• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Grandma needs a new PC

W

wowcro

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Messages
172
Hi Guys,

Ok, so my mother-in-law's 6 year old Dell PC is fried due to a nice brownout during a thunderstorm. My father in law said that he would rather have me put together something new than try to fix the old dell PC. (This will be my ~7-8th build to date)

He wants something that will work for my mother-in-laws for the next few years. See her computing habits are far from a gamer/superuser.

I am not sure if she even needs something like an i5 / i7.

I had something like this in mind. I would appreciate your input.

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition - $129.99
ASRock 880GM-LE AM3 AMD 880G Micro ATX - $54.99
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 $48.99
CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 V2 430W -$44.99
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM - $99
Random Case ~ $50

Total ~$425

I was thinking a the phenom over the i3 as it has a larger cache and thus would be better for multitasking. However, you guys probably know more about this than me so I would appreciate your input.

I know that some of this would be a bit overkill for what she needs however, that's what I was instructed to build. Something that will serve her for a couple of years.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Browsing the internet.
Watching Home Movies of grandkids
Office Suite Work
Email
Picture Storage (and light retouching)

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
500ish for the spend

3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Columbus, OH - Microcenter Hurray!

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
CPU
Mobo
Ram
HD
GFx card (prob included on the mobo)
PSU
Case (something cheap but not something that will slice me as I put the thing together)

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
HDD - Samsung HD502HJ - 500GB 7200RPM - 16MB cache
Mouse USB
KB USB
Monitor 19 Inch
Speakers

6) Will you be overclocking?
No

7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
19 inch (4:3)

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
ASAP

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video? etc.
I don't need any of those.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Need Windows Home 7 OEM
 
id go with an i3 over the 965. if you want to save some coin, the 840 can be had for like $60 70.
id also take an antec baisiq over a corsar builder series in terms of reliability.
 
Which model? Newegg had 3-4 of them. I thought there was only one (2100).

Also, what mobo will I need then?
 
I made my gf a web browser and it is quicker browser then my i7 950 lol, asrock h61 matx mobo, 4GB g-skill ripjaw x, 500GB HDD,GT210 GPU, also the 430 watt corsair is a very very solid PSU and can put out over 500 watts if it has to. I chose the pentium g620 sandy bridge duelcore for my gf's desktop and it has never been over 40C with stock cooling.
 
Quick question... is there any reason you don't want to buy a pre-built? Typically, with such low requirements and budget, it's usually best to find a deal on a pre-built, especially if no OS license can be transferred. The system hossdaddy linked is a pretty good deal.

Though, if you insist on building... you can get an i3 for less than that CPU/mobo you chose. Also, you can drop down to DDR3-1333 RAM instead. The Corsair PSU is fine, or an Antec Earthwatts should do as well.

MC has this combo still, in-store only:
$100 - Intel Core i3 2100 LGA 1155 3.1GHz CPU
$20 - MSI H61M-P23 (B3) LGA 1155 H61 mATX Motherboard

$40 - G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3-1333 F3-10666CL9D-8GBSR (Free 4GB SDHC)
$40 - Antec EarthWatts EA-380D 380W 80+ BRONZE Certified APFC

Not sure how good this case is, but it is cheap:
$30 - Xigmatek ASGARD II B/B CPC-T45UC-U01 Black

And another cheap case...
$36 - Cooler Master Elite Mid Tower Case, RC-310-BWN1-GP (Blue)

MC also has AMD combos as well... I'll try to find them and update this post if I find something compelling.
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
enginurd said:
Quick question... is there any reason you don't want to buy a pre-built? Typically, with such low requirements and budget, it's usually best to find a deal on a pre-built, especially if no OS license can be transferred. The system hossdaddy linked is a pretty good deal.

Though, if you insist on building... you can get an i3 for less than that CPU/mobo you chose. Also, you can drop down to DDR3-1333 RAM instead. The Corsair PSU is fine, or an Antec Earthwatts should do as well.
Click to expand...

Yes, I am against getting a pre built computer. Here is my reasoning.

1) It's overpriced. If I can build the same computer with the same components for the same cost it's overpriced for me.
2) Bloat software. Dell, HP, and etc are awesome in filling up their OS installations with bunch of garbage that impacts the low power machine performance.
3) Quality. I get to choose which components get into the machines. Not some cost accountant at dell.
4) Service. I live 10 minutes from their house. When there is a problem with the computer they don't call dell/hp they call me. And I rather deal with intel/mobo manufacturer.... than dell/hp support.
5) Long term impact. As I said I would rather get her something that she can do her thing for 4-5 years. From my experience (of how she uses her computer) she gets about 3 years of nice usage and then the computer turns into slow piece of crap.

I will check the MC deals. So you would definately both advise going with the i3 2100 or should I get the 2125 for the Intel HD3000.
 
Microcenter has the x4 965 be with free mobo starting at $119
 
wowcro said:
Yes, I am against getting a pre built computer. Here is my reasoning.

1) It's overpriced. If I can build the same computer with the same components for the same cost it's overpriced for me.
2) Bloat software. Dell, HP, and etc are awesome in filling up their OS installations with bunch of garbage that impacts the low power machine performance.
3) Quality. I get to choose which components get into the machines. Not some cost accountant at dell.
4) Service. I live 10 minutes from their house. When there is a problem with the computer they don't call dell/hp they call me. And I rather deal with intel/mobo manufacturer.... than dell/hp support.
5) Long term impact. As I said I would rather get her something that she can do her thing for 4-5 years. From my experience (of how she uses her computer) she gets about 3 years of nice usage and then the computer turns into slow piece of crap.

I will check the MC deals. So you would definately both advise going with the i3 2100 or should I get the 2125 for the Intel HD3000.
Click to expand...

ok good points just wanted to show you what can be had. I will post a sample build in a lil bit for ya!
 
wowcro said:
Yes, I am against getting a pre built computer. Here is my reasoning.

1) It's overpriced. If I can build the same computer with the same components for the same cost it's overpriced for me.
2) Bloat software. Dell, HP, and etc are awesome in filling up their OS installations with bunch of garbage that impacts the low power machine performance.
3) Quality. I get to choose which components get into the machines. Not some cost accountant at dell.
4) Service. I live 10 minutes from their house. When there is a problem with the computer they don't call dell/hp they call me. And I rather deal with intel/mobo manufacturer.... than dell/hp support.
5) Long term impact. As I said I would rather get her something that she can do her thing for 4-5 years. From my experience (of how she uses her computer) she gets about 3 years of nice usage and then the computer turns into slow piece of crap.
Click to expand...

I'm all for building your own systems, but I still don't dismiss pre-built deals if they fit the needs and budget of my customer (whether it's a client or a fam/friend). Here's my reasoning based on your reasoning...
  1. I agree that if you can build it for cheaper you should. However, if that's the case, then you're probably not looking at the right "deal" for your needs, or you need more than just a basic system. ;) You can typically find a good quality pre-built deal cheaper than what you can build for the purposes you mentioned, especially with the OS license. For example, the Lenovo hossdaddy listed can't be built at that price without some serious hookups and/or compromises.
  2. PC Decrapifier works well for most people. Personally, I typically re-install the OS anyhow, lol. Although, Dell's business lines have been coming with less and less bloatware over the years (Vostro, Optiplex, Precision).
  3. Agreed, but the quality of some pre-built deals isn't as bad as you'd think. The main issue I usually have is with the PSU not being strong enough for upgrades. For example, if you'd like to upgrade the vidcard, you're limited to a very low power PSU.
  4. I'd rather not deal with any support, but if I had to choose, it really wouldn't matter to me. I deal with manufacturers and OEMs a lot, so I guess I already know how to deal with whichever company I need to contact. Whether you need a new mobo or psu, it's a single contact with an OEM, rather than different emails for DIY parts. In the end, you still get the part you need after a much longer wait than anticipated.
  5. This should be regardless of whether it was a custom build or OEM - if you choose the right parts or pre-built system (eg. Dell deal vs GQ from Fry's Electronics).
I'm not trying to convince you to buy a pre-built, just trying to show that it's still a valid option for people in your situation.
wowcro said:
I will check the MC deals. So you would definately both advise going with the i3 2100 or should I get the 2125 for the Intel HD3000.
Click to expand...
The only difference would be for games. I believe the HD2000 on the 2100 can play HD video just fine, which is why it's popular amongst HTPC builders (along with the idle power consumption and immense processing power for it's price).

Oh, I found the MC AMD bundles... http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/AMDbundlePROMO.html
Even with those bundles, it's hard to compete with the i3 2100 + H61 board for only $120. The 2100 will outperform any X2 CPU, and you don't really need an X4 unless she utilizes heavily multi-threaded apps. For standard use, the 2100 will be faster than the Ph2 X2.

Also, do you need an optical drive? I didn't see one in your list of needs, nor in your list of re-useable parts.
 
Last edited:
I sincerely appreciate the effort. I will talk to my father-in-law and see what he wants to do. I hope that my frustrations with dell and hp type pre-built machines didn't make me sound too ignorant.

Knock on wood but thus far I'we had 0 failures in the hardware I put together. I can't even count how many times I'we had to fix dell/hp computers for family and friends.

I have a couple of DVD drives sitting around. Being that it's a ~15-20 expense I forgot to list it as a component I have. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Let us know what you decide. If you do build, I'd still suggest that i3 combo while it's still good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top