Question 450€ all-around PC (no gpu)

gbench

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Hi! My friend is looking for a new PC. He mostly watches films and browses the internet. Usually he keeps multiple (20-30+) Chrome browser tabs open over an extended period of time, which eats up a lot of memory. Those tabs include auto-update flash pages, sports streaming, spreadsheets, youtube videos etc. What he is looking for is an all-around PC that would serve him for the next 5 years or so. At one point he would like to jump into gaming, so he prefers to have a good base for it. Budget for the PC is around 450€/$ without a GPU (depends).

My first idea looks like this:
CPU: Ryzen 2600 (good price currently)
MOBO: ASROCK B450M-HDV
RAM: 16 GB 3000 mhz Crucial Ballistix Sport LT
SSD: 480 GB ADATA SU 650
PSU: Corsair CX 550 W CP-9020121-EU
CASE: Fractal Design Core 1100
GPU: temporary old gpu for driving the display (FHD)

Does the motherboard matter much if he doesn't plan to overclock? Is the 550 W Psu overkill? I think his choice for the gpu would be some middle class gpu. Should he stretch his budget by 60€ for Ryzen 3600? Does the SSD brand matter much?

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
 
The 3600 is much better than the 2600 for gaming. It's worth the money. You would need a motherboard that can have the bios update done without cpu tho. A b450m gaming plus can do this.\

550w isnt too much if you are going to add a better gpu in the future. What GPU are you going to use in the meantime?

The SSD brand doesnt matter a ton, but id get a decent model to protect your data.
 
Jul 20, 2019
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I would say the money saved by going with the 2600 rather than the 3600 can be saved for a gpu in the future. The 3600 is better for gaming but the 2600 is still a great cpu.
 

gbench

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@ remixislandmusic
Thanks. Yes, I have noticed that 3600 has a much better overall performance. I will let my friend to decide whether he is able to add extra money. The shop where my friend is buying the PC will assemble all the parts for free and does some basic stress testing before shipping. So the bios updates etc should come stress free.
For the temporary gpu I was thinking something like 7850 or similar. For the future I think 2060, RX 5600/5700 or similar will do.
Are Sandisk plus, Crucial BX500, Kingston UV500, WD Green a better option? Or maybe Intel 660p M.2 for extra 10€? Samsung EVO series is +30€.
 
Getting an NVMe drive is better than SATA. Remember, there are some M.2 drives that use SATA, do not fall for this trap.
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor ($126.71 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI - B450-A PRO ATX AM4 Motherboard ($93.70 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($68.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Patriot - Scorch 512 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($57.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Fractal Design - Focus G ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg Business)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12II 520 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($50.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $448.37
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-07-20 12:00 EDT-0400


You could get something like this. I wouldn't add anything expensive in terms of GPU. Just get something like a GT710, which will be enough for until they wish to start gaming. Then, a 1660 Ti would be a good choice of GPU, and should last for the specified 5 years, and beyond after a CPU and GPU upgrade.
 

gbench

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@ ConanLock +1
Yes I have condsidered 2400G. My only worry is that it is "just" a 4 core cpu. Would it be enough for his needs for the next 5 years? His current PC is a Sandy Bridge 2-core pentium with 4 GB of RAM and SSD and it suffers a lot.

@ Nemerle
Thanks. I think you are right about saving money for better gpu.

@ ConanLock +2
Thanks for the list! My local prices are more expensive than your chosen parts though. I think I will put something similar together and then post it here for comparison.
 
The 660P is most certainly worth the extra money.

I agree the 2600 is likely a better option to save for a better gpu. I wouldn't go the APU route. They are powerful, but the extra threads of the 2600 or 3600 are going to speed up your multitasking a lot.
 

gbench

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Here is my current list:

CPU: Ryzen 2600
MOBO: Asrock B450M Pro4
RAM: G.SKILL Aegis 16 GB 3000 mhz
SSD: Intel 660p 512 GB
PSU: Seasonic S12II-620 W (small price difference to 520 W). +6€ could get me Corsair TXM 550 W. Worth it?
CASE: Zalman Mini Tower T2 plus to fit into price. Is it worth it going with Fractal Design Focus, Core 1100 or Corsair Carbide 88r? And can Zalman fit current components?
 
Yea that tower can fit that build.

The TXM is worth the extra 6 since its a small amount and the TXM will be more efficient at 80+ gold. Also, it's rated for lower wattage so it will be closer to the peak of its efficiency curve than the 620w.

I like the idea of the 2600 and buying a better GPU later.
 
Last edited:

gbench

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I asked my friend and he decided to go with Zalman.

Here is the current list:
CPU: Ryzen 2600
MOBO: Asrock B450M Pro4
RAM: G.SKILL Aegis 16 GB 3000 mhz
SSD: Intel 660p 512 GB
PSU: Corsair TXM 550 W
Case: Zalman Mini Tower T2 plus

Good to go?