Approximate Purchase Date: this summer (August 15th at the latest)
Budget Range: $550 or so (not including monitor)
System Usage from Most to Least Importantbasic word processing, surfing the internet, iTunes music, streaming Hulu/Netflix content)
Parts Not Required: 1TB WD Caviar Black HDD (brand new spare)
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg.com or Amazon.com
Country: USA
Parts Preferences: Intel, and SFF CASE IS A MUST
Overclocking: NO
SLI or Crossfire: NO
Monitor Resolution: Don't know (will get basic 24" LED monitor, probably)
Additional Comments:
This computer is for my daughter's birthday on August 24, though my ex-wife and her "boyfriend" will undoubtedly use it, also (they live down the road from me). Their household has a laptop and a notebook computer, both with varying degrees of sluggishness - so much so, that they don't even bother with internet service (though they will get it with the advent of the computer I propose to build here).
I want to give my daughter a "kick-ass" computer, but I don't want to "over-do" it. For instance, an Ivy Bridge i5 with a 120GB SSD boot drive sounds great, but I doubt she needs power like that. An i3-2105 with the OS on the 1TB HDD is more likely ... but will it be "sluggish" in comparison? And if not, I am tempted to wait for the Ivy Bridge i3s which should drop in late July or early August, just in time for this new build. Would a smaller (therefore cheaper) SSD boot drive (64GB or so) still be advantageous, or just a waste of money? I want this computer to be relatively inexpensive, but "quick and responsive" ...
(To compare, I myself have an i5-760 with a 320GB HDD boot drive and a 1TB HDD for storage, and I'm happy enough with mine).
I want to convince my doubting ex-wife that a good desktop beats an inexpensive laptop every time (without spending a fortune).
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
CASE/PSU: (SMALL FORM FACTOR IS A MUST - I REALLY WANT THIS CASE)
SilverStone SG05BB-450 ALL Black Plastic/SECC Mini-ITX Computer Case with SFX 450W 80+ Bronze Certified/Single +12V rail Power Supply
OS:
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (of course)
HDD: (already own it - $89 last summer, never used)
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
CPU: not fully committed - maybe wait for Ivy Bridge i3-3225 (HD4000 IGP)
Intel Core i3-2105 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000
... or ...
Intel Core i5-2405S Sandy Bridge 2.5GHz (3.3GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 65W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000
CPU COOLER: not overclocking, so "stock" should be okay?
GPU: N/A - will use integrated graphics (they have PS3/XBOX for games)
MOBO: not committed (simple "mini-ITX" with at least 1xSATA 6, and HDMI?)
RAM: not committed (2x4GB sticks sound nice, should be low-voltage)
OPTICAL DRIVE: (gotta be "slim" - don't know that Blu-Ray is a must, and I kinda like that this is "slot-load" instead of tray)
Sony Optiarc Slim CD/DVD Burner
I have a tendency to "over-think" this stuff to death ... any advice ON THE BUILD I PROPOSED ABOVE will be helpful, thank you.
Main question ... which CPU, and suggest a MOBO/RAM pairing (probably H67?)
Budget Range: $550 or so (not including monitor)
System Usage from Most to Least Importantbasic word processing, surfing the internet, iTunes music, streaming Hulu/Netflix content)
Parts Not Required: 1TB WD Caviar Black HDD (brand new spare)
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg.com or Amazon.com
Country: USA
Parts Preferences: Intel, and SFF CASE IS A MUST
Overclocking: NO
SLI or Crossfire: NO
Monitor Resolution: Don't know (will get basic 24" LED monitor, probably)
Additional Comments:
This computer is for my daughter's birthday on August 24, though my ex-wife and her "boyfriend" will undoubtedly use it, also (they live down the road from me). Their household has a laptop and a notebook computer, both with varying degrees of sluggishness - so much so, that they don't even bother with internet service (though they will get it with the advent of the computer I propose to build here).
I want to give my daughter a "kick-ass" computer, but I don't want to "over-do" it. For instance, an Ivy Bridge i5 with a 120GB SSD boot drive sounds great, but I doubt she needs power like that. An i3-2105 with the OS on the 1TB HDD is more likely ... but will it be "sluggish" in comparison? And if not, I am tempted to wait for the Ivy Bridge i3s which should drop in late July or early August, just in time for this new build. Would a smaller (therefore cheaper) SSD boot drive (64GB or so) still be advantageous, or just a waste of money? I want this computer to be relatively inexpensive, but "quick and responsive" ...
(To compare, I myself have an i5-760 with a 320GB HDD boot drive and a 1TB HDD for storage, and I'm happy enough with mine).
I want to convince my doubting ex-wife that a good desktop beats an inexpensive laptop every time (without spending a fortune).
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
CASE/PSU: (SMALL FORM FACTOR IS A MUST - I REALLY WANT THIS CASE)
SilverStone SG05BB-450 ALL Black Plastic/SECC Mini-ITX Computer Case with SFX 450W 80+ Bronze Certified/Single +12V rail Power Supply
OS:
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (of course)
HDD: (already own it - $89 last summer, never used)
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
CPU: not fully committed - maybe wait for Ivy Bridge i3-3225 (HD4000 IGP)
Intel Core i3-2105 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000
... or ...
Intel Core i5-2405S Sandy Bridge 2.5GHz (3.3GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 65W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000
CPU COOLER: not overclocking, so "stock" should be okay?
GPU: N/A - will use integrated graphics (they have PS3/XBOX for games)
MOBO: not committed (simple "mini-ITX" with at least 1xSATA 6, and HDMI?)
RAM: not committed (2x4GB sticks sound nice, should be low-voltage)
OPTICAL DRIVE: (gotta be "slim" - don't know that Blu-Ray is a must, and I kinda like that this is "slot-load" instead of tray)
Sony Optiarc Slim CD/DVD Burner
I have a tendency to "over-think" this stuff to death ... any advice ON THE BUILD I PROPOSED ABOVE will be helpful, thank you.
Main question ... which CPU, and suggest a MOBO/RAM pairing (probably H67?)