Need help building a $600 to $1,000 pc

InfusedEMP · August 2017

I need assistance building a new computer for my parents. They're looking to spend between $600 and $1,000 and the most intensive thing that will ever be done on it will be photo editing.

Specifications: The photo software they intend to use though calls for 16gb of ram and a lot of space will be needed for photo storage. The case should look fairly plain, have no lights on it, and have usb ports on the front. 27" monitor.

So far this is what I've put together but I'm not sure on most of the rest since I don't actively keep up with what's decent.

Monitor: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236103
Power Supply: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182328
HDD: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822235011
Mouse: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826193099
Keyboard: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823839013
Fan / Heatsink: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099 What is an AM4 socket and do I need it?
Case: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811854003

So far that comes to $519.93. Perhaps someone with experience could help me lower that price since the more expensive parts aren't even on the list yet.

SSD:
RAM:
Processor:
Motherboard:
Graphics Card:
Any additional needed cables / adapters or anything I left out.

Any help is much appreciated!

ianicus · August 2017

I have found that when people ask for build advice on this site they get alot of bad, and little good. Your best bet is to go to a build site, and look at what people have done recently in your price range. Here, for instance, is a very nice build on pcpartpicker.com in your budget.

https://pcpartpicker.com/b/ChsJ7P

thats the best advice you will get here.

voltt · August 2017

can only give my 2 cents, built last 2 comps of mine always went amd, always have some issue with games that effect amd not intel. Recommend going intel, i will be on my next build.

MightyUnclean · August 2017

Unless you need a shitload of storage, drop the hard drive and put that money towards a decent SSD.

Quizzical · August 2017

Get yourself a better power supply. For example:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151136

Or, if you like rebates:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151119

Ridelynn · August 2017

I don't normally recommend this, but given what you've said so far about who is using it and how.

I recommend an All-In-One. Get the 27" screen your parents want, get the 16Gb RAM their software is asking for. Don't worry about the hard drive size - that's what external drives are for (NASes are great, but given that it's just one computer you can probably get by with cheaper USB-only).

Will it game well? No, but you aren't doing that anyway. Will it upgrade? No, not very much, but how often do you expect to need to upgrade anything besides the storage (which is easily available externally). AIOs are glorified laptops, but in this use case, I think it's a good option.

You may need to go a bit over your budget to meet the 16G RAM requirement (I see an HP Pavillion at $1,199 on hp.com), but you probably don't need to go all the way up to Apple prices - their 27" starts at $1800, but it's a helluva nice computer (with an amazing 5K display) and honesty, for most people (including my own parents and grandparents) - that's what I recommend for them and they love it once they get over the "OMG It's not Windows" thing.

SomethingUnusual · August 2017

I'd go with a package over building one in this circumstance, since there would be no super-expensive parts involved. Here's a good HP I found, add in a monitor you're looking for and probably good to go https://www.pcnation.com/web/details/7K4208/HP-EliteDesk-705-G3-Desktop-Computer-AMD-A-Series-A12-9800-3-80-GHz-16-GB-DDR4-SDRAM-512-GB-SSD-Windows-10-Pro-64-bit-Micro-Tower-W5Y68UT-ABA-0190780455555?mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=184533110391&pkw=&pmt=&plc=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjb3L-9G-1QIVVlcNCh0GVQzkEAkYBiABEgLIQPD_BwE

For a workstation, go with the path of least budget impact. Building won't save you much. Could probably find a full on all in one meeting the specs they need. Photo/Video editing is a high ram hog, the more the better.

Edit: The machine I linked is tiny as well. only 14" tall, 6.7" wide, and 13.4" depth. Would tuck nicely out of the way, out of sight, out of mind.

Ridelynn · August 2017

If your set on a DIY solution and building it, I don't fault that either.

I would probably go with a Ryzen 5 1600 6C/12T CPU, or a Core i5 7600 4C/4T CPU - most photo editing can take advantage of extra processors (filters and format conversion for the most part). Both of these would be faster than CPUs you would typically see in an All-In-One (the i5 7600 is equivalent to the mid-tier iMac CPU, and just a hair behind their "Professional" top-tier line that starts at over $2,200).

If your budget is really really strained though, you could drop to a Pentium 4 4560. It's a 2C/4T CPU that runs at 3.5Ghz, and includes basic on-die graphics. It won't win any performance awards, but it will work, and it won't break the bank doing it.

Get a compatible motherboard for your CPU and 16G of RAM compatible with the motherboard. Either of those options will roughly cost the same all-in. You don't need a terribly expensive motherboard, or a lot of bells and whistles, or to pay extra for really fast RAM.

Note that WiFi is typically not included, and most people assume it's ubiquitous - so you may need to provide for that via a USB adapter or WiFi Bridge (not expensive, just a typical oversight). A USB adapter is a bit less expensive, but a bridge doesn't require any drivers and can work with multiple devices simultaneously.

AM4 is a socket type - specifically for the Ryzen CPUs. If you get a Ryzen you need it - but the Ryzen 5 1600 ships with a decent cooler in the box.

Graphics card - you could feasibly get by without one if you ran with Intel - it has built-in video that will work and is plenty for basic tasks like web browsing and viewing photographs and movies. It won't be fast for gaming, and it may be a bit sluggish on large photo editing, but it will work. Ryzen doesn't have a built-in GPU though, so if you go that route you would need a dedicated graphics card. You don't need much - a nVidia 1030 would work, an AMD 560 or nVidia 1050 would be a lot of power for what you are looking at doing (at least until you get into professional level requirements).

A lot of older folks, and people who work with a lot of photos and cameras, want things like SD Card adapters, DVD-RW drives, external USB hubs, and the like. Find out what they need to make sure to support their favorite cameras and work flow the like. Those items aren't expensive typically ($10-30 each), but are commonly left out.

You will also need to factor in the operating system cost.

Ridelynn · August 2017

One thing to note about the monitor:

You mention 27", which is fine.

But there's going to be a big difference between a budget TN 1080p panel and an color calibrated IPS 4K panel - both in quality and price.

If they are doing mainly photograph work, I wouldn't skimp too much there. I would look specifically for IPS panels as they tend to have brighter color and viewing angles, although 1080 probably would be fine. Some folks are just fine with whatever trashy monitor comes free with their Dell Optiplex.

You do need to look for compatible ports. If you get a motherboard with Displayport output, and the monitor only has HDMI input, it's going to need yet another adapter.

But it may be one of those things where you take your folks out to Frys/Best Buy/Whereever and let them take a look at some various models - see what they are interested in, then either purchase there or go back and find those same qualities in other monitors to order with this build.

It's conceivable that half your budget or more could end up going to a decent quality monitor. In my opinion - monitors are one of those areas it's definitely worth it to spend a bit more to get what you really want, as they tend to last multiple computer builds.

Renoaku · August 2017

Depends what games you want to do with it I used to be an AMD lover, but now I have converted to Intel I7 series and loving it, although its gonna be hard to get one of those for $100 unless you got parts your already using from your old one and stuff like I do when I upgrade all the time.

Cleffy · August 2017

I am not too familiar with your needs. Obviously including the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and OS dig into the final price. I included the OS even though you didn't in this build. It was just north of $1k but would be under without the OS. The price can definitely go down further depending on your needs. Unfortunately there is a shortage on ram and GPUs which have increased prices. When AMD comes out with their APUs, the price of similar systems will go down tremendously which should be sometime this fall since you won't need to get certain components.

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/9kYzVY
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/9kYzVY/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($197.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Asus - PRIME A320M-K Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($59.49 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Team - T-Force / Night Hawk 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($137.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Hitachi - Deskstar NAS 4TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($134.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: XFX - Radeon RX 460 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card ($108.98 @ Newegg)
Case: Thermaltake - Versa H15 MicroATX Mid Tower Case ($38.88 @ OutletPC)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($56.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home Full - USB 32/64-bit ($102.89 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: LG - 27MP58VQ-P 27.0" 1920x1080 60Hz Monitor ($154.99 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: AmazonBasics - KU-0833 Wired Standard Keyboard ($12.96 @ Amazon)
Mouse: Rosewill - RM-D2U Wired Optical Mouse ($5.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1011.04
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-08-05 19:32 EDT-0400

Ridelynn · August 2017

The one thing when dealing with parents and their computer - get ready for the endless deluge of tech support calls. Although if you have been tasked with getting them a new computer, you may already be on the receiving end of that.

This, more so than any other reason, is why I got Apple products for my older relatives. There is a little bit of setup required, but once they are past that, it's 5x fewer phone calls, and any/all hardware issues are resolved by saying "Take it to AppleCare at the Apple Store".

I'm not trying to say Apple is better, or that it's not overpriced, but the fewer phone calls thing is absolutely no joke and not just hyperbole.

InfusedEMP · August 2017

Thanks for the replies.

The OS is already taken care of luckily (win7 oem I bought for the laptop my mom doesn't use anymore.)

I'm actually intending to build this for them to keep them from buying another walmart or best buy prebuilt computer. They've been through a few of those and I am very against them since the parts in them are generally the lowest quality possible and almost always several years old. The pc they have right now is an HP they purchased in 2007 and the parts in it are from 2003-2004. Considering their rate of pc upgrading I'd rather build them something I know will last longer than a prebuilt store-bought pc.

Theoretically I could skip the mouse and keyboard since they already have those, but what they have is 10 years old. DVD drive in their current pc will be moved to the new one, I just installed it a year or so ago. They've been using a 17" HP monitor all this time so I think a 27" 1080p will be quite the upgrade.

I'll take a look at some of the stuff linked in this thread and see where I'll go from there. Thanks again!

InfusedEMP · August 2017

rhialto · August 2017

You need a better video card. That one only has 1 gig of ram in it. You should be looking at no less then 3 gig cards, preferably 6-8 gig if you can afford. But right now is a bad time to be looking for video cards with what has been going on with mining. So good luck with that.

InfusedEMP · August 2017

Oh wow thanks for pointing that out, didn't even notice. Back I go to searching for a card.

InfusedEMP · August 2017

This is $30 more but the few that are any cheaper I dont recognize the brands of.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202287

There's a viewmax card and this zotac card. Never have heard of zotac before so I'm wary of it:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA98C5PN1782

Going up any higher than that starts going too much above the budget.

Also just found a new sale on an even better power supply for cheaper:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182263

Ridelynn · August 2017

rhialto said:

You need a better video card. That one only has 1 gig of ram in it. You should be looking at no less then 3 gig cards, preferably 6-8 gig if you can afford. But right now is a bad time to be looking for video cards with what has been going on with mining. So good luck with that.

For gaming, your not wrong.

For basic photo editing - the 7790 is already way overkill.

Honestly, with the Intel CPU - start out with IGP - it's easy to add something more later if you need more GPU power.

Zotac has has been around for a while, not top tier but not terrible either.

wanderica · August 2017

I'm going to go against the grain a bit on this build and recommend a more "parent-centered" build. This should get you started and fill in some of the blanks you've left.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/nFwbPs

Don't be fooled by the Pentium. That is quite the capable little processor, especially for non-gaming use. Your parents likely won't be playing any demanding games (if any at all), so they would notice a LOT more slowdown from the lack of an SSD from your original build. I threw in a 500 GB Samsung 850 EVO just for the shiggles, but you could easily save money by swapping to the also capable Kingston variant or dropping to a 250 GB model. Both are just fine. The 1050 Ti is also a good little card with 4 GB of GDDR5, low power usage, and a smaller form factor than its competitors.

You'll still need a case, KB, and mouse. The KB and mouse is personal preference, and can honestly be picked up on the cheap unless you want to go with the more expensive mechanical varieties, but for a light use machine, I don't think that's necessary. Case, I'll leave up to you. Personally, I buy according to airflow and build quality (something like Phantek Enthoo Pro), but your parents will likely care more about aesthetics and form factor. This build would give you the option to go with a mid-tower or even a small form factor build. Not having that giant honking tower next to a desk taking up valuable space can be a valuable thing to us old timers.

Finally, let's talk monitors. Assuming you want to stick with a 27" I think you're in the right price bracket, but I would recommend trying to find an IPS panel. Yes they are slower, but you're thinking like a gamer. Those extra 4 ms are meaningless to someone who will be editing still pictures, but the better color is not.

Ridelynn · August 2017

Yeah of all the parts you could get - SSD for the boot drive will make the biggest difference bar none.

Ridelynn · August 2017

27" IPS 1080p

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4P056M8105&cm_re=27"_led_ips-_-24-260-488-_-Product

75 Hz and Freesync are just bonus here

Doesnt have to be expensive, there are several similar models of various brands. This one is HDMI input.

wanderica · August 2017

Ridelynn said:

27" IPS 1080p

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4P056M8105&cm_re=27"_led_ips-_-24-260-488-_-Product

Doesnt have to be expensive

That's a pretty good deal on that monitor. I've always been partial to Dell's monitors. I've never had one I was dissatisfied with.

Ridelynn · August 2017

If it were me - @wanderica has an awesome build there. GPU is optional and easily added later if you want to move some budget around.

That computer would suit light use and photo editing extremely well.

Ozmodan · August 2017

What is with the dual core pentium suggestions? Stay with the 6700 or go with an AMD. Why would you deliberately cripple a build with less than 4 cores when even my browsing computer is consistently using all 4 cores.

Since they are not going to be playing games get them a Nvidia 1030 for $70.

Ridelynn · August 2017

Because it's a budget, it doesn't need a lot of computing power for it's intended purpose (this isn't a gaming rig), and you can use that money that would go into all those cores for a better monitor or bigger SSD or larger external storage, which do directly affect what the intended use is for.

Ozmodan · August 2017

Ridelynn said:

Because it's a budget, it doesn't need a lot of computing power for it's intended purpose (this isn't a gaming rig), and you can use that money that would go into all those cores for a better monitor or bigger SSD or larger external storage, which do directly affect what the intended use is for.

Huh??? Just look at how many cores are being used just doing everyday things on your computer. More cores equals a much better long term solution. Even trying to defend a two core processor on such a build is ludicrous!

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