Hello all
My wife has an old Dell which is really struggling. We are looking to put together a new system for her (I have built my own in the past), but unlike my gaming rigs, hers will be a computer for office tasks (including Citrix virtual desktop) as she is increasingly working from home. In addition to standard MS applications (Word, Excel) she does a lot of surfing and Netflix-viewing and limited gaming (gaming is simple stuff, nothing demanding). I am looking for a system that will last her a good 5+ years. It must be really zippy, with WiFi connectivity as an option.
In the past I have researched all this myself; however, we have a baby in the house which means that time is no longer my own. If anyone can assist with some recommendations for parts I would be grateful.
Approximate Purchase Date: imminently
Budget Range: A maximum of $1500 Canadian, including tax and shipping
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Office tasks (including Citrix virtual desktop), web surfing, video streaming, non-intensive/occasional gaming
Are you buying a monitor: No. She uses two old 24" monitors, one with HDMI and one with only VGA/DVI ports. This will likely be upgraded down the road but isn't the priority right now
Parts to Upgrade: Everything. This will be a brand new build
Do you need to buy OS: Yes
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg.ca, Canada Computers, Amazon.ca
Location: Toronto
Parts Preferences: This is simply a question of cost-effectiveness. If an AMD CPU/MB offers better bang for buck at the moment, I will go in that direction. I have typically built using Intel in the past, but my latest rig was built using AMD. I had some major teething problems with my Aorus Master board (BIOS failures) with that AMD build but it is now running fine. I have never had issues with any past Intel builds.
Overclocking: No
SLI or Crossfire: No
Your Monitor Resolution: currently 1920x1080 but would want lots of room to improve this if a new monitor is purchased
Additional Comments: The number one priority is speed. Form factor isn't critical, but she doesn't want a behemoth sitting under her desk. Aesthetics are also secondary, but an attractive case (as subjective as that may be) would be welcome (this will be a professional rig, not a gaming set-up). Built-in WiFi is desired, even though she is presently hard-wired into the Network. I have no real allegiance to any particular manufacturer, although I have only used Gigabyte/Asus MBs in the past.
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Her current system is struggling to cope with Citrix and situations where she is using multiple applications at once. Time for a fresh start.
Thanks so much for any guidance you can offer. Even if you can point me in the direction of a solid MB as a foundation, that would be a great start.
My wife has an old Dell which is really struggling. We are looking to put together a new system for her (I have built my own in the past), but unlike my gaming rigs, hers will be a computer for office tasks (including Citrix virtual desktop) as she is increasingly working from home. In addition to standard MS applications (Word, Excel) she does a lot of surfing and Netflix-viewing and limited gaming (gaming is simple stuff, nothing demanding). I am looking for a system that will last her a good 5+ years. It must be really zippy, with WiFi connectivity as an option.
In the past I have researched all this myself; however, we have a baby in the house which means that time is no longer my own. If anyone can assist with some recommendations for parts I would be grateful.
Approximate Purchase Date: imminently
Budget Range: A maximum of $1500 Canadian, including tax and shipping
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Office tasks (including Citrix virtual desktop), web surfing, video streaming, non-intensive/occasional gaming
Are you buying a monitor: No. She uses two old 24" monitors, one with HDMI and one with only VGA/DVI ports. This will likely be upgraded down the road but isn't the priority right now
Parts to Upgrade: Everything. This will be a brand new build
Do you need to buy OS: Yes
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Newegg.ca, Canada Computers, Amazon.ca
Location: Toronto
Parts Preferences: This is simply a question of cost-effectiveness. If an AMD CPU/MB offers better bang for buck at the moment, I will go in that direction. I have typically built using Intel in the past, but my latest rig was built using AMD. I had some major teething problems with my Aorus Master board (BIOS failures) with that AMD build but it is now running fine. I have never had issues with any past Intel builds.
Overclocking: No
SLI or Crossfire: No
Your Monitor Resolution: currently 1920x1080 but would want lots of room to improve this if a new monitor is purchased
Additional Comments: The number one priority is speed. Form factor isn't critical, but she doesn't want a behemoth sitting under her desk. Aesthetics are also secondary, but an attractive case (as subjective as that may be) would be welcome (this will be a professional rig, not a gaming set-up). Built-in WiFi is desired, even though she is presently hard-wired into the Network. I have no real allegiance to any particular manufacturer, although I have only used Gigabyte/Asus MBs in the past.
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: Her current system is struggling to cope with Citrix and situations where she is using multiple applications at once. Time for a fresh start.
Thanks so much for any guidance you can offer. Even if you can point me in the direction of a solid MB as a foundation, that would be a great start.