[SOLVED] A new Desktop for my Dad

[Flavoade]

Hey guys, my Dad needs a new PC. Samsclub has Tower Form Factor Bundles with Monitor, Keyboard, and Mouse for about $600. No gaming will be performed, or movies. it will be used to check emails and pay bills. I found a Partpicker list for a cheap sub $500 build but that takes a little work and time and he needs a PC now cause the old is giving the BSOD.

Appreciate what you guys think:

The $700 Bundle that is discounted by $150

This is a $1150 Bundle that will be considered if the value/performance is there

The $600 unit

If building one would benefit more than the above bundles we may be able to delay till the parts come in.

Thanks in advance.

 

[justin.m.beauvais]

I would say, go with a prebuilt in this case. Yes they cost a little more, but they come with one thing that a home built doesn't, support.

I will note that something I don't see in any of these is an SSD. Yes there is Optane acceleration, but it isn't the same. As long as he isn't trying to store a bunch of stuff on it, a 256GB or 500GB SSD will make life a LOT nicer for him. Fast boot times, fast program launches, and a generally more responsive system are great quality of life enhancements. The problem is that I don't see any here that have SSDs.

If it doesn't have to be from Sams, might I recommend this system?
https://www.newegg.com/lenovo-ideacentre-510a-business-desktops-workstations/p/1VK-0003-03XB6
With this monitor
https://www.newegg.com/benq-gw2780-27-full-hd/p/1DH-007Y-00003?Item=1DH-007Y-00003
Both the monitor and tower are, in my opinion anyways, better than anything Sams has listed.
The desktop comes with a reasonable i3-8100, which will be plenty fast, 8GB of RAM, and the 256GB SSD. The 27" Benq monitor is just like the one I got for my wife, only bigger. It is quite a nice display.

If it has to be from Sams go for the i5 8400 system the $700 one with the discount. It is quite acceptable, I just think that the SSD would be the nicest thing you could do for him. No one likes waiting on a slow booting laggy computer.

 

[hang-the-9]

Did you try a clean Windows setup on the old computer before just running out and getting a new one? Or different RAM? Anything?

For basic use you can build a system for way cheaper than $500 or $600, not counting the monitor which you should already have from the old system. This setup is under $350 and will run things fine.

AMD Ryzen 3 2200G $78 https://www.amazon.com/AMD-Ryzen-Pr...C3N80C1N6DP&psc=1&refRID=Q93X8DJW1C3N80C1N6DP

GIGABYTE GA-A320M-S2H $60 https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-GA-...FQ0CWPSK9D80&refRID=SEBB7P2CFQ0CWPSK9D80&th=1

8 GB RAM $30 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q1H784...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Kingston 250GB A2000 M.2 2280 Nvme $40 https://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Int...t=&hvlocphy=9001834&hvtargid=pla-876363187877

Case Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L Micro ATX Tower $45 https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Maste...cro+ATX+Tower&qid=1575994500&s=pc&sr=8-1&th=1

Modular PSU $60 https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Bron...=1&qid=1575994622&sprefix=modular+pow,aps,156 60

 

[Wolfshadw]

Where do you live? Do you have a MicroCenter nearby? If so, you could purchase your components, build it (today) yourself and save some cash/headaches.

-Wolf sends

 

[King_V]

There's also The Micro Machine in my signature. It's running Linux, so, no Windows license, but it was under $300 total for the hardware. It has very low power draw, and is a hell of a space saver.

The SSD is small, and today, a 256 or 512 GB would not be much more, cost-wise. Also today, unless you're near a MicroCenter (which has the Athlon 200ge for $39.99), the new Athlon 3000g would be cheaper than the 200GE, 220GE, or 240GE.

I suppose some refurbished units might be worthwhile as well - particularly if they include any kind of warranty and the Windows license.


What sort of hardware is your dad running now? I'd say back up any of his files to a USB drive if possible, and get an idea of how much disk space in total he's actually using. As @hang-the-9 suggested, a clean-install of Windows might do the trick.

 

[Flavoade]

I would say, go with a prebuilt in this case. Yes they cost a little more, but they come with one thing that a home built doesn't, support.

I will note that something I don't see in any of these is an SSD. Yes there is Optane acceleration, but it isn't the same. As long as he isn't trying to store a bunch of stuff on it, a 256GB or 500GB SSD will make life a LOT nicer for him. Fast boot times, fast program launches, and a generally more responsive system are great quality of life enhancements. The problem is that I don't see any here that have SSDs.

If it doesn't have to be from Sams, might I recommend this system?
https://www.newegg.com/lenovo-ideacentre-510a-business-desktops-workstations/p/1VK-0003-03XB6
With this monitor
https://www.newegg.com/benq-gw2780-27-full-hd/p/1DH-007Y-00003?Item=1DH-007Y-00003
Both the monitor and tower are, in my opinion anyways, better than anything Sams has listed.
The desktop comes with a reasonable i3-8100, which will be plenty fast, 8GB of RAM, and the 256GB SSD. The 27" Benq monitor is just like the one I got for my wife, only bigger. It is quite a nice display.

If it has to be from Sams go for the i5 8400 system the $700 one with the discount. It is quite acceptable, I just think that the SSD would be the nicest thing you could do for him. No one likes waiting on a slow booting laggy computer.

That was my first thought about the SamsClub bundles. None of them have SSDs, including the HP Omen. I felt for the price better could be had. My Dad insisted on Sams because of an extra discount he said he'll receive, but I may have talked him into something better. My Dad is 73 and he is not slow by any means. He can hook up a PC easily as he was Electrical Engineer for the chemical plants back in the day. But when it comes to using them he can struggle sometimes. So the thought of having tech support available is a plus.

Tell me what you think about these two Best Buy PCs:
CyberPowerPC - Gaming Desktop - AMD Ryzen 5 3600 - 8GB Memory - AMD Radeon RX 580 - 2TB HDD + 240GB SSD - Black

HP - OMEN Obelisk- Intel Core i7-9700 - 16GB Memory - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti - 1TB Hard Drive + 256GB SSD - Shadow Black Front Bezel/Dark Chrome Logo

I know these are suppose to be"Gaming" Desktops, but my Dad loves 'Overkill.' A PC that will be somewhat future proof and last a good while is worth it in his book.

 

[hang-the-9]

That was my first thought about the SamsClub bundles. None of them have SSDs, including the HP Omen. I felt for the price better could be had. My Dad insisted on Sams because of an extra discount he said he'll receive, but I may have talked him into something better. My Dad is 73 and he is not slow by any means. He can hook up a PC easily as he was Electrical Engineer for the chemical plants back in the day. But when it comes to using them he can struggle sometimes. So the thought of having tech support available is a plus.

Tell me what you think about these two Best Buy PCs:
CyberPowerPC - Gaming Desktop - AMD Ryzen 5 3600 - 8GB Memory - AMD Radeon RX 580 - 2TB HDD + 240GB SSD - Black

HP - OMEN Obelisk- Intel Core i7-9700 - 16GB Memory - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti - 1TB Hard Drive + 256GB SSD - Shadow Black Front Bezel/Dark Chrome Logo

I know these are suppose to be"Gaming" Desktops, but my Dad loves 'Overkill.' A PC that will be somewhat future proof and last a good while is worth it in his book.

Both wasting money on stuff that won't get used, you can check email on your phone, no need for a system with a gaming video card.

 

[Flavoade]

Did you try a clean Windows setup on the old computer before just running out and getting a new one? Or different RAM? Anything?

For basic use you can build a system for way cheaper than $500 or $600, not counting the monitor which you should already have from the old system. This setup is under $350 and will run things fine.

AMD Ryzen 3 2200G $78 https://www.amazon.com/AMD-Ryzen-Pr...C3N80C1N6DP&psc=1&refRID=Q93X8DJW1C3N80C1N6DP

GIGABYTE GA-A320M-S2H $60 https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-GA-...FQ0CWPSK9D80&refRID=SEBB7P2CFQ0CWPSK9D80&th=1

8 GB RAM $30 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q1H784...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Kingston 250GB A2000 M.2 2280 Nvme $40 https://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Int...t=&hvlocphy=9001834&hvtargid=pla-876363187877

Case Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L Micro ATX Tower $45 https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Transparent-Adjustable-Ventilated/dp/B0785GRMPG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Cooler+Master+MasterBox+Q300L+Micro+ATX+Tower&qid=1575994500&s=pc&sr=8-1&th=1

Modular PSU $60 https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Bronze-Certified-Modular-CP-9020101-NA/dp/B01B72VXE6/ref=sxin_1_ac_d_rm?ac_md=0-0-bW9kdWxhciBwb3dlciBzdXBwbHk=-ac_d_rm&crid=26CFIARUQ68TX&keywords=modular+power+supply&pd_rd_i=B01B72VXE6&pd_rd_r=e8d0e905-8b02-4b8f-90f3-05f4fe16fc63&pd_rd_w=AbDLy&pd_rd_wg=YYTwh&pf_rd_p=e2f20af2-9651-42af-9a45-89425d5bae34&pf_rd_r=Z6MREKWXBE3QJMD3R6R5&psc=1&qid=1575994622&sprefix=modular+pow,aps,156 60

I didn't trouble shoot at all; reason being the current PC he is using is an old Dell Enterprise Optiplex 270(2004) Full Form Factor that I brought home from my old job 8 years ago, to replace an older Dell Optiplex that he purchased in 2001. It runs Windows XP, so he actually cannot receive emails through Outlook Express because the ISP provided email says his PC is to vulnerable to allow access to the server.

I have been trying to get him to buy a new PC for the past 5 years, but he insists he doesn't need a new one because the old one still works lol. The monitor is actually my old NEC 19" CRT I bought back in 2004. Has a lot of miles but its still going. It also takes up a lot of space on the table.

That build looks very cost effective. I just spoke to him and he says he wants something higher quality that will last a long time.

 

[justin.m.beauvais]

That was my first thought about the SamsClub bundles. None of them have SSDs, including the HP Omen. I felt for the price better could be had. My Dad insisted on Sams because of an extra discount he said he'll receive, but I may have talked him into something better. My Dad is 73 and he is not slow by any means. He can hook up a PC easily as he was Electrical Engineer for the chemical plants back in the day. But when it comes to using them he can struggle sometimes. So the thought of having tech support available is a plus.

Tell me what you think about these two Best Buy PCs:
CyberPowerPC - Gaming Desktop - AMD Ryzen 5 3600 - 8GB Memory - AMD Radeon RX 580 - 2TB HDD + 240GB SSD - Black

HP - OMEN Obelisk- Intel Core i7-9700 - 16GB Memory - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti - 1TB Hard Drive + 256GB SSD - Shadow Black Front Bezel/Dark Chrome Logo

I know these are suppose to be"Gaming" Desktops, but my Dad loves 'Overkill.' A PC that will be somewhat future proof and last a good while is worth it in his book.

I'm afraid I can't really look at those at the moment... limitations of my job, internet connection, etc. However, I think that a gaming tower is probably not the way to go.

So, here is my suggestion. Get an i5 or Ryzen 5 system, with 16GB of RAM, an SSD, and a lower end GPU if you get the Ryzen. Intel actually makes more sense in this case. An i5 will be a good CPU for a long time. I'm still rocking an i5 4590 in my desktop and it has no problems, and is about 5 years old. A modern 6 core i5 will be good for years. Go to HP's or Dell's or Lenovo's website and custom configure a system. Buying off the shelf is proving to be a hassle, and this way you get what you want, you get support, and you still get a one stop shop solution. You can even configure it with a Ryzen 7 or an i7 if you really think he needs that much power to future proof it. It is all up to you.

 

[Flavoade]

Where do you live? Do you have a MicroCenter nearby? If so, you could purchase your components, build it (today) yourself and save some cash/headaches.

-Wolf sends

I live in Baton Rouge, LA so no such luck. We do have a small Computer store that sells refurbs, and parts and will actually build you a custom PC if you ask them. I haven't been over there in years because their prices are kinda high. The older generation that lives in the area keeps them in business as they repair and troubleshoot as well.

There's also The Micro Machine in my signature. It's running Linux, so, no Windows license, but it was under $300 total for the hardware. It has very low power draw, and is a hell of a space saver.

The SSD is small, and today, a 256 or 512 GB would not be much more. Also today, unless you're near a MicroCenter (which has the Athlon 200ge for $39.99), the new Athlon 3000g would be cheaper than the 200GE, 220GE, or 240GE.

I suppose some refurbished units might be worthwhile as well - particularly if they include any kind of warranty and the Windows license.


What sort of hardware is your dad running now? I'd say back up any of his files to a USB drive if possible, and get an idea of how much disk space in total he's actually using. As @hang-the-9 suggested, a clean-install of Windows might do the trick.

He says he will buy whatever makes his money go the farthest. So it doesn't need to be cheap, but he gets SamsClub flyers in the mail advertising $600 PC bundles so that was kind of the target. Also his girlfriend wants a iMac.

He is using 15 year old Dell Enterprise PC I bought from my old IT job. It runs Windows XP, and all he uses it for is emails and to pay bills, so there is really nothing on it.

I actually want it to die so he will have to upgrade, honestly.

 

[Flavoade]

Both wasting money on stuff that won't get used, you can check email on your phone, no need for a system with a gaming video card.

I agree! The only thing he may do is browse Youtube with a new comp, just because the current pc cannot handle loading videos. He uses a Motorola Q9 for a phone so he can't check emails on it lol

It would be a waste for what he will use it for, but he will feel more comfortable about purchasing it because it has more "power."

I know this is not logical, but basically if you were going to pay $800 for a store bought PC, what would you feel comfortable buying?

I'm leaning toward the $650 Cyber Power, but ya'll are more informed and likely know of a better buy.

 

[Flavoade]

I'm afraid I can't really look at those at the moment... limitations of my job, internet connection, etc. However, I think that a gaming tower is probably not the way to go.

So, here is my suggestion. Get an i5 or Ryzen 5 system, with 16GB of RAM, an SSD, and a lower end GPU if you get the Ryzen. Intel actually makes more sense in this case. An i5 will be a good CPU for a long time. I'm still rocking an i5 4590 in my desktop and it has no problems, and is about 5 years old. A modern 6 core i5 will be good for years. Go to HP's or Dell's or Lenovo's website and custom configure a system. Buying off the shelf is proving to be a hassle, and this way you get what you want, you get support, and you still get a one stop shop solution. You can even configure it with a Ryzen 7 or an i7 if you really think he needs that much power to future proof it. It is all up to you.

Sounds like a good idea. I will play around with the configurator and see what the cost is like.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Dell Outlet Scratch and Dent - XPS 8930 - $833

Another option. I'd take this over a new CyberPower/IBuyPower system any day of the week and twice on Sunday. It has:

Intel Core I5-9400
16GB DDR4-2666 RAM
256GB SSD
1TB HDD
Geforce GTX 1650
1 Year Hardware Service with In-Home/Onsite Service After Remote Diagnosis
Windows 10 64-bit
Keyboard/Mouse

Just needs a display.

-Wolf sends