Help - PC build in Seattle under $500

Ugh, you're early. I was still trying to sort out what we could actually find in Seattle 😁

You really have to check everything 2-3 days before buying. Who knows what else will pop up by then? Half these parts might be out of stock or the prices could shift entirely

My bad, I didn't realize—I'll hit you up a few days before I pull the trigger in September, God willing...

As a complete novice, I’m looking for some advice on a PC build that would handle basic office work, web browsing, and streaming movies. My main priority is longevity—I want this thing to last as long as possible—plus I’d love a setup where I can swap out or upgrade certain parts down the road if needed. Speed is also key. I also really care about picture quality, though I’m not entirely sure how much that depends on the internal specs versus just picking a good monitor. Here's the thing: when I'm working on my laptop, I can stare at the screen all day without any issues, but whenever I use a desktop monitor, my eyes get fatigued incredibly fast.
I'm also wondering if it's actually worth springing for an Intel Core processor instead of a Celeron, since a salesperson at one of the shops insisted it was the better way to go.
My budget is capped at $1000. Since I'm based in Cleveland, I'm looking at places like Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Linksys, Comcast, or Ventex, as I'm planning to use Maestro Plus to pay in installments.
Thanks in advance for the help!

Hold up, do you actually need a monitor too or what?

For now, I think I’ll just stick to the tower itself without a monitor. I'll pick up a screen once my budget opens up a bit more; honestly, this LG Flatron W2241 I'm using isn't even that old yet, though looking back, it definitely wasn't the best bang for my buck. I have a nagging feeling I could've snagged something much better for the same price.
As for speakers, a mouse, or a keyboard? Nope, I'm all set there—my current gear is doing just fine.

I have no idea which Intel Core they were trying to push on you, but if it was some old socket 775, they were basically trying to sell you ancient junk.

If you're in a rush, just head over to Linksys and grab something like this, since all these parts are available in Cleveland:
http://www.igreklik.com/slike/images...8101938990.jpg

If you don't mind waiting a bit for them to ship components from other branches, you could go this route and maybe save about $100:
http://www.igreklik.com/slike/images...4948820585.jpg

There's probably no need to stress over all $1000 options because these two builds should be more than enough for what you need. Both setups include:
- modern motherboards with socket 1150, so upgrading the CPU or RAM later should be easy enough
- decent processors with integrated graphics that can handle things without much trouble (plus they stay cool and don't pull much power)
- a 1TB hard drive for storage
- solid, high-quality power supplies to allow for future upgrades
- 4GB of RAM, which is plenty for now, though you could always add another 4GB later if you feel like it
- motherboards equipped with all the video outputs you might actually use (VGA, DVI, HDMI), along with USB 3.0 and SATA3 connectors.

If you want a killer GPU, you could always add one, though it'll cost you roughly $50.
If you're looking to upgrade the monitor immediately, I'd suggest grabbing this one with the slightly better IPS panel:

Just watch out, because the folks at Linksys might try to upsell you on everything from a different CPU cooler to a whole new motherboard or whatever. Maybe check back in with us before you pull the trigger.

Image quality mostly comes down to the monitor itself. How many inches is your current screen? Are you using the right resolution? And are you plugged in via VGA or DVI?

Honestly, I feel like I could be totally taken advantage of because I don't know the first thing about this stuff. For an Intel Core processor—just to ensure things run fast enough—I was following a tip from an acquaintance who works at a local Best Buy service center. They were looking at a pre-built setup priced at roughly $1167 that was ready to go right off the shelf.
Those last two computers were also bought as complete, pre-configured bundles with integrated components that couldn't be swapped out. Sure, they worked fine at first, but after a while, the screen would start freezing up during movies, or the whole thing would just lock up if I happened to open Windows Media Player along with another audio file at the same time.
I actually need a burner too, so if anyone has a recommendation for one, please let me know! I’d basically walk into the shop with this list and tell them to just put together a build exactly like this without any modifications.
As for the monitor I'm currently using, it's an LG Flatron W2241S, and according to Google, it features a VGA (D-Sub) connector.

Don't ever buy those pre-built rigs; they'll probably try to scam you with some cheap junk inside. I'm not even sure which Intel Core chip they're using, maybe it's just an i3 if they're bragging about speed, but honestly, you don't even need that much power for what you're doing.

Just print this out and take it to a local shop to have them build it for you—maybe throw in a burner too:
http://www.linksys.com/dvd-rw-lg...kl=052.112.393

And from what I can see, the monitor has a DVI port:
http://www.lg.com/uk/monitors/lg-W2241S-BF-lcd-monitor

I guess you should probably double-check if there's actually another slot next to the current one. Usually, the VGA is blue and the DVI is white.

Look, my monitor is the W2241, which doesn't even come with a DVI port. The specific model you're talking about is actually the W2241BF, and they specifically added the DVI port to that version.

So, I guess you're stuck on VGA for now. Maybe once you get the new PC, things will actually look better—it's possible the resolution isn't even set up right on this one.

I honestly feel like laptop screens just hit different. To me, they always seem to have much more vibrant colors and a sharper picture, whereas my desktop monitors tend to suffer from heavy glare and a washed-out look.
Maybe it’s just a habit I’ve picked up, though. Before I started using a laptop regularly, I never even noticed the difference, but now that I spend most of my time on one, switching back to a standard monitor feels like such a step down.
Just to bother you with one more quick question—I was browsing the Linksys website and saw they offer free shipping on orders over $333, but I can't find any mention of whether they charge for the custom PC build service or if that's included for free too?

Personally, I find laptop screens much more appealing overall. They tend to offer much sharper images and more vibrant colors, whereas my desktop monitors often suffer from heavy glare and lack that same level of clarity.

It really comes down to matte versus glossy finishes. Matte screens eliminate glare—which is ideal if you’re someone who takes their laptop out to a coffee shop or works outdoors—whereas glossy screens (which, ironically, are common on laptops but rare for desktop monitors) produce reflections but deliver much punchier colors and better contrast. This is likely because matte screens have an extra coating over the display panel.

Just one more quick question: I noticed on the Linksys website that they offer free shipping on orders over $333, but I can't find any info on whether they charge a fee for custom PC builds or if that's included for free too?

Customizing a build for orders over $667 is free, though I believe you might need to leave a deposit first (perhaps $67).

EDIT

If you're shopping for a monitor, just grab one with an IPS or PLS panel, connect it via a DVI cable, and you're good to go.

If I recall correctly, they'll throw in free assembly if you buy the whole rig from them

fadedorca66 said:Man, you're early—I was still busy checking what we had in stock over in Cleveland 😁

You really have to check this stuff maybe 2 or 3 days before you actually pull the trigger. Who knows what else will drop by then? Half these parts might be out of stock or the prices could swing wildly by then.

Hey everyone,

So, the time has finally come to build a new rig. The only real change since I asked two months ago is my budget—it’s not 3500 anymore, it's actually 5 $0.00. So, if you could help me put together a build (preferably with a Linksys link since I'm based in Cleveland) for up to 5 $0.00... I don't need a monitor.

My main goal is to get the best processor possible—ideally an 8-core or whatever the newest thing is—and 8 gigs of RAM. I'm totally open to any suggestions or ideas you guys have...

Thanks! 🙂

Cooler Master LC-CC-95
Graphics card PCI-E XFX AMD RADEON HD 7850, 2GB DDR5
Power supply 460W, LC POWER Silent Giant GREEN POWER LC6460GP3 V2.3,
DVD±RW LG GH24NSB0
Processor AMD FX X6 6300 box, s. AM3+, 3.5GHz, 14MB cache, Six Core
Memory PC-12800, 8 GB, KINGSTON, KVR16N11/8, DDR3 1600MHz
Hard drive 1000.0 GB SEAGATE ST1000DM003
Case COOLERMASTER K350
Motherboard ASROCK 970 EXTREME3

$1670

It’s an AMD FX X6 6300 box, right? It's got that AM3+ socket, runs at 3.5GHz, and comes with 14MB of cache. A six-core setup, I guess.
I guess the Cooler Master LC-CC-95 covers everything from socket 775 to AM3. Maybe it's worth a look if you need that kind of compatibility.
The ASROCK 970 EXTREME3 motherboard features an AMD 970/SB950 chipset and supports DDR3 memory. It comes equipped with various connections including SATA, Gigabit LAN, RAID support, PCI-E, CrossFireX, USB 3.0, and eSATA. This is an ATX board designed for the AM3 / AM3+ socket.
So, we've got the PCI-E XFX AMD RADEON R9 270 DD edition here—it’s running 2GB of DDR5 and comes equipped with DualDVI, HDMI, and DP outputs. I guess it covers the basics.
LG GH24NSB0 DVD±RW, 24x, SATA, Dual Layer, black, bulk version.
It looks like a standard 1TB Western Digital Blue hard drive—SATA3, 7200 RPM, with a 64MB cache. Probably just a basic desktop drive, I guess.
It’s a 460W unit—the LC POWER Silent Giant GREEN POWER LC6460GP3 V2.3.
It looks like we're looking at an 8 GB stick of Kingston DDR3 memory, specifically the KVR16N11/8 model running at 1600MHz. I guess it's pretty standard stuff for a PC-12800 setup.
It looks like an ANTEC VSK-4000E MIDI tower case in black, though it doesn't come with a power supply.

Total: $1674 Linksys

Thanks a ton, guys! 👍

How much of a big deal is the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit systems? And which macOS version comes next? :laik:

You really need to go with the x64 Windows installation—the 32-bit version just can't handle more than 4GB of RAM, so if you've got 8GB sitting there, it'll just go to waste.

Larry Ortiz5 said:You’ve gotta go with x64 Windows—32-bit just won't recognize all 8 gigs of RAM...

Thanks! 👍

Ryan Hayes82 said:Cooler LC POWER LC-CC-95
XFX PCI-E Graphics Card, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti, 2GB DDR5
460W Power Supply, LC POWER Silent Giant GREEN POWER LC6460GP3 V2.3,
LG GH24NSB0 DVD±RW
Intel Core i5-3570K Processor, 3.5GHz, 14MB cache, Quad-Core
PC-12800 Memory, 8 GB, KINGSTON, KVR16N11/8, DDR3 1600MHz
1000.0 GB SEAGATE ST1000DM003 Hard Drive
Cooler Master K350 Case
ASROCK 970 Extreme3 Motherboard

$1670

crimsonstag84 said:Intel Core i5-3570K Processor, 3.5GHz, 14MB cache, Quad-Core
Cooler LC POWER LC-CC-95, socket 775/1155/1156/1150/AM2/AM3
ASROCK 970 Extreme3 Motherboard, AMD 970/SB950, DDR3, audio, SATA, G-LAN, RAID, PCI-E, SLI, USB 3.0, eSATA, ATX, socket AM3 / AM3+
XFX PCI-E Graphics Card, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti, 2GB DDR5, DualDVI, HDMI, DP
LG GH24NSB0 DVD±RW, 24x, SATA, Dual layer, black, bulk
1000.0 GB WESTERN DIGITAL Blue, WD10EZEX, SATA3, 64MB cache, 7200rpm, desktop
460W Power Supply, LC POWER Silent Giant GREEN POWER LC6460GP3 V2.3,
PC-12800 Memory, 8 GB, KINGSTON, KVR16N11/8, DDR3 1600MHz
ANTEC VSK-4000E Case, MIDI, black, no PSU

Total: $1674 Best Buy

Hey guys, is there any chance I could grab a smaller hard drive—maybe something like 500 GB—to save some cash? I was thinking I could put those savings toward a better, more expensive graphics card instead.