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Building Desktops For Christmas?
deviliscious
Member UncommonPosts: 4,359
I am considering building some desktops for Christmas gifts this year, but due to the number of people who need one that I would like to buy one for, I need to budget down to under $300 per computer. Since I have never attempted to build any type of computer in that budget range, and cannot afford to build them one like my own, I am wondering if anyone has any ideas on what would be a good build for this. What would you use to build multiple systems for under $300 a piece ( not including monitors, as I luckily have that part covered.) Any ideas are welcome! ( I may need multiple part options as well in case they do not have at least 6 of that part left in stock.)
Thank you,
Carrie
Comments
They already annoy me when they have a problem, that is why they are called " family." HAHA! I have already formatted / repaired their old computers, and am constantly having to solve their problems when they are unable to figure it out, just their old computers are really terrible, some of which do not even work anymore. They would not be able to get anything decent for $300 if I just gave them the money, but I have seen $350 gaming builds that would be much better than anything they could buy that is prebuilt. However, due to the number of people who need them currently, I need to bring that down another $50 in order to be able to do that.
The $350 build:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRIoHhesNqc&feature=fvwrel
I am wondering if I can reduce those costs further, and if anyone has any low cost parts suggestions to give them the best build for the amount spent. Gaging from the junk prebuilts they own they would probably buy something that is not any better than what they currently have.
If you give people a 300 dollar computer, and it is possible, I hope it is for just E-Machine type activities. If you are giving them 300 dollar computers to play videogames on that is not going to happen and only end in headaches down the road. Fyi...
The lowest I have seen is the $350 gaming rig
http://teksyndicate.com/videos/kill-your-console-350-gaming-pc-june-2012
I would like to see if anyone else has any ideas. I am sure if building a $350 rig is possible, there is a way to build a $300 one as well. Even the $350 rig is a Massive improvement over what they are using now. HAHA!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883103447
Thats actually a really great deal.
It's not an improvement when it can't handle anything but WoW, anythig else would cause dissapointment and fustration.
Their computers are over 10+ years old and will not even play WOW. That is the working ones they have anyhow. The broken ones are not even in that good of shape. My Dads HP computer he bought at walmart on clearance, and cannot even load Ebay in under 8 minutes. So yes, it would be an improvement. I am afraid to give them the money for it because they have no idea how to spend it in regards to computers. My brother bought an old emachines from Best buy that came fully loaded with a virus when he bought it, as well as a corrupt HD. I know you probably would not be happy with a $300 build, but they would be more than happy considering the old prebuilts I am trying to replace did not even cost them that much new retail.
Buy them 199 dollar Playbooks.... sounds all they want is emachines.
That's $356 without an OS. That's fine if they're Linux fans, but giving a Linux machine to someone who is clueless about computers is a bad idea. A Windows license adds $100 to the cost.
So let's come up with the cheapest machines that we can.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1126635
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130641
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147023
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139026
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148455
That comes to $221.44 before $35 in mail-in rebates. But those parts are all limited to 3 or 5 per customer, and the rebates are one per customer. If you're building them for six different people at six different addresses, you could get around that by having them "bought" by six different people. That would make the Christmas present very much not a Christmas surprise, though.
I'm assuming that you can salvage a SATA optical drive out of old machines, or else leave machines without one. I'm also assuming that you can salvage peripherals (keyboard, mouse, speakers, monitor, surge protector) from other machines. And there still isn't an OS license listed.
And yes, we're cutting corners. The memory needs 1.65 V to reach a meager 1333 MHz. The hard drive is a 5400 RPM laptop drive, which is glacially slow. If you don't like that, then how do you feel about giving people a 60 GB SSD and no hard drive?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227811
That adds $25 to the cost, however.
On the bright side, the motherboard should work, the power supply is decent, 8 GB of memory should last them basically forever, and you get a real quad core processor with viable graphics.
Thank you very much! I have the OS, monitor, mouse and keyboards covered already, so those are not a concern. I had looked at that case last night as well and was comparing it to this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156281
but was weary of the Raidmax because it costs more initially and have to wait on rebate, it didn't have any reviews yet, and I have not tried any Raidmax cases.
Thank you very much for your suggestions, they look better than what I had found.
~ Carrie
Linux is fine for them. My mom is clueless about computers, but needed one on an extreme budget. All she uses her computer for is internet, and email. I loaded Mint on it, and renamed the firefox icon to internet. She has used it fine for a few years now. I am getting her another computer this year, and all she wants to keep mint. If you aren' t playing games, or needing to use windows software then you aren't going to run into the various issues with Linux that would require a knowledge of computers.
I just wanted to let you know, I received the PSU and cases and the PSU doesn' t work with the case. The mounting screw alignment for that Corsair PSU unit does not match the case. I am trying to see if I can find an easy solution here, none of the screws align properly. I looked this problem up online and apparantly it is an issue with the PSU, as some are reporting that it does not even align with cases from the same maker as the PSU. I was considering sending them back for a dif model, but Since I mod cases anyhow, I think I will just make the needed modifications to make it work, as that will be faster for me to get it done. * breaks out blow torch*
~Carrie
No, that model has a funky alignment. Edit: They are about half an inch off on all sides. Yes, I know which way is up.
When I googled it, seems this was a problem with the PSU from the complaints coming in about it. It doesn't even fit in the opening properly ( the piece surrounding the the power cord was slightly too high bending the top back piece of thecase.) I am making a custom mount to the case to fit the PSU though.
I could just put the screws in the air holes in the back of the PSU, but I want to make sure it is more secure than that since it will be transported and I don't want that sucker coming loose. I am making something to be sure it isn't moving anywhere.
Edit: I already have one secured well now. I work faster than sending it back. The modifications I made can be used with any psu, so if we have to switch them out later it won't be a problem. 5 more to go.. HAHA!
If a few Screw holes is all I have to worry about being off at this price, then it was good day.
Quiz,
Okay I have now opened and fitted all of the PSU's. Only one had perfect screw alignment. 3 were only slightly off, 2 were way off. The 2 that were slightly off I did not have to make modfications for since I could get at least 2 screws in. I think I just must have gotten some that got messed up during machining. That may be the problem here. The holes on some of the same model work fine, some do not. So only one more I have to make a custom mount for the rest will be fine.
Thanks,
Carrie
That's very strange. And it's also the sort of thing that one wouldn't catch by eyeballing a picture of one unit on New Egg.
Yea, I think the guy checking the alignment needs to not drink before work. HAHA!
[quote]Originally posted by deviliscious
[b][quote] Originally posted by Quizzical [quote] Originally posted by deviliscious [color=#ff0000]Quiz, Okay I have now opened and fitted all of the PSU's. Only one had perfect screw alignment. 3 were only slightly off, 2 were way off. The 2 that were slightly off I did not have to make modfications for since I could get at least 2 screws in. I think I just must have gotten some that got messed up during machining. That may be the problem here. The holes on some of the same model work fine, some do not. So only one more I have to make a custom mount for the rest will be fine. Thanks, Carrie [/quote] That's very strange. And it's also the sort of thing that one wouldn't catch by eyeballing a picture of one unit on New Egg.[/quote]Yea, I think the guy checking the alignment needs to not drink before work. HAHA! [/color][/b][/quote]
Very common problem with budget cases. I'm surprised you didn't have motherboard alignment issues as well.
*edit* no idea why bbcodes are all of a sudden deciding to completely not work, but I'm not fixing it. Stupid forum software here.
Actually this time it was the PSU, not the cases. I fitted the same PSU's in multiple cases and the cases were fine, the PSU's were what was different. From what I gather from it, It was just something missed from a machining error, and the guy that is supposed to check them let some get through. When looking online about it, it seems I was not the only one with this problem in regards to Corsairs PSU's. Seems like they have a slacker on staff letting it get by. LOL
From what I can tell from this case, it is a really good value for the price. Well built, good mounts, case fans work, It is a good value. In the past, I have bought much more expensive cases that were built cheaper than this and had malfunctioning case fans. As far as the Case goes, it is a good deal. All 6 were the same.
This should be good enought........
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7375892&CatId=332
That does look like a good bundle there. Though it is limited to (2) per person, and is $410 out of pocket up front and you get the rest back in rebates. However, Still looks like a good package for someone wanting one or two for christmas.
Until you consider that the power supply is junk, it's still missing an OS license, and the video card is so low end that it might lose in performance to next year's netbooks.
The Deep Web is sca-ry.
This made me actually LOL...thank you!