What to do with 860k+mobo+RAM

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1

I have some spare parts currently being very effective at collecting dust, but I feel their true talent lies elsewhere. I just need some ideas.

860k
MSI A68HM-E33 V2
8GB DDR3
Logisys 450w PSU

For this to be a complete system I still need a case, a GPU, and storage. I could make that happen but then what? Both I and my gf have PCs and as far as I'm aware the homebuild PC market is pretty dry on random buyers. I couldn't market this as a fully gaming PC in good conscience because the 860k really presents a problem in certain titles.

What do I do with this stuff?

2

pfsense router?

2 Likes
3

That...
Or storage server... As people call it - NAS.
Or an HTPC...
There are a lot of possibilities.

1 Like
4

a kodi pirate box or a pfsense router

5
  • PFsense router
  • NAS
  • F@H
  • download machine
  • Linux box for messing around with various distros on bare metal (we all know that you can only do so much in a VM)
  • Spare PC in case your main one dies or gets ransomware and you need another machine to look up possible keys to unlock it.
6

Dafuq is this?

7

FYI we have our own team

1 Like
8

Oh, I see...
I know what it is, I just didn't know the abbreviation.

9

you could use it as a home theater pc. You wouldn't need a gpu if you used it in an application that didn't need a video output. A NAS doesn't really need a video output, same with a router, and I am sure there are other potential applications. You could also turn it into a gift. Make it into a decent gaming rig with a 470 or something then give it to someone would could make use of it. Or plop a crappy gpu in it and give it to a grandparent or something that needs a new pc. Computers are very useful overall, so I am sure that you can find a need in your life that it can fill if you think hard and look around.

Alternatively, you could do something stupid with it, like making one of those "smart mirrors" with a crappy/cheap display, crappy gpu, and two way glass. Or a moving picture frame, with it just cycling through a list of pictures to whatever monitor or tv you want.

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Server, Seed box, the possibilities are endless

11

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I already have an HTPC running KODI.

12

I have a guy asking me to build a system for CAD. Could I use this as a platform for that? I've never done any design work so I don't know the nuances of what's necessary.

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Depends on what he's doing but this would be a bit barebones for anything complex or for visualizations

14

Build a really crappy PC with it, and sell it.

I recently found an old AM2+ PC on the street, and some shit CPU inside. Got the PC working, and with some clever marketting, I sold it for $150 CAD. You may want to consider doing the same.

You could also use it for Kodi or a processing server, but it is so old and inefficient that it probably wouldn't be worth it.

In case you don't have the parts for it, just go out on Garbage day/night (I usually go at night) into your local neighborhoods, and scout around, looking for old electronics. I usually find at least 1 electronic device (desktop, monitor, TV, etc) per 8KM. I ride my bike through the streets, so I get exercise at the same time.

15

Hey, 860k is actually a really nice cpu... People seems to hate on it and praise the pentiums to high heaven, but keep in mind this thing is actually a quad-core, while the pentiums are not. Many games will run on this thing pretty well.
With a gpu around RX470 level you will have a pretty decent cheep ass gaming pc. And it will run basically everything. How do I know? Because my older and weaker 760K runs everything. Except the bloated EA games, I mean Jesus Christ...