Building PC for the aul lad ~€400 (+upgrading my own)

Shlippery

1. What is your budget?
[€400]

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? [Gaming/Video editing/3D Modelling/HTPC/Internet] (If gaming include which games)
The current PC he uses was one that was on special offer in LIDL a few years ago, not bad, but it's running like a POS at the moment. I made my own PC from one of these threads 2/3 years ago, so volunteered to make one for him as it may work out cheaper!

3. Do you need a copy of Windows? [Yes/No]
Yea, that one from reddit should be grand right?

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? [Hard drive/DVD Drive/Case/PSU/etc.] (If possible state brand and model of the parts to ensure compatibility)
Eh, no point harvesting any of the old stuff...maybe the dvd drive? but they're not too pricey are they?

5. Do you need a monitor? [Yes/No]
Nope, plenty of those!

5b. If no, what resolution is your current monitor and do you plan to upgrade in the near future? [1920x1080/1440x900/etc.] [Yes/No]
Think it's 19", not sure of the res off the top of my head, but it's not a big deal to the aul fella. Whatever fits within the budget really.

6. Do you need any of these peripherals? [Keyboard/Mouse/Wireless Card/Card Reader/Speakers/etc.]
He needs a new keyboard, but can leave this out of the budget if can fit better parts?

7. Are you willing to try overclocking? [Yes/No]
No need in this case

8. How can you pay? [Bank Transfer/Credit Card/Laser]
Any way

9. When are you purchasing? [In x days]
Would like to order parts ASAP.

10. If you need help building it, where are you based? [South Dublin City/Cork City/Kerry/etc.]
Should be fine.


Sorry it's a bit of a boring request, but I haven't been following the latest trends in hardware and what not, so would appreciate any advice ye may offer..


on a separate note, instead of making a new thread..

Here's my first build from 2011..and what I paid at the time, could you guys recommend anything worth upgrading there? I put a SSD into it which made a huge difference, but have the itch to go playing with it again.

Anything that you would recommend adding on or good developments since I bought this ? I built this PC with intentions of maxing BF3 at the time, so things have advanced since then. If i'm ordering of hardwareversand, I may bundle a part or two myself to save on delivery..

Total build cost: €590.98 + €30 shipping
Samsung SpinPoint F3 1000GB, SATA II (HD103SJ) €44.09
Samsung SH-222AB bare schwarz SATA €17.71
Xigmatek Asgard III Midi Tower - black, ohne Netzteil €32.63
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 450W €41.17
4GB-Kit G-Skill Ripjaws PC3-10667U CL9 €33.27 (x2)
Intel Core i5-2500K Box, LGA1155 €173.55
ASRock P67 Pro3 (B3), Sockel 1155, ATX €100.97
ASUS EAH6870 DC/2DI2S/1GD5, AMD Radeon HD 6870, 1GB, PCI- Express €147.59



Cheers lads!

Digital Solitude

The aul lads is just a general use PC is it?

Intel Pentium G3220 €50
H81M board €50
1tb HDD €50
4gb Ram €30
Bitfenix case €50
250w PSU €30
Disc Drive €15
Total €275, can't imagine he'd need anything more powerful? Maybe an SSD if you wanted.

Buy from amazon, hwvs is gone belly up.

As for your own, upgrading the GPU and overclocking the CPU is best call. What's the budget?

Shlippery

|Yes, sorry forgot to specify, just general use, really nothing mad at all.
Emails, internet, spotify, pictures, stuff like that, he doesn't run anything intensive, yet his current machine is on its last legs and filled with ****e.

I thought it'd be more enjoyable building him one, instead of buying one off the shelf. What's Amazon like for delivery to Ireland? I've been living in Vancouver for past 2 years and it was excellent over there, but curious as to if they'll ship here or not~?


And cheers for prompt reply DS, was hoping you'd chime in! I might get him an SSD, he's always complaining about PC being slow, so I reckon that'd blow his mind altogether.



My PC runs like a dream at the moment, but would my PSU be able for newer GPU's, it's just a 450w? Was never 100% sure about power requirements..

I'd put another €150-180 into it if I could, maybe a proper cooler for the processor as it's only the stock one at the moment, then would try overclocking.

Digital Solitude

They deliver most items to here, anything they don't can be sent to Parcel Motel for €5, so it's grand enough.

As for your own, a second hand R9 270X would be a serious upgrade for €130-140, and something like a Cooler Master Hyper Evo 212 for €30 for the fan. Would be fine on a decent 450w

Shlippery

Digital Solitude wrote: »

They deliver most items to here, anything they don't can be sent to Parcel Motel for €5, so it's grand enough.

As for your own, a second hand R9 270X would be a serious upgrade for €130-140, and something like a Cooler Master Hyper Evo 212 for €30 for the fan. Would be fine on a decent 450w

Unreal, with regards to second hand card, is Cex the spot to look? And 2nd hand would be safe enough? I don't doubt you, but was always a bit sketchy about second hand components!

Digital Solitude

CEX is normally fairly good, didn't have any in stock last time I checked.

Adverts would be okay too.

I too would be wary of second hand stuff, CPUs are safest things, and then GPUs as they normally go for a good while unless they're mistreated.

On amazon, Sapphire 270X is 131 Sterling, which is €185. There's an MSI one on the German one for €170.

Just avoid VTX3D. Use flubit for Amazon.co.uk for a wee discount on each part too!

Shlippery

Sweet, will keep an eye, lastly, could you glance over this basket?
http://imgur.com/k9ZubpO <- I did a pick'n'mix from what you suggested, it still falls under the €400 budget, but obviously if there's anything that's overkill there, let me know, I got a bit thrown off by the sterling to € conversion!

I should be grand from here on out. Would smaller case be better if it's mini atx motherboard? Or is that even the right size case? Was going on price over aesthetics really.

Digital Solitude

Yeah the Neos is fine. You could look into a Zalman if you wanted to drop it another bit, Zalman A1 or Z4 or something.

Check the EU amazons, you might get a better deal, that does seem steep to me.

Shlippery

I just hopped onto his pc there to get his current specs, they're not as bad as I expected, he's running 32 bit win7. I ran CPUz and he's got:

intel i3 530
3gb ddr3
nvidia g210

I'm beginning to doubt whether it's worth dropping that money now for something similar to what he has, but I really want to build another PC soo....
I can keep the hard drive in his current one, and probably the gpu.

Sorry, this thread is a bit thrown together, but I do appreciate your input so far.

Digital Solitude

You could probably get away with just upgrading the motherboard and CPU in that case, but the Pentium isnt a mile ahead of the i3 so meh, your call.

You're sure it's not bogged down with Malware?

MADFI5H

in this particular case i think just getting an ssd and a fresh install of windows would be money best spent, then see how u stand from there,
my guess is he would be very impressed with the difference

Shlippery

MADFI5H wrote: »

in this particular case i think just getting an ssd and a fresh install of windows would be money best spent, then see how u stand from there,
my guess is he would be very impressed with the difference

After sleeping on it, I think I'll get the SSD, and maybe a new case, as his current one is a in bad shape, the power switch is broken, and a few other annoyances, and will pop a 64 bit windows 8.1/10 onto it.

He probably won't believe the difference it'll make. SSD blew my mind when I first experienced it.

Cheers for the advice.


Gonna get the 212 for myself and some variety of an R9 if it becomes available second hand.

MADFI5H

for a 64 bit its recommended to have 4 gigs of ram so u may want to pick up 1 more 1gig stick if he has 3 sticks on a 4 slot mobo or just get 2 new sticks of 2gig