Building a desktop - component questions

[wallyuwl]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
What's your budget for this build?

Since you didn't specify exactly what your parents need in a new PC I'm going to assume that this project is just as much for you as it is for them. My guess is that you like tinkering and would rather build them something that will be impressively overkill rather than boringly adequate.

Please don't take that as a criticism; I'm just poking fun.



No offense taken. I am a tinkerer (haven't had a tinkering project in a while). They don't need the latest and greatest, but need something that four years from now will run new software adequately. They want a desktop. They don't want to replace this thing in two years (more like six), which is why what seems like overkill now really isn't. Budget is $800-1000. I think I have a pretty good idea what what I'll get, and on Black Friday or Cyber Monday I'll just get everything from Newegg or Micro Center, depending on who is cheaper overall.

 

[Nick R]

gathermewool makes a good point. The AMD A8 would be a great choice too. CPU is going to be more than powerful enough to handle anything they will want to do, and the graphics card that is included on the chip is quite powerful for the overall price. coupled with a SSD, and 8GB of DDR3 and you have a pretty powerful machine for everyday stuff.

 

[Cujet]

I recently built an i7 2600K system.

I used a OCZ Vertex 3, 240GB solid state drive.

That SSD "makes the system". It's fast and quiet.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
I recently built an i7 2600K system.

I used a OCZ Vertex 3, 240GB solid state drive.

That SSD "makes the system". It's fast and quiet.



This.
You're better off going with a slow CPU and an SSD than a fast CPU and a standard HDD.

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig

You're better off going with a slow CPU and an SSD than a fast CPU and a standard HDD.


?!

You normally load an application from disk into RAM *once*, then work with the application in RAM (where the OS usually keeps it cached so it starts almost instantly when you need it next); only using the HDD at all when it needs to write saves or update a cache. I suppose you might need to hit your swap file from time to time but more (cheap) RAM mitigates against that.

Unless you're working with streaming a whole *bunch* of media and need real-time responsiveness, a SSD may be a whole lotta overkill. I run a recording studio and edit video; two activities that strain even the fastest HDD's and I won't even consider thinking about tabling the idea of researching SSD's until their prices come way down. I used to have PATA drives in a RAID setup to get the speed I needed 10 years ago but I haven't come across an off-the-shelf SATA drive that can't handle 24 tracks of 24 bit, 96KHz audio or 3 streams of DV video.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
Originally Posted By: SLCraig

You're better off going with a slow CPU and an SSD than a fast CPU and a standard HDD.


?!

You normally load an application from disk into RAM *once*, then work with the application in RAM (where the OS usually keeps it cached so it starts almost instantly when you need it next); only using the HDD at all when it needs to write saves or update a cache. I suppose you might need to hit your swap file from time to time but more (cheap) RAM mitigates against that.

Unless you're working with streaming a whole *bunch* of media and need real-time responsiveness, a SSD may be a whole lotta overkill. I run a recording studio and edit video; two activities that strain even the fastest HDD's and I won't even consider thinking about tabling the idea of researching SSD's until their prices come way down. I used to have PATA drives in a RAID setup to get the speed I needed 10 years ago but I haven't come across an off-the-shelf SATA drive that can't handle 24 tracks


No. The truth is that an SSD coupled with a decent dual or quad core processor will FEEL much faster in everyday performance than a Standard HDD with a 4Ghz i7. Reason? Because when most people think of a "Fast" computer, they aren't thinking about how fast i t can encode a video, or whatever. They think of a fast computer as "it starts up fast" or "it opens IE fast" or whatever.

A SSD really makes a system feel snappy. Adding a SSD to my computer was the best upgrade I ever did.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

I second this. AMD 5200+ desktop, Win7-32bit. Cloned the SATA drive to an SSD drive. A WORLD of difference. I put off the CPU upgrade, don't need it, everything runs SO much better.

But....

Get an Intel i5 with an SSD you will truly experience excellence in computer performance for many years to come.

 

[Knox]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
gathermewool makes a good point. The AMD A8 would be a great choice too. CPU is going to be more than powerful enough to handle anything they will want to do, and the graphics card that is included on the chip is quite powerful for the overall price. coupled with a SSD, and 8GB of DDR3 and you have a pretty powerful machine for everyday stuff.


+2 The A8 quads have a nice DX11 igp. I also like AMD's stock coolers.

Ram can always be upgraded, but it's cheap (DDR3) atm, and i doubt it will get much cheaper.

About SSD's, if the budget allows it's not a bad idea. Most middle aged to older people, prefer quit car's and PC's.

 

[wallyuwl]

I'll probably get an i5 2500 and get a 120 GB Vertex 3 SSD, and hope to get it Black Friday or Cyber Monday for around $120 or less. That will cover any programs they'll ever load. Then I'll reformat their existing 5400 RPM 40 GB hard drive (since with the floods regular HDs have skyrocketed in price) and use it as a slave that will be used for their photos. They don't have many photos, and don't do music or video. If necessary later on I can upgrade the second HD.

My main concern now is getting a motherboard that has the front inputs that match up with what whatever case I choose has.

I also don't know much about video cards. Looks like most of the Z68 motherboards require an external video card. I have no idea what I'm looking for there.

 

[Vikas]

I want to buy an "adequate" desktop running windows which will last us for at least five years. The desktop will not be used for any kind of gaming. One would think there should be plethora of Intel quad core 8GB memory & 1.5TB disk under $400 (no monitor) but I am having hard time even if I look refurbished. There seems to be very little competition in the desktop market these days. If anybody knows a good deal, please let me know.

 

[CivicFan]

The age of the desktop computer is over and they will slowly disappear. Only very specialized applications will remain.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
The age of the desktop computer is over and they will slowly disappear. Only very specialized applications will remain.


I don't think so. Most businesses will only use desktops as terminals and registers. Most gamers will never fully accept laptops for many reasons. The desktop isn't going anywhere. Most people will use laptops, but They will never disappear truly.

 

[uc50ic4more]

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more

Lol that is pretty funny. I guess that makes me old fashioned too. I have two desktops right next to each other, and a laptop that is only used when I go somewhere, or want to sit on the couch and watch tv. I only use my phone for internet when I'm outside the house and didn't bring my laptop with me, for phone calls and texting. I don't have a tablet. Too expensive for most of them for what they can do imo.

 

[AccordV6MN]

I see lots of people suggesting to with SSD as main drive for older folks as users. These older folks don't grow up with computer and may not understand the file folders hierarchy and may endup saving files all over the place and can't find it or end up not using the HDD as all files saved in SSD as default.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: AccordV6MN
I see lots of people suggesting to with SSD as main drive for older folks as users. These older folks don't grow up with computer and may not understand the file folders hierarchy and may endup saving files all over the place and can't find it or end up not using the HDD as all files saved in SSD as default.


If you have a 60GB SSD or larger, chances are they will never fill it up. And put a note on it "save music and pictures in this drive"

 

[CivicFan]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: CivicFan
The age of the desktop computer is over and they will slowly disappear. Only very specialized applications will remain.


I don't think so. Most businesses will only use desktops as terminals and registers. Most gamers will never fully accept laptops for many reasons. The desktop isn't going anywhere. Most people will use laptops, but They will never disappear truly.


Hence the "Specialized applications". At my work, I am slowly converting the employees to laptops as their desktops depreciate and are decommissioned. The cost is almost the same but it enables them to work from wherever there is an internet connection.

Surprisingly, some of the older employees are not interested in being mobile and working from home during the week and weekends. The younger ones do not have the 9-5 mentality and are far more productive. It's an advantage in the modern workplace.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Lol that is pretty funny. I guess that makes me old fashioned too. I have two desktops right next to each other, and a laptop that is only used when I go somewhere, or want to sit on the couch and watch tv.


Maybe I'm old fashioned, too. However, there are reasons I insist upon a desktop and put a thumb down to texting and laptops. I can actually type properly, far faster than I can even handwrite. I absolute refuse to use a shrunken laptop keyboard that's fastened to a screen, or play hunt and peck with a cell phone.

If I want to use an undersized keyboard attached to a display screen, I have a fully functional TRS-80 Model IV.

 

[Vikas]

I really need at least 1280x1024 display which my eyes can read! There are no more laptops with this resolution. I can find a laptop with higher resolution but then I can not discern between the crawling ants on that screen

So, anybody willing to give me some pointer or even better, send me some good coupon codes

- Vikas

 

[AccordV6MN]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: AccordV6MN
I see lots of people suggesting to with SSD as main drive for older folks as users. These older folks don't grow up with computer and may not understand the file folders hierarchy and may endup saving files all over the place and can't find it or end up not using the HDD as all files saved in SSD as default.


If you have a 60GB SSD or larger, chances are they will never fill it up. And put a note on it "save music and pictures in this drive"


A note may work on some people, but may not work on others. This happened a lot with my customers, along with backing up files on the servers. they tend to leave it on the local PC rather than on the server. A shortcut on the desktop and a little training may help them to put the files in the right place, I found.