$500-$600 PC Updated

Hey everyone, thanks for checking out my post. I wanted to start off by saying THIS IS NOT A GAMING PC! I repeat: THIS IS NOT A GAMING PC! Long story short, my parents have a crappy computer that is on its last breath, and we have been keeping it alive so far, and I was hoping to make them a nice, quality computer. As you can probably tell, it's not for gaming, rather for browsing the internet, filling out spreadsheets, etc. Nothing too CPU heavy. I am on a budget, so I went for an AMD APU (No Intel Fanboys Please). Here is my build:

BUDGET UPDATE: $500-$600

Processor: AMD A8-5500 (Using the stock cooler for cooling)

Mobo: MSI FM2-A75MA-E35

RAM: 8GB (2x4) Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz 

SSD: Samsung 840 120GB

HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1TB

PSU: Corsair CX430 (80+ Bronze)

Case: Corsair Carbide Series 200R 

Optical Drive: Samsung SH 224BB DVD/CD Writer (IDK the name >_>)

Final Price: $562 (Ready to ship)

Here is the link to all the parts: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/GfkU

*NOTE*: The website didn't have the motherboard, so I added it as a custom part.

All feedback is appreciated :)

P.S.: I will NOT be overclocking this

 

For a non-overclocking, non-gaming, PC, here is what I'd go with. I actually just built about 3 similar systems.

[url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/G4Nj]PCPartPicker part list[/url] / [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/G4Nj/by_merchant/]Price breakdown by merchant[/url] / [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/p/G4Nj/benchmarks/]Benchmarks[/url]


[b]CPU:[/b]  [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-ad5500okhjbox]AMD A8-5500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor[/url]  ($104.99 @ Newegg)

I'd go with the A8 for the lower TDP, and lower cost. It's still a quad-core, so very similar to the A10 for your uses. In my experience with the A8, the 100w unlocked counterpart got toasty unless I allowed the stock cooling to sound like a jet taking off. Keeping the cooler at a managable noise level, temps got up to 74c at stock clocks. So the 65w part should be a lot more managable with stock cooling, while offering solid performance.

[b]Motherboard:[/b]  [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-fm2a85xmae35]MSI FM2-A85XMA-E35 Micro ATX  FM2 Motherboard[/url]  ($79.99 @ Amazon)

Cheaper, full feature motherboard. Unless you need ITX, I'd just bite the bullet for space consumption. It's still going to small form factor as a mATX mini tower.

[b]Memory:[/b]  [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-memory-cmz8gx3m2a1600c9]Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory[/url]  ($47.98 @ Amazon)

Better price per GB.


[b]Storage:[/b]  [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seagate-internal-hard-drive-st1000dm003]Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive[/url]  ($76.82 @ Amazon)

Same drive, free shipping w/ Amazon

[b]Storage:[/b]  [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz7td250bw]Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Disk[/url]  ($155.52 @ Amazon)

Again, better price/GB. Also, this thing is stupid fast. I just finished a build with the unlocked A8 using the 120GB version, and it boots Linux Mint 14 Cinnamon 64bit in 10 seconds, no joke. And that's from a cold boot. Completely off to the login screen in 10 seconds or less.

[b]Case:[/b]  [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/fractal-design-case-fdcadefminibl]Fractal Design Define Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case[/url]  ($99.99 @ Amazon)

Quiet, small, solid quality, tasteful desing. What more can you ask for.

[b]Power Supply:[/b]  [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seasonic-power-supply-ssr360gp]SeaSonic 360W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V Power Supply[/url]  ($59.99 @ Amazon)

Given my recent experience with Corsair, I would avoid them. I got the CX430, and it was DOA. It took corsair over 2 and half weeks to get me a replacement. Mind you, I live 30 minutes from their office, and it took USPS 2 days to get them the power supply. They received it on the 12th, my replace just came today (25th). Also, the Seasonic is more efficient. I'd just bite the premium and wattage cut for peace of mind. Not like you're going to use the extra wattage.

[b]Optical Drive:[/b]  [url=http://pcpartpicker.com/part/samsung-optical-drive-sh224bb]Samsung SH-224BB DVD/CD Writer[/url]  ($17.99 @ Newegg)

A little cheaper. It's an oprical drive. Plus free shipping.

 

[b]Total:[/b] $643.27 (All shipping free)

[i](Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)[/i]
[i](Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-02-26 02:08 EST-0500)[/i]

I want to burn your build list in a fire. for 700-800 dollars you could get a 3570k and a discrete GPU. Jesus this build is bad and you should feel bad, my feet hurt. A-Data makes shit SSD's and the SSD should certainly not be your most expensive part.

Please do not buy this. I have a wishlist sitting in my Newegg account that I had made as an example for someone. The total cost is $585. In this build I have an FX 4300 and a 7770 GHz edition. Both of which would absolutely stomp the parts you chose. The only thing missing from mine is an SSD.

Get a smaller and cheaper SSD. There is no reason for a 256GB one with a 1TB HDD and a low budget. You most expensive part should probably be your CPU if you aren't gaming with this.

On a non-overclocking, non-gaming build, all the 3570k is going to do is burn money and be entirely under-utilized. Same with the discrete GPU. Hell, even the GPU section of the APU will likely be under-utilized. The most expensive part of any computer should be the part utilized most often. And if the computer is going to be turned on/off multiple times a day, an SSD is wise investment. In short, your suggested build would be stupid for the suggested use.

However, you do bring up a point: The SSD is too much. Even with a much price per GB with the 840, the capacity is probably too much. A 120GB would be more appropriate. And ditching the mechanical drive also wouldn't be a bad idea.

Did you even read the post? The computer is NOT gaming, and NOT overclocking. What's the point in having a high-performance machine if you aren't going to use it? Both mine, and the OP's suggested builds will stomp your $585 in power efficiency, noise output, load times, and overall system responsiveness, all of which are more important factors for parents who will keep the machine as long as possible over how much FPS it crank out on Crysis 3.

To put in analogy, would you rather an elegant fork and butter knife, or a giant meat cleaver and a spoon to eat pancakes? Because both you and CaptainPip are suggesting the latter.

I am aware he is not gaming. Did you even read my post? I clearly stated it at the end.

I am simply working with his nudget provided. If he simply wants this for using Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer, My honest suggestion would be to spend about $400 max. There is no point in wasting that much money on nothing.

I'd personally go for a 22nm 55W intel ivy bridge cpu. They run cool and quiet and before I got my GPU, I was running from the igpu, which was able to run L4D pretty well. Dota 2 ran like crap btw, but if you're not gaming, this is a pretty decent chip, albeit a dualie.

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128568

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116886

Well, either chip would be adequate for the uses, but I'm personally leaning with Trinity, as it sounds like the use case would make idle power consumption much more relevant, and Trinity's idle power consumption is lower. Plus, the A8 + mobo is $15 cheaper.

im gonna go against the grain a little here and suggest an intel build.

it's highly enegry efficient, and fast where it's needed, you could even bump up the ssd and or HDD capacity, and or grab a blu ray drive if you like

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/G5y1

Just to satisfy you:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/G5tE

And before you complain about overspending on the case, try finding a small one that's cheaper, and doesn't make it feel like an e-machines, or a dell. Bonus points if it can matche the features:

http://youtu.be/YAvZoez-Iak

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/G5DR

This fits the bill. Throw in an ssd if you really want to- don't think you're parents will miss it that much

if your going to go apu anything build for the love of all that is cherished get 1866mhz RAM please

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/GjcR

Use the SSD for Intel Smart Response caching.

You don't NEED graphics, so what's the point of an APU...If you had a budget and needed graphics, APU no doubt. But the i3 is such a snappy little thing with barely any power consumption. I'm using a Sandy bridge mobile i3 and the graphics can run any valve game fine, fallout 3 on high/mids, and Sims 3 on high. So I think the graphics on it will be perfectly fine for your parents. Why 8G of ram, when they won't even ever use 4. 

You don't NEED graphics, so what's the point of an APU...If you had a budget and needed graphics, APU no doubt. But the i3 is such a snappy little thing with barely any power consumption. I'm using a Sandy bridge mobile i3 and the graphics can run any valve game fine, fallout 3 on high/mids, and Sims 3 on high

There a few things I love about this response. But first, let me answer your first point: Lower cost, cheaper platform, lower idle power consumption. I just built a computer with a Llano A4-3400, which is only a 2.5GHz dual-core, and that thing is snappy. Of course, it's paired with an ADATA SSD. I'm not saying it's faster than the Intel, but the average user won't notice the difference between the two chips for basic usage. I think the A4 Trinity is an unbeatable value for such a purpose, price at $45.

The part I love about your response is that you start off by saying you don't need graphics performance, but then later on toute intel's HD graphics engine.