Help Build a Desktop for my Dad!

[Kitten]

I'm looking to build a desktop for my dad, currently he's using a Laptop, via VGA to a Dell E228WFP, and uses a USB Keyboard & Mouse. It doesn't give him much room to work at all, he uses his laptop for browsing the internet, turbo tax, and sometimes music editing. He had a desktop, but its ancient and its dead, and its to slow, and not worth reviving.

What would be an inexpensive build? and would be quite good and not sluggish.

No GPU needed, and the CPU can be air cooled, Probably a 250GB SDD would be fine for him too! Running Windows 10.

CPU - ? [Intel Processor]
-> Considering the Intel Core i5-4460 LGA 1150 CPU 3.2GHz
Case - ?
Motherboard - ?
Ram - 8GB
GPU - 500W? Modular
Storage - 250GB SSD

 

[Johnnypenso]

I'm looking to build a desktop for my dad, currently he's using a Laptop, via VGA to a Dell E228WFP, and uses a USB Keyboard & Mouse. It doesn't give him much room to work at all, he uses his laptop for browsing the internet, turbo tax, and sometimes music editing. He had a desktop, but its ancient and its dead, and its to slow, and not worth reviving.

What would be an inexpensive build? and would be quite good and not sluggish.

No GPU needed, and the CPU can be air cooled, Probably a 250GB SDD would be fine for him too! Running Windows 10.

CPU - ? [Intel Processor]
-> Considering the Intel Core i5-4460 LGA 1150 CPU 3.2GHz
Case - ?
Motherboard - ?
Ram - 16GB
GPU - 500W? Modular
Storage - 250GB SSD

For an inexpensive build I'd only put 8 gb of ram. It's really all that's needed for most people. Easy enough to upgrade later if there are issues.

 

[Kitten]

For an inexpensive build I'd only put 8 gb of ram. It's really all that's needed for most people. Easy enough to upgrade later if there are issues.

Okay! Thank you!

 

[Kitten]

Just found this budget build! Although it AMD. Oh Well Change the Ram, and the Storage?

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/LifehackerPC/saved/nHYCmG

 

[Samus]

500W PSU would be overkill, a 400W would be fine. Also don't see the point spending more on a modular one when it's not going to be shown off or modified. Also given the tasks I don't see the need for an i5, a dual core i3 would be fine.

If you're aiming for around $400 I'd go:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($57.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($94.00 @ B&H)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 400W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $402.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-07 09:37 EDT-0400

 

[Kitten]

500W PSU would be overkill, a 400W would be fine. Also don't see the point spending more on a modular one when it's not going to be shown off or modified. Also given the tasks I don't see the need for an i5, a dual core i3 would be fine.

If you're aiming for around $400 I'd go:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($57.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($94.00 @ B&H)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 400W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $402.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-07 09:37 EDT-0400

Made me think! I still have my old PSU, its Corsair CX750W, and it still 100% functional. And quite funny, i was building on PCPartPicker, Basically almost had the same build

Thank you!

 

[Kitten]

Would like to add, that i have a GTX770 2GB laying around.

 

[AOS-]

You could install the GPU, but if the computer usage doesn't require any graphic intensive stuff, then I wouldn't install it. (Save yourself on the electric bill )

That is unless the Mobo happens not to have a desirable video port the GPU does.



Although I myself bought an i5, I will also agree with Samus to get the i3-6100. It's a great price for what it can do (Hyper-threading; woo!).


For a mobo, I would imagine the products under $100 will be enough, so long as it is compatible with your desired CPU and has sufficient ports.

 

[Kitten]

You could install the GPU, but if the computer usage doesn't require any graphic intensive stuff, then I wouldn't install it. (Save yourself on the electric bill )

That is unless the Mobo happens not to have a desirable video port the GPU does.



Although I myself bought an i5, I will also agree with Samus to get the i3-6100. It's a great price for what it can do (Hyper-threading; woo!).


For a mobo, I would imagine the products under $100 will be enough, so long as it is compatible with your desired CPU and has sufficient ports.

Electric Bill isnt a problem

 

[Samus]

Pointless though if he isn't going to play games.

 

[AOS-]

Electric Bill isnt a problem

That's fine and all, but it makes good practice to not consume what you don't need. (2 and a half cents)

But anyway, install it if the newly available video ports prove useful.

 

[Grayfox]

If just for going on facebook a i3 will be more than enough.
400w maybe even 350w will be fine.

You want to be in the 50% load range for maximum PSU efficiency

 

[Kitten]

If just for going on facebook a i3 will be more than enough.
400w maybe even 350w will be fine.

You want to be in the 50% load range for maximum PSU efficiency

I have 2 750W PSU's laying around.. lol. Bit to much power?

 

[BobK]

I have 2 750W PSU's laying around.. lol. Bit to much power?

If you have them just sitting around dong nothing and have no use for them in the foreseeable future, then no reason not to use one of them in your dad's new machine.

750 watts is what the supply is capable of providing, not what it actually produces all the time. If the system only draws 200-250 watts (which seems the case for your project, especially if you don't install a video card) then the supply will only produce 200-250 watts.

 

[Samus]

If you have them just sitting around dong nothing and have no use for them in the foreseeable future, then no reason not to use one of them in your dad's new machine.

750 watts is what the supply is capable of providing, not what it actually produces all the time. If the system only draws 200-250 watts (which seems the case for your project, especially if you don't install a video card) then the supply will only produce 200-250 watts.

It will be rather inefficient though. PSUs are at their most efficient at around 60-70% draw of their max, that would be at less than 30% draw. It will also still draw more power than say a 400W. Not by much, but more.

 

[Kitten]

If you have them just sitting around dong nothing and have no use for them in the foreseeable future, then no reason not to use one of them in your dad's new machine.

750 watts is what the supply is capable of providing, not what it actually produces all the time. If the system only draws 200-250 watts (which seems the case for your project, especially if you don't install a video card) then the supply will only produce 200-250 watts.

Might as-well drop my old GPU in there since its sitting on my shelf gathering dust. because im thinking of getting another monitor for my dad.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

Best to use your old PSU and GPU with build. Should be really efficient still. Much better than using Intel graphics IMO!

I would get something like this with the saving:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/nYzYNN
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/nYzYNN/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-6400 2.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B150M-DS3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($63.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: GeIL EVO POTENZA 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($57.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX300 275GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Silverstone PS08B (Black) MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($34.90 @ NCIX US)
Total: $405.73
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-08 16:21 EDT-0400