Build for a friend...

I

Irishwhistle

New Member
A friend wants me to build a system for him. Basically he wants something for internet, word processing, power point, and basic video editing. He was doing this on an old P4 ThinkPad with 256MB RAM, but it broke down and he (obviously) wants something faster. So here's what I've found:

CPU: AMD X2 64 5200 2.7GHz $56
Mobo: ASUS M3N78-VM $73
PSU: Corsair CMPSU-400CX $50 +S&H
RAM: Kingston HyperX 2GB $30
HDD: WD 160GB SATA $42 + S&H
Case: Rosewill Mid Tower $25 + S&H
ODD: LG 22X DVD Burner $23
Display: Acer 22" LCD $160

Do you think the Corsair PSU is necessary? A Rosewill would be cheaper, but Corsair is soooo much better quality.

As far as an OS is concerned, I think he's going to try Ubuntu, and if he likes it use it full time, otherwise he'll get Vista.

He wants to pay me for my time, so I'm thinking of adding $50 on to the original cost of $490 to make it $530. I've looked around an that still seems to be a very competitive price. Thoughts?

btw, he already has a mouse and keyboard so I don't need to include that.
 
Irishwhistle said:
A friend wants me to build a system for him. Basically he wants something for internet, word processing, power point, and basic video editing. He was doing this on an old P4 ThinkPad with 256MB RAM, but it broke down and he (obviously) wants something faster. So here's what I've found:

CPU: AMD X2 64 5200 2.7GHz $56
Mobo: ASUS M3N78-VM $73
PSU: Corsair CMPSU-400CX $50 +S&H
RAM: Kingston HyperX 2GB $30
HDD: WD 160GB SATA $42 + S&H
Case: Rosewill Mid Tower $25 + S&H
ODD: LG 22X DVD Burner $23
Display: Acer 22" LCD $160

Do you think the Corsair PSU is necessary? A Rosewill would be cheaper, but Corsair is soooo much better quality.

As far as an OS is concerned, I think he's going to try Ubuntu, and if he likes it use it full time, otherwise he'll get Vista.

He wants to pay me for my time, so I'm thinking of adding $50 on to the original cost of $490 to make it $530. I've looked around an that still seems to be a very competitive price. Thoughts?

btw, he already has a mouse and keyboard so I don't need to include that.
Click to expand...

Keep the corsair, your friend will thank you on their electricity bill:PBecause the rosewill power supplies are only around ~60% for the 500-550-600watt stallion series vs 80plus certifed on the corsair.

Go with this case as it has free shipping(shippin on cases is ~$20):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147114

Plus personally i would go with an amd chipset and a full atx mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128376 (free shipping too)

Monitor- Free shipping also, cheaper after rebate:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236050

Spend the extra $10 to get 4gb ram, its worth it imo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227269

Cpu, the 7750 is based off phenom which is more efficient than the athlon 64's:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103300

Hdd, its worth the extra few bucks to double the capacity:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136098

Grand Total: $516.63- Thats before rebates but including shipping
Subtotal: $506.92- Before rebates, before shipping
Total after rebates/Shipping: $486.25

Edit: Check memory again if youve seen before edit, changed it as other memory didnt have free shipping;)

ALso... if you wanna save money on psu isntantly vs rebate, go with an antec power supply like this that has free shipping:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371016
 
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well yes corsair psu is a must you dont need cheapie psu in there. i would get the 7750 kuma cpu and the Asus 22' on newegg has a nice price and one more thing 4 gigs of ram are about the same price as 2 i would up it if i were you
 
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bomberboysk said:
Keep the corsair, your friend will thank you on their electricity bill:PBecause the rosewill power supplies are only around ~60% for the 500-550-600watt stallion series vs 80plus certifed on the corsair.

Go with this case as it has free shipping(shippin on cases is ~$20):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147114

Plus personally i would go with an amd chipset and a full atx mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128376 (free shipping too)

Monitor- Free shipping also, cheaper after rebate:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236050

Spend the extra $10 to get 4gb ram, its worth it imo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227269

Cpu, the 7750 is based off phenom which is more efficient than the athlon 64's:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103300

Hdd, its worth the extra few bucks to double the capacity:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136098

Grand Total: $516.63- Thats before rebates but including shipping
Subtotal: $506.92- Before rebates, before shipping
Total after rebates/Shipping: $486.25

Edit: Check memory again if youve seen before edit, changed it as other memory didnt have free shipping;)

ALso... if you wanna save money on psu isntantly vs rebate, go with an antec earthwatts power supply, it has free shipping so ur gonna save $10 right there:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371005
Click to expand...

you beat me lol great minds think alike
 
bomberboysk said:
Keep the corsair, your friend will thank you on their electricity bill:PBecause the rosewill power supplies are only around ~60% for the 500-550-600watt stallion series vs 80plus certifed on the corsair.

Go with this case as it has free shipping(shippin on cases is ~$20):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147114

Plus personally i would go with an amd chipset and a full atx mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128376 (free shipping too)

Monitor- Free shipping also, cheaper after rebate:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236050

Spend the extra $10 to get 4gb ram, its worth it imo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227269

Cpu, the 7750 is based off phenom which is more efficient than the athlon 64's:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103300

Hdd, its worth the extra few bucks to double the capacity:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136098

Grand Total: $516.63- Thats before rebates but including shipping
Subtotal: $506.92- Before rebates, before shipping
Total after rebates/Shipping: $486.25

Edit: Check memory again if youve seen before edit, changed it as other memory didnt have free shipping;)
Click to expand...

That CPU and case looks like a good idea... I'll ask him about the HDD and RAM. I doubt he'll ever use the extra RAM (or HDD space for that matter) as I don't really need over 2GB myself. As far as that mobo is concerned, there's no onboard video, which is a must. But those are some very helpful points, so thanks! :)
 
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Irishwhistle said:
hmm... not bad, but then it's not Gigabyte, ASUS, MSI, or EVGA...

What about the board I've got (ASUS M3A78-CM)? It's still mATX, but it's got an AMD chipset.
Click to expand...

Whoops, disregard what was here earlier, i thought you were talking about the board in ur first post still(really similar name):P But I recommend the amd chipsets because usually they are supported longer for future processors than say geforce chipsets, but are otherwise fine. I have a friend who just about 2 years ago bought a 680g chipset motherboard, and with the latest bios update could drop in a top of the line Phenom II. Asrock is a subsidiary of asus by the way;) Plus the sideport memory is pretty cool(dedicated memory on the motherboard just for integrated graphics).
 
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bomberboysk said:
Whoops, disregard what was here earlier, i thought you were talking about the board in ur first post still(really similar name):P But I recommend the amd chipsets because usually they are supported longer for future processors than say geforce chipsets, but are otherwise fine. I have a friend who just about 2 years ago bought a 680g chipset motherboard, and with the latest bios update could drop in a top of the line Phenom II. Asrock is a subsidiary of asus by the way;) Plus the sideport memory is pretty cool(dedicated memory on the motherboard just for integrated graphics).
Click to expand...

OK, I'm just afraid that mobo will end up being like a Squier or Epiphone guitar... you know it's made by a really awesome company, but it's nothing like the stuff that actually gets the "real" comany's name on it.
 
Irishwhistle said:
OK, I'm just afraid that mobo will end up being like a Squier or Epiphone guitar... you know it's made by a really awesome company, but it's nothing like the stuff that actually gets the "real" comany's name on it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but to look on the bright side of things... the best rated X58 mobo right now on newegg is an Asrock:good: Plus that board has pretty good ratings.
(btw, i dont understand your guitar metaphore... not an instrument player:P Just somewhat of an audiophile)
 
bomberboysk said:
Yeah, but to look on the bright side of things... the best rated X58 mobo right now on newegg is an Asrock:good: Plus that board has pretty good ratings.
(btw, i dont understand your guitar metaphore... not an instrument player:P Just somewhat of an audiophile)
Click to expand...

I'll have to check some more reviews.

Well, I don't play guitar either, but I thought it was a good metaphor... :P Fender makes Squier guitars and Gibson makes Epiphone guitars. I'm just saying that Squier and Epiphone aren't anything near as good as Fender and Gibson.
 
Irishwhistle said:
I'll have to check some more reviews.

Well, I don't play guitar either, but I thought it was a good metaphor... :P Fender makes Squier guitars and Gibson makes Epiphone guitars. I'm just saying that Squier and Epiphone aren't anything near as good as Fender and Gibson.
Click to expand...

Oh lol, see i would never have known that if you didnt just explain it:P
 
Irishwhistle said:
lol Ya know, like the company doesn't want to ruin their name with cheaply built products so they create a new name just for the cheap stuff.
Click to expand...

Yeah, ill just say one thing though, i have build a few people rigs with asrock motherboards before and they havent complained about any problems(except the cpu fan died on one... but thats not the motherboard problem lol). Seem to have some really good bang for the buck behind em.
 
bomberboysk said:
Yeah, ill just say one thing though, i have build a few people rigs with asrock motherboards before and they havent complained about any problems(except the cpu fan died on one... but thats not the motherboard problem lol). Seem to have some really good bang for the buck behind em.
Click to expand...

OK, I'll have to do some research. :)
 
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