PC for my Grandma

[Requisition]

Hey guys,

My grandpa wants to replace my grandma's PC, so instead of paying too much for lackluster hardware, I convinced him to let me build it. I wanted to see if you guys had any suggestions yourself. I'm merely looking for a most bang for your buck system, that can handle generally web browsing and emailing. After many revisions, here is the build I'm currently looking at:

AMD

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: Intel Pentium G3220 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($69.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-HDS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($52.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($34.45 @ Outlet PC)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 5450 1GB Video Card ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($37.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $315.38

Intel

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: Intel Pentium G3220 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($69.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-HDS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($52.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($34.45 @ Outlet PC)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 5450 1GB Video Card ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($37.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $315.38

I welcome all of your thoughts on the matter and am open to changing anything. I can't seem to get people to agree whether it's best to go Haswell or APU. After much reading I decided a dedicated graphics card would be necessary in the Intel build, but I'm still leaning towards it. Also, my grandpa is footing the bill and isn't concerned about cost, but I'd like to keep it on the cheap side. Above all else though, I want this to be the last system she ever has to buy. Let me know your thoughts, not use to building in the low end like this. 8)

 

[Spykezxp]

If your grandparents are not going to be playing games on the system, then I would suggest getting an AMD system with integrated graphics for the most savings. A couple changes that I would suggest (you dont have to - they are just suggestions): Drop off the video card and get a motherboard that has a vga or dvi port built in, change the SSD to a 7200rpm Hard drive, and dont forget about Operating System / Monitor / Peripherals.
Also, your AMD system is not listed (its the same as the Intel system).

 

[Requisition]

Bleh, I've been up far too late researching tonight. Here are both of my revised builds:

AMD

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: AMD A8-5600K 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Biostar Hi-Fi A85S3 Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($58.38 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($103.84 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($37.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $390.18

Intel

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: Intel Pentium G3220 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($69.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-HDS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($52.99 @ Microcenter)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($73.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GT 610 1GB Video Card ($34.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($37.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $369.91

Others were getting on me for not having a fast enough video card(intel build) and amount of RAM, so I tried to rectify that in this case. Meanwhile no one can seem to agree to go Haswell or APU. xD

[FONT=verdana]As for why have the card he G3220 simply has a Intel HD GPU, not even a HD 2000. It also lacks any features at all: http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/CS-033757.htm[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana] [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana]QuickSync is also unsupported: http://ark.intel.com/products/77773/[/FONT]

 

[Requisition]

I think I'm in camp AMD now, people online have convinced me that APU is the way to go for this build.

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: AMD A8-5600K 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A75M-D3H Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($74.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Kingston 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($37.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $392.93

 

[LNCPapa]

Out of those two options I'd go for the AMD rig - even though I didn't really look at that mobo and I'm sure it's not great.

er... your updated mobo on your last post is probably better.

 

[Requisition]

Thanks man

Current Revision

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: AMD A8-5600K 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A75M-D3H Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($74.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($37.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $382.93

 

[Requisition]

Oh wow, [FONT=Verdana]what do you think of this Newegg system?[/FONT][FONT=Verdana] [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1444758[/FONT]

 

[GhostRyder]

Oh wow, [FONT=Verdana]what do you think of this Newegg system?[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1444758[/FONT]

Id say that's a steal and better than the other two you have made, I would grab that as you would be hard pressed to get something that cheap to be even close to that level.

Plus you get a free copy of Farcry 3 for yourself

 

[Requisition]

This machine comes packing a AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz FM2 Quad-Core APU with Radeon HD 7660D integrated graphics, Gigabyte GA-F2A55M-HD2 FM2 motherboard, G.SKILL Value 4GB CL11 DDR3 1600 stick of RAM, Rosewill RANGER-M computer tower, Seagate ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM Hard Drive, and a Rosewill RD500-2SB 500W Power Supply. This is priced at $299.99.


I'm wary of that Rosewill Power Supply and think it would be best to replace with a Corsair CX500M. The case, I'd like to replace as it will be a PC for my grandmother. put it into a Cougar Spike tower doesn't need to be fancy. I'd also like to, if not replace, at least add an SSD to the machine. I'm open to suggestions, the Crucial CT064M4SSD2 64GB SATA III SSD_with_Marvell_Controller is the best one I've found that balances cost and quality.

Anything I'm missing? Any other suggestions or advice? Lay it on me.

EDIT: Just realized that the Gigabyte GA-F2A55M-HD2 motherboard has neither SATA III or USB 3.0. Worth picking up another motherboard?

AMD 3-in-1 APU with 8GB MEM SuperCombo

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: AMD A8-6600K 3.9GHz Quad-Core Processor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75 Pro4-M Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($69.97 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: AMD 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($83.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial M4 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($69.99 @ Microcenter)
Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($37.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $391.92

A10-5800K Machine

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($109.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A55M-HD2 Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill NS Series 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($38.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case: Rosewill RANGER-M MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($39.98 @ Outlet PC)
Power Supply: Rosewill Stallion 500W ATX12V Power Supply ($49.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $343.91

Planned build before these Newegg Deals

PCPartPicker part list

CPU: AMD A8-5600K 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A75M-D3H Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($74.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 430W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($37.99 @ Microcenter)
Total: $382.93

 

[Requisition]

Hey guys, someone hooked me up with two builds based on the APU deals Newegg is having(still having a touch time deciding though =P):

Start quote:

• PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks
  
  CPU: AMD A8-6600K 3.9GHz Quad-Core Processor ($0.00)
  Motherboard: ASRock FM2A75 Pro4-M Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($0.00)
  Memory: AMD 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($0.00)
  Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Amazon)
  Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
  Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($30.00)
  Other: APU combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1433574 ($225.00)
  Total: $354.98
  (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
  (Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-01 15:00 EDT-0400)
  
  Using the 3-in-1 APU Combo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1433574
  
  The 6600k would be nominally faster than a 5600k, but probably not enough to notice, especially for your granny
  
  the Pro4 is a nice motherboard, supports overclocking (probably not necessary) and has 4 RAM slots
  
  RAM, not much to say
  
  I would stick with the v300. It's twice as large as the M4 for only $10 more. I would say 120GB is probably large enough on its own, but if you went with only 60GB I'd probably suggest throwing in a HDD too.
  
  I changed the PSU because the CX430m you had is $53 on amazon, not the $43 that it says. The EVGA 500w is the cheapest decent quality PSU available ATM. Buy from newegg. You could stick with the cx430m if you really want modularity.
  
  You could get it a little cheaper going with this:
  
  PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks
  
  CPU: AMD A8-5600K 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
  Motherboard: MSI FM2-A75MA-E35 Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($56.00 @ Amazon)
  Storage: Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Amazon)
  Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($19.99 @ Newegg)
  Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($29.99 @ Microcenter)
  Other: 13/10/7 Team 2x4 8GB 1600 RAM w/ promocode: EMCWXXW43 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...00113A-Index-_-DesktopMemory-_-20313344-L012A ($59.00)
  Total: $334.96
  (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
  (Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-01 15:07 EDT-0400)
  
  Using the AMD 5800k Trinity machine: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1444758
  
  Like I said, the 5600k is only nominally slower than the 6600k.
  
  Cheap basic A75 mobo, only 2 RAM slots.
  
  Cheap 1600 RAM, 2 sticks rather than 1 in the build above. Dual channel RAM will give better graphics performance.
  
  The rest is the same.

End quote.

 

[Requisition]

Well, I've decided to go with the 6600k build. With shipping and whatnot, it comes in at just under $400 in total. I'll likely not put the order in until tomorrow, so feel free to try and sway me if you think you've got a better option. =D

 

[Jad Chaar]

Yeah go with the AMD build since you get a quad core + better integrated graphics vs the Intel competition.

 

[GhostRyder]

Well, I have Rosewill Lightning PSU and its been great, heck ive had rosewill PSU's for years and they have never had an issue (My last Rosewill on my old machine laster 7 years, my sister was still using the machine up to that and I put another PSU in it.)