Black Friday Build for $600 to $700

[olgranddad]

Approximate Purchase Date: e.g.: this week (the closer the better)

Budget Range: (e.g.: 300-400) Before / After Rebates; Before / After Shipping
We have $600 to $700 that we have been saving for my daughter's computer. I am thinking I can push the staying power of the PC if I buy parts this weekend. This is a system for a 9 year old. I am starting from scratch on the system. I have built a half dozen computers.

Thank You for all your help in advance!


System Usage from Most to Least Important: (e.g.: Folding@Home, gaming, surfing the internet, watching movies)
1) She plays mainly browser games right now like animal jam and transformice. I expect this to change as she grows older. She likes to play games with me. I'm not super high end. WOW, Neverwinter, World of Tanks, War Thunder. I imagine in the future she would want to be able to play some type of first person games
2) She likes to draw on the computer. She uses low end programs for now. In the future that could change. She is just getting into making videos. So recording of her playing games will be a must
3) Video streaming. She likes to watch Netflix and Youtube
4) I have an office 2010 that I will load for schoolwork

Are you buying a monitor: Yes
- She will need a monitor. I figure the 22" to 24" range. Right now the games she plays don't require a high frame rate.

Parts to Upgrade: (e.g.: CPU, mobo, RAM)
- Non chosen. I am starting from scratch

Do you need to buy OS: Yes
- I guess it will be Windows 10 Home Edition

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: (e.g.: newegg.com, ncix.com -- to show us selection & pricing)
- No preferred sites. All will be bought off the web. However, I do live with 30 minutes of Microcenter if there is a walk-in deal

Location:
- Rochester, Michigan. Microcenter is pretty close

Parts Preferences:
- Would like to have an SSD for booting. She would need another drive for file storage

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: As stated before, I am buying a new monitor

Additional Comments:
- The only things that could transfer are the keyboard and mouse.
- This computer should be able to survive 6+ years with reasonable upgrades

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: (e.g. I'm having trouble running game X or my PSU broke)

 

[geofelt]

Here are my thoughts for a budget build.
Take from it what you will:


------------------------------ budget skylake build ---------------------------
For a budget gaming build, I like to recommend that one builds for future expandability.
That means paying a bit more up front for some parts that allow for an easier future upgrade.
A good rule of thumb is to budget twice as much for the graphics card than for the cpu.

Let me start where you might not expect:

1. Buy a good 500w psu or better. 520w will run a card as good as a GTX1080.
Future graphics cards will be built on smaller 14nm so they should not need more power than today.
I would normally suggest Seasonic 520w: Expect to pay around $60.
Look for a tier 1 or 2 quality unit on a list such as this:
https://community.newegg.com/eggxpert/computer_hardware/f/135081/t/45344.aspx?Redirected=true

2. Buy a Z170 based motherboard. Z170 will allow you to install a overclockable cpu and even permit a future Kaby lake processor upgrade.
You should find one for under $100. Lesser lga1151 chipsets will work for the truly budget constrained but at the expense of future upgrade optiions.
Here is a M-ATX example: ASRock Z170M Pro4S for $99:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157637

If a future upgrade to an overclockable I5-6600K is not likely, you can use a much cheaper H110 based motherboard for about $50.

3. I suggest a I3-6100 @3.7. About $130. If you are truly budget limited, you can buy a g4400 dual core for $60.
In time, you can upgrade to any I3/I5/I7 cpu that you want and market theoriginal processor.

4. The intel stock cooler will do the job. Skylake runs cool.
If you want, you can use a cryorig H7 cooler with a 120mm fan. $35. It will be quieter.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4UF2DZ6565
One can always add a cpu cooler later.

5. For ram, speed is not important. Buy a 8gb kit of 2 x 4gb DDR4 1.2v 2133 speed ram.
About $40. If you ever want 16gb, buy it up front in one kit; adding more ram is never guaranteed to work.
Heat spreaders are marketing and generally useless.
Faster ram is not worth it for skylake:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1478-page1.html

6. Cases are a personal thing. Buy one you love. Most will do the job for <$50.
Here is a silverstone PS08 for $35; It fits a smallar M-ATX motherboard.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163223

7. The graphics card is the most important component for gaming.
I like the GTX750ti and EVGA as a brand.
Here is a superclock version:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
You could go stronger in the video card if your budget permits and your games need it.
On the other hand, you could build using the integrated 530 graphics which is quite good and see how you do.
By deferring on the graphics card, you will get a better idea of what you really need.
Integrated is fine for sims, but not fast action games.
8. Lastly, I will never build again without a SSD for the "C" drive. It makes everything you do so much quicker. 120gb will hold the OS and a handful of games.
With 240gb you may never need a hard drive at all. Defer on a hard drive until your ssd approaches 90% full.
Currently, I like samsung 850 EVO best.

-------------good luck------------