Kid's gaming PC is pure chaos

Hey everyone,
I'm looking for some help, assuming anyone actually has the patience, energy, and free time to deal with someone else's headache. 🙏

So, here's the deal. I have a kid, about 13 years old, and I promised to buy him a computer for schoolwork and gaming.
My budget is $2.50, and that needs to cover everything (the PC itself + a monitor + a Windows 10 license).
Now, here's the catch. I am a complete novice when it comes to this stuff. I have a vague idea of what the different parts are, but trying to understand how they all connect and work together is giving me a massive migraine. I was going to try and take a shortcut, but instead of just guessing blindly, I figured I'd ask you guys here.

I'm thinking about something like this. Is it any good?

I don't have the technical know-how to build a rig myself, and I don't know anyone who can, so if anyone feels like putting a list together, I’d love a configuration that might be better than the one in the link. There's one big condition, though: I need to be able to print the list out and hand it over at a single store. I really need to buy everything from one place so I can just pay by credit card and split it into monthly installments.

From what I've looked at, Protis seems decent, and then there's Centro and Instar, but if you have any other recommendations for a reliable shop, please let me know.

One last question. Would the people at the store actually be willing to install Windows for me if I didn't buy the license directly from them?

Honestly, you could probably just snag him a gaming console and a laptop for even less than what was budgeted—assuming he’s already got a decent TV to hook everything up to.

1 * SilentiumPC Armis AR3 Black Case, includes 2x120mm fans
SKU: 29150648 - $133

1 * Fortron Hexa Plus 400W Power Supply, 80+, active, 12 cm
SKU: fsp-nap-hexa-400p - $117

1 * Gigabyte GA-B250M-D3H, 1151, iB250, D4, S3, U3, DVI, mA
SKU: gig-ga-b250m-d3h - $234

1 * Intel CPU desktop Pentium G4560 (3.5GHz, 3MB, LGA1151) box
SKU: BX80677G4560SR32Y - $222

1 * Patriot Signature DDR4, 2400Mhz, 8GB, CL15, Intel only!!
SKU: pat-pv48g24h-8g - 610, $0.00

1 * Asus GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GDDR5 Graphics Card
SKU: 0902242 - $518

1 * Adata 240GB SU650 SATA 3D Nand SSD
SKU: 0140881 - $139

1 * Lenovo 500GB 3.5 inch SATA HDD
SKU: LEN-PULLED500GB-08 - $80

1 * LG 23MP68VQ-P 23" Wide LED Monitor
SKU: LG-0594 - $461

Total: $2.00 with financing available, plus complimentary assembly and shipping. Please note this does not include Windows 10 (as I am quite uncertain of what they charge for their most basic version), nor does it include speakers, headphones, a mouse, a keyboard, or an optical drive should one be required.

Honestly, this build from the link is a total rip-off. Best Buy offers free assembly, and setting up Windows is pretty straightforward, to be honest.

AMD CPU desktop Ryzen 5 6C/12T 1600X (3.6/4.0GHz Boost,19MB,95W,AM4) box
SilentiumPC Regnum RG4T Black Case without PSU P/N: SPC178
Asrock Radeon Phantom Gaming D RX570 4GB, ASR-PGD RX570 4GB
Kingston SSD 240GB A400 SATA3 2.5 SSD (7mm height), TBW: 80TB, EAN: 740617261219
2x Apacer DDR4 2400MHz, 4GB
SilentiumPC Spartan 3 PRO HE1024 CPU cooler
Toshiba P300 1TB, 64MB, 7200rpm HDWD110UZSVA
MBO Gigabyte GA-AB350M-Gaming 3,AM4,A350,D4,S3,U3,mATX motherboard
SilentiumPC Vero L2 500W Bronze P/N: SPC164 power supply
LG 22" LED IPS, 22MK430H, VGA, DVI, HDMI, FreeSync

Total: $2.25 on financing - Best Buy

Nicole Garcia43, putting a build together shouldn't be an issue for you. Almost every major retailer, like Best Buy or Micro Center, offers free assembly if you spend over $667—it's how they handle their pre-built systems anyway. You just need a competent hand to give you a solid recommendation. For instance, here is what I would suggest: 😁

Configuration:



Links:

For a monitor, maybe look at one of these:

Honestly, buying retail Windows licenses at full price makes zero sense unless this is for a corporation. Your options are pretty simple:

- "Figure it out" (maybe a tech-savvy friend can install it for you)
- Pick up a key for a few bucks on eBay (just make sure it's Windows 10 x64)
- Ask the guys at the shop if they can handle the installation for you

You guys are absolute lifesavers, seriously! I know you all had to carve out time from your lives for this, so thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve spent days staring at specs and learning things like how an Intel processor might be better than an AMD one, or that AMD is cheaper and totally fine for gaming, but honestly... that's about as far as my brain can take me. So, everyone, once again 🙏

Bryan Rivera83 said:Honestly, you could probably just snag him a gaming console and a laptop for even less than what was budgeted—assuming he’s already got a decent TV to hook everything up to.

Initially, I was looking at a gaming laptop in this price range because it seemed like a cleaner, more streamlined solution, but everyone convinced me that a PC is the way to go. We only have one TV in the house—mostly just out of principle—so I am absolutely not handing that over for gaming. 😁 Thanks again.

Ashley Wood3 said:...

Total cost: $2.00 with installment plans, free assembly, and delivery. This doesn't include Windows 10 (I have no idea what they charge for the cheapest option), speakers/headphones, mouse/keyboard, or an optical drive if one were even needed.

Thanks so much. One question though: do I actually need an optical drive? What would I even use it for?

crimsonstag84 said:Honestly, this build from the link is a total rip-off. Best Buy offers free assembly, and setting up Windows is pretty straightforward, to be honest.

AMD CPU desktop Ryzen 5 6C/12T 1600X (3.6/4.0GHz Boost,19MB,95W,AM4) box
SilentiumPC Regnum RG4T Black Case without PSU P/N: SPC178
Asrock Radeon Phantom Gaming D RX570 4GB, ASR-PGD RX570 4GB
Kingston SSD 240GB A400 SATA3 2.5 SSD (7mm height), TBW: 80TB, EAN: 740617261219
2x Apacer DDR4 2400MHz, 4GB
SilentiumPC Spartan 3 PRO HE1024 CPU cooler
Toshiba P300 1TB, 64MB, 7200rpm HDWD110UZSVA
MBO Gigabyte GA-AB350M-Gaming 3,AM4,A350,D4,S3,U3,mATX motherboard
SilentiumPC Vero L2 500W Bronze P/N: SPC164 power supply
LG 22" LED IPS, 22MK430H, VGA, DVI, HDMI, FreeSync

Total: $2.25 on financing - Best Buy

😁 for picking from that link. I knew it wasn't a great idea, which is why I asked here. The only thing I liked about those pre-built solutions was that they claimed the configuration was tested, which makes me think nothing was put together incorrectly. Thank you so much.

Kimberly Gomez34 said:Nicole Garcia43, putting a build together shouldn't be an issue for you. Almost every major retailer, like Best Buy or Micro Center, offers free assembly if you spend over $667—it's how they handle their pre-built systems anyway. You just need a competent hand to give you a solid recommendation. For instance, here is what I would suggest: 😁

Configuration:



Links:

For a monitor, maybe look at one of these:

Honestly, buying retail Windows licenses at full price makes zero sense unless this is for a corporation. Your options are pretty simple:

- "Figure it out" (maybe a tech-savvy friend can install it for you)
- Pick up a key for a few bucks on eBay (just make sure it's Windows 10 x64)
- Ask the guys at the shop if they can handle the installation for you

Thanks, thanks so much. This advice was really helpful, both for the build and the Windows situation. I actually looked into that eBay option before, but I thought those keys wouldn't last forever... One more question though. I'm also going to need Office 2010. Should I buy that outright, or is it the same deal where I have to find a workaround?

Everything is getting a lot clearer now. I'm going to go dig into everything you suggested and double-check the prices at Centro and Uzishop.

Nicole Garcia43 said:You guys are absolute lifesavers, seriously! I know you all had to carve out time from your lives for this, so thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve spent days staring at specs and learning things like how an Intel processor might be better than an AMD one, or that AMD is cheaper and totally fine for gaming, but honestly... that's about as far as my brain can take me. So, everyone, once again 🙏

Initially, I was looking at a gaming laptop in this price range because it seemed like a cleaner, more streamlined solution, but everyone convinced me that a PC is the way to go. We only have one TV in the house—mostly just out of principle—so I am absolutely not handing that over for gaming. 😁 Thanks again.

Thanks so much. One question though: do I actually need an optical drive? What would I even use it for?

😁 for picking from that link. I knew it wasn't a great idea, which is why I asked here. The only thing I liked about those pre-built solutions was that they claimed the configuration was tested, which makes me think nothing was put together incorrectly. Thank you so much.

Thanks, thanks so much. This advice was really helpful, both for the build and the Windows situation. I actually looked into that eBay option before, but I thought those keys wouldn't last forever... One more question though. I'm also going to need Office 2010. Should I buy that outright, or is it the same deal where I have to find a workaround?

Everything is getting a lot clearer now. I'm going to go dig into everything you suggested and double-check the prices at Centro and Uzishop.

What you learned isn't really true 😁 You buy processors based on what you can actually afford and what gives you the best bang for your buck—basically trying to squeeze the strongest chip possible into your budget. Whether it says Intel or AMD is probably the last thing you should care about.😁

Nicole Garcia43 said:You guys are absolute lifesavers, seriously! I know you all had to carve out time from your lives for this, so thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve spent days staring at specs and learning things like how an Intel processor might be better than an AMD one, or that AMD is cheaper and totally fine for gaming, but honestly... that's about as far as my brain can take me. So, everyone, once again 🙏

Initially, I was looking at a gaming laptop in this price range because it seemed like a cleaner, more streamlined solution, but everyone convinced me that a PC is the way to go. We only have one TV in the house—mostly just out of principle—so I am absolutely not handing that over for gaming. 😁 Thanks again.

Thanks so much. One question though: do I actually need an optical drive? What would I even use it for?

😁 for picking from that link. I knew it wasn't a great idea, which is why I asked here. The only thing I liked about those pre-built solutions was that they claimed the configuration was tested, which makes me think nothing was put together incorrectly. Thank you so much.

Thanks, thanks so much. This advice was really helpful, both for the build and the Windows situation. I actually looked into that eBay option before, but I thought those keys wouldn't last forever... One more question though. I'm also going to need Office 2010. Should I buy that outright, or is it the same deal where I have to find a workaround?

Everything is getting a lot clearer now. I'm going to go dig into everything you suggested and double-check the prices at Centro and Uzishop.

A PC is definitely a more robust setup; it's easier to fix, easier to handle overheating issues, and much easier to upgrade later on...

Nicole Garcia43 said:You guys are absolute lifesavers, seriously! I know you all had to carve out time from your lives for this, so thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve spent days staring at specs and learning things like how an Intel processor might be better than an AMD one, or that AMD is cheaper and totally fine for gaming, but honestly... that's about as far as my brain can take me. So, everyone, once again 🙏

Initially, I was looking at a gaming laptop in this price range because it seemed like a cleaner, more streamlined solution, but everyone convinced me that a PC is the way to go. We only have one TV in the house—mostly just out of principle—so I am absolutely not handing that over for gaming. 😁 Thanks again.

Thanks so much. One question though: do I actually need an optical drive? What would I even use it for?

😁 for picking from that link. I knew it wasn't a great idea, which is why I asked here. The only thing I liked about those pre-built solutions was that they claimed the configuration was tested, which makes me think nothing was put together incorrectly. Thank you so much.

Thanks, thanks so much. This advice was really helpful, both for the build and the Windows situation. I actually looked into that eBay option before, but I thought those keys wouldn't last forever... One more question though. I'm also going to need Office 2010. Should I buy that outright, or is it the same deal where I have to find a workaround?

Everything is getting a lot clearer now. I'm going to go dig into everything you suggested and double-check the prices at Centro and Uzishop.

Nowadays, since you install Windows from a USB stick and download games directly from the internet, you probably won't need one. Maybe if a kid wants to borrow discs from a friend or needs something for school, but that's about it...

Nicole Garcia43 said:You guys are absolute lifesavers, seriously! I know you all had to carve out time from your lives for this, so thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve spent days staring at specs and learning things like how an Intel processor might be better than an AMD one, or that AMD is cheaper and totally fine for gaming, but honestly... that's about as far as my brain can take me. So, everyone, once again 🙏

Initially, I was looking at a gaming laptop in this price range because it seemed like a cleaner, more streamlined solution, but everyone convinced me that a PC is the way to go. We only have one TV in the house—mostly just out of principle—so I am absolutely not handing that over for gaming. 😁 Thanks again.

Thanks so much. One question though: do I actually need an optical drive? What would I even use it for?

😁 for picking from that link. I knew it wasn't a great idea, which is why I asked here. The only thing I liked about those pre-built solutions was that they claimed the configuration was tested, which makes me think nothing was put together incorrectly. Thank you so much.

Thanks, thanks so much. This advice was really helpful, both for the build and the Windows situation. I actually looked into that eBay option before, but I thought those keys wouldn't last forever... One more question though. I'm also going to need Office 2010. Should I buy that outright, or is it the same deal where I have to find a workaround?

Everything is getting a lot clearer now. I'm going to go dig into everything you suggested and double-check the prices at Centro and Uzishop.

Even when you're buying individual parts, they usually put everything together and test it; they aren't going to send you something that doesn't work. Unless you're just incredibly unlucky, I guess...

Nicole Garcia43 said:You guys are absolute lifesavers, seriously! I know you all had to carve out time from your lives for this, so thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve spent days staring at specs and learning things like how an Intel processor might be better than an AMD one, or that AMD is cheaper and totally fine for gaming, but honestly... that's about as far as my brain can take me. So, everyone, once again 🙏

Initially, I was looking at a gaming laptop in this price range because it seemed like a cleaner, more streamlined solution, but everyone convinced me that a PC is the way to go. We only have one TV in the house—mostly just out of principle—so I am absolutely not handing that over for gaming. 😁 Thanks again.

Thanks so much. One question though: do I actually need an optical drive? What would I even use it for?

😁 for picking from that link. I knew it wasn't a great idea, which is why I asked here. The only thing I liked about those pre-built solutions was that they claimed the configuration was tested, which makes me think nothing was put together incorrectly. Thank you so much.

Thanks, thanks so much. This advice was really helpful, both for the build and the Windows situation. I actually looked into that eBay option before, but I thought those keys wouldn't last forever... One more question though. I'm also going to need Office 2010. Should I buy that outright, or is it the same deal where I have to find a workaround?

Everything is getting a lot clearer now. I'm going to go dig into everything you suggested and double-check the prices at Centro and Uzishop.

Nobody can guarantee it'll stay active, but it probably is 😁 For that amount of $8.25 I guess it's worth the gamble; if it works, it works.

As for Office, there's free stuff like OpenOffice. If not, maybe just try to scrape by at first. Otherwise, Office is pretty pricey, and you can't even get 2010 anymore, just 2016. And that's either a subscription (Office 365) or a one-time buy that costs over $333. You could also check with your school; they might have a free or cheaper option, I know some colleges have stuff like that available.

Kimberly Gomez34, I have to say, that price point feels a bit steep. It might be worth considering $2333 installment plans, especially if she skips the monitor and other peripherals for now. To be perfectly honest, crimsonstag84's build is significantly more powerful than my own setup, yet it remains $200 more expensive, even when you account for a few minor shared advantages. Furthermore, the screen included there isn't nearly as good as the LG 23 MP68VQ, which I personally consider to be an absolute best-buy. Perhaps the most prudent approach would be to finance that specific configuration while purchasing the LG 23 MP68VQ outright with cash, given how much value it offers. If things get tight, maybe she could opt for a slightly more budget-friendly processor or adjust another component?

Oh, and I should also mention that the new nitro monitor looks like it could be quite a solid value as well.

True, I hadn't considered that the installment plan might end up being about 10% higher than the cash price. Following crimsonstag84's suggestion, we'd be looking at roughly $2567 for installments (maybe even less, since I think Centro offers an 8% discount for cash payments). If that still feels too steep, he could always pivot to my idea or his and swap in a cheaper graphics card—the gtx 1050ti. Honestly, I wouldn't mess around with Pentium processors; it would be a real shame to pass up a hexa Ryzen at these prices like in my or crimsonstag84's proposal. Some games suffer from stuttering on a basic quad-core, let alone a dual-core with four threads. It wouldn't be great if the kid gets frustrated because things aren't running smoothly. Otherwise, it’s a very upgradeable setup; one day he can just pop in another 8GB of RAM and a beefier GPU, and he'll be set.

If we stick to the budget I laid out, I'd modify my proposal to swap out the gtx 1060 3 instead of the current one for this option, which allows him to take advantage of FreeSync on the monitor (just enable FreeSync on the monitor itself, and then in the Radeon drivers)

Well, I'm already paying off my setup in installments, so maybe it's too good to be true? 😬

Maybe 😁

If she doesn't mind picking up a 24" monitor, that would solve everything. I actually have this one right here under $333 (Samsung LC24F390fhux)
: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=LC24F390fhux

Or there's that other one I linked earlier (it's available for $333 over on Instagram)

Ashley Wood3 said:Kimberly Gomez34, I have to say, that price point feels a bit steep. It might be worth considering $2333 installment plans, especially if she skips the monitor and other peripherals for now. To be perfectly honest, crimsonstag84's build is significantly more powerful than my own setup, yet it remains $200 more expensive, even when you account for a few minor shared advantages. Furthermore, the screen included there isn't nearly as good as the LG 23 MP68VQ, which I personally consider to be an absolute best-buy. Perhaps the most prudent approach would be to finance that specific configuration while purchasing the LG 23 MP68VQ outright with cash, given how much value it offers. If things get tight, maybe she could opt for a slightly more budget-friendly processor or adjust another component?

Oh, and I should also mention that the new nitro monitor looks like it could be quite a solid value as well.

Thanks again! Honestly, I’m thinking about just grabbing that Smartecov build and swapping out their suggested monitor for the one you recommended... It actually keeps me right within my budget.

Kimberly Gomez34 said:True, I hadn't considered that the installment plan might end up being about 10% higher than the cash price. Following crimsonstag84's suggestion, we'd be looking at roughly $2567 for installments (maybe even less, since I think Centro offers an 8% discount for cash payments). If that still feels too steep, he could always pivot to my idea or his and swap in a cheaper graphics card—the gtx 1050ti. Honestly, I wouldn't mess around with Pentium processors; it would be a real shame to pass up a hexa Ryzen at these prices like in my or crimsonstag84's proposal. Some games suffer from stuttering on a basic quad-core, let alone a dual-core with four threads. It wouldn't be great if the kid gets frustrated because things aren't running smoothly. Otherwise, it’s a very upgradeable setup; one day he can just pop in another 8GB of RAM and a beefier GPU, and he'll be set.

If we stick to the budget I laid out, I'd modify my proposal to swap out the gtx 1060 3 instead of the current one for this option, which allows him to take advantage of FreeSync on the monitor (just enable FreeSync on the monitor itself, and then in the Radeon drivers)

So, I'm looking at grabbing a Ryzen processor paired with one of these GPUs being thrown around: either the Asrock Radeon Phantom gaming D RX570 4 or the ASR-PGD RX570 4GB, or maybe just the gtx 1050 ti. Does that combo actually work together? Is everything compatible...

Kimberly Gomez34 said:True, I hadn't considered that the installment plan might end up being about 10% higher than the cash price. Following crimsonstag84's suggestion, we'd be looking at roughly $2567 for installments (maybe even less, since I think Centro offers an 8% discount for cash payments). If that still feels too steep, he could always pivot to my idea or his and swap in a cheaper graphics card—the gtx 1050ti. Honestly, I wouldn't mess around with Pentium processors; it would be a real shame to pass up a hexa Ryzen at these prices like in my or crimsonstag84's proposal. Some games suffer from stuttering on a basic quad-core, let alone a dual-core with four threads. It wouldn't be great if the kid gets frustrated because things aren't running smoothly. Otherwise, it’s a very upgradeable setup; one day he can just pop in another 8GB of RAM and a beefier GPU, and he'll be set.

If we stick to the budget I laid out, I'd modify my proposal to swap out the gtx 1060 3 instead of the current one for this option, which allows him to take advantage of FreeSync on the monitor (just enable FreeSync on the monitor itself, and then in the Radeon drivers)

Wait, what? 😁 Is that supposed to run on that monitor Ashley Wood3 suggested?

crimsonstag84 said:Well, I'm already paying off my setup in installments, so maybe it's too good to be true? 😬

Care 🙂 That suggestion is definitely my top pick. I'll print everything out and head over to Centro next week.

fadedorca66 said:What you learned isn't really true 😁 You buy processors based on what you can actually afford and what gives you the best bang for your buck—basically trying to squeeze the strongest chip possible into your budget. Whether it says Intel or AMD is probably the last thing you should care about.😁

A PC is definitely a more robust setup; it's easier to fix, easier to handle overheating issues, and much easier to upgrade later on...

Nowadays, since you install Windows from a USB stick and download games directly from the internet, you probably won't need one. Maybe if a kid wants to borrow discs from a friend or needs something for school, but that's about it...

Even when you're buying individual parts, they usually put everything together and test it; they aren't going to send you something that doesn't work. Unless you're just incredibly unlucky, I guess...

Nobody can guarantee it'll stay active, but it probably is 😁 For that amount of $8.25 I guess it's worth the gamble; if it works, it works.

As for Office, there's free stuff like OpenOffice. If not, maybe just try to scrape by at first. Otherwise, Office is pretty pricey, and you can't even get 2010 anymore, just 2016. And that's either a subscription (Office 365) or a one-time buy that costs over $333. You could also check with your school; they might have a free or cheaper option, I know some colleges have stuff like that available.

Ugh, just like that... all that self-confidence I spent the last two weeks building up? Gone. Just completely evaporated...😬

fadedorca66 said:What you learned isn't really true 😁 You buy processors based on what you can actually afford and what gives you the best bang for your buck—basically trying to squeeze the strongest chip possible into your budget. Whether it says Intel or AMD is probably the last thing you should care about.😁

A PC is definitely a more robust setup; it's easier to fix, easier to handle overheating issues, and much easier to upgrade later on...

Nowadays, since you install Windows from a USB stick and download games directly from the internet, you probably won't need one. Maybe if a kid wants to borrow discs from a friend or needs something for school, but that's about it...

Even when you're buying individual parts, they usually put everything together and test it; they aren't going to send you something that doesn't work. Unless you're just incredibly unlucky, I guess...

Nobody can guarantee it'll stay active, but it probably is 😁 For that amount of $8.25 I guess it's worth the gamble; if it works, it works.

As for Office, there's free stuff like OpenOffice. If not, maybe just try to scrape by at first. Otherwise, Office is pretty pricey, and you can't even get 2010 anymore, just 2016. And that's either a subscription (Office 365) or a one-time buy that costs over $333. You could also check with your school; they might have a free or cheaper option, I know some colleges have stuff like that available.

Yeah, that’s exactly why I went along with it. Especially since I'm pinning my hopes on the little one taking over all the future upgrades... ☕

fadedorca66 said:What you learned isn't really true 😁 You buy processors based on what you can actually afford and what gives you the best bang for your buck—basically trying to squeeze the strongest chip possible into your budget. Whether it says Intel or AMD is probably the last thing you should care about.😁

A PC is definitely a more robust setup; it's easier to fix, easier to handle overheating issues, and much easier to upgrade later on...

Nowadays, since you install Windows from a USB stick and download games directly from the internet, you probably won't need one. Maybe if a kid wants to borrow discs from a friend or needs something for school, but that's about it...

Even when you're buying individual parts, they usually put everything together and test it; they aren't going to send you something that doesn't work. Unless you're just incredibly unlucky, I guess...

Nobody can guarantee it'll stay active, but it probably is 😁 For that amount of $8.25 I guess it's worth the gamble; if it works, it works.

As for Office, there's free stuff like OpenOffice. If not, maybe just try to scrape by at first. Otherwise, Office is pretty pricey, and you can't even get 2010 anymore, just 2016. And that's either a subscription (Office 365) or a one-time buy that costs over $333. You could also check with your school; they might have a free or cheaper option, I know some colleges have stuff like that available.

Yeah, maybe we actually *will* end up needing an optical drive after all. Then again, I've got one on my home laptop, so maybe I can just skip it for now... I'll have to sleep on it and give it some more thought.

fadedorca66 said:What you learned isn't really true 😁 You buy processors based on what you can actually afford and what gives you the best bang for your buck—basically trying to squeeze the strongest chip possible into your budget. Whether it says Intel or AMD is probably the last thing you should care about.😁

A PC is definitely a more robust setup; it's easier to fix, easier to handle overheating issues, and much easier to upgrade later on...

Nowadays, since you install Windows from a USB stick and download games directly from the internet, you probably won't need one. Maybe if a kid wants to borrow discs from a friend or needs something for school, but that's about it...

Even when you're buying individual parts, they usually put everything together and test it; they aren't going to send you something that doesn't work. Unless you're just incredibly unlucky, I guess...

Nobody can guarantee it'll stay active, but it probably is 😁 For that amount of $8.25 I guess it's worth the gamble; if it works, it works.

As for Office, there's free stuff like OpenOffice. If not, maybe just try to scrape by at first. Otherwise, Office is pretty pricey, and you can't even get 2010 anymore, just 2016. And that's either a subscription (Office 365) or a one-time buy that costs over $333. You could also check with your school; they might have a free or cheaper option, I know some colleges have stuff like that available.

Then there were those folks on the forum who just couldn't catch a break... 😁

fadedorca66 said:What you learned isn't really true 😁 You buy processors based on what you can actually afford and what gives you the best bang for your buck—basically trying to squeeze the strongest chip possible into your budget. Whether it says Intel or AMD is probably the last thing you should care about.😁

A PC is definitely a more robust setup; it's easier to fix, easier to handle overheating issues, and much easier to upgrade later on...

Nowadays, since you install Windows from a USB stick and download games directly from the internet, you probably won't need one. Maybe if a kid wants to borrow discs from a friend or needs something for school, but that's about it...

Even when you're buying individual parts, they usually put everything together and test it; they aren't going to send you something that doesn't work. Unless you're just incredibly unlucky, I guess...

Nobody can guarantee it'll stay active, but it probably is 😁 For that amount of $8.25 I guess it's worth the gamble; if it works, it works.

As for Office, there's free stuff like OpenOffice. If not, maybe just try to scrape by at first. Otherwise, Office is pretty pricey, and you can't even get 2010 anymore, just 2016. And that's either a subscription (Office 365) or a one-time buy that costs over $333. You could also check with your school; they might have a free or cheaper option, I know some colleges have stuff like that available.

I honestly don't know. I might just grab an option for around $50 through some software deals sites. I still need to do more digging. Then again, I'd like to think eBay wouldn't be messing around with anything illegal.

fadedorca66 said:What you learned isn't really true 😁 You buy processors based on what you can actually afford and what gives you the best bang for your buck—basically trying to squeeze the strongest chip possible into your budget. Whether it says Intel or AMD is probably the last thing you should care about.😁

A PC is definitely a more robust setup; it's easier to fix, easier to handle overheating issues, and much easier to upgrade later on...

Nowadays, since you install Windows from a USB stick and download games directly from the internet, you probably won't need one. Maybe if a kid wants to borrow discs from a friend or needs something for school, but that's about it...

Even when you're buying individual parts, they usually put everything together and test it; they aren't going to send you something that doesn't work. Unless you're just incredibly unlucky, I guess...

Nobody can guarantee it'll stay active, but it probably is 😁 For that amount of $8.25 I guess it's worth the gamble; if it works, it works.

As for Office, there's free stuff like OpenOffice. If not, maybe just try to scrape by at first. Otherwise, Office is pretty pricey, and you can't even get 2010 anymore, just 2016. And that's either a subscription (Office 365) or a one-time buy that costs over $333. You could also check with your school; they might have a free or cheaper option, I know some colleges have stuff like that available.

Software deals has a lifetime offer for $233 regarding Office 2016, but honestly, checking with my school sounds like a much better plan.

Thanks.

Nicole Garcia43 said:Ugh, just like that... all that self-confidence I spent the last two weeks building up? Gone. Just completely evaporated...😬

Yeah, that’s exactly why I went along with it. Especially since I'm pinning my hopes on the little one taking over all the future upgrades... ☕

Yeah, maybe we actually *will* end up needing an optical drive after all. Then again, I've got one on my home laptop, so maybe I can just skip it for now... I'll have to sleep on it and give it some more thought.

Then there were those folks on the forum who just couldn't catch a break... 😁

I honestly don't know. I might just grab an option for around $50 through some software deals sites. I still need to do more digging. Then again, I'd like to think eBay wouldn't be messing around with anything illegal.

Software deals has a lifetime offer for $233 regarding Office 2016, but honestly, checking with my school sounds like a much better plan.

Thanks.

Friendly advice: if you aren't planning on running a business or a freelance gig from that rig, just cut corners on the software—like Windows and Office. You'll save nearly $300.

If it's just a home PC for school and gaming, nobody's coming to audit your license. I'd bet 90% of people here aren't even running an original OS.

Also, I'd go with the Smartic build. It's a solid balance, has a decent upgrade path for both the CPU and the GPU, so the PC stays relevant for years. 😁

I truly believe that pairing a Ryzen processor with an RX 570 and the specific monitor I mentioned would be an absolute bullseye. Alternatively, you could opt for that slightly more budget-friendly Acer Nitro model, though in my humble opinion, since half the enjoyment of a setup comes from the screen itself, it really pays to invest a little extra there. If your current budget allows for this configuration, I honestly don't think you need to spend any more time searching. As for an optical drive, you mentioned your laptop already handles those needs, so there is likely no reason to seek one out for a desktop. Furthermore, regarding Windows and Office, it seems like such a waste to pay full retail price when, as far as I can tell, Microsoft doesn't strictly demand that level of expenditure from an individual user.

If I recall correctly, every monitor suggested in this thread supports FreeSync (which means you'll need an AMD GPU to use it). For most titles, the RX 570 4gb is going to be just a tiny bit weaker. I won't bore you with all the technical jargon, but basically, FreeSync helps smooth out the gameplay when performance isn't absolutely perfect—though honestly, it’s a level of finesse a kid probably wouldn't even notice. It really doesn't matter much whether you go with a slightly more powerful gtx 1060 3gb or stick with the RX 570 4gb paired with FreeSync; don't sweat the choice too much since, in practice, it's essentially the same thing for them.

Honestly, FreeSync is an absolute game-changer; it made a massive difference in my experience. When I was playing Metro or Dirt Rally on Ultra settings, the screen tearing was becoming quite unbearable, but everything just smoothed out beautifully once I enabled it.

You can grab a Windows 10 license on eBay for like $5 or $10. They just email you the code and you activate it.

Every single PC build you put together, Kimberly Gomez34—it just triggers me so much!

Quote : Kimberly Gomez34

Nicole Garcia43 said:Ugh, just like that... all that self-confidence I spent the last two weeks building up? Gone. Just completely evaporated...😬

Yeah, that’s exactly why I went along with it. Especially since I'm pinning my hopes on the little one taking over all the future upgrades... ☕

Yeah, maybe we actually *will* end up needing an optical drive after all. Then again, I've got one on my home laptop, so maybe I can just skip it for now... I'll have to sleep on it and give it some more thought.

Then there were those folks on the forum who just couldn't catch a break... 😁

I honestly don't know. I might just grab an option for around $50 through some software deals sites. I still need to do more digging. Then again, I'd like to think eBay wouldn't be messing around with anything illegal.

Software deals has a lifetime offer for $233 regarding Office 2016, but honestly, checking with my school sounds like a much better plan.

Thanks.

Look, you aren't exactly wrong here. I mean, if we're being real, it wasn't that long ago that Intel was definitely running circles around AMD. 😁 How much money does all that music actually cost? It’s funny how you think about it. A lot of people have always stuck with AMD simply because they were the budget-friendly alternative to Intel for the longest time.

Eat your heart out, Apple fanboys! 😛