Cheapest possible PC build?

Hey everyone, I could use some help putting together a build for a casual user who just needs to browse the web and get some work done in Office.

Thanks in advance!

Patrick Moore53 said:Hey everyone, I could use some help putting together a build for a casual user who just needs to browse the web and get some work done in Office.

Thanks in advance!

1 x MSI H81M-P33, 1150, H81 express chipset, DDR3, 2 slots
1 x Intel Celeron G1840 (2.80GHz,512KB,2MB,54 W,1150) Box,
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x MS HERCULES Midi tower, ATX, mATX case
1 x Corsair VS Series Power Supply, 350 Watt, ATX, ATX12V v2.31

$592
www.newegg.com

Corsair 4 GB DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3-12800) CL11
MSI AMD A68HM-E33 motherboard
Western Digital DT01ACA050 500 GB 3.5''
Mid Tower ATX PC Case, NO PSU, NVT-6024
NaviaTec PSU 500W, 4 SATA, NVT-ML500W
AMD CPU Richland A4-Series X2 6300 (3.7GHz,1MB,65W,FM2) box, Radeon TM HD 8370D

Total: $497(+ $15 shipping) via FedEx

I guess a Celeron might struggle a bit with that APU

Patrick Moore53 said:Hey everyone, I could use some help putting together a build for a casual user who just needs to browse the web and get some work done in Office.

Thanks in advance!

CPU: Intel Celeron G1840, LGA 1150
Motherboard: MSI AMD A68HM-E33 Western Digital DT01ACA050 500 GB 3.5, 1150
RAM: Corsair 4 GB DDR3 1600 MT
Storage: 120/128GB Kingston Fury/SanDisk U110 SSD
Graphics: Integrated
PSU: 400/420W Antec 400 w/Linkworld
Case: Mid Tower ATX PC Case

= $567 + $13 shipping. Free assembly / cash on delivery available.
Check us out at @ http://www.futura-it.com or http://adm.com

Amy Vaughn12 said:I guess a Celeron might struggle a bit with that APU

I'm with you there. I've got that Celeron and honestly, it's a great little chip.

Thanks a ton! You kind of threw me for a loop with those specs—like whether I should go with a 350W or 500W power supply, or if I really need integrated graphics. Also, regarding the guys handling shipping, can I just swing by and pick up the package myself?

I originally budgeted up to $667, but it looks like I can actually snag a better deal.

Thanks again to everyone on the forum! 🙂

Amy Vaughn12 said:I guess a Celeron might struggle a bit with that APU

I guess he just thinks cheaper means better.😬

Patrick Moore53 said:Thanks a ton! You kind of threw me for a loop with those specs—like whether I should go with a 350W or 500W power supply, or if I really need integrated graphics. Also, regarding the guys handling shipping, can I just swing by and pick up the package myself?

I originally budgeted up to $667, but it looks like I can actually snag a better deal.

Thanks again to everyone on the forum! 🙂

That setup featuring the Intel Celeron G1840 processor is going to be incredibly low-power, so you really don't need to worry about grabbing a high-wattage power supply.

Patrick Moore53 said:Thanks a ton! You kind of threw me for a loop with those specs—like whether I should go with a 350W or 500W power supply, or if I really need integrated graphics. Also, regarding the guys handling shipping, can I just swing by and pick up the package myself?

I originally budgeted up to $667, but it looks like I can actually snag a better deal.

Thanks again to everyone on the forum! 🙂

Look, it would be great if you could grab something high-quality like a Fortron or an Antec 400 w... But honestly, those cheaper, generic ones will work just fine for a build like this.

They charge for shipping if you need it delivered, but if you can make it there yourself, even better. Most shops have physical locations—just check their website to see where they're located.

Or maybe just grab an Intel Celeron J1900? Anyone here actually dealt with that chip before? Is it even worth it for basic web surfing and streaming movies, or am I just throwing money away?

Honestly, I don't think it's worth the money. $33 You can find combinations cheaper than the Intel Celeron G1840, even if they are significantly weaker across the board.

The only way this makes sense might be building a little mini PC like this:

CPU and Motherboard: Asrock Mini ITX MB with Intel Celeron J1800 CPU Onboard
Memory: Crucial 4 GB DDR3 1600 MT SODIMM CL11
SSD: SanDisk U110 128GB SSD, SATA 6Gb/s
Case and PSU: Spire PoweCube 502 case, 300W, ITX
= $533

Patrick Diaz49 said:CPU: Intel Celeron G1840, LGA 1150
Motherboard: MSI AMD A68HM-E33 Western Digital DT01ACA050 500 GB 3.5, 1150
RAM: Corsair 4 GB DDR3 1600 MT
Storage: 120/128GB Kingston Fury/SanDisk U110 SSD
Graphics: Integrated
PSU: 400/420W Antec 400 w/Linkworld
Case: Mid Tower ATX PC Case

= $567 + $13 shipping. Free assembly / cash on delivery available.
Check us out at @ http://www.futura-it.com or http://adm.com

I picked up this exact setup, just without the SSD. It performs perfectly fine for basic office work and web browsing.

Patrick Diaz49 said:Honestly, I don't think it's worth the money. $33 You can find combinations cheaper than the Intel Celeron G1840, even if they are significantly weaker across the board.

The only way this makes sense might be building a little mini PC like this:

CPU and Motherboard: Asrock Mini ITX MB with Intel Celeron J1800 CPU Onboard
Memory: Crucial 4 GB DDR3 1600 MT SODIMM CL11
SSD: SanDisk U110 128GB SSD, SATA 6Gb/s
Case and PSU: Spire PoweCube 502 case, 300W, ITX
= $533

But what about running an Intel Celeron G1840 in an ITX case? Is that actually gonna work without melting everything? I'm talking about the CPU temps here.
Like this Linkworld case 920-03C-C2121—slim, 200 W, mini ITX

The biggest headache I've run into is that those Linkworld units are absolute junk... the power supplies just fail way too often.

Benjamin Campbell55 said:But what about running an Intel Celeron G1840 in an ITX case? Is that actually gonna work without melting everything? I'm talking about the CPU temps here.
Like this Linkworld case 920-03C-C2121—slim, 200 W, mini ITX

Generic 400W power supplies never actually hit 400W. And just imagine using some random no-name 200W unit instead...

Robert Rodriguez2 said:1 x MSI H81M-P33, 1150, H81 express chipset, DDR3, 2 slots
1 x Intel Celeron G1840 (2.80GHz,512KB,2MB,54 W,1150) Box,
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050
1 x MS HERCULES Midi tower, ATX, mATX case
1 x Corsair VS Series Power Supply, 350 Watt, ATX, ATX12V v2.31

$592
www.newegg.com

How does an AMD Athlon x4 5350 stack up against the Intel Celeron G1840 for basic office work? Trying to find some reviews, but I'm hitting a wall. Feeling a bit out of it today. 😬

Asking because I already told my wife that AMD is junk, but honestly, I don't know much about AMD's AM1 platform... Is it supposed to be a low-power option similar to those Intel SoC 1150 processors? 🤷

You don't really need that Intel chip. There isn't much room for an upgrade later on, and honestly, the whole platform ends up being a bit pricier. It has slightly better integrated graphics, but the processor itself is weaker since it's single-threaded.