Budget PC build for office work and multimedia...

Hi everyone, I think it’s finally time to pull the trigger on a new PC because my current setup has become quite outdated, and honestly, after constantly tinkering with upgrades and scavenging parts from eBay, I’m feeling a bit burnt out on the whole process...

I need this machine to run smoothly when handling basic tasks like web browsing, multimedia, and Microsoft Office, while also being capable enough for occasional photo and video editing—plus a little music production on the side, though nothing professional. Essentially, I want something that feels snappy; I have a bit of a low tolerance for lag, so I really don't want to deal with any stuttering or freezing during my workflow.

I don't play games, but I’ve heard that having a decent graphics card is important for image and video work, so I assume I shouldn't settle for the absolute bottom-of-the-barrel options? I'm certainly no expert here.

I already have a monitor, so I just need the tower itself, including all the internal components. If possible, I'd prefer a slightly higher-end motherboard, a solid cooler, and a reliable power supply that would allow me to experiment with some light overclocking.

Here is a rough idea of what I’m looking for: a quad-core processor, 16GB of RAM, a small SSD for the system drive, and a fast 1TB hard drive for storage.

Ideally, I’d love to get everything from a single retailer if possible, with a budget somewhere around $600. Of course, the less I can spend, the better!😁 Just a heads-up, I'll be picking out my own case separately, so that isn't included in this price estimate.

Thanks!

I guess you don't really need 16GB of RAM if you're just doing some amateur-level editing

1 x Intel Core i5-2500K, LGA 1155, 3.3GHz
1 x Asrock Z77 Extreme3
1 x Patriot Viper3 1866MHz, 8GB (2x4GB)
1 x Fortron Raider S PSU 550W, 80+ Silver
1 x Samsung SH-224DB SATA Bulk Black
1 x Western Digital HDD, 1TB, 7200rpm, Western Digital Caviar Blue
1 x Samsung 120GB 840 EVO Basic SSD
1 x MSI GeForce GTX 650 OC, 1GB DDR5, DX11
1 x Zalman CNPS10X OPTIMA, AMD/Intel

$1907
futura-it

Michael Barrett75 said:Hey there—I’m looking to pick up a new PC because my current rig is starting to feel pretty ancient. I’ve been constantly tinkering with it and buying parts off eBay, and honestly, I’m just over it...

I need it to run smoothly for basic stuff—web browsing, multimedia, Microsoft Office, and things like that. It also needs to handle some light photo and video editing, plus maybe a little music production on the side (nothing professional, just amateur hobbyist stuff). Basically, I want it to be FAST. I have a bit of a short fuse when it comes to lag, and I really don't enjoy it when things stutter.

I don't play any games, but I've heard that the graphics card matters for photo and video work, so I assume I shouldn't go with something totally bottom-of-the-barrel? I'm probably not an expert here, so bear with me.

I already have a monitor, so I just need the tower itself with everything included—ideally a decent motherboard, a solid cooler, and a power supply that would allow for a little bit of overclocking.

Here is my rough idea for the specs: a quad-core processor, 16GB of RAM, a small SSD for the system drive, and then a fast 1TB hard drive for storage.

I'd prefer to get everything from a single retailer if possible, and I'm aiming to stay around $600. Of course, the less I spend, the better! 😁 Just a heads-up, I'm choosing my own case separately, so that isn't included in this budget.

Thanks!

Intel Core i5-4670
ASRock H87 Pro4
Kingston Technology HyperX black 16GB DDR3-1600MHz Kit
Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7.2k SATA Gb/s 32MB
Kingston Technology SSDNow V300 120GB
ASUS PCI-E N GeForce GTX 650 Ti DirectCU II 1GB
LG GH24NSB0
XFX PRO550W

5 $301 Newegg (Free shipping and assembly)

Michael Barrett75 said:Hey, looking to pick up a new PC. My current rig is ancient, and I'm tired of constantly upgrading parts from eBay. It's getting old...

I need it to run smoothly for basic stuff—web browsing, multimedia, Microsoft Office, things like that. Also needs to handle some light photo and video editing, and the occasional music recording session. Nothing pro, just amateur level. Basically, I want it FAST. I've got a short fuse when things lag.

I don't game, but people tell me the GPU matters for photos and video, so I guess I shouldn't get something bottom-of-the-barrel. Probably. Not an expert here.

I already have a monitor. Just need the tower itself with everything inside—maybe a decent motherboard, cooler, and power supply so I can try a little overclocking.

Here’s my rough idea: a quad-core processor, 16GB of RAM, a small SSD for the system, and a fast 1TB drive.

Preferably all from one shop, budget is around $600. The lower the better.😁 Case isn't included in this price.

Thanks.

INTEL
1 x Asrock Z87 Extreme3, s1150, Intel Z87, 4 x DDR3 DIMM, 3yr warranty
1 x Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz, Haswell
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Kingston, HyperX Blue, 1600MHz, CL10
1 x XFX Core edition 80 550W PSU - EasyRail technology
1 x ASUS DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/AS SATA, DVD-R 24x, DVD-RW 6x, DVD+R 24x
1 x Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24mo
1 x Kingston Technology SSDNow V300 120 GB Cooler master Hyper 212
1 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 1024 GDDR5 128 bit, N650-1GD5/OCV1, Core Clock 1071 M
1 x Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo,2011,1366/1156/775/AM3/ 626g,13-32dB

$1974

AMD
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Kingston, HyperX Blue, 1600MHz, CL10
1 x XFX Core edition 80 550W PSU - EasyRail technology
1 x ASUS DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/AS SATA, DVD-R 24x, DVD-RW 6x, DVD+R 24x
1 x Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24mo
1 x Kingston Technology SSDNow V300 120 GB Cooler master Hyper 212
1 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 1024 GDDR5 128 bit, N650-1GD5/OCV1, Core Clock 1071 M
1 x Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo,2011,1366/1156/775/AM3/ 626g,13-32dB
1 x Gigabyte 990XA-UD3, AM3+, AMD 990X SB950, 4x DDR3
1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 3.5GHz,16MB,125W,AM3+, FD8320FRHK

$1773

www.newegg.com

Susan Lee67

Look, if "less is more" is your mantra, you can definitely save some cash here—this setup is more than enough to cover what you need:

Intel Core i5-3350P
MSI B75 E31
PATRIOT 8GB 1333 MHZ
SEAGATE 3.5 1TB SATA 3 SSHD
MSI GeForce GTX 650 1GB OC
SAMSUNG WIRELESS SMART HUB
CHICONY HIPRO 500W 80+ BRONZE
ZALMAN T4 USB 3.0 MATX

$1457 - Free assembly and shipping from local shop

Since you mentioned you're only doing video and photo editing once in a while, 8GB of RAM and an SSHD instead of a full SSD should be plenty for you.

Alright, I think I've received some truly excellent suggestions here.👍

I'm going to go ahead and accept the 8GB memory configuration. Regarding the hard drives, however, I really need to have two physical disks in my PC; that’s just how I’ve always done things, isn't it? It’s a habit born from the fact that whenever I reinstall my system, I end up formatting the entire drive—old habits die hard, I suppose.

I wouldn't exactly say I'm looking for the "cheapest" option, though; after all, I'm a bit of a hardware enthusiast and an old-school overclocker, if you could call me that. Back in the day, I used to pick up motherboards for $500 (when they weren't nearly as expensive as they are now😁) and various other parts. I guess a little bit of that obsession remains. I'm not entirely sure what the landscape looks like today, but back then, being able to overclock on a $133 motherboard was nothing more than a dream, wasn't it?🤷 And honestly, I still love to tinker with those settings a little bit.

Thanks to everyone for the help; I'll wrap my head around this and hopefully have everything purchased by the end of the week. If anyone else has any additional suggestions, please feel free to share them, as there is no immediate rush on my end.

Michael Barrett75 said:Alright, I think I've received some pretty excellent suggestions here.👍

I'm definitely on board with this setup for 8GB of memory. Regarding the storage—look, I just have to have two physical drives in my PC; it’s how I’ve always done things, ever since forever. When I have to reinstall the OS, I end up wiping the whole drive. Old habits die hard, I guess!

I wouldn't say I'm looking for "dirt cheap" options, though. I'm a bit of a former hardware geek myself—an overclocker and whatnot—and back in the day, I used to pick up motherboards for $500 (back when things weren't quite as pricey as they are now😁) and stuff like that. I suppose a little bit of that obsession stuck with me. I mean, I don't know what the market is like these days, but back then, being able to overclock on a $133 board was basically just a pipe dream. 🤷 And honestly? I still love playing around with those settings.

Thanks, everyone! I'll wrap my head around all this and hopefully have everything purchased by the end of the week. If anyone has any other suggestions, feel free to chime in—there's no huge rush on my end.

Well, that's a different story entirely! Here is a proper build that actually lets you get things done—whether you want to overclock, game, or just use it for everyday tasks like browsing or even video editing (using Microsoft Office and such)

Intel Core i5-4670K
Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3 motherboard
Kingston Technology HyperX black 8GB DDR3-1600MHz Kit
MSI GeForce GTX 660 gaming Toshiba 1 TB 3.5
Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7.2k SATA Gb/s 32MB
Kingston Technology SSDNow V300 120GB Cooler master Hyper 212
Cooler master Hyper 212 Evo
XFX PRO550W

6 $35 Newegg - This is a realistic price point for everything you're looking for. Anything cheaper than this (around $500- $500) probably won't include at least one of the components you'd find in this specific bundle... but hey, the final call is yours...

Robert Rodriguez2 said:1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Kingston Technology HyperX Blue, 1600MHz, CL10
1 x XFX Core edition 80 550W PSU - EasyRail technology
1 x ASUS DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/AS SATA, DVD-R 24x, DVD-RW 6x, DVD+R 24x
1 x Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB, 1000 GB, SATA3, 64 MB, 3.5", 24mj
1 x Kingston Technology SSDNow V300 120GB, 2.5" 7mm, SATA 3 6G, 7mm to 9.5mm
1 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 1024 GDDR5 128 bit, N650-1GD5/OCV1, Core Clock 1071 M
1 x Cooler master Hyper 212 Evo, 2011, 1366/1156/775/AM3/, 626g, 13-32dB
1 x Gigabyte 990XA-UD3, AM3+, AMD 990X SB950, 4x DDR3
1 x AMD FX-Series X8 8320 3.5GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8320FRHK

$1773

www.newegg.com

Ryan Hayes82 said:You don't really need 16GB of RAM if you're just doing amateur-level editing.

1 x Intel Core i5-2500K, LGA 1155, 3.3GHz
1 x Intel 1 x Asrock Z87 Extreme3
1 x Patriot Viper3 1866Mhz, 8GB (2x4GB)
1 x Fortron Raider S PSU 550W, 80+ SILVER
1 x Samsung SH-224DB SATA Bulk Black
1 x Western Digital HDD, 1TB, 7200rpm, Western Digital Caviar Blue
1 x Samsung SSD 120GB 840 EVO Basic
1 x MSI GeForce GTX 650 OC, 1GB DDR5, DX11
1 x Zalman CNPS10X OPTIMA, AMD/Intel

$1907
futura-it

If you're looking to overclock, try aiming for something like this.

That sounds great; I am actually planning to place my order later this afternoon. Since I don't have any interest in gaming at all, there really isn't any need for me to invest in a more powerful graphics card, is there?

Timothy Fisher79 said:Well, that's a different story entirely. If you want a real machine that can actually handle some heavy lifting—think overclocking, gaming, or even just day-to-day stuff like browsing, Microsoft Office, or some light video editing—here's what I'd suggest:

Intel Core i5-4670K
Gigabyte GA-Z87-HD3 motherboard

...

I'm actually running this exact setup myself 👍

Susan Lee67

If you're really leaning into the overclocking route, I’d tweak things a bit more if I were in your shoes—here's how I'd beef it up:

Intel Core i5-2500K
Spire Coolgate 2012
MSI Z77A-G45
Patriot Signature Blue 8GB
SSD Intel 530 120
WD Blue 1TB SATA 3
Gigabyte GTX 650 1GB OC
Samsung Wireless Smart Hub
FSP Raider 550W 80+ Silver
Zalman Z3 USB 3.0 ATX

$2027 - Micro Center (free assembly and shipping)

Basically, I bumped up the warranties, swapped in a better CPU cooler, and added an MSI motherboard—it's budget-friendly but honestly just a solid, high-quality choice.

I’m not so sure about the Z77A-G45; from what I’ve seen, the VRM really struggles during overclocking and people have been complaining about it. I’d probably go with the Z77 Extreme3 for about $33 more, just like how @halek suggested 😉

Where exactly are we talking about? I've put together plenty of similar builds using that board before—never ran into any issues at all when it came to overclocking.

The Z77 chipset can be pretty rough sometimes. It might handle 4.3 GHz just fine since you aren't seeing a huge spike in voltage or power draw, but I guess I worry about the long-term reliability.

With those 4-phase VRM setups using D-PAK mosfets, you're basically looking at the bottom-tier Z77 boards.

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...honestly, MSI boards tend to be pretty weak when it comes to the VRM, and having solid VRMs is pretty crucial if you want a stable, long-lasting overclock.

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Well, I suppose some people are happy enough with them, but those mid-range MSI boards can be a real headache for overclocking (probably more of an issue with AMD builds, anyway).

He’s totally underselling it 😁 This board has a 4+2 phase setup—and honestly, if the motherboard were actually garbage, you wouldn't see it getting praised elsewhere or seeing people push a 3770K to 4.8 GHz without breaking a sweat.

The only real issue is that MSI sometimes struggles with the VRM on their AMD builds, specifically those mid-range ones like the MSI 970 A-G45 and stuff like that.

Bottom line? You're just stressing over dust for nothing since it's a solid board. I mean, sure, go ahead and try it yourself if you want first-hand experience, but this doesn't really change anything.

I just picked up an XFX550W from Best Buy while it was on sale!

I am currently weighing my options regarding a new cooler, and I have decided that I will most likely go with a Noctua, though I haven't quite settled on which specific model will best suit my needs just yet.

From what I’ve been able to gather—though I must admit, my head is already starting to throb from trying to wrap my mind around all this technical jargon—wouldn't it be wiser to opt for the 2500K if you're looking to push the limits with overclocking, or perhaps stick with an Ivy Bridge architecture instead?🤷

Is there really much of a distinction to be made between the SSD Intel 530 120 or the Samsung 840, or am I perhaps overthinking a choice that seems relatively straightforward? I find myself at a bit of a crossroads here, as I honestly haven't the slightest clue what the actual difference lies between these two drives.
Is there anything quite as fundamental to a reliable workstation as a dependable 1TB Western Digital Blue hard drive?
Regarding the RAM options currently being discussed, which of these specific modules would you recommend I move forward with?
Is there anything quite as iconic as the Intel Core i5-4670K? It truly feels like we are revisiting a legend, doesn't it?
Is there anything quite as nostalgic as looking back at the GIGABYTE GTX 650 1GB OC? Even after all this time, one can't help but wonder if such a classic piece of hardware still holds a certain charm for those of us who appreciate the evolution of PC gaming.
As for the case, please don't feel any pressure to suggest one, as I plan on selecting a chassis that fits my specific aesthetic preferences, and frankly, it isn't even factored into this particular budget.

And wouldn't it be wise to consider adding a motherboard to the mix as well? $333Does it really matter which store I visit? Honestly, I'll just pick up whatever parts are available and handle the entire build myself.

Does this look like a solid choice to you?

ASRock Z77 Extreme4