New_Build_Challenge

[Luke_Uk_Baggy]

Hi all - Joined recently, and is my first post - bare with for poor spelling / contravening house rules - if so I apologise!

Basically I have been given a challenge to create a new PC from scratch for a friend.. They will be doing light work on it, and internet browsing (with potentially light gaming) Basically, checking Fa ce book, playing flash games and browsing internet, playing music, and microsoft word etc.

This is from scratch, he needs a new monitor mouse etc etc.

I have got £300 (equivilant to about $480).. I havent built a pc before, but am fairly (not greatly) knowledgable on the subject.

Basically so far I have:

$59.99 Motherboard - Intel BOXDG31PR LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX
$49.99 CPU / Proccessor - Intel Celeron E1500 2.2GHz 512KB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor
$39.99 Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3160813AS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
$34.99 Case - Antec VSK-2000 Black ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Weight 11.9 lbs.
$19.99 CD/DVD Drive - LITE-ON Black 18X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model iHDS118-04 - OEM
$29.99 Power Supply - COOLER MASTER Elite 460 RS-460-PSAR-J3 460W ATX12V V2.31
$104.99 Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders
$27.99 RAM - Kingston ValueRAM 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model KVR533D2N4K2/1G
$21.99 KEYBOARD AND MOUSE Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000 B2L-00047 Black 105 Normal Keys 9 Function Keys USB Ergonomic Keyboard and Mouse
$119.99 MONITOR - ASUS VW198T Black 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 ASCR 3000:1(1000:1) Built-in Speakers

$3.99 Rosewill RTK-001 Premium Anti-Static Wrist Strap

Totalling $513.89 (£321) (Plus i need heat sink, maybe other things?)


There is a package online for £300 here:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/st...category_oid=-37542#productInformationSection

Is it worth just plumping for this system, or is there anywhere that i can cut corners / make savings on the build?

Hopefully you lovely people will be able to shed some light / throw some ideas out there.

Thanks In advance and sorry for waffling

Luke.

 

[JXiPlatform]

Meh...

 

[PokerDegenerate]

Are you set on intel for your processor you may be able to skim a few bucks off with an AMD processor and motherboard. I am not possitive where you are purchasing parts from since I live in the US but you may be able to shave a few dollars off the custom build. You also really don't "need" a wrist strap. It doesn't hurt to have one but if you ground yourself frequently during the build you will be fine. Ive never used a wrist strap personally and never had a problem. I just make sure that I am not fiddling with stuff on a carpeted floor and ground myself to the case before picking up any components.

The difference with buying the prebuilt is you are getting a smaller monitor, windows vista, most likely a cheaper brand of Power supply, ram, mother board, and locked bios which means no over clocking etc. It really isn't too much more to make the build you plan on so I would spring for the custom personally.

Also how much shipping is involved in each case. It may end up being around the same price with shipping figured in depending on shipping for the prebuilt.

 

[Luke_Uk_Baggy]

Meh, I just threw the wrist strap in encase I do further work (My desktop is 6 yrs old now and id like to overhaul that sooner or later) - ill take that out of my own costings..

I had looked at AMD processors, as well, and I hadnt settled for one or the other. I guess this was an initial list..

Those prices were off Newegg, I think you can get around shipping if you do over a certain amount / under a certain weight.. Ill certainly shop around (Ebuyer in England is supposedly cheap / reliable too)

Just after areas to shave costs really. Looks like Mobo / processor by the look of it. All the user wants is a fast-ish system really.

I don't know if I will overclock it or not, as long as the performance is fairly fast, I don't think ill bother - but this doesn't necessarily rule out either Intel or AMD.

 

[63083]

Well that system will be far from fast-ish. If he wants something fast-ish he need to spend $650-ish US dollars.

Let me see how this works. All of this comes to $658.86

Case: Antec 200 Mid-tower
Power Supply: Thermaltake 430 Watt
Motherboard: ASUS P5Q SE P45 Motherboard
CPU: Intel Pentium E5200 2.5GHz
RAM: 2x1GB Kingston HyperX DDR2 800
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Blue 160GB SATA
Video Card: MSI 8400GS 256MB 64-bit Video Card
DVD Burner: LITE-ON 24X SATA Burner
Monitor: ASUS 19" LCD Monitor
Keyboard-Mouse Combo: Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit

 

[Luke_Uk_Baggy]

Well the $480 (£300) package available online has a CPU as follows:

Dual-Core
Intel Celeron E1400
2.0GHz
FSB - 800MHz
L2 Cache 512KB

Most of the other specs are fairly similar to mine (same HD capacity etc etc)
(found here just to refresh: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...rmationSection)


Is there actually any arguement for building your own system in this case, rather than just opting for this system??? - Is there anywhere else i can improve?

Obviously one plus point being that I know that the componenets will be of good quality that I put in, but i havent really got any more than the budget given..

Thanks for all of you're input btw guys, much appreciated.

 

[JXiPlatform]

Thanks for all of you're input btw guys, much appreciated.

You're welcome.

 

[63083]

Well the $480 (£300) package available online has a CPU as follows:

Dual-Core
Intel Celeron E1400
2.0GHz
FSB - 800MHz
L2 Cache 512KB

Most of the other specs are fairly similar to mine (same HD capacity etc etc)
(found here just to refresh: http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...rmationSection)


Is there actually any arguement for building your own system in this case, rather than just opting for this system??? - Is there anywhere else i can improve?

Obviously one plus point being that I know that the componenets will be of good quality that I put in, but i havent really got any more than the budget given..

Thanks for all of you're input btw guys, much appreciated.

That system will not be fast unless he uses windows xp or something. and even then it will barely be fast at all. the system i posted will be fast with windows 7 and it only costs a couple hundred more. No big difference really is he can spend the extra cash. It WILL be worth it, that I am sure. Good luck.

 

[J03]

Well that system will be far from fast-ish. If he wants something fast-ish he need to spend $650-ish US dollars.

Let me see how this works. All of this comes to $658.86

Case: Antec 200 Mid-tower
Power Supply: Thermaltake 430 Watt
Motherboard: ASUS P5Q SE P45 Motherboard
CPU: Intel Pentium E5200 2.5GHz
RAM: 2x1GB Kingston HyperX DDR2 800
Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Blue 160GB SATA
Video Card: MSI 8400GS 256MB 64-bit Video Card
DVD Burner: LITE-ON 24X SATA Burner
Monitor: ASUS 19" LCD Monitor
Keyboard-Mouse Combo: Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit

This person is from the UK.

Have you thought about going AMD?

 

[63083]

This person is from the UK.

Have you thought about going AMD?

I don't mind AMD. both my mom's and my sister's computers run AMD. I just like intel. They seem faster for the few extra bucks you pay. At least in my experience.

And I know he's from the UK. I just wanted to provide him with a base-line.