we did discover,
3:36
that the G41 Express chipset,
3:38
which is this little high-tech beauty right here,
3:42
doesn't support OpenGL on Windows 10.
3:44
No.
3:45
With that said, I mean,
3:46
what kind of performance were we expecting?
3:48
Not very good.
3:50
I just wanted to know, you know?
3:52
I wanted to believe in something.
3:53
So anyway, it's time to move on to our real plan,
3:56
which is installing a graphics card.
3:58
Right.
3:59
Which, even though there's a PCI Express slot here,
4:03
is probably gonna be a little bit trickier
4:05
than you might think.
4:06
Yeah.
4:07
The only graphics cards that actually fit in the case
4:09
have to be a low profile and single PCIe slot card.
4:16
So you're gonna have a hard time finding a modern,
4:19
any kind of relatively modern card
4:21
that fits that description.
4:22
So check this out.
4:23
This was back in the era when Intel was still trying
4:26
to flip the ATX standard upside down.
4:29
So you notice this opens on the opposite side panel
4:31
that most modern cases do.
4:33
So a graphics card that you put here doesn't take up
4:35
this next PCIe slot.
4:38
It'll interfere with the CPU heat sink,
4:41
the parallel port potentially, some of these capacitors.
4:44
Like it's just, it's kind of a mess.
4:47
Unless, ooh, you get a little creative.
4:50
Now, our target graphics card for a system of this caliber
4:55
would be something like a GeForce GTX 650,
4:58
which you can find on eBay for anywhere from 30 to 50 bucks,
5:02
bringing the total cost for this machine right in line with our target.
5:03
bringing the total cost for this machine right in line with our target.
5:04
bringing the total cost for this machine right in line with our target.
5:05
bringing the total cost for this machine right in line with our target.
5:07
Plus shipping.
5:08
Problem is, that is not a single slot,
5:12
nor is it a low profile card.
5:14
Now, what we could do is Dremel out this part of the case
5:17
right here, which would allow us to get it to fit in there,
5:21
but it's a little easier if you just use
5:24
a PCI Express extender.
5:26
It'll only cost you about five bucks.
5:29
You won't get like a fancy shielded one like this
5:30
for five bucks, but you could get something functional.
5:33
So, oh, it does fit all the way in.
5:36
Extender in, card into the other end.
5:40
We'll just kind of sit it in there.
5:42
And this system has, come and look at this,
5:44
has literally no extra power connectors
5:50
other than a floppy power connector,
5:53
which we could actually like cut off and strip
5:58
and then like solder onto a piece.
6:00
Yeah, that's probably not a great idea.
6:03
And we think we've got a better solution anyway,
6:06
but it needs an optical drive, any who.
6:09
Let's check this out.
6:13
Would you look at that?
6:15
A SATA to PCI Express power adapter.
6:18
It can fit, you just gotta believe Linus.
6:21
Bam.
6:22
Wow.
6:23
There we go.
6:24
Building PCs is fun.
6:25
So that's it.
6:25
We can fire it up now, right?
6:26
Yes.
6:27
I'm fired up.
6:28
It's powered.
6:29
It's plugged in.
6:30
Yep.
6:30
Okay.
6:31
And we've got DVI output now.
6:33
And we installed everything with the power cord connected.
6:36
That's fine.
6:37
Oh yeah.
6:38
We probably shouldn't have done that.
6:39
Wow, that is a dusty, gross card.
6:41
Yeah.
6:42
Wow, look at that.
6:43
Just boots up fine, drivers installed and everything.
6:46
It's like we've done this before or something.
6:48
It's almost like we prepare these videos.
6:50
Anyways, moving on.
6:52
So once you've roused the system from its deep sleep,
6:57
now we can safely attempt to play some games, I'd say.
7:01
All right, play CSGO.
7:02
CSGO, look, that was actually pretty quick.
7:04
Yeah, I'd go with bots.
7:06
Don't subject other people.
7:08
Yeah.
7:09
So what are we, what settings are we running at here?
7:12
No, 720.
7:13
720.
7:13
720 low.
7:14
720 low.
7:15
Limbo low.
7:16
I'm going right under this computer.
7:18
What?
7:19
No!
7:20
Wow.
7:21
Where's he going?
7:22
Where's he going?
7:22
Really impressive.
7:23
Ah, I'm stuck.
7:24
Are you, do you need, jeez Louise.
7:28
Oh, were you using the table to cheat?
7:29
No?
7:32
Oh, jeez.
7:36
So we're still running at about 50, 60 FPS.
7:39
That's actually not too shabby.
7:42
Yeah.
7:42
Oh no.
7:43
Yeah.
7:44
See, you will get some frame drops.
7:46
Yes.
7:46
Cause the CPU, you're gonna kill them with a smoke grenade.
7:49
Yeah.
7:50
I just, I want to see what happens to our frame rate
7:51
when we walk through the smoke.
7:53
Okay.
7:54
So we saw an initial dip down to like 30,
7:56
but it's staying in the 35, 40 range.
7:58
I mean, it's usable.
8:00
It's usable.
8:02
Yes, I would like to stop playing now.
8:03
Okay.
8:04
Do you want to do the next one?
8:05
Yeah.
8:06
Okay.
8:07
Pretty good.
8:07
All right.
8:08
Well, next one.
8:09
Oh, you're gonna play with real people, your teammates?
8:11
Well, against AI.
8:12
That's how you do it.
8:13
Or do you want to play just training?
8:14
No, fine.
8:15
Well, they don't have to deal with this.
8:17
Yeah, yeah.
8:17
We do.
8:18
Well, they just have to deal with that.
8:19
We're gonna lag out.
8:21
I don't know.
8:21
I was getting pretty good ping.
8:22
No, but we're gonna close the game.
8:24
Yeah, we are.
8:25
Yeah.
8:26
Yeah.
8:26
Where's the gun girl?
8:27
Camping Ezreal.
8:28
So does everyone else have to wait for our Epic hard drive
8:31
to manage to load it?
8:34
Yes.
8:36
Hey, we're not the slowest.
8:38
Are we not?
8:38
Check this out.
8:39
This guy's at 40%.
8:41
Master Yi over here.
8:42
Dang, dude.
8:43
Hey. Hey.
8:44
Hey.
8:45
Here we go.
8:46
Whoa.
8:47
Wow.
8:48
We're getting like 90, 100 FPS.
8:50
Look at those graphics.
8:52
Not bad.
8:54
Is this even 720p?
8:55
This looks like 1080.
8:56
I actually have no idea what settings this is at.
8:59
This looks pretty good.
9:00
Hold on a minute.
9:01
Can I just poke around in here?
9:02
How am I gonna kill them if you...
9:03
I'm gonna kill...
9:04
We're running at 1080, medium high.
9:07
What?
9:08
Dang.
9:09
Wow.
9:10
Oh, bad guys.
9:12
For 70 bucks.
9:14
For 70 bucks.
9:15
Yeah.
9:15
Yeah.
9:16
You can play one of the top games in the world no problem.
9:19
I mean, can you even get like a...
9:21
Like, can you even get like an old Game Boy Color
9:24
on eBay for 70 bucks?
9:25
Like, that's kind of what I'm talking about here.
9:26
Like...
9:28
That's true.
9:29
We're gaming for 70 bucks.
9:31
We haven't been killing anybody yet, so...
9:32
Well, yeah, we should probably get on that.
9:34
Boom, boom.
9:35
Hey, Linus, watch this though.
9:36
Watch this.
9:38
Yeah, that didn't even...
9:41
Even with a bunch of action going on here,
9:43
we haven't dipped below 55.
9:45
Okay.
9:46
I think we've probably hit 50.
9:47
We've probably had enough of this at this point.
9:49
Okay.
9:50
Minecraft.
9:51
I should run on a potato.
9:53
Confess, I don't know how to play Minecraft.
9:56
Oh.
9:57
Ooh.
9:58
Okay.
9:59
Okay.
10:00
Okay.
10:00
There's a horse.
10:01
Can we go get the horse?
10:02
Let's get him.
10:03
That's a cow.
10:04
Well, I didn't say...
10:05
What?
10:05
I said get it.
10:06
I didn't say kill it.
10:07
What are you doing?
10:08
You said get it.
10:09
You're a monster.
10:10
What does get it mean if not...
10:10
What's wrong with you?
10:12
If all you were trying to do was harvest kelp
10:15
and smack fish in the face,
10:18
which I have done successfully.
10:21
Picked up some kelp.
10:23
I mean, that's pretty playable.
10:25
But watch this, Linus.
10:26
I guess you didn't see this coming.
10:28
Let's go down to six chunks.
10:31
Minecraft has a lot to do with chunks.
10:33
Okay.
10:34
If you don't know your chunks in Minecraft,
10:35
you're gonna be in trouble.
10:36
Thank you.
10:37
So it's just a little bit of tuning there.
10:39
Minecraft, 200 plus FPS.
10:41
Yeah.
10:43
I was like compulsively playing Overwatch for a little bit.
10:46
Oh, okay.
10:48
Is this gonna get you back
10:49
on the...
10:50
Yeah, maybe.
10:51
I think I'm gonna make it to championships here tonight.
10:56
This year.
10:56
This is gonna take you all the way.
10:59
Oh, I thought it just turned off.
11:00
I was like, what did you do?
11:01
The graphics card is just loose in there.
11:03
Oh my gosh.
11:05
Oh yeah, there's a missing blade.
11:07
Two missing blades.
11:08
That'll do it.
11:09
You know what?
11:09
I bet if we ripped off one more blade,
11:11
that wobble would go away.
11:13
Let's maybe not do that right now.
11:14
Right, but then it wouldn't wobble anymore.
11:16
So we're at 720, 60.
11:18
Yeah.
11:19
V-sync off.
11:20
Everything, most, most everything off.
11:23
Low, everything.
11:23
Low, low, low, low.
11:24
Off, off, low.
11:26
Let's do mystery heroes.
11:28
Is there actually a delay when I shoot?
11:30
Or like, is that just an animation or what?
11:32
Like- What do you mean?
11:33
Like, do I have to leave the target?
11:35
Yeah, you do.
11:35
Oh crap.
11:36
Well, that wasn't working.
11:37
Why can't I see people through walls?
11:38
Oh no, you're dead.
11:39
No, I'm not dead.
11:40
It's over now.
11:41
It's not over now.
11:42
Yeah.
11:43
When you see, when you say May, it's over.
11:45
Oh.
11:45
Yeah.
11:46
Jump Linus for your life.
11:48
Blah, blah, blah, blah.
11:49
Okay. Did I get one?
11:50
Yeah.
11:51
I got one!
11:52
I got one!
11:53
Oh, I didn't get a kill.
11:54
Yeah.
11:55
I got an assist.
11:56
Okay, what's this?
11:57
What do I do?
11:58
You're Zenyatta now.
11:59
Now you're a robot.
11:59
Okay, telling me the name of the character
12:01
and like what type of being they are.
12:04
Press E when you see them.
12:05
Shift is like a long one.
12:07
And then-
12:08
I'm gonna go.
12:09
Left click is a short range.
12:10
Hey, get back here.
12:11
I've had enough of this.
12:11
This is a bad, this is a bad experience.
12:14
I'm a bad Overwatch coach.
12:15
Bad experience.
12:17
And you're the worst Overwatch coach.
12:19
Okay, wait.
12:20
So the frame rates we're getting
12:21
aren't gonna blow anyone away,
12:23
especially as we get to more newer, more demanding titles.
12:26
And we're basically limited to 720p
12:29
and in many cases, low details
12:31
if we want things to run smoothly.
12:32
But like if you're a high school student or something,
12:37
this can be had for less than a hundred bucks.
12:40
If you get like a gray market Windows 10 key
12:42
or you can otherwise get one on the cheap.
12:44
So you, I mean, you throw some emulators and stuff on here
12:47
and this is a pretty freaking
12:49
adequate experience.
12:52
Adequate is the right word to use, yeah.
12:54
There are a few things we could do on the cheap
12:55
to make it a lot better.
12:56
Like an SSD would be a great upgrade.
13:00
And all you'd really need is an extra SATA cable
13:02
since there is an extra port on the motherboard.
13:05
But you would need a SATA power splitter to do that.
13:07
Yeah, just make sure that if you're splitting
13:09
one of the SATA power connectors,
13:11
you split the one that's going to the hard drive now
13:14
as opposed to splitting the one
13:15
that's going to your graphics card.
13:16
Even if your graphics card isn't super demanding,
13:19
we're still kind of adapting power cables,
13:22
which isn't necessarily the best thing.
13:24
Yeah.
13:25
And if that's not enough,
13:26
you could still throw in eight gigs of RAM
13:29
and a 750 TI or a 950,
13:32
which might even get you playable frame rates at 1080p
13:35
because again, we were at 720p low.
13:38
You might end up CPU bottlenecks though.
13:40
The fortunately though,
13:41
this motherboard should be compatible
13:43
with cheap quad core 775 processors like the Q6600,
13:47
which you can get for as little as five
13:49
or 10 bucks or even free
13:51
in just like a bargain bin in some case.
13:53
And you can throw that baby under there.
13:54
This cooler will handle it just fine.
13:57
And even if you made all of those upgrades,
14:00
you'd still be in the like $200 neighborhood.
14:03
So all in all, a pleasantly surprising end result.
14:08
And while I can't say that you guys
14:10
will have an identical experience
14:12
because buying used hardware on eBay
14:13
is always a bit of a gamble,
14:15
there's also no reason to think
14:17
that you couldn't build something similar.
14:19
I mean, hey,
14:22
if Riley, someone who isn't qualified
14:25
to review the RTX 2080 can do it,
14:29
so can you.
14:30
Great work, Riley.
14:34
That's the end.
14:38
Oh, you know what's not a laughing matter?
14:40
Our sponsor Ting.
14:41
Ting is the mobile carrier that is focused
14:43
on customer service and satisfaction first.
14:46
Don't speak to a robot,
14:47
you get put through directly to a person
14:49
and you pay only for what you use.
14:52
The average Ting bill
14:53
is just 23 bucks a month per device.
14:55
And if you're stuck in a contract and switch to Ting,
14:57
they'll cover 25% of your cancellation fee up to $75.
15:01
They've got lower mobile data rates than ever before
15:03
at just $10 a gig beyond the second gig.
15:05
And you guys can head over to linus2018.ting.com
15:09
to try out their savings calculator today.
15:11
Go there and when you sign up at our link,
15:13
you'll also get 25 bucks in service credit
15:15
or towards a new device.
15:17
So guys, thanks for watching.
15:18
If you disliked this video
15:20
or you dislike Riley personally,
15:21
you can hit that button.
15:23
Yeah.
15:24
But if you liked it,
15:25
hit like, get subscribed,
15:27
or maybe consider checking out the link
15:29
to where to buy the,
15:30
where to blah, blah, blah.
15:31
Blah, blah, blah.
15:32
Thank you.
15:33
Wow.
15:34
Where to buy the stuff we featured
15:34
at the link in the video description.
15:36
If you guys wanna see more Riley on LTT,
15:39
guys, hit that thumbs up button.
15:41
We will be paying close attention
15:42
and leave a comment letting us know how you thought he did.
15:45
Cause honestly, I thought this was awesome.
15:46
This is an amazing value.
15:48
I did too.
15:49
For like 50 to 80 bucks.
15:51
Oh, the value.
15:52
Depending on configuration. Oh, the value.
15:53
Not the video.
15:53
I thought you were saying the video was amazing.
15:55
I thought you said that.
15:56
Are you really gonna play more Overwatch on this thing?
15:58
Yeah, well, you've ranked me down.
16:00
I gotta get back up, you know?
16:02
All right.
16:03
Also linked in the video description is our merch store,
16:05
which has cool shirts like this one
16:06
and our community forum,
16:07
which you should definitely join.
16:10
Love ya.