- Nov 29, 2011
- 33
- 0
- 18,530
------Here be jibber jabber so skip ahead matey to the relevant----
Well, after reading countless articles on Tom's I finally got an account. I'm happy to be here.
Quick Background: I am semi-new to PC Building. I understand the components, their differences (this doesn't apply to CPUs, I still don't quite understand the difference between AMD and Intel, why AMD's multi-core's are cheaper...CPUs...CPUs I'm still learning about), their similarities etc. I've made many a newegg wishlist for prospective builds with prices ranging from pennies to solid gold toilets for all kinds of reasons.
But I've only built 1 PC...A micro-itx. Long story short, that build was where I learned all the parts to a pc (at first I only bought a case, a motherboard, and a CPU. When I had done what I...did I realized something was missing. I would make a new trip every day or so to grab a part I had just heard I needed). When it was finally built...well...I learned that the most important part of a PC build is the cheapest: Anti-static straps and mats. The thing was fried.
But now I am here and I am here to share with you a PC Build I'm planning.
-----ACTUALLY RELEVANT INFO HERE...argh!-------
You see, every year for three weeks or so in January, for the last three years, I go to Guatemala. 2/3 of the trip is sightseeing, relaxing in Antigua while I learn some spanish, eating Pollo Campero (the best fried chicken in the world). But that third week is when I make use of those spanish lessons and I help the kids of Safe Passage.
Safe Passage takes kids from the Guatemala Dump (which is massive, there is literally a mountain of garbage) who must recylce so they can earn a few pennies. Safe Passage takes these kids (and adults) and educates them. Because you can send all the food you want to the impoverished and their nations, you can have all the donation drives in the world, but what these people need is education.
This is my last (likely) year and I wanted to give something special. I was going to give them the gift of computers! But more than that! We could teach the adults/teachers to put them together! But...and here's the fun part...these little tykes can customize their own cases. Go to town on them with sharpies and what not. Make it their own.
So, we need something that's fairly simple. Nothing major here. But these are kids we're dealing with. And allthough I love these kids (once, I didn't give this on kid a candy and he didn't mope around all day! He just went to the swings!...when have you seen that happen?) they don't...they don't really know how to not screw up the more complex stuff. They just aren't nearly as familiar with it. They're not dumb. Usually, after the first two months they learn the internal rules of the PC. But it does need to be tough.
And of course, we don't have much cash. So we have an EXTREMELY low budget.
Approximate Purchase Date: Late December/Very Early January
Budget Range: $100-$400 (yikes)
System Usage from Most to Least Important: The Basics (Documents and Internet(if these are indeed connected to the internet)), kiddie games, movies (these last two are unlikely and very unimportant).
Parts Not Required: We got plenty of love and care! What? Oh that's not THAT cheesey!
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg, Amazon
Country: America/Guatemala
The parts may be purchased here in America, but we will build in Guatemala. (Test builds and build downs will occur before the trip)
Parts Preferences: CHEAP!
Overclocking: NO
SLI or Crossfire: NO
Monitor Resolution: Unknown
Additional Comments: Tough!
WEATHER: The building is fairly structurally sound, so water won't be a problem. However it get HOT in Guatemala.
CPU
Intel Pentium D 820 Smithfield 2.8GHz LGA 775 Dual-Core
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116389
$22
We're looking for cheap. This is cheap.
MOBO (2 main LGA 775 choices)
MSI G31TM-P21 LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130234
$50
ASRock G31M-S R2.0 LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157173
Third Option
As I was saying, we need tough. So any motherboards that specialize in beating would be great.
However, Asus has that "tuf" line.
Asus Sabertooth P67
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131702
$200
Now, that's expensive. But maybe we can cutdown on the number made to still fill it if we need that board and the compatible chips.
Power Supply
Unknown at this time
GPU
If YES, something cheap. Something that they can watch movies on.
Hard Drive
This brings up questions. If it's supposed to be "tough" will an HDD be its achilles heel? Would an SSD be worth it?
Lets assume they aren't downloading anything. That only Linux, documents, and some small programs are stored on the drive? In this case, should we just get a 30 GB SSD for $50 or so? Is it worth it?
Case
Good question. As we said, something tough. But the kids need to be able to draw/paint on it and the art needs to stay.
Cooling
At first I didn't think it'd be a problem. But with a climate like guate's... This brings new questions to light.
OS
Linux
Thank you. Hope you didn't mind the rambling! I am excited to hear back!
Well, after reading countless articles on Tom's I finally got an account. I'm happy to be here.
Quick Background: I am semi-new to PC Building. I understand the components, their differences (this doesn't apply to CPUs, I still don't quite understand the difference between AMD and Intel, why AMD's multi-core's are cheaper...CPUs...CPUs I'm still learning about), their similarities etc. I've made many a newegg wishlist for prospective builds with prices ranging from pennies to solid gold toilets for all kinds of reasons.
But I've only built 1 PC...A micro-itx. Long story short, that build was where I learned all the parts to a pc (at first I only bought a case, a motherboard, and a CPU. When I had done what I...did I realized something was missing. I would make a new trip every day or so to grab a part I had just heard I needed). When it was finally built...well...I learned that the most important part of a PC build is the cheapest: Anti-static straps and mats. The thing was fried.
But now I am here and I am here to share with you a PC Build I'm planning.
-----ACTUALLY RELEVANT INFO HERE...argh!-------
You see, every year for three weeks or so in January, for the last three years, I go to Guatemala. 2/3 of the trip is sightseeing, relaxing in Antigua while I learn some spanish, eating Pollo Campero (the best fried chicken in the world). But that third week is when I make use of those spanish lessons and I help the kids of Safe Passage.
Safe Passage takes kids from the Guatemala Dump (which is massive, there is literally a mountain of garbage) who must recylce so they can earn a few pennies. Safe Passage takes these kids (and adults) and educates them. Because you can send all the food you want to the impoverished and their nations, you can have all the donation drives in the world, but what these people need is education.
This is my last (likely) year and I wanted to give something special. I was going to give them the gift of computers! But more than that! We could teach the adults/teachers to put them together! But...and here's the fun part...these little tykes can customize their own cases. Go to town on them with sharpies and what not. Make it their own.
So, we need something that's fairly simple. Nothing major here. But these are kids we're dealing with. And allthough I love these kids (once, I didn't give this on kid a candy and he didn't mope around all day! He just went to the swings!...when have you seen that happen?) they don't...they don't really know how to not screw up the more complex stuff. They just aren't nearly as familiar with it. They're not dumb. Usually, after the first two months they learn the internal rules of the PC. But it does need to be tough.
And of course, we don't have much cash. So we have an EXTREMELY low budget.
Approximate Purchase Date: Late December/Very Early January
Budget Range: $100-$400 (yikes)
System Usage from Most to Least Important: The Basics (Documents and Internet(if these are indeed connected to the internet)), kiddie games, movies (these last two are unlikely and very unimportant).
Parts Not Required: We got plenty of love and care! What? Oh that's not THAT cheesey!
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: newegg, Amazon
Country: America/Guatemala
The parts may be purchased here in America, but we will build in Guatemala. (Test builds and build downs will occur before the trip)
Parts Preferences: CHEAP!
Overclocking: NO
SLI or Crossfire: NO
Monitor Resolution: Unknown
Additional Comments: Tough!
WEATHER: The building is fairly structurally sound, so water won't be a problem. However it get HOT in Guatemala.
CPU
Intel Pentium D 820 Smithfield 2.8GHz LGA 775 Dual-Core
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116389
$22
We're looking for cheap. This is cheap.
MOBO (2 main LGA 775 choices)
MSI G31TM-P21 LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130234
$50
ASRock G31M-S R2.0 LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157173
Third Option
As I was saying, we need tough. So any motherboards that specialize in beating would be great.
However, Asus has that "tuf" line.
Asus Sabertooth P67
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131702
$200
Now, that's expensive. But maybe we can cutdown on the number made to still fill it if we need that board and the compatible chips.
Power Supply
Unknown at this time
GPU
If YES, something cheap. Something that they can watch movies on.
Hard Drive
This brings up questions. If it's supposed to be "tough" will an HDD be its achilles heel? Would an SSD be worth it?
Lets assume they aren't downloading anything. That only Linux, documents, and some small programs are stored on the drive? In this case, should we just get a 30 GB SSD for $50 or so? Is it worth it?
Case
Good question. As we said, something tough. But the kids need to be able to draw/paint on it and the art needs to stay.
Cooling
At first I didn't think it'd be a problem. But with a climate like guate's... This brings new questions to light.
OS
Linux
Thank you. Hope you didn't mind the rambling! I am excited to hear back!
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