building my duaghter's first pc!

J

jc6699

Weaksauce
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
Messages
118
I want to build my 8 year old her first pc, she usses her mother's laptop at the moment to go on discovery kids, play web based games like ty girlz and webkinz and viva pinata which may have more demanding system reqs then what I was planning on building for her. I want to make her feel like it's her very own pc, maybe a pink case with a side window and pink lights inside. This is a special build for me so I appreciate any help far as what hardware would be adequate, how much i'll need to spend and where I can find all that pretty pink stuff to make it feel like her very own pc :)

Thanks in advance.
 
I'm hoping it will last her a a couple years, she's only 8 so other then going on webkinz to play games and viva pinata which she loves there shouldn't be a need to upgrade sooner then that. as far as price range is $600 unrealistic considering I also want to do amature level case mod pink case side window and pink/purple neon inside? Also considering a pink lcd if I can find one but thats seperate from $600.

Thanks for the responce :)
 
Pink does not turn a big hulking case into a girl's best friend. It just makes it a big, ugly pink case.

Girls don't see large cases and windows as badges of honor like many guys do. Most girls want their PCs to be small and unnoticeable -- especially if they aren't "hip" (like an iMac). If you really want to get her excited, take her to an Apple store and ask her what she would like. [Although if you do so, you should be prepared to buy what she says or something close. Never get a daughter's hopes up if you aren't going to deliver.]

If an Apple iMac or notebook is out of your price range, then consider the Dell Inspiron 530s, Dell XPS One, or a Dell notebook. You can ask her if she wants a notebook like mommy's or a small computer on a desk.

If you insist on building something for her, then I would suggest a small, quiet PC. Example:

Antec NSK1480 case
Asus P5E-VM MicroATX motherboard
Intel E8200 CPU
2GB DDR800
Samsung HD250HJ 250GB hard drive (quiet)
Samsung SH-S203B SATA CD/DVD burner
2x quiet 80mm case fans (ex: Nexus SP802512L-03)

Just remember that size / design / aesthetics (not just color) are more important to young girls than specifications.
 
 
WOW, that imac is really nice and for what the 20" 2.0ghz costs it would be close to my costs of building her pc plus having to buy the monitor, only problem I see is having to buy 2 of these because I know my wife will want one too :(
 
jc6699 said:
WOW, that imac is really nice and for what the 20" 2.0ghz costs it would be close to my costs of building her pc plus having to buy the monitor, only problem I see is having to buy 2 of these because I know my wife will want one too :(
Click to expand...
Apple is expected to refresh the iMac lineup in the next month with Intel's new Penryn CPUs.

That should allow you to get more performance for your dollar. At that time, you may also be able to get an older (i.e. one of the current) models on clearance for a few hundred less. If you have an Apple Store near you, take your wife to look at them.

With Macs, you hold down the Option key when you power up and you get a menu that lets you pick between OSX and Windows XP / Vista. Obviously, you must install your own copy of Windows; it doesn't come preinstalled. You can also run Windows applications from within OSX.

Obviously, an iMac will not match the price/performance of a PC that you build yourself, but they are stylish and "hip" to the opposite sex -- that's not something you can get in a DIY build. You really cannot underestimate the importance of "hip" to younger girls.

A computer that your child likes is one of the cheapest and most rewarding investments you can make in their future.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top