Recommendations for a Quality Budget PC

[Andaho]

Hi Guys, it's been a while since I've been on the forum or since I've built a new system...

I'm Wondrering if anyone can give me some advice and recommendations on a budget build PC:

I've been asked to build a budget PC box for a friend's daughter who just wants to use it for doing her college work and facebook.

I'm looking for recommendations with on board graphics what mobo and CPU I should go for?

Also wondering what cheap case to go for... I have liked some of the older ASUS cases, but looking at photos of them now they all have those cheapy horrible faceplates on the optical drives and I'd rather not go for that - I want it to have a quality feel and not break after being opened and closed a few times.

I was thinking I'd put a cheap, but quality PSU in it and have used FSP in the past for budget builds, but the cheapest FSP psu I can find on scan is £37... I was looking more at the 30 mark for a PSU... is there another quality brand that does a good budget PSU?

I'd also like to buy it all from the same place, usually order from scan with my free delivery, but they are gonna order the parts when I tell them the product codes to put in their basket.

[Terbinator]

Well a good uATX motherboard with built in grafix would be fine from either Intel/AMD. In addition any dual core processor will be fine and 2GB of RAM. I would recommend going for a name PSU so you now its not going to explode i.e. EZcool.

PSU
Case

These are just suggestions, what components were you looking at primarily ?

[Andaho]

Well a good uATX motherboard with built in grafix would be fine from either Intel/AMD. In addition any dual core processor will be fine and 2GB of RAM. I would recommend going for a name PSU so you now its not going to explode i.e. EZcool.

PSU
Case

These are just suggestions, what components were you looking at primarily ?

Thanks for your recommendations The case design isn't to my personal taste, but I will give it to her as an option... probably good to let her choose the case from a few I select...

I've never used a silverstone PSU before but I guess they are a quality brand because I've seen them around for a while doing some high end stuff. - I like the price closer to £30 - so might go with that one!

It's been about a year since I last built a system, and it was a very good budget build, an AMD 4850e with a "green" mobo too, a 780G chipset with 3200 onboard graphics and HDMI output.

I'm thinking a similar build here would be perfect... but just wondering what has changed in the last year as far as a budget PC build goes

[Terbinator]

Thanks for your recommendations The case design isn't to my personal taste, but I will give it to her as an option... probably good to let her choose the case from a few I select...

I've never used a silverstone PSU before but I guess they are a quality brand because I've seen them around for a while doing some high end stuff. - I like the price closer to £30 - so might go with that one!

It's been about a year since I last built a system, and it was a very good budget build, an AMD 4850e with a "green" mobo too, a 780G chipset with 3200 onboard graphics and HDMI output.

I'm thinking a similar build here would be perfect... but just wondering what has changed in the last year as far as a budget PC build goes

The case isnt something id really have but its well suited for a uATX motherbaord and it can also take a full size PSU. I think your CPU/mobo choice is either between an Intel E5200 and a G45/nVidia 9300 chipset or an AMD Athlon/Phenom 2 on a 780/790G motherbaord. The Intel one would cost more but arguably be a better all around performer but not by much, the recent 45nm AMD parts are probably your best bet though for a budget build in terms of price: performance.

[GeoffX]

What about the new E6300? It's has VT, which the E5200 and most E5300 and E5400s don't, it's 2.8GHZ as opposed to 2.5, has a faster FSB, and is only a few pounds more. I've seen them for about £60.

[Terbinator]

What about the new E6300? It's has VT, which the E5200 and most E5300 and E5400s don't, it's 2.8GHZ as opposed to 2.5, has a faster FSB, and is only a few pounds more. I've seen them for about £60.

Only thing is do you really see the girl using virtualisation and benefitting from the extra 266mhz? Dont get me wrong im not knocking the part but hes trying to do it within a budget.

[Andaho]

starting to look at mobos now... do you think it could work out cheaper to get a seperate mobo and graphics card to compare with a 780 chipset with the 3200 graphics? - I'm looking at HDMI output because she has a HD TV and might want to plug it in at some point.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

This is what I would be aiming for:

Case

Coolermaster Elite 340 ~ £33

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/129891

Antec mini P180 ~£55

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140996

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/145086

CPU

AMD Athlon II X2 250 ~ £66

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166519

Motherboard

Asus M3A76-CM ~£47

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/161330

This has the 760G chipset which has is basically downclocked HD3200 with UVD.

ASUS M3A78-EM ~ £60

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/150278

This has the 780G chipset and has displayport,hdmi,vga and dvi outputs.


Ram

Kingston 4GB PC2-8500 RAM ~ £39

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/148859

Power Supply

Be Quiet! 350w PSU ~ £30

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166784

[rkingb]

This is what I would be aiming for:

Case

Coolermaster Elite 340 ~ £33

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/129891

Antec mini P180 ~£55

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140996

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/145086

CPU

AMD Athlon II X2 250 ~ £66

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166519

Motherboard

Asus M3A76-CM ~£47

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/161330

This has the 760G chipset which has is basically downclocked HD3200 with UVD.

ASUS M3A78-EM ~ £60

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/150278

This has the 780G chipset and has displayport,hdmi,vga and dvi outputs.


Ram

Kingston 4GB PC2-8500 RAM ~ £39

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/148859

Power Supply

Be Quiet! 350w PSU ~ £30

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166784

I know tou said you did not like the newer Asus cases but I have used several and they look better in the flesh. The Coolermaster Elite I found a bit lacking in build quality compared with Asus.

I would also look at the Athlon 7750 in terms of processor.

Motherboards etc agreed as above.

If you shop around you should be able to beat the Ebuyer prices either at Scan or Aria.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I know tou said you did not like the newer Asus cases but I have used several and they look better in the flesh. The Coolermaster Elite I found a bit lacking in build quality compared with Asus.

I would also look at the Athlon 7750 in terms of processor.

Motherboards etc agreed as above.

If you shop around you should be able to beat the Ebuyer prices either at Scan or Aria.

The Asus cases also are nice too as I have used one in a build. The 7750+ will also be a decent substitute for the X2 250 although the latter is faster and has lower power consumption.

[GeoffX]

Only thing is do you really see the girl using virtualisation and benefitting from the extra 266mhz? Dont get me wrong im not knocking the part but hes trying to do it within a budget.

The E6300 and E5200 are virtually the same price. It's not like the 50% plus more expensive E7400. And if you're going to use XP compatibility in Window's 7, you need VT. Future proofing the machine for a few extra pounds makes sense.

I'm not suggesting he cool it with liquid nitrogen and OC it to 6GHZ. I was looking at an E5200 myself, but the stupidly named E6300 seems to overtaken it.

[scaryjim]

... if you're going to use XP compatibility in Window's 7, you need VT. ...

I've been asked to build a budget PC box for a friend's daughter who just wants to use it for doing her college work and facebook.

Yes, she'll obviously need to use virtualised XP mode in Windows 7...