Need some help with budget computer!

N

NadMaiq

New Member
First off. I'd like to thank you for viewing this thread.

I'm currently looking to build my first desktop computer! My old Acer Aspire laptop gave out on me a week ago. I'm trying to stay within a $650 or less budget.

So far I've figured I have two options: Either build my own, or buy a pre-built.

Here is a Dell Vostro 260 that caught my eye on Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883155365

With the Dell I planned on upgrading the RAM to the 8GB max and installing a ASUS ENGTX550 Ti/DI/1GD5 GeForce GTX 550 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
as well as a Intel wireless network adapter as my router is in my basement.

When it comes to building my own, I need some major reccomendations!
Any help or advice would be very appreciated!

*Edit: I've never actually built my own computer. But I've tinkered and upgraded the RAM, GPU, and such in older PC's and have watched and read a plethora of things related to the proper construction and setup of a PC. I lack knowledge in PC parts, I'm simply looking for a basic desktop PC that can multi-task. If a $650 budget can be made into a Gaming rig then I'm all for it!

Thanks,
NadMaiq
 
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http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129180
-Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131824
-Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115092
-CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231544
-Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227725
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769
-SSD and/or HDD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139028
-Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102969
-Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289
-CD/DVD Rom
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986
-Win7 Home Premium

-Depending on the storage choice you take it will be about 700 bucks without rebates, 650 with, but if both ssd and hdd are added which would to me be the ideal situation, your looking at about a 700 dollar build with rebates 750 without.

But its considerably more potent than the vostro, due to more ram, better power supply, better motherboard, and the option to later upgrade to a Ivy Bridge core i5 when you feel the need for more cpu, and add a more powerful gpu down the road as well, add more ram too if so chose, case has excellent cable management, mounts solid state drives without additional hardware and should fit all your needs fine without being complicated.
 
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Very good reply! I think that build might just be what I'm looking for! What would be the major difference using the SSD? A friend has also reccomended that since I don't have all of the tools required to build a PC (so he says) that I should buy this toolkit from Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899261003. Does that look worthwile?

Also, with the case would you reccomend adding any fans to contribute to a nice airflow?
I'm also going to need some sort of wireless adapter. I've found several but the reviews scare me off. Are there any that you would reccommend?
 
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SSD provides fast access times for reading data and bootup, it however does not have alot of space to store things. which is why the hdd is there. also the tool kit you have there is the same one i have, it works fine, use the hex drivers to install the standoffs, they work excellently for that.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166047

Rosewill wireless adapters have served me well enough.
 
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my only thoughts are on the original thing i did was could drop mobo back as was suggested, go for a pentium dual core and invest in the gpu and wouldnt have to worry about MIRs, the pentium dual core would be fine for starting, eventually can upgrade to a i5 later when budget allows.
 
So heres what I've come down to...

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V LX LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

CPU: Intel Core i3-2130 Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I32130

GPU: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card ( 11202-00-20G)

RAM: G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-8GAO

CD-ROM/DVD: ? (Suggestions welcome :) )

Wireless network adapter: Tenda W311MA Wireless N Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Up to 150Mbps Wireless Data Rates 64/128-bit WEP, WPA, WPA2

Hard drive: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKX 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM

An SSD seems a little out of budget for me and I think I'll wait to get one later down the road... I have an old Full tower case that I'll be using that has excellent airflow. I will also be using a 420 watt power supply.

Like always, I'd love to here your reccomendations!

Thanks FuryRosewood for all the parts that you have reccomended :good:

Also, thank you Benny Boy for the case reccomendations ;)
 
Your power supply more than likely is junk, if it came with the case your using,,and depending on the case connections< they prolly wont fit a needed quality power supply/mobo. What case and ps is it? (It's not about the watts is says it has)
 
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I'm not entirley sure what brand of case it is. I think it would work though personally. As for the psu it's a cheap one that has been used for several years. It was bought aside from the case. It didn't come with it.

*I'll be able to get the exact name of the components and case later.
 
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420W is probably not enough, id suggest getting the corsair, theres another unit thats 500W that will likely do the job, but id recommend sticking with the 600.
 
Here are my final thoughts. Let me know if I have any incompatibilities.

Motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130646

CPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

GPU/Video Card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125411

RAM:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231544

Heatsink/Fan:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

Thermal Compound:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

Case:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144194

CD-Drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

Hard-Drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769

Power-Supply:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139028

Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit OEM:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986

Wireless Network Adapter:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833106136

Toolkit:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899261004

Feel free to make suggestions! :)
 
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