[Build Log] Mini-ITX PC - Middle School

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The H81-D Plus is better as:
-It has one more PCIe x1 slot
-It has a clear CMOS jumper
-It has an S/PDIF out
-It has one mre fan header
And more.
The MSI board only has ONE fan connector, just enough for the CPU fan without using a fan splitter.
 
As for the configurator, I would do something like this:
CPU:
Pentium G3258
i3-4150
i5-4460
Xeon E3-1231 V3

CPU cooler:
CM Hyper 212 EVO

Motherboard:
Asus H81-D Plus
ASRock H97 Pro4
ASRock Z97X Fatal1ty Killer

RAM:
4 GB of whatever's the cheapest
8 GB of whatever's the cheapest
16 GB of whatever's the cheapest

Primary SSD:
None
Sandisk 128 GB
PNY Optima 240 GB

HDD:
1 TB
2 TB

GPU:
Integrated
750 Ti
R9 280(X)
GTX 970

Case:
Whatever's the cheapest

PSU:
VP-450
XFX 550 watt
EVGA 750 B2
 
CPU
Intel
Pentium G3258
i3 4xxx
i5 4xxx
Xeon E3 123x V3 ( like a locked i7 without the integrated graphics)
i7 4xxx
--
AMD
FX 6300
FX 8320/E

Motherboard
Intel
H81
H87
Z87 with sli/crossfire and overclocking capability
H97
Z97 with sli/crossfire and overclocking capability
--
AMD
overclocking capability comes standard
970 (with possible sli/crossfire capability)
990FX (sli/crossfire standard)


RAM
1 x 4 GB
2 x 4 GB
2 x 8 GB

Storage
1 Tb, 7200rpm, 64Mb cache
120+Gb SSD, 1 Tb, 7200rpm, 64Mb cache
240+Gb SSD 1 Tb, 7200rpm, 64Mb cache

GPU
iGPU
R7 250x
R7 265
GTX 750ti (no PCIe needed)
R9 270/x
GTX 760
R9 280
R9 280x
GTX 770
R9 290
GTX 970

PSU
300-450W
500-650W
750W and above with four 6/6+2 PCI cables ( required for sli/crossfire)


Case
ATX Full Tower
ATX Mid Tower
MicroATX Mid Tower
MicroATX Mini Tower

Extras
aftermarket cooler
case fans
fan controller
wireless network adapter

-------------------------------------------------

That's what I have so far. The list can be further broken down by price where applicable.
 
That seems good, but it would be much more convenient if the necessary parts were ready instead of having to wait a week for them to arrive.
2 TB drives might be ideal for students who do heavy-duty stuff and need a lot of storage.
Also, the GTX 770 won't be made anymore, so the price is and will be high (around 300$). It wouldn't make much sense to get that over a 290 or a 970.
 
Yes! There is the support issue. I'm expecting to have one spare for each part in case something needs to be returned.

Humor me. You are going through places I have already been. Three, and only three, options at each level. Any CPU without iGPU is out.

I'm wondering if WiFi/Bluetooth should be mandatory. Not everyone wants cable running to their router. An internal PCIe x1 card will do the business for less than $20.
 


Thanks. I'll change things later. You have convinced me.

 
No problem:)
I don't think anyone would like to have only their CPU fan running, right?

As for the configurator, I guess the G3258's out. I have a question, though. Do SSDs and HDDs belong in the same category/level?
 
@zeyuanfu the GTX 770 could haven been an option because as mentioned before, prices are fluid. The GTX 660 is discontinued and is still being sold. Occasionally it goes on sale for a decent price.
--

I guess since he's limiting the part selection to 3 for each category it won't be an option.

@DonkeyOatie When do you plan to buy the parts needed for the course?
 
The only affordable 770 would be the Asus DirectCU II, which is in ''limited quantities''. Sure, there will be sales, but the intervals between them will be much too long for the 770 to be a viable option.
 


As things stand, and things are fluid, sometime toward the end of the first quarter next year. None of these decisions are carved in stone either. Before I buy, I'll check everything. I'm selling modern, solid, upgradable, powerful, full-function, flexible, reliable, high quality..... to gain advantage over anyone else.

What do you think about WiFi?

 
I think wifi is a great option. Some H97/Z97 mITX boards come with a wifi adapter built into the motherboard and are priced reasonably such as this model:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($82.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $82.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-12-25 16:14 EST-0500

Otherwise you can pick up a decent PCI network adapter for around $20.

--

On a side note my friend ended up buying a PS4 so there goes the mITX build 🙁
 
All BUDGET
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor ($111.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus H81M-D PLUS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($36.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($29.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: Antec Basiq 350W ATX Power Supply ($27.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill N600PCE 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($19.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $321.42
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-12-25 16:34 EST-0500

All STANDARD

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($61.98 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($99.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Thermaltake Commander MS-I ID ATX Mid Tower Case ($34.99 @ Micro Center)
Power Supply: Antec 450W ATX Power Supply ($33.98 @ Directron)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill N600PCE 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($19.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $615.88
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-12-25 16:23 EST-0500

All PREMIUM

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($318.87 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Z97X Killer ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($114.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($104.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($339.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card (2-Way SLI) ($339.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Antec GX500 ATX Mid Tower Case ($42.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Antec HCG M 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Wireless Network Adapter: Rosewill N600PCE 802.11a/b/g/n PCI-Express x1 Wi-Fi Adapter ($19.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1521.76
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-12-25 16:14 EST-0500

It's amazing how much prices have changed since this morning !!!!!
 
Again, great builds, but I would change the following:
The 4150 was on sale for ~95$ yesterday. You could maybe wait for a sale like that again.
The XFX 550 watt unit can be had for a few dollars more than the VP-450. The deal won't last long, though.
This 2133/CL9 kit of RAM can be had for 64.99$: https://pcpartpicker.com/part/gskill-memory-f32133c9d8gxl
This Sandisk 128 GB SSD can be had for ~52$: https://pcpartpicker.com/part/sandisk-internal-hard-drive-sdssdp128gg25
The Xeon E3-1231 V3 can be had for 50$ less than the 4790K. The only thing you lose is the overclockability, and you don't want students to fry 300$ CPUs now, don't you?
This PNY Optima SSD can be had for 73.99$ after MIR: https://pcpartpicker.com/part/pny-internal-hard-drive-ssd7sc240goptrb

Prices on these components can only drop. You should be able to find the Haswell CPUs mentioned above at a lower price next year due to the release of Broadwell. SSD's prices should remain stable, if not drop.
 
Well I think suggesting individual parts is more or less pointless since prices will change. What you get today will not be what you can get tomorrow.

New hardware will be released next year such as the GTX 960 and Intel's Broadwell CPUs which could also affect the possible builds.
 


Dang.

That's the mini-ITX board I bought myself.

Yes. The way prices change, specific parts make no sense. The BUDGET system will get the most cost effective i3 at the time. I'm nt a complete idiot (but I'm working on it, ) In all situations, Ill be looking for solid deals.

The i7 doesn't have to be overclocked, it's expensive, but it's also 4Ghz.

You input has already tweaked several little things which is just what I wanted, thanks.

I know about Xeon's, but they have no iGPU and for some systems, that's all they will have. Also, we know better, but I don't want to have to explain a 'server CPU'.



 
Minor change to the system. The baker's rack where the computer sits has a lot of metal and it seems that the signal from the wireless keyboard/mouse is weak. They randomly don't work, but there was no such problem on my desk or at school. Also, the keyboard is a bit light weight and the light from the screen is not enough to type in the dark, so the system now has a wired keyboard and mouse, a Cooler Master Devastator with blue backlighting. Working well.
 
We are beginning to work on a couple of new builds, but I wait for the money to turn up. I'll start new build logs.

I have a question of my own. I can get an openbox 'scratch and dent' ASUS M11AD with i3 4130T, 4Gb, 1Tb, Windows 7 for $199+tax,tag, and title. It has an Asus H81 motherboard in it. I'm thinking of getting it and repackaging it as a 'legacy' system, to run my old games which I cannot get to go on the new computer.

The parts will be like this.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130T 2.9GHz Dual-Core Processor ($119.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus H81M-D PLUS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.25 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.88 @ OutletPC)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($14.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $347.57
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-18 12:36 EST-0500

I assume that I will have to throw away the case and the PSU. Steal of a deal? Shove in a cheap GPU and Bob's your uncle?

Replace PSU, and Case. for under $50.

The memory is only 1333, but I think I can stay with that if I keep only the game window open. I can always match the stick when I find what it is.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130T 2.9GHz Dual-Core Processor ($119.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Asus H81M-D PLUS Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.49 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($29.25 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.88 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cougar Spike MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($29.99 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: Antec Basiq 350W ATX Power Supply ($24.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24F1ST DVD/CD Writer ($14.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($88.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $502.54
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-18 12:49 EST-0500

all for about $360.
 
Just how legacy are we talking for these games, XP, 98 going back as far as 3.1 and DOS?

Dont forget the 4gb of ram is instantly over what a 32bit will allow and you might have issues with a 2gb gfx card as well, uncertain.
 
They run on my dying laptop with windows 7 and 4GB, and they go back to Windows 95.

I found this interesting article. http://techbuyersguru.com/RAMgaming.php It seems 4GB is solid most of the time, if you are disciplined.

Dark Omen
Rites of War
Mechcommander
Mechcommander 2
MechWarrior 4: Vengeance
MechWarrior 4: Black Knight
MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries
KOTOR I
KOTOR II

I have KOTOR I running on the new system now.
 
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