After competing my build (thanks to those who helped), one of my friends wants me to build him one as well.
His budget is about $500 including everything (if possible) and does not game.  He is in the same major as me, so he uses photoshop, illustrator, C4D (sometimes).  He also likes to watch movies on his current comp (2002 Compaq POS makes it all jittery).  I think that a 780g (what is 790g) board as well as 4 gb would be good.  I am also thinking that quadcore would be best, if within budget.  He also wants the main computer part small and pretty quiet, and he does not like slow things so it cant be slow (sorry for loosely using slow, he is impatient and poor pretty much).  That is all I know, any recommendations?
 
 
Thanks.

I don't think you need that much power.  2 gigs of ram, a 256mb graphics card a core 2 duo and a 90 dollar gigabyte mobo should do fine.  
 
DVD ROM too.  

I don't think you need that much power.  2 gigs of ram, a 256mb graphics card a core 2 duo and a 90 dollar gigabyte mobo should do fine.  
 
DVD ROM too.  

First, FORGET Quad with that budget. Dell or HP is really the only way to go. No way you're going to get everything building it yourself for that cheap.

CPU  $200: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103251
MB $90: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128090
RAM $65: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820211271
HDD $75: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822136074
DVDRW $28 : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827118004
PSU $60: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817139003
CASE $45: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119115
 
Monitor/keyboard/mouse not included $563.
You can save some money on the PSU but I wouldn't with a quadcore.
And you should add an extra 120mm front intake fan. EDIT :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811999072
 
Good luck.

Andrius when I say everything I include OS, keyboard, monitor, etc.
He really doesn't want Dell/HP, are there any alternatives?

Under $500 including a monitor/OS... to quote the commercials from years past:
 
Dude, you're getting a Dell.

unless evrything is second handor Dell is your only option.only large manufacture buy stuffs in massive bulk can get the price so low.you buy it off retailers?NOWAY!!!
 
sorry being harsh but thats the only way.if only the PC unit itself it might be possible!but in your case,naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Drop the quad.  Get one of the Athlon dual cores.  They'll be faster for 2 or less threads.
 
I just ordered a 780G comp for $400, but that is without monitor and KB/mouse.  You're in college, can you get OSes from there for free/cheap?  That's where I'm getting XP/Vista for my build.

If he gets a dell or HP, can he overclock it?  What dells or Hp's do you recommend for ~$500.  He also wants to know if he can gradually upgrade it.

no you cant overclock an OEM/retail computer.
 
and yes he can upgrade gradually the first thing he need to upgrade is getting a new mobo.so he can start OCing！！！

change the mobo, change the pc... unless the budget gets boosted, i don't see how he can get a quad, which would be perfect for those tasks...

There's a relatively cheap Dell Inspiron 530 for $569 if you follow the setup shown here: http://www.techbargains.com/news_d [...] cfm/118173
Downside is that it only comes with 1 GB of ram and most likely a crappy PSU and mobo that won't let you OC much if at all.
 
If he could reuse an old monitor or get a cheap/free one off of craiglist and then an OS from your college, we could build a decent machine for $500... but if he needs everything, it's not going to happen.

Fact is, you can get the mouse and keyboard for cheap. But with graphics work a cheap monitor is like not having one at all. Nothing you can do about this for $500 whole system. Not much we can do with a custom build here.

ok thanks.  I think I'll loan him some money so he can build a decent 500$ computer than he'd pay me back for the OS, monitor, etc.  For $500 would a mATX case, 780g, 5000+be, 2gb work?  Or would an intel setup be better (he wants it mATX, damn dorm rooms....)
Thanks for all of your help, you guys are amazing.

forget about 5000+BE its not worth the price increase.just get a normal 4200+ and overclock it to 3Ghz.
 
and many news and review has said the BE CPU doesnt have a unlocked multiplier nor its a better chip then the other AMDs.you just get a better looking box for your money.

or build a Intel system since you are the gangster giving out loan!!!so he got much more spending headroom since you gonna "back" him up!lol
 
take his passport so he cant run away!!!hahaha

So, is the 780g the best bet?  I am thinking it is.  
 
Read this \/ if you have nothing to do.
 
iluvgillgill please do not spam this thread with meaningless statements in hopes of making fake "internet laughter".  I honestly don't care if your laughing.  Next time, as with any future post, respond with intellectual tips or ideas that can actually be practiced (referring back to the comment "get a new motherboard so he can overclock"--a waste of time and impractical due to extra costs associated with a new MB).  If you want to have a social chat or post senseless and irrational comments, please due so in general chat where nobody cares.  I am not insulting you per se, I am just giving constructive criticism based off of what I have seen.
 
 
Thanks.
 

 
erm isnt that advice im giving you?i said build a Intel system since he got more of a budget now when i said he got more spending headroom.or you dont understand my PLAIN SIMPLE ENGLISH!!!if you cant understand the real meaning behind a joke or a statement then i suggest you should read again.i help so many people in this forum you are the only one that say such thing to me.well im not surprise actually!all my mates says my saying have deep meanning to it.its just shows if a person is intelligent enough.
 
anyway the 780G is the best bet if you still plan to build the WHOLE system by yourself.but bare in mind that AMD processor do not fair as well in performance/watt and overclocking.just seen some brief review about the newly announced nvidia 8200 IGP and it performs pretty well compare to the 780G but still need to find more proof about that.
 
at the end of the say i mean if you dont appreciate my help thats not a problem then i just ignore any post you post in the future.and give you one last GOOD LUCK!!!

fine with me.  close this thread, im going to build him a 780g, 5000+be, 2gb, rig.
Thanks for the help everyone.