Help with an office build. Using Quickbooks!

[Hotrod24]

We currently are using Quickbooks on one computer, but now we are going to add two more computers to the network. This computer that I am going to build is gonna be the main server. I will be using it mostly with Quicbooks and word. Also typical internet use and such. The other two will be sharing content and such through it. The other two computers are a recent build that i have already completed.

Basically I am looking for some help on how to go about building this computer. I originally figured I was gonna build a modest $500 build, but have since been tol by a computer tech that I will probably need a more powerful computer for the tasks that we will be doing. I also dont know if this build should use server components or typical desktop components??

I am trying to have a budget for the computer (everything but screen, printer, mouse and keyboard) at $1000, lower the better if possible. I figure I def should go with a SSD for the OS and programs, but am lost on how to go about the rest of it. They say using a server setup is alot more taxing than your typical home PC gets.

Let me hear what you guys think. Thanks

 

[jonjonjon]

it really depends what you mean by server. i don't think the computer will be taxed much by the 2 other computers. this might be more then you actually need. you could downgrade the i5-3470 to a i3-3225 and save some money. it comes to $722.44 for the computer and monitor. you could get a bigger monitor if you wanted but still leaves you money for a printer, mouse and keyboard. i know some printers can get expensive. i don't know much you plan on spending on a printer.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock B75M-DGS Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($56.97 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($35.57 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Case: BitFenix Merc Alpha (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DVDE818A7T/BLK/B/GEN CD Reader, DVD Writer ($19.98 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Zalman MZ215ED 21.5" Monitor ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $722.44
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-11 17:16 EST-0500)

 

[zdbc13]

Pretty good. But since you don't need a monitor get more hard drive space.

 

[jonjonjon]

yea i guess i read that wrong the first time. i thought they said they want monitor, mouse, ect in the $1000 budget. either way $1000 is complete overkill for a computer running word and quickbooks.

 

[Hotrod24]

Well I am fairly new to the business server concept, from what a tech who came to our business said we would have going on with the setup we are going for.

From what he said we are all going to be using quick books at the same time, with the mother computer being this build here. He was telling me that because of all three of us using it at once doing various task that it would taxing on the server (as he called it) computer. Like I said I am nt familiar with this area of computing. It's computer will be n all the time as well. And it needs to be reliable.

And I now quick books is a bit of a resource hog, they could make this program a lot more efficient if they wanted to I am sure.

Jonjpn's recommendations seem like good ones. Just seeing now that I cleared up what's going on at our business if we want to change things up or not?

 

[zdbc13]

I've supported Quckbooks before and your tech is right, it uses one PC to store all the data and all PCs can update it. If you want to spend a little more on JonJon's suggestion I'd get a larger SSD (240gb) and larger hard drive (2-3tb). Maybe double the ram to 16gb, too. I think with those improvements you'd have a killer quickbooks rig.

 

[Hotrod24]

Ok so 16 gb ram sounds fine by me. I did have intentions on going with a 200+ Gb SSD in the first place

Now on a list I had on newegg before coming here was

AMD Fx 8320 vishera
rosewill challeneger case
Samsung spin point 1TB
Asus m5A97 motherboard
Corsair CX600M PSU
Windows 7 pro
Intel 330 240 gb SSD
Kingston hyperX 8gb

There was some other minor things I don't have to list. My problem with the build I had which is similar to Jonjon's is the AMD is the same price also with eight cores which may still not even be as powerful and efficient as the intel i5 3470. Also the problem with the Fx is that there is no video card, so I would have to purchase one of those which would bring it up substantially compared to the intel cpu.

It's cpu is what the tech recommended but without a graphics card, it is kinda I appealing since I am not going to be gaming on this rig. So I don't need great graphics. I kinda want to stay with an asks motherboard, there a little more expensive but they seem to be the most reliable boards on this website.

I like the idea of 16 gb ram to kinda future proof it. Would I be looking for 1600mhz??

 

[zdbc13]

I like Intel better. The 3470 has hd2500 graphics which are not so hot. The i5-3570k has hd4000 graphics which are a lot better. But that's an overclocking cpu and much more expensive. I think I'd stick with the 3470.