i5 PC Build Donation for Technology School

[TheChuckster]

My big concern with this build is the case. Ideally, I'd like one with USB 3.0 ports but I can't find a quality case with as nice of a price as the Antec Three Hundred I picked out.

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
No gaming, some photoshop, web development (PHP, MySQL), software development (Java, C++), light 2D game development (nothing too fancy). It's a donation for a technology school.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
I'd like to hover around $500-700, but I'm open to spending as much as $1k. Tax and shipping not included.

3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
I live in Seattle, WA USA.

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, RAM, Motherboard, Power Supply, Case, Optical Drive (they still have a lot of DVDs), SSD, HDD

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
No reusing of parts, but I plan on using the built-in Ivy Bridge GPU rather than a discrete graphics card.

6) Will you be overclocking?
No.

7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
Max resolution is 1080p, it is 22".

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Within the next month.

9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? UEFI? etc.
Firewire would be nice since it would mean compatibility with camcorders (some students do video editing). USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s are needed. eSATA would be nice. Onboard Ivy Bridge video please.

10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Yes. I have a legit Windows 7 32-bit, but I also have access to legit site licenses for Windows 7 and Windows 8 32-bit and 64-bit through the school.

Current Parts:

$219.99 Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504

$94.99 ASUS P8B75-V LGA 1155 Intel B75 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=13-131-835

$37.99 CORSAIR 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 Desktop Memory Model CMV8GX3M2A1600C11
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233350

$59.99 Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066

$59.99 SeaSonic S12II 430B 430W ATX12V V2.3/EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151074

$101.99 Kingston HyperX 3K SH103S3/120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) (Stand-Alone Drive)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820239045

$19.99 ASUS 24X DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

$79.99 Western Digital WD Green WD10EARX 1TB IntelliPower 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136939

$26.99 ASUS PCE-N15 Wireless Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n PCI Express 300/300Mbps Transfer/Receive Rate 64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP, WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK, WPS support
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320074

 

[J Macker]

My big concern with this build is the case. Ideally, I'd like one with USB 3.0 ports but I can't find a quality case with as nice of a price as the Antec Three Hundred I picked out.
6) Will you be overclocking?
No.

..
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Yes. I have a legit Windows 7 32-bit, but I also have access to legit site licenses for Windows 7 and Windows 8 32-bit and 64-bit through the school.

Current Parts:

$219.99 Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504

My go-to case for basic builds has been the Source 210 Elite. It has one usb3 port on front, but no esata front ports (the 300 doesn't have an esata either). The typical sale price is $40 shipped.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146078

Most people don't need esata, that's why I use the Source 210 Elite. However, for esata & USB3, I'd get the Rosewill Challenger U3.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147060

The 3570k is overkill and completely unnecessary if you're not overclocking. I think the basic i5 would be better suited and reduce costs. Look at the i5-3330 or i5-3470 instead. (it looks like a mere $5 difference between the 3570k & 3470 at the Egg currently factoring a $15 GC for the 3570k, so it's a wash)

What good is a $700 donation to a tech school from one individual? It's a nice gesture, but has little impact for being one computer.
Also, you will want to use the 64-bit install.

There's no need to get the $60 seasonic psu when the 430w Corsair builder psu will work just fine for a basic build.
it's $45 with a $10 rebate = $35.

*LOL* @ Amazon's redirect price for the Seasonic 430w psu! $95 haahahaa.

 

[TheChuckster]

Thank you so much for your very helpful feedback, J Macker!

The 3570k is overkill and completely unnecessary if you're not overclocking. I think the basic i5 would be better suited and reduce costs. Look at the i5-3330 or i5-3470 instead. (it looks like a mere $5 difference between the 3570k & 3470 at the Egg currently factoring a $15 GC for the 3570k, so it's a wash)

It'd be nice to have Intel HD 4000 graphics. Also the price difference between different i5's really isn't that much for the different clock rates (New Egg has them all around the $200 range). Would HD 2500 be a big step down?

What good is a $700 donation to a tech school from one individual? It's a nice gesture, but has little impact for being one computer.

Right now, due to budget reasons, the teacher is stuck using a Pentium 4 machine to ensure that all of his students have the i5s. It's a close relative's alma mater, so I don't mind giving back to them so that they can have quality instruction in the latest tech.

 

[TheChuckster]

Oh yeah, I found Corsair Carbide Series Black 300R Mid-Tower Computer Case for $60 on Amazon. That case looks like the one I should get.

 

[J Macker]

Oh yeah, I found Corsair Carbide Series Black 300R Mid-Tower Computer Case for $60 on Amazon. That case looks like the one I should get.

There's no front esata port. I know it's easily mitigated by having an esata cable from the back to the front, but you did state esata as a desired feature.

The Rosewill challenger U3 is the better option at $60 for that reason, in my opinion.

 

[Dangman]

It'd be nice to have Intel HD 4000 graphics. Also the price difference between different i5's really isn't that much for the different clock rates (New Egg has them all around the $200 range). Would HD 2500 be a big step down?
.

If you're doing gaming, yes yes it is.

 

[TheChuckster]

If you're doing gaming, yes yes it is.

Even the extra OpenCL horsepower for GPGPU would be nice.