Basic Desktop build

Zeppelin67

Hi, looking for advice on a basic desktop build:

1. What is your budget? €350-400 max

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? Basic home use with gaming. Desktop will also be used by younger brother for software like Gamemaker Studios and Scratch.

3. Do you need a copy of Windows? Yes

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? No

5. Do you need a monitor? Yes but will purchase that separately

5a. If yes, what size do you need: 19''

6. Do you need any of these peripherals? Keyboard

7. Are you willing to try overclocking? No

8. How can you pay? Credit Card/Laser/Paypal

9. When are you purchasing? As soon as possible

10. If you need help building it, where are you based? No help needed

Thanks in advance!

nellacaasi

How about the following?

Motherboard - GIGABYTE FM2+ F2A88XM-HD3 - approx €60/70

CPU - AMD APU A6 6420K FM2 BLACK - approx €60

RAM - CORSAIR 8GB DDR3 1600 XMS3 - approx €80/85

Black Ops Black Interior Mesh Case (Comes with 500W PSU) - approx €35/40

Windows 8.1 - €99

Optical Disc Drive - ASUS DVD±RW 24X DRW-24F1ST BLK - €16/17

Hard Drive - Seagate 1TB 3.5" ST1000DM003 - approx €50/60

I know the above setup is slightly over budget but if you don't need a disc drive or if you just happen to 'find' a copy of an OS for cheap or free legally from a friend or whatever then you could fit a dedicated graphics card or whatever

nellacaasi

forgot to add cooling, add like another €20 for some decent enough case fans as you will get heatsinks and cabling with the other stuff

PM me if you need sources for the parts or more help

- nellacaasi

Serephucus

Do not buy the above build. I don't have time to spec one out at the minute (will tomorrow if one of the lads doesn't get to it first) but the PSU is horrible and risks you build, and the RAM and hard drive are suboptimal.

Redfox25

Cases with free psu in them should be svoided like the plague.

You can also grt win 7 for 20 euro on reddit. Wait for another option from one of the lads.

SterlingArcher

Redfox25 wrote: »

Cases with free psu in them should be svoided like the plague.

You can also grt win 7 for 20 euro on reddit. Wait for another option from one of the lads.

As red said

Want to be getting the cheapest best value ram ie Crucial , Asrock mobo,

TerrorFirmer

Also your microwave is probably a better gaming machine than an A6 APU.

I'd look at, as an example (don't have time atm to actually get links):

Zalman T-series case (20)
Corsair VS350 (35)
H81 matx (50)
G3258 CPU (60)
4Gb Ram (this can be easily upgraded down the line and 4gb is OK) (30)
GTX750 (100)
1TB Drive (50)
Windows from Reddit (20)

Should bring you up around 400 inc. delivery and is a good all around machine and would run most new games pretty well at 1080p.

Zeppelin67

Thanks for all the advice so far! Could someone link me the Windows 7 on Reddit for €20, I can't seem to find it on there.

Genghiz Cohen

Zeppelin67 wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice so far! Could someone link me the Windows 7 on Reddit for €20, I can't seem to find it on there.

http://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap

Zeppelin67

Okay so if I was to purchase a custom built desktop and buy a copy of Windows from Reddit how exactly can I install the OS on the new system with a key?

Sorry if this is a silly question but by key I'm presuming they mean key gen number and I thought you needed more than that to install an OS.

challengemaster

The actual operating system is easily downloadable from multiple internet sources. Once you download the .iso file, you can make a bootable USB key and use that to install the OS.

It's the serial key that you're paying for.

Zeppelin67

challengemaster wrote: »

The actual operating system is easily downloadable from multiple internet sources. Once you download the .iso file, you can make a bootable USB key and use that to install the OS.

It's the serial key that you're paying for.

That makes perfect sense, thanks!

Genghiz Cohen

Here is the Microsoft tool for copying a .ISO file to a bootable USB key.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool