PC build under $350 - LinkedIn

Hey there.

Can anyone pull some info from LinkedIn regarding $733? I just need the basics—internet, Office, YouTube, movies, and stuff like that. Just the box.

Well, that’s quite the rounding job you did there. 😬

Adam Moore3 said:Nice rounding there. 😬

If he was doing it on purpose, we wouldn't be looking at $2200 lol

Thanks for the suggestion!

I see the AMD processor hits 3.8 GHz $33—it's cheap, sure, but the cache is smaller—so I'm wondering if that actually impacts gaming performance? Is Intel the better bet here?
Does it even make sense to go with dual Channel 2 x2gb?

Yeah, Intel definitely takes the win over AMD in this scenario. I'm assuming you've been looking at those APUs, but honestly, the Pentium G3220 and its crowd will wipe the floor with them when it comes to raw CPU performance 🙂

Alright, thanks. Does running dual Channel 2 x2gb actually make a difference here?

Since that motherboard only has two RAM slots, if you go with dual Channel 2 x2gb right now, you'll be maxed out immediately. You won't have any room left to add more memory later without having to sell those two sticks just to buy larger ones. People usually go for dual Channel to squeeze out a bit of extra speed, but honestly, most users won't even notice the difference—it's mostly just something you see in benchmarks. It would be much smarter to just stick with a single 1x4GB stick like crimsonstag84 suggested.

Wait, I just realized these boards only come with two RAM slots. Any recommendations for an LGA 1150 motherboard up to $133? Honestly, I’m not sure about ECS—I'd much rather stick with brands I actually know, like Asrock, Asus, or Gigabyte.

You can find a much more premium Asrock for $6.75. Honestly, Newegg is terrible for building stuff; you'll get way better deals at other retailers.

ASROCK H81M-DGS R2—it’s an Intel H81 board, plain and simple. You get your DDR3 support, standard audio, Gigabit LAN, and SATA. It covers the basics: PCI-E, D-SUB, DVI, and USB 3.0. It's an mATX form factor designed for the LGA 1150 socket. Nothing fancy—just the essentials.
Intel Pentium G3220 box—socket 1150, 3.0GHz, 3MB cache, integrated GPU, dual Core. That's the deal.
G.SKILL Value Series, 4GB, DDR3 1600MHz—specifically the F3-1600C11S-4GNS. It’s standard dual Core memory PC-12800. Nothing fancy, just the basics.
Seagate 1TB hard drive—ST1000DM003. It’s a SATA3 drive with 64MB of cache and a 7200 RPM spin rate. Standard desktop fare.
LG GH24NSB0 DVD±RW drive—24x speed, SATA interface, supports dual layer, black finish, bulk packaging.
LC Power Pro-925B case—MIDI, black, PSU not included.
400W power supply—Antec VP400PC EC. It’s an ATX v2.3 unit with a 120mm fan. Simple enough.
TP-LINK TL-WN851ND PCI network card—300Mbps, 802.11n/g/b, featuring two detachable antennas. Simple enough.
Logitech Z213 speakers—2.1 system, black.

Would this work?

I know there are better shops out there with a much wider selection—I wouldn't want them shipping my gear all the way from Washington, D.C.—but I’m buying this on credit. VŽ.
Maybe crimsonstag84 knows of a better shop in Washington, D.C.?

Honestly, there isn't much else to choose from here in VŽ. Whether you go to ZIT or Micro Center, the GPU prices are pretty much identical, and Alpha-M is just an absolute nightmare when it comes to pricing.

The only other option is Portio, which is basically just an online shop tied to Micro Center. They don't have a physical storefront, so you'd have to order everything through their website. Usually, they're about 10% cheaper than Micro Center, though the price stays the same whether you pay with a card or cash.

If you save a bit on the price difference, you could probably snag something like a WD Caviar Black drive instead—it’s faster, maybe a little louder, but it comes with a 5-year warranty.

That’s what I figured—not much breathing room for options in the US...
Can I get one more take on this configuration?

It’s alright, though if we’re just talking about the case, I think the VSK-3000E is actually better built—plus it comes with a single fan, unlike that LC Power one. One little downside is that the Antec is a mini tower, so you won't be able to fit any ATX motherboards in there if you decide to upgrade down the road. Still, if it were me, I’d probably stick with the Antec.

Just a bit of advice: steer clear of the ECS motherboards if you can help it...