Help Choosing Perts For A Home/Work PC?

[Tethesis]

Help Choosing Parts For A Home/Work PC?

I've got to build a computer for my neighbours, unfortunately, all my experience with building is for high end gaming systems, never had to do a plain home computer just for emails and word etc.
So i thought id come here and ask, what parts should I get? need to fit it all under £300 from Scan.co.uk, they already have a monitor, keyboard and mouse so its just the computer itself that needs buying.

 

[Wolfeymole]

Do you want to hand build it or buy it off the self?

How about this cheap and cheerful Dell box.

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dell...=SS&cid=5186&lid=121454&acd=23975883824506340

 

[Tethesis]

I'm building it myself for them, my only issue is not really knowing what kind of spec is needed for just a plain home computer, which is why i need someone to help me decide on what i need to get from scan

 

[Wolfeymole]

Well if you look at the specs for the Dell box and the neighbour has not mentioned what exactly they want then that will suffice.

 

[claptonman]

A nice dual core around 3.0GHZ, 2 or 4 GB of RAM, and a reliable 400w PSU. All that with a good mobo and case and you're set.

 

[daisymtc]

£322, Slightly overbudget

AMD Athlon II X3 450 (Out of stock, but you can find it somewhere else)
Asus M5A78L-M LX, AMD 760G AM3+ (AM3+ to ensure upgradeability)
4GB Corsair DDR3 PC3-10600 (single stick such that you can add another one in future)
Sony AD-7260S-0B
500GB Seagate ST3500413AS
450W XFX P1-450S-XXB9 (you don't really need 450W for onboard VGA, I allow this in case you want to turn this to slight gaming machine)
Coolermaster Elite 370
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit SP1, Operating System, Single, - OEM

 

[Tethesis]

attached the parts i found, is that good enough for general home use?

 

[diduknowthat]

Home computers have slightly different requirements than gaming PCs (besides the obvious ones). Gaming PCs are all about power and cooling, home PCs generally should be very quiet and power efficient.

Thus you'll want to buy a nice aftermarket cooler with a low rpm, quiet, fan. You'll also want quiet case fans. Just make sure the CPU heatsink fan has high static pressure. Finally get yourself a nice 80+ powersupply (silver or gold rated preferably for the best efficiency).

 

[Wolfeymole]

Don't forget to include the price of an operating system.

 

[daisymtc]

attached the parts i found, is that good enough for general home use?

LGA 775 outdated

 

[Shane]

This is more than enough for basic Internet/email and Youtube type of stuff.

Latest 1155,Overbudget aswell at £330.68 (free 5 day del option selected).

Intel Pentium G620 2.6GHz Socket 1155 3MB L3 Cache Retail Boxed Processor
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/264713

Gigabyte GA-H67M-D2-B3 H67 Socket 1155 GB LAN 8 Channel Audio mATX Motherboard
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/259407

Kingston 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz HyperX Blu Memory Kit CL9 1.65V Non-ECC Unbuffered
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/234975

Seagate 1TB 3.5" Barracuda SATA-III 6Gb/s Hard Drive - 7200RPM 32MB Cache
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/252858

Coolermaster Elite 330 Case With Coolermaster eXtreme Power 500W PSU
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/220863

LG GH22NS70 22x DVD±RW with DL & RAM SATA Optical Drive - OEM Black
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/263923

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium w/SP1 - Licence and media - 1 PC - OEM - DVD - 64-bit - English
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/259863

 

[Okedokey]

Really, 400 quid is the sweet spot, that way you get the graphics power of the i3 (i3 with H67 chipset will play modern games as well), good quality psu, AND with an upgrade potential all the way up to i7 (with the h67 chipset). Worth the 60 extra pounds plus tax etc.

Intel Core i3 540 - 81 pounds - http://www.scan.co.uk/products/inte...hz-4mb-cache-73w-integrated-gpu-733mhz-retail

MSI H67MA-E35 (B3), LGA1155 - 60 pounds - http://www.scan.co.uk/products/msi-...-ddr3-memory-dvi-hdmi-vga-out-sata6gplususb30

Corsair TW3X4G1333C9A - 4GB (2x2GB) - 27 pounds - http://www.scan.co.uk/products/4gb-...6-(1333)-non-ecc-unbuffered-cas-9-9-9-24-150v

250GB Western Digital WD2500AAJS Caviar Blue - 27 pounds - http://www.scan.co.uk/products/250g...-caviar-blue-sata-3gb-s-7200rpm-8mb-cache-9ms

430W Corsair CMPSU-430CX Builder Series - 35 pounds - http://www.scan.co.uk/products/430w...ries-80-eff-120mm-fan-single-12v-rail-atx-psu

Sony AD-7263S-0B 24x DVD±R - 17 pounds - http://www.scan.co.uk/products/sony...usrw-x8-rwx6-12xram-sata-black-labelflash-oem

GFC-02050 - Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit SP1 - 71 pounds - http://www.scan.co.uk/products/micr...remium-64-bit-sp1-operating-system-single-oem

NorthQ NQ-2210SIL (Silver) Aluminium - 45 - http://car-scan.com/products/northq-nq-2210sil-(silver)-aluminium-front-midi-tower-case-(w-o-psu)


363 pounds and will own anything else listed, with an upgrade potential worth considering, a lovely aluminium case, quality psu, and all available from scan . Seriously, as Daisy said avoid low end LGA775 or any cheap amd system, because your bang for buck is with an i3. Also, even if they decide to add a graphics card (not needed now), they can.

 

[Casey]

I'm with Bigfellla here, you don't need a 500-520 watt PSU for a little home computer. 0_o

 

[Okedokey]

I'm with Bigfellla here, you don't need a 500-520 watt PSU for a little home computer. 0_o

I appreciate your comments, but its not about watts, its about amps on the 12V rail and 28A on the Corsair is plenty for the speced system. A cheapo 550W probably has the same or less, but with other poorer quality specifications.

 

[jonnyp11]

a low quality psu is bad decision cuz although not likely, is more likely to fry your computer

never thought i'd see the day that bigfella would post an incompatible build, need an intel i3 2100, will be more powerful and will work with the mobo, unlike that one that is a lga 1156 cpu and that lga 1155 mobo.

 

[Okedokey]

Good spot John, yes, you need a i3 2100.