Hello all-
I’m looking to replace an old Dell Inspiron (i3-6100) with a new computer and need some input on buying another cheap Dell or building a budget PC, or possibly upgrading the current Dell. I tend to buy a budget PC every 5-7 years and am wondering if building might be a good option. The current Dell is just plain slow and I’m guessing it’s not worth updating, but it is an option I’m considering.
System Usage from Most to Least Important: System is used for basic home office work (Word/Excel/PPT), email, surfing the internet, Zoom meetings and Quicken. I do a little bit of CAD work (typically Autocad Fusion 360) I also occasionally edit/create short videos for high school classes (I’m a teacher) using OpenShot or Lightworks.
Budget Range: Not firm, but $500-600 US would be nice.
Are you buying a monitor: No
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
Your Monitor Resolution: 27” 1920 x 1080 Resolution
Additional Comments:
Option 1:
Update the Dell Inspiron (i3-6100) with a 500GB SSD and a GPU. Something like a Zotac GTX 1050TI .
Option 2:
Buy a budget Dell. For example, they have an i5-10400 Inspiron with 8 GB memory, onboard graphics, and 512GB NVMe SSD that would probably fit the bill, here.
Option 3:
Build something per the list below. I’ve selected these components to be budget focused but also allow upgrading over time. For example, I’ve selected a GPU that is really more a display adapter and I would add a better GPU once prices come down.
CPU: Intel Core i3-10100F 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor
MB: Asus PRIME Z590M-PLUS Micro ATX LGA1200 Motherboard
Memory: Silicon Power 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
Storage: Memory: Crucial P2 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive
GPU: MSI GeForce GT 710 1 GB Video Card
Case: Fractal Design Define Mini C TG MicroATX Mid Tower Case
PS: EVGA B5 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
Questions: Which option do you suggest? Any problems or suggestions for the parts list for that option?
Thanks ahead,
Dave
I’m looking to replace an old Dell Inspiron (i3-6100) with a new computer and need some input on buying another cheap Dell or building a budget PC, or possibly upgrading the current Dell. I tend to buy a budget PC every 5-7 years and am wondering if building might be a good option. The current Dell is just plain slow and I’m guessing it’s not worth updating, but it is an option I’m considering.
System Usage from Most to Least Important: System is used for basic home office work (Word/Excel/PPT), email, surfing the internet, Zoom meetings and Quicken. I do a little bit of CAD work (typically Autocad Fusion 360) I also occasionally edit/create short videos for high school classes (I’m a teacher) using OpenShot or Lightworks.
Budget Range: Not firm, but $500-600 US would be nice.
Are you buying a monitor: No
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
Your Monitor Resolution: 27” 1920 x 1080 Resolution
Additional Comments:
Option 1:
Update the Dell Inspiron (i3-6100) with a 500GB SSD and a GPU. Something like a Zotac GTX 1050TI .
Option 2:
Buy a budget Dell. For example, they have an i5-10400 Inspiron with 8 GB memory, onboard graphics, and 512GB NVMe SSD that would probably fit the bill, here.
Option 3:
Build something per the list below. I’ve selected these components to be budget focused but also allow upgrading over time. For example, I’ve selected a GPU that is really more a display adapter and I would add a better GPU once prices come down.
CPU: Intel Core i3-10100F 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor
MB: Asus PRIME Z590M-PLUS Micro ATX LGA1200 Motherboard
Memory: Silicon Power 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
Storage: Memory: Crucial P2 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive
GPU: MSI GeForce GT 710 1 GB Video Card
Case: Fractal Design Define Mini C TG MicroATX Mid Tower Case
PS: EVGA B5 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
Questions: Which option do you suggest? Any problems or suggestions for the parts list for that option?
Thanks ahead,
Dave
Last edited:
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