Build for my Grandma

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
A

AznSensation

Senior member
Dec 26, 2004
340
0
76
Here's what I'm thinking about:

Processor: Core 2 Duo E8400 ($189 from microcenter)

Mobo: Gigabyte P35-DS3L ($89 from newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16813128059)

RAM: 4GB Corsair DDR2 800 ($74 from newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16820145184)

Videocard: EVGA 8800 GTS G92 512MB ($259 from newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16814130325)

Powersupply: Corsair TX650 ($83 from buy.com http://www.buy.com/prod/corsai...oc/101/206178324.html)

Harddrive: Segate Berracula 500 gig SATA II 32mb cache ($120 from newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16822148288)

Case: Thermaltake Armor ($129 from newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16811133021)

Red Neon LED/ Florescent lights: $30

Cooler: Tuniq Tower 120 ($45 from newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16835154001)

Monitor: Soyo 24: LCD ($280 from office depot http://preview.officemax.com/o...009&searchString=soyo)

CD/DVD burner: Samsung DVD burner with lightscribe ($30 from newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16827151154)

Mouse: Logitech G5 (she already has)

Keyboard: Logiteh G15 rev. 2 (she already has)

Speakers: Logitech Z-2300 (she already has)

It comes out to be total of $1328 + taxes + shipping

I think with taxes + shipping, this will not be within my budget. What can I take out? I'm not too sure about PSU, memory, and case choices.

What you guys think? I think this will be okay for my grandma to watch youtube videos, surf web, emails, play poker, WoW, etc
 
H

hoovie

Junior Member
Feb 18, 2008
16
0
0
If that's all she's doing, why oh why would she need flourescent lights, a 24" monitor, the e8400 cpu, 8800gts video, and 4GB ram?? you could build her a computer with no lights, a 17-19" 4:3 monitor, a celeron processor, onboard video, and 1GB ram(or 2 perhaps, if she has lots of windows open). The computer you propose is WAY overkill for what the stated usage is. Anyway, gl with the build.
 
P

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
4
0
Originally posted by: AznSensation
she's not gonna live for long. I want to build her something worthwhile
Click to expand...

Overall very good...a few comments:

You need SLI to play youtube videos at fullscreen

Good choice with the 4 GB of ram, that's gonna make that poker play much smoother

I would probably get a bigger HSF so that she can overclock to surf the web faster
 
H

hoovie

Junior Member
Feb 18, 2008
16
0
0
Originally posted by: AznSensation
she's not gonna live for long. I want to build her something worthwhile
Click to expand...

IE: you want to build her something you can inherit?? JK.

as far as worthwhile, if that's all shes going to be using it for, unless there is a lot of money laying around, you really don't NEED to have the higher end hardware, but I will agree that it would be nice. :)
 
A

AznSensation

Senior member
Dec 26, 2004
340
0
76
Is there any better replacements for less? I don't think I can get all those parts without going over my budget
 
J

JustaGeek

Platinum Member
Jan 27, 2007
2,827
0
71
Originally posted by: hoovie
Originally posted by: AznSensation
she's not gonna live for long. I want to build her something worthwhile
Click to expand...

IE: you want to build her something you can inherit?? JK.

as far as worthwhile, if that's all shes going to be using it for, unless there is a lot of money laying around, you really don't NEED to have the higher end hardware, but I will agree that it would be nice. :)
Click to expand...


It is very hard to imagine that you are building a gaming rig for your dying grandmother without an ulterior motive.

It's actually sad, man... :(

 
H

hoovie

Junior Member
Feb 18, 2008
16
0
0
my calculations put your list at $1328, before shipping and taxes, if applicable. if you remove the lights, go with an Acer AL1716 17" LCD($169.99), Foxconn 8600GTS-256 OC 700/2200 ($124.99), you could save around $250. If you also make some sacrifices in the CPU area, such as going with Intel Pentium E2200 ($93.99) you will save almost another $100. Going with half the RAM may not save you half on the cost of it but you could save $30-$40 there as well.

So far we are looking at almost saving $400. to go further, you could look at AMD processors, which cost much less, or you could go with stock cooling, a basic beige box, a standard dvd burner, reusing the old monitor, or possibly even reusing the old computer case. Is there any upgrade potential with the current computer? The best way to save is to simply upgrade what currently exists. Or, if it doesn't really matter too much, you could always go to walmart and buy a $400 eMachines system and be done with it.

If you decide to go the whole system route, perhaps walmart may not be the first choice, but the big name department stores all have computer choices at reasonable prices. They won't be powerhouses by any means, but they will be able to do anything your grandmother will require of it(unless there is more that we haven't been told) - if you go to someplace like circuit city or best buy, you will find some pretty powerful systems there as well(don't get me wrong, I'm NOT trying to push you into purchasing a prebuilt, but just throwing it out there as an option to consider).

I wouldn't say that any of the suggestions I've made are 'better' performance wise, but cost wise, they most certainly are.

oh, and if you haven't already, don't forget to add the cost of an OS in there as well, unless there is one already available

hth
 
R

RyanW2050

Senior member
Sep 2, 2005
311
0
0
if she doesn't know what she's getting she won't appreciate it. She'll probably just think it's loud and looks silly.


I would investigate http://www.silentpcreview.com/ and spend my money making a nice silent rig, she would probably actually use those benefits...... unless she can't hear.
 
A

AznSensation

Senior member
Dec 26, 2004
340
0
76
My grandma and I play World of Warcraft together. She plays paladin while I play warrior. I do not think she can play WoW on emachines with decent framerates.
 
L

LOUISSSSS

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2005
8,771
58
91
thats the biggest bs rig for a grandmother or anyone other than a gamer.
a g92, and a thermaltake armor case? LOL r u serious?

get her a dell and some nice earrings or some jade, thats what i'd get my grandmother.
0/10
 
B

Build it Myself

Senior member
Oct 24, 2007
333
0
0
grandma doesn't need glowing red light tubes to play yatzee online...really tone the computer down or spill the beans...you like to visit her a lot, don't you ;)

that computer is WAY overkill for what she plans to do with it. keep the screen, slash the performance. pick up a late model GPU for under $100, my bro has a nvidia 7 series and he's a gamer, grandma isn't going to appreciate a 8800 and you're pissing money away on almost every part.

Sorry but what you're talking about building doesn't even make sense for who you're building it for.
 
R

Roguestar

Diamond Member
Aug 29, 2006
6,045
0
0
I call BS on this whole thing. Anyone with a brain would get her a $400 dell instead of something that'll conveniently still be awesome when she passes away. This is either a troll, or a choice between no buying sense or something a lot more morbid.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom