Posts by Christian Reed3

I previously handled my builds over at AMD, but looking at these adjustments, it seems I can achieve more or less the same results working out of Downtown... https://prnt.sc/t5a9iq

Would this setup be acceptable for an office build within a $2500 budget?$900?

Fortron 400W Hexa80+ Power Supply, PPA4004900
MS midi tower case
Crucial BX500 SSD 240GB, SATA3, CT240BX500SSD1
DDR4 8GB (1x8) G.Skill 3200MHz AEGIS Bulk, F4-3200C16S-8GIS
Asrock AB350M-HDV R3.0/R4.0, AM4
AMD Ryzen 3 3200G BOX, s. AM4, YD3200C5FHBOX
Logitech K120 Wired keyboard
Logitech B100 Black wired mouse
Total: $820

I would likely pair this with this specific monitor (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/monitor-asus-vp247hae.aspx), which would bring the grand total somewhere between $3100 and $3300...

It looks like they don't have that EVGA 550 W + Corsair T3 in stock... Instead, they're offering the EVGA 550 W... Is there any meaningful difference between the two, or am I just splitting hairs?

Greetings,
I am looking to put together a gaming PC build with a budget of roughly $6,000. I’ll also need to factor in a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. My kid laid eyes on this computer, but since I am under the impression that those pre-built machines are rarely the most efficient way to spend one's money, I thought it might be wiser to hand-pick the components. Ideally, I would love to select a case that features some sort of lighting effects 🙂

Honestly, that doesn't strike me as being particularly above board 🙂

I suppose I should also pick up a Windows 10 license for this machine... where would be the most sensible place to hunt one down without getting completely fleeced?

I truly appreciate the assistance 🙂

I completely lost my train of thought and forgot that the 1200 doesn't come with integrated graphics... so, if I just grab a Ryzen 3 2200 g, would that pretty much solve my problem?

Would you say this configuration is sufficient for a bookkeeping workstation?

https://prnt.sc/lwmu1q

It’s finally been ordered... I ended up ditching the OLED entirely and just pulled the trigger on a 1080p monitor instead... thanks to everyone for the guidance and the reality checks...

One setup is intended for my own use, while the other is meant for a colleague of mine... which makes that suggestion involving the graphics card feel a bit excessive for my needs, if I'm being honest...
My primary concern here is simply ensuring that both builds are logically sound—that I haven't accidentally paired up incompatible components or wasted money on something that just doesn't make sense from a value perspective...

I’ve essentially narrowed it down to just two configurations... It turns out Centro is coming in as the most budget-friendly option of the bunch. Since a few components from my previous list weren't available in their current inventory, I’ve had to tweak things slightly... Would these still hold up under scrutiny?
One alternative I'm considering is ditching the optical drive entirely to see if I can squeeze a better monitor into the budget...

Build #2 - primarily for Microsoft Office tasks and watching YouTube, though I might indulge in some light gaming occasionally—nothing too cutting-edge, mind you. Keeping it tight with a 120GB SSD due to the budget constraints. $1067
1 x Patriot SSD Blaze R545/W430, 120GB, 7mm, 2.5"
1 x Fortron HEXA+ 400W, 80+
1 x ZAL-ZM-T1 plus MSI video card Radeon R7 360 GDDR5 2
1 x AMD CPU kaver Athlon x4 840
1 x MSI AMD A88XM-P33 LC Power CPU
1 x CPU Cooler LC-CC-95, Intel/AMD, 90mm 4-pin
2 x Kingston DDR3 HyperX Fury,1866MHz, 8GB(2x4GB) Blue HX318C10FK2/8
1 x LG GH24NSD1 sat Bulk Black 24x
1 x AOC LED18.5" E950SWDAK, 5ms,VGA,DVI,built-in speakers
Total: $3,169.98 at Centro

Build #3 - strictly not intended for gaming... I'm looking to step up to a 250GB SSD here. Crucially, the setup needs both VGA and DVI outputs to support a dual-monitor arrangement, along with standard PS/2 ports for the mouse and keyboard—all while staying within budget. $1200
1 x Fortron HEXA+ 400W, 80+
1 x ZAL-ZM-T1 plus MSI video card Radeon R7 360 GDDR5 2
1 x Intel CPU desktop Core i5-4460 (3.2GHz, 6MB,LGA1150) box
1 x Patriot SSD Blast 240GB, 7mm, 2.5"
1 x Kingston ValueRAM DDR3 (8GB,1600MHz(PC3-12800)) CL11, Retail
1 x Asus B85M-K (S1150,DDR3,VGA/DVI,USB3.0,LAN,SATAIII) mATX
1 x LG GH24NSD1 sat Bulk Black 24x
Total: $3,627.49 at Centro

Unexpected expenses have pushed my planned hardware haul back by another week or two... once I've managed to scrape the funds together, we'll see if these specific builds are even still available or if the market has moved on without me... thanks for all the help out there...

It’s a bit disheartening to look through all these various configurations and realize I'm still scratching my head over the basics. Does anyone actually know if there's a tangible difference between Kingston HyperX and Kingston ValueRAM?

Would I actually see better performance if I prioritized a superior processor while sticking to just 4GB of RAM for my first build? I’m definitely planning on upgrading either the CPU or the power supply, given that I have about $180 left in the budget...

If we're looking at the $230 range, I’d probably opt for a smaller drive—maybe a 120 GB SSD—just to ensure everything fits comfortably within that price point...

Regarding the build sitting around the $320 mark... It absolutely needs two PS/2 ports. I’m currently using a keyboard and mouse that are positioned quite far apart, and they’re already running through PS/2 cables. In my experience, those cheap PS/2 to USB adapters are notoriously unreliable. Since this machine isn't intended for gaming, I’d much rather invest in a stronger processor; the graphics card isn't really a priority for me. Perhaps a budget-friendly GPU if it makes sense, but the CPU is the main focus... Especially since, from what I can gather in the photo, this one doesn't even feature VGA or DVI outputs...

Greetings, everyone. I find myself in need of some guidance regarding the assembly of three distinct desktop configurations. To clarify, these builds will be headless—meaning they won't include a monitor, mouse, or keyboard—but all three absolutely require USB 3.0 support:
1. A basic workstation intended primarily for Microsoft Office tasks, web browsing, and watching YouTube. Gaming is entirely out of the question here. I'm leaning toward a 120GB SSD, as I don't anticipate needing much storage space. My budget is $667

2. A slightly more versatile machine for Microsoft Office and YouTube usage, though it should be capable of handling occasional gaming sessions—nothing particularly demanding or cutting-edge, mind you. Again, a 120GB SSD should suffice given the minimal data requirements. My budget is $833

3. This unit is strictly for non-gaming purposes. I’d prefer a 250GB SSD for this one. Crucially, the setup must feature both VGA and DVI outputs to accommodate a dual-monitor configuration, and it needs to include legacy PS2 ports for both the mouse and keyboard. My budget is $1167

Many thanks...

I appreciate the advice... 🙂

A local elementary school is looking into picking up some desktop setups—full towers, monitors, mice, keyboards, the whole nine yards—specifically for their computer science classes. For the most part, the students will just be grinding through Microsoft Office tasks, browsing the web, watching stuff on YouTube, and maybe doing some very light video editing in Adobe Premiere, which isn't exactly demanding. A 500GB hard drive should be plenty, and honestly, integrated graphics will do the trick perfectly fine. They're probably looking at something like a 20'' monitor to keep things simple.