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Mom needs help - parts list for xmas

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  • Computers
  • Components
Last response: in Components
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December 2, 2013 2:46:00 PM

My 10 y/o and 8 y/o sons both want to get parts to build their own computers for xmas. Can you all please help us with our parts list? We're a little lost and time is a little short.

Purpose: Minecraft, Homework, Light Media/Web like Netflix, maybe videoing the Minecraft playing. Room to expand for a few years a plus. I expect we may upgrade the graphics card as they become interested in more graphic games. I also expect they will want/need new computers for high school, so this is hopefully for next 3 years or so.

Side purpose is learning about the computer and experience of putting it together. They're smart kids and I think capable to do this but I'm open ot hearing otherwise if you all disagree.

Price -- around $1000 per computer, including all (OS, monitor, etc.) -- they both want to make one, and they will be making identical ones so that they don't have to take turns (read: so they can play games at the same time on the same server). So I need to keep cost sane.

That said, I think important to get good CPU and motherboard to start with, so here's what I have so far picked out on pc parts picker:

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($149.99 @ Microcenter)

Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($119.99 @ Microcenter)

Video Card: PowerColor Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($69.99)

Case: Corsair 600T Silver ATX Mid Tower Case ($169.99)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.00)

Total: $563.96

I'm not at all sure about any of this except for the CPU. I know the case is overkill so I'll robably pick something else because I still have a lot of parts to go and I'm already pushing $600.

Help?

More about : mom parts list xmas

December 2, 2013 3:37:20 PM

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2dLGe

This build keeps in mind what you said about upgrading down the line (they can crossfire the 270x down the line to play more graphically intensive games, the case is a phenomenal case used by many (it's a roomy case without being so huge that it becomes an eyesore, also has sound dampening foam so their computers will be quiet and less annoying to you), I went with Windows 8 professional (so they can add more ram in the future)). The ram might seem a bit more expensive but it is a good brand, well worth it. Seasonic makes good psu's (don't skimp on the psu the cheap ones will burn out and can possibly ruin your computer/catch on fire). Hard drives are cheap, they're fairly young so 500gb's should hold them for awhile. The cooler will keep the pc cooler than the stock one and allow for a moderate overclock of the cpu down the line when they need the extra power. For a mouse and keyboard you can pick them up at whatever store you prefer, they don't really need to be too high quality right now...even the best kids are a tad bit rough on things.

Personally speaking, I would let your kids help you put the Pc's together and do most of the work yourself. Putting together a pc for the first time even as an adult can be challenging and things can go wrong, by doing most of the work yourself you'll insure that they won't accidentally ruin any of the components and your children will learn enough that you can let them do the upgrades themselves. Please take the extra time to do some cable management, that case is great for cable management and it'll keep their pc's cooler and make it a lot easier to upgrade down the line.

If you have any questions about the parts I picked, the general pc building process, or if you'd just like to hear the reasoning behind my choices please let me know ^_^.
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December 3, 2013 9:10:37 AM



Based on this comment and some comments on other forums, I've updated the graphics card and made some other changes, but keeping the Intel as our CPU. How does this build look? http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2ehT5

(I'm ok that it is coming a bit above budget.) Will this be a good machine? Are there other little parts I will need that I haven't thought of?

Thank you all!

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December 3, 2013 10:07:26 AM

If you're wanting them to be able to play the newest games in a year or two, you might want to consider windows 8. Direct x 11.2 isn't supported by windows 7 and all the new games will start to take advantage of it. You'll want some thermal paste for when you're installing the CPU cooler, it will keep your temperatures 5-10 degrees celsius cooler than the kind that comes with it. Is there a particular reason you went the phantom 410 over the fractal r4? I've had both cases and the fractal is by far the superior case. The paint job on the phantom is slightly miscolored and it's more cheaply made than the r4.
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December 3, 2013 10:07:26 AM

If you're wanting them to be able to play the newest games in a year or two, you might want to consider windows 8. Direct x 11.2 isn't supported by windows 7 and all the new games will start to take advantage of it. You'll want some thermal paste for when you're installing the CPU cooler, it will keep your temperatures 5-10 degrees celsius cooler than the kind that comes with it. Is there a particular reason you went the phantom 410 over the fractal r4? I've had both cases and the fractal is by far the superior case. The paint job on the phantom is slightly miscolored and it's more cheaply made than the r4.
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December 3, 2013 10:29:00 AM

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I will add thermal paste. As for the OS, I was assuming that we'd upgrade to Windows 8 in the next year or so if needed. Minecraft runs best on 7 right now but I don't think that will be true forever. We'll think more about this though and I'll talk it through with my son.

Also do I need to add a wireless networking card?

The phantom was chosen mostly for looks -- the 10 year old loves the red color. But if the fractal is much superior I think he could be persuaded to get a windowed r4 and maybe add some red internal lighting -- would that work?
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December 3, 2013 11:13:15 AM

I would take the case down to a cosair 200r for cheaper reasons, and it is the best in it's price range.
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December 3, 2013 11:13:57 AM

And add a SSD, if they want to play games, or anything that needs loading ect.. solid state drives will improve speed by ALOT.
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December 3, 2013 11:15:05 AM

and wireless cards are a musst, to be able to find your internet hub.
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December 3, 2013 11:18:31 AM

These specs i just posted, are going to work with everything. You can go from writing a word document. To server hosting.
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December 3, 2013 1:56:47 PM

A wireless card is not a must....it's only necessary to have if you are not close enough to your router to use an Ethernet cord. If you can run an Ethernet cord that's the best solution. I personally run a heavily modded minecraft on windows 8 and I haven't had an issue. There's no need to drop the case down, for $70 the r4 is a superior deal, it's a case than will last years and years and still look brand new. They do have white and titanium grey versions also, if he really wanted it red you could inquire with a local body shop and see if they would paint it for you. My local chain shop quoted $40 (labor and paint) to paint the white case whatever color I wanted. Solid state drives are great, but they're both 10 and 8 years old.....the solid state drives are a luxury that they do not need right now and it is an easy upgrade they can get in a year or so. Maybe for their next birthday
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December 3, 2013 1:56:48 PM

Also regarding the wireless card, you could change to the motherboard to one that includes wireless if you are in need of wifi capability. If that's the case just let me know and I'll link you to a suitable option.
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