[Build Log] Mini-ITX PC - Middle School

[tsuneo6]

I know it said 1080p and it showed triple monitor, so perhaps the triple monitor is not 60FPS, or does not play the latest games, so the system is capable of triple monitor, but at reduced performance.

One thing I can find out if the cost of the course. Mine will be $500, including all the basic hardware, so that's $400 for the bits and ten weeks for $100. This one must be a lot more expensive.

most cards support tripple monitor support nowadays. so that may have been it yes.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

tsuneo9 You switched from 280X to 290x or is that a typo?

A 970 can do triple monitor and it must play decent BF 3 on them????

 

[tsuneo6]

ah yes I meant r9 280x yes.

and a 970 will run bf3 un tripple monitor. I cant say for sure how well but it should be fine at medium or even high settings. i'll have to look that up.

*update*
I cant seem to find much about a tripple monitor setup with a gtx 970 and bf3. I did however find this:
http://wccftech.com/review/msi-geforce-gtx-970-gaming-4g-review/
the only bf3 benchmark with a gtx 970 I could find . seeing as it runs the ultra preset at 120 fps with a 1080p res. it should run a tripple monitor on high fluently if you play around with the settings a bit.

 

[zeyuanfu]

One thing I can find out if the cost of the course. Mine will be $500, including all the basic hardware, so that's $400 for the bits and ten weeks for $100. This one must be a lot more expensive.

Are you going to use a build with the 280X (improbable)? 400$ doesn't get you much except for a 4150 and something like a 750 Ti...
If the other course goes for 700$<, you could use my 4150+280X build and switch the motherboard to a Z/H97 board to not cause (improbable) compatibility problems.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I'm going with this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4150 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($89.99 @ TigerDirect)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($77.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Team Zeus Red 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.59 @ Directron)
Case: Azza SIRIUS ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($52.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $384.52
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-22 07:59 EST-0500

We agreed that the iGPU is good enough for MineCraft.

I'll be offering GPU upgrades at about $60 steps, from a
GTX730
260X
280
290
GTX970

 

[zeyuanfu]

Okay, you might want to get a Z97 board and something like a HAF 912 or a 200R. H97 boards don't allow for SLI, and SLI capability is something you can add as a feature for ~20-30$ more. The case isn't the best you can get for its price, the aforementioned two would be much better.
Also, about the GPU, 240$ for a 290 isn't exactly beneficial for you as a good quality 290 costs 249.99 and 300$ for a 970? The cheapest you can get is an ACX 2.0 for 329.99. You might want to bump the increments from 60$ to 70$ (that's what I'd do).
The 620 watt version of that PSU is WAY cheaper, at 35$: https://pcpartpicker.com/part/antec-power-supply-neoeco620c

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I'm not allowing for SLI in any case, the motherboard and PSU will not support it. One GPU only.

I said about $60. At the upper end, where it won't matter as much the steps are larger, about $80 from 280X to 290 and another $80 to a good GTX 970.

The PSU will be fine. At the time I order, I'll buy the best, cheapest parts available. Everything changes on a daily basis.

I keep rebates off in the design process.

 

[zeyuanfu]

Well, that was kinda what I was saying, give the students the option to pay more for a Z97 board, a capable PSU and maybe two GPUs.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I'm dealing with fourteen year old's here. Their dreams tend to exceed their knowledge. I'm giving them a good start. Let them go crazy next time

 

[zeyuanfu]

Okay, right.
Are you offering the course to older kids? Some of them might just want SLI

 

[DonkeyOatie]

Not this year. If they want SLI, I would rather come up with a different configuration. Those who know SLI probably don't need the course

 

[zeyuanfu]

I would still go with something like this for the case, though: https://pcpartpicker.com/part/nzxt-case-s210001

 

[DonkeyOatie]

The case. like the PSU, will be the best cheapest I can find, rebates and all, on the day I place the order. The NZXT 210 is better today, but who knows what will be offered tomorrow? I will make sure that the case will handle full-sized GPUs and that the thermals are not too bad.

Part of what I'm offering is the 'right' parts.

 

[tsuneo6]

in february the r9 3xx series will come out. chances are the curent rpices from the r9 2xx series will drop even more then. so you could pick up a r9 290 kinda cheap in some months. maybe worth waiting for?

 

[tiny voices]

Problem is that card would need a much more expensive power supply, and makes alot more heat/ runs hotter/ is more prone to issues. Not really ideal for a build for kids in my opinion.

 

[zeyuanfu]

The 280X is already pretty cheap (Tri-X at 199.99$? Pretty dang good if you ask me) but they're going to dip steeply once the R9 3xx cards come out.

 

[tsuneo6]

ah yes didnt think of that...
well it'll count for the other cards aswell. nvidia aswell I'm guessing

 

[zeyuanfu]

The release of the GTX 960 probably will make the 7xx cards' price drop as well.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I'm planning for 'today'. Tomorrow will take care of itself.

TODAY the build would be:

[PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4150 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($67.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($57.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.59 @ Directron)
Case: Azza SIRIUS ATX Mid Tower Case ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 620W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $329.53
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-22 16:38 EST-0500

That is an amazing price for that kit!

 

[zeyuanfu]

Ahh, much nicer pricing

 

[DonkeyOatie]

I could do this under $400!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4150 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($67.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($57.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($53.59 @ Directron)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 250 2GB Core Edition Video Card ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Azza SIRIUS ATX Mid Tower Case ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 620W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $399.52
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-22 16:59 EST-0500

 

[zeyuanfu]

The R7 250 is REALLY not worth it, check Linus' video on the R7 240 (which is a tad weaker than the 250):
[video="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sph6cjJeRdI"][/video]

 

[tiny voices]

I hate linus. His videos are worthless and half the things he says are incorrect or or VERY VERY biased towards the companies that give him money.

The ddr3 250 is worthless. Don't buy it. If you can get a GDDR5 250, then go for it. It is a powerhouse of a sub $100 card and will run ANY modern game, including crysis, BF4, Metro LL, etc. at low settings with 50-60fps at 1080p.

 

[RazerZ]

" A STUPID PRODUCT, NO ONE BUY IT"

Tiny I can see where you're coming from. I haven't seen much of his videos besides two of them which talked about using plastidip with pc parts and another one about bent pins on motherboards.

 

[DonkeyOatie]

Fine. The 1GB DDR5 is about the same price. It's kind of moot. The prices are so fluid.