Please Recommend Budget Build for Home Office Desktop Computer

texasbigbird

Commendable
Oct 3, 2016
2
0
1,510
Hello forum members.

I am looking to build a pc on a fairly tight budget for home office use. It will be mainly used for file storage, light spreadsheet and word processing, video streaming such as You Tube and Netflix, etc, email, internet surfing, light photo editing and management, music management and playback, and little to no gaming. I have considered buying a cheap refurbished Dell, but I have built two computers in the past and have had excellent results, but not so much luck with the OEM systems. I have built using components by Antec PS and case, Silverstone PS and case, ASUS mobo, Intel and AMD processors, Corsair and GSkill memory, all with excellent results but other recommended brands okay. Would like 8GB memory. I don't need a monitor. Would like to stay under $500 if possible, and would like the most quality for the buck.

Software I will mainly be using: Windows 7 or 10, Libre Office, VLC, Calibre, Free Commander, Firefox, Avira Free AV, Music Bee or Foobar2000, GIMP, FastStone Image viewer, Google Earth, DVD burning, and music file converters.

Thanks a bunch.
 
Solution
How about this little set?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus H110M-A/M.2 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($49.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($40.88 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($52.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Zalman ZM-T1 PLUS MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($27.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $322.71
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when...

Aeacus

Titan
Ambassador
How about this little set?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus H110M-A/M.2 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($49.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($40.88 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($52.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Zalman ZM-T1 PLUS MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($27.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $322.71
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-10-03 14:01 EDT-0400

Since you need your PC mainly for office work, you'll do fine with CPU onboard graphics.

Edit:
Composed a 2nd set that's closer to the budget:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($197.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus H110M-A/M.2 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($49.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston FURY 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($73.67 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Samsung 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($72.89 @ OutletPC)
Case: Zalman ZM-T1 PLUS MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($27.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $462.40
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-10-03 14:07 EDT-0400

With this, you get better CPU and twice the RAM and SSD capacity.

Also a bench between the two:

Userbenchmark PC Build Comparison
Baseline Bench: Game 18%, Desk 63%, Work 30%
CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 €98
GPU: Intel HD 530 (Desktop Skylake)
SSD: Samsung 750 EVO 120GB €48
RAM: HyperX Fury DDR4 2133 C14 2x4GB €37
MBD: Asus H110M-A/M.2
Total: €183

Alternative Bench: Game 19%, Desk 63%, Work 39%
CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 €182
GPU: Intel HD 530 (Desktop Skylake)
SSD: Samsung 750 EVO 250GB €62
RAM: HyperX Fury DDR4 2133 C14 2x8GB €69
MBD: Asus H110M-A/M.2
Total: €312
 
Solution