Need a PC for my parents...

[Shyatic]

My dad's desktop finally died, it's basically used for web browsing and on occasion Minecraft and some other light games (since my kids go over there).

I'm fine with refurb components, I was going to buy a cheap 128gb SSD and use the existing RAM (I think i should be able to) to build his new PC. My only real requirement is that I can drop a graphics card into it because I have full length ones that are a bit older but will work fine for that purpose.

Appreciate any help you guys can provide! I usually shop Amazon for the shipping, but can use Newegg as well. Budget is ~$300.

 

[VirtualLarry]

$300 should buy a Sandy / Ivy locked quad-core refurb, in tower form-factor.

Edit: Snag this one, before it sells out: $259

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAAJ24D78506&ignorebbr=1

i5-3470
3.2 GHz
4 GB DDR3 250 GB HDD
No Screen
Windows 10 Pro
Intel HD Graphics 2500

Should be able to add a GPU, since it's a tower. Don't know if it needs a PSU replacement to do so. (You mentioned "older" long GPUs, which generally need supplemental PCI-E power connectors.)

Also, drop in an SSD, and an additional 4GB of DDR3.

Edit: If it's not feasable to upgrade the PSU, then the most powerful GPU you can buy, that doesn't require supplemental power, is a GTX 1050ti 4GB card.

Edit: Hmm, don't see a 24-pin ATX PSU power connector anywhere on that board. Sounds like it has a proprietary power connector. Maybe someone here can chime in. Still, even if you have to pick up a GTX 1050ti ($140-160), it's not so bad.

base unit: $260
GTX1050ti 4GB: $160
4GB DDR3: $20
120GB SSD: $45

total: $485, for a fairly competent quad-core gaming rig with SSD.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Old people don't generally want big noisy technology shrines.

IMO, just get an i3 NUC and call it a day. Minecraft and light games are ok on an IGP if it's a newer system. You should be able to put one together for ~$350. Less if you shop aggressively. (I'm seeing Skylake i3 NUCs for $250. <$50 for an 8GB DIMM and <$50 for a small m.2 SSD is totally doable.)

(I'm also watching my grandmother lose her brains. So I'm not so keen on the thing where your kids choose screen time over hanging out with their grandparents.)

 

[VirtualLarry]

(I'm also watching my grandmother lose her brains. So I'm not so keen on the thing where your kids choose screen time over hanging out with their grandparents.)

I agree with you there. Btw, that's rough. My mom's starting to get a tad forgetful now.

Anyways, OP, it's not a gaming box, but I have some J1900 Brix units (like a NUC), Bay Trail Atom quad-cores, fairly cheap and complete, sans OS, in my FS thread in the FS/FT forum.

Edit: Or maybe just get them one of these (front-page ebay deal):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-Slimline...-/262358455610?_trkparms=5373:0|5374:Featured

It's an AMD E1-6015, whatever that is. It's a 1.4Ghz AMD small-core dual-core APU. Slow, for certain, but might be able to play Minecraft on the APU. Comes with Win10. Compact, and most of all, CHEAP.

 

[piasabird]

I have seen cell phones with better specs than that cheap HP 1.4 Ghz piece of junk.

I guess you just have to consider what your own standards are.

You might want to look at what kind of deals are at your local Micro Center while you are shopping. I purchased an Intel Motherboard and i-3 6100. I paid retail for the i-3 and the Gigabyte 110 series motherboard was $35. Of course you cant put old RAM in that motherboard.

Even though a computer may be for browsing mainly, unless you are playing taxing video games, a video card is completely useless and will just use more power and the fans will just make more dust. The modern i3 Intel CPU's have excellent Graphics built in. I Just built an i3 computer and used 16GB of DDR4. Lowering the RAM is just asking for trouble. I have never built a computer where I looked back and wished I had used Less RAM. I always realized I should have just built it with more RAM.