Opinions on this Build for a Fam Member

[Anubis]

Ok so its been ages since I?ve built a comp for anyone other then myself, so not getting the latest and greatest is actually harder then i thought it would be

this is for a fam member of mine who needs a comp for her kids to use for school and stuff, (College) she is recently divorced so it needs to be kept on the cheap >1000$ with a monitor

This is what I?ve come up with so far

CPU - AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ Brisbane 2.1GHz Socket AM2 - 65$
Mobo - ASUS M2N-E Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 Ultra - 100$
Ram - CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB DDR2 667 - 35$
Case - COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-WW - 50$
PSU - Antec earthwatts EA380 ATX12V v2.0 380W Power Supply - 60$
HDD - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 160 Gig - 54$
Floppy - 6$
DVD/CD Drive - LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - 35$
Vid Card - ASUS EN8400GS/HTP/256M GeForce 8400GS 256MB - 55$
Monitor - LG L192WS-BN Black 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor - 190$
KB/Mouse combo ? Some Generic MS Keyboard and Mouse 30$


I have a retail copy of XP that I?m going to put on it, I figure the 8400 GS isn?t so totally gimped that my cousins will be able to play some games on it , I have 2 LG Monitors myself and I really like them, and I went with AMD because I always have and they are cheap, but I?m sure I?m missing something so I turn to you guys,

 

[engiNURD]

A good dell deal would serve her better. This isn't a deal, this is just off their website, using it as an example:

Dell Inspirion 530: $700
E4400, Vista Home Premium, 19 inch SE198WFP Widescreen,
1GB DDR2-667MHz (2DIMMs), 320GB SATA, 16X DVD+/-RW,
Intel GMA3100, Integrated 7.1 Ch, Dell USB Keyboard/Optical Mouse

If you'd still rather build it yourself, I'd go with integrated graphics instead. They can still game with the BIOSTAR TForce TF7050-M2 or ASRock ALiveNF7G-HDready. The 8400GS isn't worth $50.

 

[Blain]

Let Dell be their tech support. :thumbsup::laugh:

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Dell might work, but remember that it's always fun to build a system yourself, plus a custom rig will be a lot faster at the same price point. Here's what I'd suggest:

1. Go Intel. The E21x0 series is cheap but usually faster than the corresponding-priced X2. It has more overclocking headroom, too.
2. Think strongly about the micro-ATX form factor. Not only are both the boards and cases cheaper, but in a situation like college dorm life, where space comes at a premium and moving is frequent, a mini-tower can be quite nice.
3. 1GB is a decent amount of memory for the budget, but make sure to go with DDR2-800, not 667. It's cheaper, faster, and allows for more CPU overclocking headroom. Also, make sure to check zipzoomfly.com for memory deals; they often beat Newegg.
4. Check frys.com and frys-electronics-ads.com for deals on various components (especially PSUs). They have a lot of nice rebates, too.
5. Make sure the student actually plays graphic-intensive games before you buy a dedicated video card. Unlike the majority of this forum's posters, a lot of folks don't use their PCs for that kind of recreation.
6. Look at retail DVD burners, which usually come with a legal copy of Nero, and cost just a couple dollars more than OEM.
7. Western Digital's SE16 series tends to perform better than Seagate's 7200.10. Admittedly, it only includes a 3-year warranty (compared to Seagate's 5), but I doubt the extra two years would matter.
8. 160GB is a little light for a college student. I'd go for at least 250GB and 320GB if the budget can handle it.
9. I'd get him an OEM copy of Vista. XP is aging, and you could probably sell the retail version for more than an OEM copy of Vista would cost.
10. If you do get a dedicated video card, don't go with the 8400 series, as it is slowed considerably by its 64-bit memory interface. If you need something cheap, go for a 7300 or 7600; if you can afford more, go for an 8500.

My configuration recommendation:

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 32-bit (Zipzoomfly)
Intel Pentium E2140 (Newegg)
Gigabyte GA-945GCM-S2 (Newegg)
Kingston 1GB DDR2-800 SDRAM (Zipzoomfly)
Ultra X-Connect 600W PSU (Frys)
Foxconn TLM436-CN300C-01 micro-ATX case (Newegg)
Philips SPD2413BD retail DVD burner (Newegg)
Western Digital WD3200AAKS 320GB SATA/3.0 hard disk (Newegg)
NEC black floppy drive (Newegg)
Logitech Internet 350 keyboard/optical mouse combo (Newegg)
Hanns·G JW-199DPB 19" widescreen LCD (Newegg)
TOTAL: $712.27 - $29.59 MIR = $682.68

If you need a dedicated video card, try this:
MSI NX8500GT-TD256E 8500GT (Newegg)
TOTAL: $784.22 - $39.18 MIRs = $745.04

Also: If you have a Fry's B&M within driving distance, you can save the $7.11 shipping that the online store charges.

Good luck!

 

[sparks]

Dell is your friend.

Intel® Core?2 Duo Processor E4300 (1.80GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800FSB)
Genuine Windows® XP Home
Dell 19 inch Widescreen E198WFP Analog Flat Panel Monitor
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz - 2DIMMs
160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache?
Single Drive: 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3100
No Floppy Drive
No Modem Option
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio

for $469

For low to medium end systems you can't beat a good Dell deal.

 

[Anubis]

i dont plan on over clocking this and it wont be in a dorm AFAIK it will be at home, because of money issues staying at home and going to the local state school saves $$$$$$$$$$$$$, and i really dont mind being tech support, i end up being it anyway for my parents and they do have a dell :/

i like mid towers because i absoutly hate building in micro ATX cases, its a personal issue of mine, and a 160 GB hdd will be fine for who is useing it,

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: Anubis
i dont plan on over clocking this and it wont be in a dorm AFAIK it will be at home, because of money issues staying at home and going to the local state school saves $$$$$$$$$$$$$, and i really dont mind being tech support, i end up being it anyway for my parents and they do have a dell :/

i like mid towers because i absoutly hate building in micro ATX cases, its a personal issue of mine, and a 160 GB hdd will be fine for who is useing it,

In that case I'd either get the Coolermaster you mentioned above or else the Raidmax Apex ATX-802BP. The latter is $12.15 more than the Foxconn mini-tower I had suggested above.

 

[jcgamo88]

I did build a budget system a few weeks ago, except my friend had a monitor to use.
Screenshot of components

Adding your monitor to it wouldn't push the cost too far. Keep in mind I opted out of the Pictured FSP and got a 350w Antec Basiq (FSP built) from OfficeMAX for $9.99. The system has done quite well, and if I had waited a week I could have gotten the 3800+ 65w for just $.50 more. I also realized I forgot the optical drive and added the Sony Optiaric

If you'd rather stick to an earthwatts you can get 430w earthwatts $49.99 or $29.99 after MIR

Also, Dell has a decent deal for a Q6600. Of ocurse you could also add a monitor to the cost of this though that would be pushing your budget a tad.

I was about to type something else relevant. But I forgot what X(

 

[jpeyton]

Your build = $680 + Windows XP license + shipping + build time + tech support = True cost?

Dell Build = $469, which includes 1 year tech support, 1 year on-site warranty, Windows XP license, free shipping, pre-built and ready to use.

Not only that, but the Dell has:

Core 2 Duo CPU
1GB RAM
160GB HD
DVDRW
19" Widescreen LCD

If they want to game, add a graphics card; takes about 2 minutes since Dell's cases are tool-less and easy to work with.

Or better yet, ask your family member if they'd like to keep a couple hundred dollars in their pocket.