Budget computer build for the parents

[rustikles]

So, I'm trying to design a low-end budget build for my parents home PC. The most they're going to be doing with it is checking e-mail, facebook, and a good bit of Netflix. I may just downgrade to just 4GB instead of the 8GB RAM that I have it in so far, not sure. Any other suggestions to make this an even more budget build while still retaining a reasonable amount of future proofing?


PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/E2PS
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/E2PS/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/E2PS/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Pentium G620 2.6GHz Dual-Core Processor ($63.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Biostar H61MGC Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($51.52 @ Amazon)
Memory: Crucial 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($43.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: PNY GeForce GT 430 1GB Video Card ($61.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Apex PC-389-C ATX Mid Tower Case ($31.24 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec Basiq 430W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($42.39 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $374.06

 

[stickmansam]

Something much better for cheaper
APU eliminates the need to grab an discrete GPU as long as you pair it with decent ram (1600mhz at least like I have) and is about the same cost
8gb would be better for future proofing and actually gives you a reason to go 64bit OS
I dare say your parents will never notice the difference in CPU power from the intel to the AMD
Cheaper PSU that is just as good
Case with USB3 but same price so if you ever upgrade, case can uspport USB3 with the new mb
cheaper optical drive
You can upgrade the CPU to the higher end Trinity ones or next-gen APU's

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A6-5400K 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor ($68.79 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A55M-DGS Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($58.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case: Zalman Z5 Plus ATX Mid Tower Case ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($26.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $291.72
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-17 03:22 EST-0500)

For something bit over your original budget
An SSD for the OS and some stuff
A much beefier APU with quad cores and stronger grpahics
Motherboard with USB3 headers

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A8-5600K 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($103.79 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75M-DGS Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($59.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V200 Series 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($56.68 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Toshiba 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($55.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case: Zalman Z5 Plus ATX Mid Tower Case ($33.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($26.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer ($17.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $395.39
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-17 03:34 EST-0500)

 

[gussrtk]

well... i think that futureproofing "email, facebook, netflix" is at a loss lolz

but i think maybe this is better... why are you buying a vid card??? only matters in games

take an i3 cpu.. they will get longer/better life out of it and run it on integrated intel cpu graphics

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80637i33220


i think for their needs 4gb of Ram is plenty

swap out barracuda for WD blue (i think wd is better, personal opinion)

 

[jmsellars1]

Any modern CPU is fine for this usage, with the possible exception of an Intel Atom. It seems like having something low cost is the most important thing.

If your parents are anything like mine, they might appreciate something that looks cool more than having something slightly more powerful. Especially since they won't notice anything more powerful with this usage anyway.

If you think they might like the idea of a cute little desktop box, this would be good:

AMD A6-5400K
2x2GB G.Skill Ripjaws X 1600Mhz 1.5v
ASRock FM2A85X-ITX
Seagate Momentus XT 500GB Hybrid Hard Drive
Antec ISK 300-150 with 150W PSU

Total - $394.95

The motherboard sounds unnecessarily high end but the price is quite good and it has loads of features. This still has plenty of room for upgrades, AMD promised another generation of APU's on this socket, you can still fit more RAM and you have space for a SSD or storage drive. That hybrid hard drive should make this feel quick as well.

 

[Aristotelian]

If you go with the original build, you do not need the video cards. All Intel chips these days have integrated HD graphics in the CPU (and same with the AMD APUs).

 

[jmsellars1]

Yeah that's true, also I'll just point out that any of these builds will do basically exactly the same job in exactly the same way. There are only subtle differences.

 

[rustikles]

I agree with you jmsellars1. They honestly wont notice a difference I'd imagine. As long as this machine is durable enough to last 3 years at least, they'll be happy and I wont cringe every time I come home and see something built in 1996.

 

[jmsellars1]

Yeah, my dad is still rocking an Athlon 64 x2 build with 2GB RAM that I built him a few years ago. Similar sort of usage (on Windows 7) and he's perfectly happy with that.

 

[stickmansam]

As long as its a decent dual core I doubt most users would notice much