I’m looking at doing my second build, this one for my son. I’ve listed the requirements below along with a components list and some questions. Any feedback you can provide is appreciated. My son is entering high school so this build needs to be something he can use until college, at which point I expect he’ll want a laptop.
The machine does not need to be high end. Most of the time he’ll use it for web browsing, MS Office work and email but he does do video projects for school. I also expect he’ll play some less demanding games like WoW and Star Wars (he prefers games on his PS2 and Wii). We have a gaming computer, my first build, so if he decides to play something more demanding he can use that machine.
My budget of $700 includes the OS and, ideally, shipping costs. The build below comes in at $659. My schedule and components choices are flexible so I can afford to look for deals.
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: 1-3 weeks
BUDGET RANGE: $500-700 US, including OS
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: video editing for school projects, web browsing/email/MS Office work, mild gaming (WoW, Star Wars),
PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, DVD burner, monitor, speakers
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com but I’ll look at buy.com and tigerdirect.com for better deals
PARTS PREFERENCES: I’m partial to Gigabyte and Corsair just because I had good success with them on my first build but am willing to try other suppliers
OVERCLOCKING: maybe (mild o/c if done)
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: no
MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1680 x 1050
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Would like the option to upgrade the CPU and/or GPU down the road but I do NOT foresee the need for SLI or Crossfire.
COMPONENTS
CPU: AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz 3 x 512KB Socket AM3 95W Processor $125 free shipping
Cooler Stock
Mobo MSI 770-C45 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD $80 free shipping
GPU ZOTAC ZT-96TES3P-FSR GeForce 9600 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready $70 after rebate
RAM Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) $69 free shipping
Storage Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive $75 free shipping
Case Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower $70 with shipping
PSU CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply $60 after rebate, free shipping
DVD Have one already
OS Microsoft Vista 64-bit $110 free shipping
QUESTIONS
- Is 450W sufficient for a mild overclock and if I decide to upgrade the GPU in a couple of years (say to an HD4870 or equivalent)?
- How much overclocking can I do with the stock cooler and still maintain decent temperatures?
- Is Zotac a decent GPU manufacturer? I don’t know much about them.
- Are there places where I can trim costs without giving up much in terms of performance or quality?
The machine does not need to be high end. Most of the time he’ll use it for web browsing, MS Office work and email but he does do video projects for school. I also expect he’ll play some less demanding games like WoW and Star Wars (he prefers games on his PS2 and Wii). We have a gaming computer, my first build, so if he decides to play something more demanding he can use that machine.
My budget of $700 includes the OS and, ideally, shipping costs. The build below comes in at $659. My schedule and components choices are flexible so I can afford to look for deals.
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: 1-3 weeks
BUDGET RANGE: $500-700 US, including OS
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: video editing for school projects, web browsing/email/MS Office work, mild gaming (WoW, Star Wars),
PARTS NOT REQUIRED: keyboard, mouse, DVD burner, monitor, speakers
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com but I’ll look at buy.com and tigerdirect.com for better deals
PARTS PREFERENCES: I’m partial to Gigabyte and Corsair just because I had good success with them on my first build but am willing to try other suppliers
OVERCLOCKING: maybe (mild o/c if done)
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: no
MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1680 x 1050
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Would like the option to upgrade the CPU and/or GPU down the road but I do NOT foresee the need for SLI or Crossfire.
COMPONENTS
CPU: AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz 3 x 512KB Socket AM3 95W Processor $125 free shipping
Cooler Stock
Mobo MSI 770-C45 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD $80 free shipping
GPU ZOTAC ZT-96TES3P-FSR GeForce 9600 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready $70 after rebate
RAM Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) $69 free shipping
Storage Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive $75 free shipping
Case Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower $70 with shipping
PSU CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply $60 after rebate, free shipping
DVD Have one already
OS Microsoft Vista 64-bit $110 free shipping
QUESTIONS
- Is 450W sufficient for a mild overclock and if I decide to upgrade the GPU in a couple of years (say to an HD4870 or equivalent)?
- How much overclocking can I do with the stock cooler and still maintain decent temperatures?
- Is Zotac a decent GPU manufacturer? I don’t know much about them.
- Are there places where I can trim costs without giving up much in terms of performance or quality?