New or prebuild ideas
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d-roc
October 10, 2014 9:48:07 AM
Hi, so I've decided that I wanted to get something new in the way of a pc. I'm not sure on a lot of things, like if I wanna attempt to make one on my own or buy a prebuilt and upgrade it....I do have some knowledge of building computers as well as friends and family that are very knowledgeable in the subject matter as well. So currently I'm looking to see what would be better for me and my needs...
Now concerning that I would like to use my computer as my workstation involving Digital Media...Drawing, Painting, Music making....Some programs I would be using are Inkscape, Gimp2, FL Stuidios, and various others...Would also enjoy a dual monitor setup....
Furthermore I do enjoy gaming but a majority of mine takes place on consoles and handhelds...This being said there are a lot of pc games that have amazing deals and even some exclusives I'd like to try out...I don't really want a top of the line gaming comupter, can't really afford it...but I would like my games to run decently....For example I have Red Faction Armageddon on steam....the last desktop I played it on, even when setting everything to minimum settings, played very slowly.....
Now as far pricing I don't know how much I want to spend...not a terrible bunch but I know it does take a bit to make a quality computer....Another thing I was going to ask....and strictly because I can get a discount.....I know walmart doesn't have the best of computers but around the holidays I can get around 25% off one, making my pricing much cheaper....Would any walmart system or even display monitor be worth it for that?
Now concerning that I would like to use my computer as my workstation involving Digital Media...Drawing, Painting, Music making....Some programs I would be using are Inkscape, Gimp2, FL Stuidios, and various others...Would also enjoy a dual monitor setup....
Furthermore I do enjoy gaming but a majority of mine takes place on consoles and handhelds...This being said there are a lot of pc games that have amazing deals and even some exclusives I'd like to try out...I don't really want a top of the line gaming comupter, can't really afford it...but I would like my games to run decently....For example I have Red Faction Armageddon on steam....the last desktop I played it on, even when setting everything to minimum settings, played very slowly.....
Now as far pricing I don't know how much I want to spend...not a terrible bunch but I know it does take a bit to make a quality computer....Another thing I was going to ask....and strictly because I can get a discount.....I know walmart doesn't have the best of computers but around the holidays I can get around 25% off one, making my pricing much cheaper....Would any walmart system or even display monitor be worth it for that?
More about : prebuild ideas
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Reply to d-roc
Does your budget include an OS, monitors, etc?
Computers are easier than ever to assemble these days. So I'd definitely try and build your own. Especially since those Pre-Built PCs tend to skimp on parts and end up failing after 2-3 years. You can also find deals on all of these components around the holidays (especially slightly older parts, Black Friday into Cyber-Monday).
It doesn't sound like you need much in the way of horsepower, so here's one AMD-based build I'd recommend. If it turns out some of those applications would benefit from an NVIDIA based card. I'd recommend a GTX-750Ti, or 760, depending on your budget. Any of these cards will support 3-4 monitors.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($98.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-D3P ATX AM3+/AM3 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($84.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 270X 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $656.88
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 13:00 EDT-0400
Computers are easier than ever to assemble these days. So I'd definitely try and build your own. Especially since those Pre-Built PCs tend to skimp on parts and end up failing after 2-3 years. You can also find deals on all of these components around the holidays (especially slightly older parts, Black Friday into Cyber-Monday).
It doesn't sound like you need much in the way of horsepower, so here's one AMD-based build I'd recommend. If it turns out some of those applications would benefit from an NVIDIA based card. I'd recommend a GTX-750Ti, or 760, depending on your budget. Any of these cards will support 3-4 monitors.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($98.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-D3P ATX AM3+/AM3 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($84.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 270X 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $656.88
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 13:00 EDT-0400
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Reply to Rapajez
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d-roc
October 10, 2014 10:17:08 AM
That doesn't sound like a bad setup. And I don't really mind the price that you've given me... Though now that you mention it Black Friday/Cyber Monday is only a little more than a month away so I feel like that would probably be the optimal time to purchase the parts...Do you feel the current parts you have listed would be cheaper or would it be better to try to go for some normally higher end parts at these prices?...As you'd figure I'm not the type to buy hardware...I'm more software savy and such...I'm sure any run of the mill mouse and keyboard would work for me, not really into those 'top of the line' or 'gaming' keyboards and mouse....What would be your take on speakers and monitors...take into account I do want to use DAWs so quality speakers would be preferred though nothing with bass boosting or anything of the sort..Just good quality standard speakers.
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geofelt
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October 10, 2014 10:36:53 AM
I looked at the walmart offerings, and was not impressed.
Thare are some nice offerings that included good cpu chips, but they advertise "Gaming" and include puny graphics cards.
I also wonder about the quality of included power supplies.
Here is my stock discussion for a first budget build:
------------------------------ budget build ---------------------------
For a budget build, I like to recommend that one builds for future expandability.
That means paying a bit more up front for some parts that allow for an easier future upgrade.
Let me start where you might not expect:
1. Buy a good 620w psu. Such a unit will run any future graphics card.
I would normally suggest Seasonic 620w:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
But this EVGA 600w unit is going for a very good price:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
2. Buy a Z97 based motherboard. Z97 will allow you to install a overclockable cpu and even offer a future 14nm broadwell upgrade.
You should find one for under $100.
Here is a M-ATX : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
3. I suggest a G3258. It is a overclockable dual core at a budget price of about $75.
Here is what it can do: http://techreport.com/review/26735/overclocking-intel-p...
In time, you can upgrade to any cpu that you want and market the G3258.
4. The intel stock cooler will do the job up to a point. But, I suggest a $30 tower type cooler like the cm hyper212 with a 120mm fan. It will cool better and be quieter under load.
5. For ram, speed is not important. Buy a 8gb kit of 2 x 4gb DDR3 1.5v ram.
If you will be using the integrated graphics, I suggest faster ram. It improves the performance. 1866 is good. You will get a WEI of 6.4.
6. Cases are a personal thing. Buy one you love. Most will do the job for <$50.
It would be hard to beat $34 delivered for this Antec GX500 :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
7. The graphics card is the most important component for gaming. My usual rule of thumb is to budget 2x the cpu cost for the graphics card. I like the GTX750ti and EVGA as a brand.
Here is a superclock version:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
You could go stronger in the video card if your budget permits and your games need it.
On the other hand, you could build using the integrated graphics and see how you do.
By deferring on the graphics card, you will get a better idea of what you really need.
Integrated is fine for sims, but not fast action games.
8. Lastly, I will never build again without a SSD for the "C" drive. It makes everything you do so much quicker. 120gb will hold the OS and a handful of games. With 240gb you may never need a hard drive at all. Defer on a hard drive until your ssd approaches 90% full.
-------------good luck------------
Thare are some nice offerings that included good cpu chips, but they advertise "Gaming" and include puny graphics cards.
I also wonder about the quality of included power supplies.
Here is my stock discussion for a first budget build:
------------------------------ budget build ---------------------------
For a budget build, I like to recommend that one builds for future expandability.
That means paying a bit more up front for some parts that allow for an easier future upgrade.
Let me start where you might not expect:
1. Buy a good 620w psu. Such a unit will run any future graphics card.
I would normally suggest Seasonic 620w:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
But this EVGA 600w unit is going for a very good price:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
2. Buy a Z97 based motherboard. Z97 will allow you to install a overclockable cpu and even offer a future 14nm broadwell upgrade.
You should find one for under $100.
Here is a M-ATX : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
3. I suggest a G3258. It is a overclockable dual core at a budget price of about $75.
Here is what it can do: http://techreport.com/review/26735/overclocking-intel-p...
In time, you can upgrade to any cpu that you want and market the G3258.
4. The intel stock cooler will do the job up to a point. But, I suggest a $30 tower type cooler like the cm hyper212 with a 120mm fan. It will cool better and be quieter under load.
5. For ram, speed is not important. Buy a 8gb kit of 2 x 4gb DDR3 1.5v ram.
If you will be using the integrated graphics, I suggest faster ram. It improves the performance. 1866 is good. You will get a WEI of 6.4.
6. Cases are a personal thing. Buy one you love. Most will do the job for <$50.
It would be hard to beat $34 delivered for this Antec GX500 :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
7. The graphics card is the most important component for gaming. My usual rule of thumb is to budget 2x the cpu cost for the graphics card. I like the GTX750ti and EVGA as a brand.
Here is a superclock version:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
You could go stronger in the video card if your budget permits and your games need it.
On the other hand, you could build using the integrated graphics and see how you do.
By deferring on the graphics card, you will get a better idea of what you really need.
Integrated is fine for sims, but not fast action games.
8. Lastly, I will never build again without a SSD for the "C" drive. It makes everything you do so much quicker. 120gb will hold the OS and a handful of games. With 240gb you may never need a hard drive at all. Defer on a hard drive until your ssd approaches 90% full.
-------------good luck------------
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Reply to geofelt
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Lots of questions.
. The NVIDIA 960 should be out around then, which will be their latest, top-of-the-line, "mainstream" card, around $250 most likely. It should also be very efficient, and not require many changes to the above build. Yes, most of these components should be on sale during that season, as the pattern is usually bigger sales on the next-to-newest hardware (vs the newest).
Unless you want to spend a lot more on the PC hardware, I wouldn't go above (or below) a 1080p display. Things to look for are a low response rate (although that's pretty standard in all but the cheapest monitors), good user reviews, and if you want to spend a little more, an "IPS" panel. IPS is the same panel used in Smartphones/Tables, has better color reproduction and viewing angles, but comes at the cost of higher response times.
While agree with you on "gaming" keyboards and mice, you'll spend more time interfacing with them then your memory coolers or SATA cables, so it's sometimes worth the extra $$$. I'd at least look into budget "mechanical" keyboards, as they're a lot more fun to game and type on.
I can't tell you much about speakers. Just look at reviews, or type in (Best PC Speakers Fall 2014) into Google. A lot of gamers will tell you that nothing beats a good pair of headphones, so you can do the same Google search there.
. The NVIDIA 960 should be out around then, which will be their latest, top-of-the-line, "mainstream" card, around $250 most likely. It should also be very efficient, and not require many changes to the above build. Yes, most of these components should be on sale during that season, as the pattern is usually bigger sales on the next-to-newest hardware (vs the newest). Unless you want to spend a lot more on the PC hardware, I wouldn't go above (or below) a 1080p display. Things to look for are a low response rate (although that's pretty standard in all but the cheapest monitors), good user reviews, and if you want to spend a little more, an "IPS" panel. IPS is the same panel used in Smartphones/Tables, has better color reproduction and viewing angles, but comes at the cost of higher response times.
While agree with you on "gaming" keyboards and mice, you'll spend more time interfacing with them then your memory coolers or SATA cables, so it's sometimes worth the extra $$$. I'd at least look into budget "mechanical" keyboards, as they're a lot more fun to game and type on.
I can't tell you much about speakers. Just look at reviews, or type in (Best PC Speakers Fall 2014) into Google. A lot of gamers will tell you that nothing beats a good pair of headphones, so you can do the same Google search there.
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Reply to Rapajez
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mhirons
October 10, 2014 10:44:41 AM
I'd also recommend building. I would definitely pick up an SSD. It isn't going to give you higher FPS, but it will make the system feel much quicker. Personally, I would go Intel over AMD on the CPU. The G3258 is great for overclocking, but if you aren't into that, I'd go with something like this. I listed a decent 24" monitor as a starting point. I have a pair of Bose Companion 2 Series III speakers ($100). They don't have a lot of bass, but they do sound pretty good.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($177.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M Anniversary Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($73.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: *Mushkin Stealth 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($65.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: *Hitachi Ultrastar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.49 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 280 3GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($156.00 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: *Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus VS247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($147.58 @ Newegg)
Other: Bose Companion 2 Series III Multimedia Speakers ($99.00)
Total: $976.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 14:38 EDT-0400
-- Edited to replace MB with H97M (if you know you're never going to overclock, it saves a few bucks), added speakers.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($177.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M Anniversary Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($73.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: *Mushkin Stealth 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($65.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: *Hitachi Ultrastar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.49 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 280 3GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($156.00 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: *Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Amazon)
Monitor: Asus VS247H-P 23.6" Monitor ($147.58 @ Newegg)
Other: Bose Companion 2 Series III Multimedia Speakers ($99.00)
Total: $976.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 14:38 EDT-0400
-- Edited to replace MB with H97M (if you know you're never going to overclock, it saves a few bucks), added speakers.
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Reply to mhirons
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Responding to Geo, it would help to know your budget. I couldn't build a PC without a Solid State Drive either, assuming I was spending at least $750+ . I'm fine sacrificing a few frames per second to make room for a SSD. They're so great to use, but I wouldn't want to cripple a $600 build to fit one in.
I'd normally recommend the Z97 + Cheap G3258 as well, but the depending on exactly what you're doing with those applications, having only a dual-core may hurt you. This option DOES leave you with room to bump up to a next-gen, 4 core + hyper-threading i7 down the road. It can also be overclocked to the roof, but you'll need to add that cooler.
Here's an option with his suggestions:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($108.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($87.54 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 270X 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $798.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 13:48 EDT-0400
You can also pop mhiron's CPU into this same build, and now you've got a quad core Intel for about another $100.
I'd normally recommend the Z97 + Cheap G3258 as well, but the depending on exactly what you're doing with those applications, having only a dual-core may hurt you. This option DOES leave you with room to bump up to a next-gen, 4 core + hyper-threading i7 down the road. It can also be overclocked to the roof, but you'll need to add that cooler.
Here's an option with his suggestions:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($28.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($108.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($87.54 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($109.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 270X 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $798.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 13:48 EDT-0400
You can also pop mhiron's CPU into this same build, and now you've got a quad core Intel for about another $100.
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Reply to Rapajez
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d-roc
October 10, 2014 11:55:37 AM
I appreciate all your input, do remember though that despite the fact I will game on it I'm not looking to make a gaming pc...It's mostly for art, music, and other such programs. Yea I will have Steam but I don't intend on playing any really burden heavy games, Destiny, Cod, etc... probably won't be on my computer.
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Reply to d-roc
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mhirons
October 10, 2014 12:21:51 PM
This is a little YMMV (your mileage may vary), but to cut down on the price (of my build), go with the G3258/Z97 and consider picking up the GPU on eBay. I picked up my current GPU (HD 7950) a couple months ago for about $100. If that's still a little too pricy, you could start knocking off dollars on the case & PSU, and dropping the SSD down to 128 GB.
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Reply to mhirons
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Ok, one more. Dropped overclocking, which means cheaper motherboard and no cooler. Dropped the GPU down a few notches (still should get the job done on modern games, at 1080p, with the settings tuned down), trimmed the RAM and halved the SSD-size.
(If I changed anything, I'd keep the original 250GB SSD, as it's less hassle to keep free space on the larger SSD).
Not sure where you'd skimp on the Case or PSU. The Case is only $40, and the PSU is only 550W.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($76.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($73.80 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($71.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R7 265 2GB Video Card ($145.38 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $671.08
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 15:28 EDT-0400
(If I changed anything, I'd keep the original 250GB SSD, as it's less hassle to keep free space on the larger SSD).
Not sure where you'd skimp on the Case or PSU. The Case is only $40, and the PSU is only 550W.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($76.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($73.80 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($71.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.98 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Asus Radeon R7 265 2GB Video Card ($145.38 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($59.99 @ NCIX US)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $671.08
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 15:28 EDT-0400
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Reply to Rapajez
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mhirons
October 10, 2014 12:59:40 PM
Yeah, I guess you're not really going to get much cheaper than that case. With no overclocking and a lesser GPU, that 450W would probably be enough. I've used it in several office PC builds with no issues. You could maybe go with one 4GB stick of RAM with the intention of picking up another one down the road, but that's probably a last resort. Dropping the SSD is another option, but once you've used one, it is REALLY hard to go back.
EDIT: One other option may be to drop the MB down to something like a MSI H81M-P33 for $49.
EDIT: One other option may be to drop the MB down to something like a MSI H81M-P33 for $49.
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Reply to mhirons
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d-roc
October 10, 2014 1:51:21 PM
d-roc
October 10, 2014 1:54:51 PM
Also, as I asked before, would it be best to possibly wait, since I hadn't planned on doing it this week or anything, but waiting for black friday/cyber monday and seeing if I can't pick some of this up even cheaper?....
And another side note what about monitors? What is something good, but not terribly expensive, by the way I'm thinking of dual screens...
And another side note what about monitors? What is something good, but not terribly expensive, by the way I'm thinking of dual screens...
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Reply to d-roc
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mhirons
October 10, 2014 2:46:06 PM
Yeah, what you may want to do if you aren't in a huge rush is to pick up the components piecemeal over the next couple months. If you keep an eye out for sales/rebates/etc. you can probably save some money. For instance, the awesome XFX 550W PSU we recommend was on sale yesterday and had a rebate making it $26 from Tiger Direct.
I threw this list together to give you an idea of where you're at now. I included the OS, 2x 21.5" monitors, a wireless KB/M, and speakers that will get you by until you can afford something better.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-HDS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: *Mushkin Stealth 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($65.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: *Hitachi Ultrastar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.49 @ Amazon)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 260X 2GB Core Edition Video Card ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX Power Supply ($27.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: *Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($90.26 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: BenQ GW2255 60Hz 21.5" Monitor ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: BenQ GW2255 60Hz 21.5" Monitor ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Keyboard: Logitech Wireless Combo MK270 Wireless Standard Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($20.99 @ Amazon)
Speakers: Creative Labs A60 4W 2ch Speakers ($18.75 @ Amazon)
Total: $765.39
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 17:39 EDT-0400
I threw this list together to give you an idea of where you're at now. I included the OS, 2x 21.5" monitors, a wireless KB/M, and speakers that will get you by until you can afford something better.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($59.99 @ Micro Center)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-HDS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: *Mushkin Stealth 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($65.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: *Hitachi Ultrastar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($47.49 @ Amazon)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 260X 2GB Core Edition Video Card ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($38.98 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX Power Supply ($27.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: *Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) ($90.26 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: BenQ GW2255 60Hz 21.5" Monitor ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: BenQ GW2255 60Hz 21.5" Monitor ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Keyboard: Logitech Wireless Combo MK270 Wireless Standard Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($20.99 @ Amazon)
Speakers: Creative Labs A60 4W 2ch Speakers ($18.75 @ Amazon)
Total: $765.39
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-10-10 17:39 EDT-0400
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mhirons
October 13, 2014 9:40:57 AM
I've been running 3 Hitachi 1TB drives in a home server for 3+ years almost 24/7 and they're still going strong, but I'm willing to say that may not be typical. Either way, whether you get the top of the line HDD or the very bottom, HDDs fail, so always keep a current backup (and test that the backup is actually backing something up). Nothing worse than thinking you have a good backup only to realize that it's empty or hasn't been updated in 2 years. :-)
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Reply to mhirons
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