Help Me Build My PC

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boydsmith

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Hi,

I am planning to build a custom PC.

Purpose: It is used for business & general use. It is NOT used for gaming.

Operating system: Windows 7 or Windows 8 (Which one is better?).

I want to use the computer for:

1) Watching Movies.
2) Open Office.
3) Light use of Photoshop, Dreamweaver.
4) Browsing.
5) Productivity software(running in background)
6) VPN(also running in background)
7) E-mail.
8) Few light weight software(around 25-50MB)


I expect it to perform the following way:

1) The windows should load quickly.
2) The applications should load fast.
3) Should have wifi capability
Budget: I do not have a budget. However, it would be nice if it is as cheap as possible without sacrificing performance.

I have done some research and found the below:

-Memory: DDR3 SDRAM (I am confused whether to buy 2GB or 4GB)

-Hard disk: 120GB SSD (I do not store much application in my hard disk). I have heard SSD is better than HDD as it does not have rotating parts.

-Processor: I have chosen Intel as my brand. However, I am not sure which one to buy.

-Graphics Card: It is not necessary for me.

-Motherboard: I do not know which one to buy.

-Cooling: I am a silent guy and hence prefer a cooling system which makes less/no noise.

-USB: I want USB 3.0 ports. (3 ports)

-Size of the computer: I would prefer it to be medium sized.

-Monitor: I would prefer monitors which offers a clear display and not harmful to eyes(I wear spectacles).

-Please mention a reputable vendor.

-Power supply: After seeing my requirements, please suggest a suitable power supply which keeps my computer healthy :)


Thanks for your time. Any help, no matter how small, will be appreciated :)
 
Solution
snowctrl
Try this:

CPU: AMD A4-4000 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($42.97 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: MSI A88XM-E35 Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($63.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive ($77.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Zalman ZM-T3 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($37.05 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($61.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($12.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $431.94

That will do all that you are wanting.

You could add an SSD - I would recommend the Samsung 840 Evo...
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snowctrl

snowctrl

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Try this:

CPU: AMD A4-4000 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($42.97 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: MSI A88XM-E35 Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($63.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive ($77.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Zalman ZM-T3 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($37.05 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($61.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($12.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $431.94

That will do all that you are wanting.

You could add an SSD - I would recommend the Samsung 840 Evo 250GB instead of that Seagate Hybrid drive, and then you could add a Seagate Constellation 1TB for extra storage.

Then consider a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo CPU cooler to reduce the noise, or something more unusual like the Scythe Grand Kama Cross 2 Quiet Top Down, as the stock fans are always noisy
 
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boydsmith

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EDIT: I have heard some applications are not compatible with AMD. Is it true or a myth?
 
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snowctrl

snowctrl

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MYTH (though may have been true many years ago...)
 
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boydsmith

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Overclocking might not be necessary.
 
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boydsmith

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LOL :D

What I meant by budget was the fact that I wouldn't spend unnecessary cash for unnecessary features.

For example: I did not want to buy a 3.3Ghz processor while I could have done fine with 2.5Ghz.


 
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snowctrl

snowctrl

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For Photoshop an overclocked G3258 would be a really good choice as it will really benefit from the high single-thread performance - this is a use case where you will see the full benefit of 3.3Ghz over 2.5Ghz, to use your example
 
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boydsmith

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Should I change the motherboard if I am going to use Intel instead of AMD?
 
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LucoTF

LucoTF

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A budget intel build...

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($109.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-HD3 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.99 @ TigerDirect)
Memory: Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($68.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($74.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($50.40 @ Amazon)
Case: Cooler Master N200 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($25.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG UH12NS30 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Dell E2414H 24.0" Monitor ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN781ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($14.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $690.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-28 11:04 EDT-0400

I included wireless, monitor, operating system, blu-ray drive (do you need one?). The case has 1x usb 3.0 and 2x usb 2.0 ports on the front, and the motherboard has 6 usb at the back (two of which are usb 3.0).
 
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snowctrl

snowctrl

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YES... you will need to pick a motherboard that matches the processor (and lets you overclock, if you go the G3258 route)

Just to be clear, there are no motherboards that support both AMD and Intel - each mobo is designed to run a sepcific set, or series of CPUs
 
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boydsmith

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Thanks for taking time to reply.

Is HDD required? Because I am planning to use external hard drive with USB 3.0 (If required)


 
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LucoTF

LucoTF

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Then no, you don't need a second internal HDD - just the SSD :)
 
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boydsmith

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Please forgive me being paranoid here. Are you sure that the parts are compatible and fit inside the system?
 
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LucoTF

LucoTF

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If you click the link to pcpartpicker.com for this build it says:

"Parts Are Compatible: No issues/incompatibilities found."

I don't know how much peace of mind that gives you, but yes it will all fit and work - you would need to purchase a couple of extra things though (like sata cables for the SSD and dvd drives, and an anti-static wristband for grounding) but otherwise it's like lego for grownups
 
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boydsmith

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PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/vz96pg
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/vz96pg/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($109.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($22.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-HD3 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.99 @ TigerDirect)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($51.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Zalman ZM-T3 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($37.05 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: EVGA 430W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($25.98 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($84.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: Dell E2414H 24.0" Monitor ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN781ND 802.11b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($14.98 @ OutletPC)
Keyboard: A4Tech KBS-29 Wired Ergonomic Keyboard ($28.99 @ Mwave)
Mouse: A4Tech G11-570HX-4 Wireless Optical Mouse ($25.75 @ Amazon)
Total: $692.67
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-07-28 12:21 EDT-0400


What say @LucoTF and @snowctrl
 
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LucoTF

LucoTF

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Looks good.

I would hold back on the aftermarket cooler until you've heard the stock cooler - you may find it acceptable. Also you've picked a cooler that's more known for cooling than silence, if stock is too loud look for one from the frostytech list:

http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

4gb ram is alright for daily use, more is needed for gaming / programming etc but for a regular user it's fine. I definitely wouldn't want to go any lower

Put the OS and all your most used programs on the SSD to keep the system feeling sharp

 
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