[SOLVED] Looking to build a basic PC for my little cousin

[buggaby]

Any advice on parts would be welcomed.

I have put this list together. The goal is to be under $400 without the OS. He plays Fortnight, and does other various MS Office stuff, and watches YouTube. It's really a chance for us to build a PC together and have him learn how it goes. He's 9, but hopefully this machine, being a PC, could be scaled up to match his needs over the next 3-5 years.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/7k8r4q

 

[henry.j.kautz]

Do you plan on installing a GPU? Try using a Ryzen3 and using a RX 560/570 with it.

 

[WildCard999]

You'll want more memory (in dual channel) & faster memory as it greatly affects performance for Ryzen. Dumping the Optical drive also allows for a larger SSD and it's much faster as it's NVMe.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 2400G 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($135.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock - B450M Pro4-F Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Team - Vulcan 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($66.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel - 660p Series 512 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($62.89 @ OutletPC)
Case: DIYPC - P48 ATX Mid Tower Case ($33.93 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair - CX (2017) 450 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $408.68
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-05-30 15:22 EDT-0400

 

[TCA_ChinChin]

Everything is decent except THE RAM. For APU builds, having dual channel RAM is extremely important. Without the extra memory bandwidth from dual channel memory, you might be reducing your 2400g performance significantly. I would say if you can afford to buy a 16GB kit (2x8GB) or if you can't, then at least get a 2x4GB kit. WildCard999's pcpartpicker list seems great to start with.

 

[King_V]

I have a few concerns.

1 - I don't know the Corsair power supplies very well, but I know some are good, some are bad, and some are good in certain years and bad in others, so I can't speak to the quality of the 2017 CX power supply. I'd recommend a Seasonic, and I generally would recommend a newer mode, but as keeping things within budget is a concern, I'd say go with this one - it's older, but has a little more margin for power, assuming you might want to add in a video card sometime in the next few years. But, a high-quality, reliable power supply is a must. Please note that high quality and bronze/gold/platinum/etc rating are not the same - the "color" rating is for efficiency, not for overall quality.
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3G...-bronze-certified-atx-power-supply-ssr-550gb3


2 - The optical drive clashes with the case. Also, do you need an optical drive? If so, these days, I would probably recommend going with an external one that connects via USB.


3 - There are two issues with the RAM: a) a single stick runs in single-channel mode, hindering performance, and b) Ryzen likes faster RAM. There's a QVL list for RAM on the ASRock page for that motherboard, but it's a little tedious to go through the list looking for a matched pair of 4GB modules on PC Partpicker at the moment. I know the B450 boards aren't as fussy as the older boards when it comes to RAM, but my paranoid side still likes to stick to the QVL list.


4 - Do you necessarily need a full ATX motherboard? Are there several expansion cards you plan for in the future?


5 - Do you need wi-fi/wireless networking to be built-in to the board?


EDIT: other posters have addressed some of my concerns while I was typing...

 

[King_V]

Oh, and as @WildCard999 mentioned, storage - 240GB is going to run out fairly quickly.

 

[WildCard999]

@King_V, the CX 2017's are decent, in a build like this I'd pair it with a GPU up to the RX 570.

Oh, and as @WildCard999 mentioned, storage - 240GB is going to run out fairly quickly.

The CX 450W (2017) is decent, would probably use a RX 570 4gb max with that PSU. As for getting a better PSU it's possible if you lower the memory to 8gb (2x4 @3000mhz) & change the SSD (Sandisk 480gb) however if it's going to be awhile before they can get a dedicated GPU then I'd probably stick with the CX for now as it's plenty for the CPU/iGPU overclocking and since it uses the system memory for gaming (iGPU allocate) you'll probably want 16gb over 8gb.

 

[buggaby]

Thanks everyone. Great note on the RAM. I'll update the build to accommodate.

4 - Do you necessarily need a full ATX motherboard? Are there several expansion cards you plan for in the future?
EDIT: other posters have addressed some of my concerns while I was typing...

I don't need any specific motherboard size. The primary concern is price. The only expansion I imagine in the future is a GPU if he wants to play more demanding games. Do you have any suggestions for alternatives?

 

[buggaby]

however if it's going to be awhile before they can get a dedicated GPU then I'd probably stick with the CX for now as it's plenty for the CPU/iGPU overclocking

What's the concern with this PSU and future GPUs? Just the wattage?

 

[King_V]

I don't need any specific motherboard size. The primary concern is price. The only expansion I imagine in the future is a GPU if he wants to play more demanding games. Do you have any suggestions for alternatives?

Well, @WildCard999 's suggested build has a MicroATX board. They tend to be cheaper than full ATX, though some full ATX boards come with wi-fi, if you need it (I don't think the one in your original build has it, though). MiniITX, which is smaller still, typically has only 2 RAM slots, and ONLY a video card expansion slot, almost always have WiFi, but also are equal to or a little pricier than full ATX boards.

If you don't need wifi, go with a MircoATX, and save a bit on the PC budget. If you do need wifi, then the toss up becomes an add-in card or USB wifi adapter, a MicroITX or ATX that includes built-in wifi.

 

[WildCard999]

What's the concern with this PSU and future GPUs? Just the wattage?

The Corsair CX 450W is a decent PSU and will support the current system for overclocking but it kind of limited for GPU upgrades. If it's going to be like a year or two before he gets a dedicated GPU then the CX 450W is fine but if it's going to be much quicker then you may want to consider a better quality 550W unit.