Build a PC (Desktop)... £450-£500 Challenge.

[GiT]

Right then... The Dad in law to be needs a new PC. Just the Box itself, ignore the monitor and alike, just the box.

So - here are the requirements.

SSD (120GB is fine)
HDD (500GB-1TB)
PSU
Mobo (Onboard Sound and GFX is fine)
Intel i3 CPU
Ram (8GB+)
Case (Small and non-shouty)
Wi-Fi PCI Card
DVD Drive
W7 Pro or W10 64Bit

This is for a 65 year old fella who streams to his TV, Wonders about the Internet aimlessly and doesn't stress the CPU in any way.

Now I can get one pre-built from OC for £480 with this spec but if I can pump up the spec and build it myself for him, I would be happy as larry to do that.

 

[JP83]

Does it have to be an Intel i3?

I'm running an AMD fx-6300
3.5ghz 6 core. Dirt cheap
120ssd, 1tb sshd, 16gb ram, and just a simple mobo and case

 

[GiT]

Yip Intel, AMD are and have been shite in my experience. Not risking another naff CPU so Intel it is.

 

[Gareth]

Agreed, I wouldn't touch an AMD.

 

[charltjr]

£300 to £400 tops should see you with something pre-built, you might have to add a couple of components to match the spec but no big deal. Check out eBuyer - e.g.

http://www.ebuyer.com/700271-lenovo-thinkcentre-e73-sff-desktop-10aw009quk

I wouldn't discount AMD completely, they're massively discounting to try and get somewhere near to Intel on price/performance and at the end of the day these are commodity specs.

http://www.ebuyer.com/728270-hp-elitedesk-705-g2-mt-desktop-p1g52es-abu

 

[GiT]

£300 to £400 tops should see you with something pre-built, you might have to add a couple of components to match the spec but no big deal. Check out eBuyer - e.g.

http://www.ebuyer.com/700271-lenovo-thinkcentre-e73-sff-desktop-10aw009quk

I wouldn't discount AMD completely, they're massively discounting to try and get somewhere near to Intel on price/performance and at the end of the day these are commodity specs.

http://www.ebuyer.com/728270-hp-elitedesk-705-g2-mt-desktop-p1g52es-abu

Good finds, but I won't use eBuyer ever again. They are scam artists and I hold grudges from 4 years ago lol

 

[charltjr]

Heh, fair enough. Never had a problem myself but I know their customer service can be a bit iffy.

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-3847-desktop/pd?oc=cd84701&model_id=inspiron-3847-desktop - just add an SSD, gets you to your spec for about £400 all in.

These days at this end of the market it's going to be very tough to beat the volume box shifters for that sort of spec, they buy in such bulk it's ridiculous.

 

[welshname]

For the OS go to kinguin and get a windows 10 pro license for roughly £15. Absolutely no issues with them.

 

[KitsonRis]

I have used Scan Computers for the last two computers I have had, highly reccoend them. My current one sounds a little like what you are after and I paid £360 for it. I have the V5i on this page, but the V10i has more RAM.
https://www.scan.co.uk/3xs/value/valuedesktops/form-factors#anc
If you want more memory or a Wifi Card or anything else adding then buy that with it and send them a message with the order and they will install it. I also "upgraded" Windows 7 as the computer came with 8, they also did this for me. It came ready to plug and play striaght out the box.

Their aftercare service is the best. My freind had his overclocked system from them and it started to fail. He got it picked up, they checked it while on the phone to him, couldn't find anything wrong and it was sent back via secure courier next day free of charge. From what I know the computer is still working 100%, just something freak happened. Another friend bought parts from there to build up a PC and it wort of failed. Didn't do anything with it for ages, then contacted them and they sorted it out free too. Great company.

 

[GiT]

Aye, I've had loads off scan... And low and behold just ordered a PC from them.

Today's deal bundle with the i5 4590 and z97 d3h Gigabyte Mobo.

With everything I wanted, SSD, HDD, WiFi PCI card, dvd, RAM and some 2.1 speakers for him... 500 bang on. (Loads of little bits with it too)

He's getting a cracking machine too, I'll plink w7 on it for him and let him choose if he wants w10.

I can also plonk him Office 16 on it (10 quid through ex-work) and away he goes

 

[GiT]

Happy with that.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

I would 100% be considering AMD. If you're not touching anything that's Intel optimised then why pay extra if cost is the main objective.

One of those AMD APUs, rest of the money on a nice looking but small case and silent fans.

 

[GiT]

Ordered it all Sunday, arrived today, got home at 5:30pm - now just doing all the updates and awaiting W10 request.

Cracking machine. Fecking large though lol