New box for parents.

Phelptwan

Phelptwan

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Jul 20, 2002
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So this will be my first non-shuttle SFF build. So I'm gonna run the parts past you guys and ask for any advice. Plus what are some good, quiet HSF's for core 2's.

Case: MicroFly MX6 $150 @ sffstore (by the way...is sffstore down?)
Mobo: Abit F-I90HD $115 @ newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813127023
CPU: E4300 $115 @ newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819115013
RAM: Geil 2gb kit $51AR @ newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820144047
Optical: Samsung $39 @ newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16827151141
Hard Drive: Seagate 320gb 7200.10...already have

Total: $470

I'm also looking to add a video card but i'm not sure which. Also considering switching out the power supply. It also has to fit a modem...yeah my parents still have dial up.
 
Dont get the ABIT. Its got a high death rate IMO. The best CoreDuo mATX now is the Gigabyte G33M-DS2R. It goes for about $140 at most places. it also overclocks very nicely if you are into that sort of thing. You'll need good RAM for it though if you plan to overclock.
 
Why not buy a motherboard with everything integrated? And is 2GB really necessary? You're building something for your parents who at most will probably only surf the net and check their email. Save some money and get an atta boy from your dad.
 
Avoid that Abit board like the plague, as the failure rates are ridiculously high. Get the Gigabyte GA-GA33M-DS2R instead.

For the video card, take a look at the $100 Nvidia Geforce 8400 launching on June 19.

I would also suggest you pass on the MicroFly MX6. It's a nice enthusiast case for LAN parties, but I doubt your parents care about the see-through window or the carrying handle. Most non-enthusiast adults are more concerned with noise, and the Ultra Micro doesn't do a good job of reducing it. Instead, take a look at the Antec NSK3300 (NSK3400 if you are in Europe) -- it's simple, inexpensive ($61.20 from Provantage.com), and dampens noise. SilentPCReview has a review here.

The NSK3300 has two main limitations: (1) it won't fit a 8800GTX -- which your parents won't care about and (2) it won't accept a standard ATX power supply. The NSK3400 added support for standard power supplies, but it's not yet available in the U.S. However, the NSK3300's power supply should be more than sufficient for your parent's config.

The NSK3300/3400 fits a number of larger heatsinks, including the Zalman 9500, but I don't know if it fits the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme, widely regarded as the best heatsink now on the market. If you don't plan to do much in the way of overclocking, then the stock Intel heatsink will do just fine.
 
An 8400? Come on, its for his parrents they dont need something so high end it aint funny. Like the previous poster said, the most they will probably do is surf the net and check email...maybe even IM, but for that you dont need an 8400 or overclockers RAM, a basic machine with intergrated X3000 or something should meet their needs perfectly.

Cut down on some of the parts and maybe pick them up a nice 19 LCD or something, i think they'd like that better than a gaming grade graphics card.
 
The 2gb of ram is because my dad does a LOT of photo editing in photoshop. He's also going to be doing some freelance work as well. Thanks for the heads up on the abit board. My mom wants a very small case. She really wanted something the size of a shuttle. I figured the mx6 was close to that size. Noise isn't really an issue either. They're both damn near deaf.

Edit: My dad already has two 21" CRT's as well. He would like to utilize them with this (which is where the video card came in).
 
MX6 doesn't have a handle and Ultra has gone to a kinda sorta "mesh" face to aid in cooling. The handle was on the early modles of the MicroFly and should do well for intended use.

Agree the 2gb is a good idea,not only for the photo editing, etc. but in the event the system gets updated to a SP'ed version of Vista the extra room would be welcome.

Not being one to do the dark side can't make any mobo suggestions. It would be nice if there was an intel version of this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138074 as it has the nvidia 7025 chip for onboard video. Might be able to slide by with that until getting a more expensive gpu.

OOPS! missed your edit for wanting to drive 2 x 20" LCD! :eek:
 
Phelptwan said:
Thanks for the heads up on the abit board. My mom wants a very small case. She really wanted something the size of a shuttle.
Click to expand...
At 9"H x 11.25"W and 15"D, the Microfly isn't exactly small. It's 3.5" wider and 1.2" deeper than the Antec NSK3300, but 4" less tall. It takes more desk space than most MATX minitowers, not less.

ultramicrofly26.jpg


Beware of frontal pictures that make many of these SFF cases look small.

At 8.3"H x 10.3"W x 15.5"D, the Silverstone SG-01 isn't as small as the Shuttles, but it is a noticeably smaller than the MicroFly, if size is really that important.
 
Well, it's key dimension is height not width (has to go under a shelf [the other computer was sitting on the shelf sideways]) so I think I'll be fine there.
 
Phelptwan said:
Err...where'd you get LCD? They are 2 x 21" CRT's. Resolutions of 16x12.
Click to expand...

It is called "the quick check of 'puter thingies while dog tired from a looooog midnight shift". (That and old fartendom)

tsn | spazz said:
Why not buy a motherboard with everything integrated? And is 2GB really necessary? You're building something for your parents who at most will probably only surf the net and check their email. Save some money and get an atta boy from your dad.
Click to expand...

Private_Ops said:
An 8400? Come on, its for his parrents they dont need something so high end it aint funny. Like the previous poster said, the most they will probably do is surf the net and check email...maybe even IM, but for that you dont need an 8400 or overclockers RAM, a basic machine with intergrated X3000 or something should meet their needs perfectly..
Click to expand...

BTW guys what's with these assumptions that because they are "parents" they will be "duh!?!" towards computers? While I'm old enough to be a good chunk of people's "grandparent", I been using 'puters since '82 as a tool and been "playing" with them since the first part of this decade! :eek: While most of us "old farts" didn't grow up with a computer as an everyday thing some of use do like using them (or building). :D
 
Phelptwan; Edit: My dad already has two 21" CRT's as well. He would like to utilize them with this (which is where the video card came in). [/QUOTE said:
Would have been nice to know that before i posted, but atleast you mentioned it eventually, disregard my comment on the LCD then.
Click to expand...
 
Private_Ops said:
Would have been nice to know that before i posted, but atleast you mentioned it eventually, disregard my comment on the LCD then.
Click to expand...

Eh no problem. I went ahead and ordered the Gigabyte mobo, as well as an e4300. I also grabbed the mx6 and the 2gb of on sale ocz ram from Fry's. I think i'll throw my 8500gt in it and upgrade to a 8600gts for my media center. I also picked up that samsung
 
If he's doing photo editing then 2Gb RAM is a good start. The more RAM the better when it comes to work like that. A decent cpu wouldn't hurt neither. The E4300 will probably be fine. Get a mobo thats quadcore ready so you can upgrade the cpu in the future if they want/need it. Video card choice will be dependent on what it is they plan to do besides photo editing and budget.

Case choosing can be hard to recommend because of looks and needs. Everyone has their own opinion on this and its hard to get two people to totally agree on the same thing. I'd say get a list of cases you think they may like (from their input) and then show them pics of them and let them choose one.

Just some suggestions on my part. Good luck. :)
 
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