Building Computer for Grandma

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Nerdy Nerd

Nerdy Nerd

Reputable
Mar 19, 2016
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My grandma's computer is really old and I have tried everything I can think of to get her computer faster to no avail. I seen she has 3.58 gb of ram used of her 4gb when surfing the internet and cpu usage is at 50-60% on itle. Nothing I do makes the computer faster. So I told my grandma she should get a new computer that would be much faster and I could build it for cheapter or same price as stores. She just checks her emails and play spider solitare is about it. She doesn't have much downloaded on her computer so she doesn't need that much space. She can use the onboard ghraphics on the motherboard and doesn't need a gpu. She does need a monitor with build in speakers and a mouse. I have a spare keyboard she can have. Anyways, this is what I came up with and does include the os just might not show up but is included in the price. This is the OS.
https://www.kinguin.net/category/15083/windows-7-home-premium-oem-key/
So this is the part list.
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/NbdzVY
Let me know what u guys think. Keep cost lower than $400 base.
 
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tsnor

Splendid
Nov 20, 2008
3,702
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24,965
I've also worked IT for grandma. Some concerns:

1. If you move to Win10 you LOSE spider solitaire. IF that's what Grandma likes to do then win10 is a fail. Glad to see you are targeting win7. (My Grandma is still on win7)
2. Mouse gets to be a problem. Grandma now uses both a Logitech trackball (that means rolling the ball is independent of clicking) and a touchscreen.
3. Brower UI and email client are likely to change if you change software. Make sure Grandma is willing to change the way she looks at the web and receives email. She may prefer her old, slow, well understood PC to a new, faster, unusable one.
4. Screen Size is a major issue. You spec an 18.5 in screen. No good. Grab a 24 inch screen minimum. The price difference is not that big.
5. You windows key is $20. Everywhere else (e.g. newegg) Win 7 is still $100. Do you understand why you are getting such a steep discount ? Here is some background on the source of your win7 key..

"...The games were, by and large, purchased from Kinguin and G2A, two companies that maintain secondary marketplaces for game keys. The reason for that revocation Ubisoft said in a statement to IGN was that before those keys were put up for sale on the secondary market, they were sourced with stolen credit cards on Electronic Arts' Origin service...." https://www.polygon.com/2015/2/9/8006693/the-truth-behind-those-mysteriously-cheap-gray-market-game-codes Buyer beware.
 
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Nerdy Nerd

Nerdy Nerd

Reputable
Mar 19, 2016
814
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5,360
I got a 20 inch monitor picked now since you said it should be more but 24 is too expensive. Here is the list now. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/g83v9W Keep in mind the price range. Also, about the OS, it is the only thing keeping it price down. If I go with the $100 OS, it will go past my max $400 price. As for the mouse, she doesn't use that logitech trackball kinda mouse, she uses the one I picked out. And actually I can take that off since she already has a mouse. Any suggestion for build then? Give it a shot of what u think.
 
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tsnor

Splendid
Nov 20, 2008
3,702
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24,965



Good luck with the $5 Windows key. This is a likely outcome: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2979288/error-activate-w10pro.html Not the sort of problem you want to give your grandma. Maybe look at transferring your Windows key (you can do that now if you link windows to your Microsoft account) and using the $5 key on your own PC.
 
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