mATX Build for my Mom! - Page 4

not trying to say you don't know how to build your own machine, but you REALLY should do some research on the merit of the APU before shooting it down entirely...

I don't know where you usually get your information, but i'll assume anandtech is a good enough source for you?

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4476/amd-a83850-review

from the way you are describing the build. the APU is especially designed for those purposes... (light gaming, small, cheap)

the APU would cost less and offer a level of performance that she's unlikely to exceed. IF you ever want to make it a better gaming box, it DOES still have a PCI-E slot regardless of what form factor you end up building in...

I would recommend the ITX build, but if you are set on mATX, then that's up to you.

anyway. we are just taking what little info you offered us and try to give you the best advice we can for the purpose you are building the machine while trying to save you some $ for better components that is needed elsewhere.....

if you go with the i3/550Ti solution, you will go over budget at the end of the build.

I built a HTPC and I was quite happy with the i3 3225 and the HD4000 integrated graphics, it handled everything I threw at it including light gaming. I understand that you want dedicated graphics, but I just thought i'd give my input. Good luck on the build

You don't need a micro center nearby that was just the cheapest solution, if you do actually need some more graphics power then you would be just fine with a 6770 or 6790, a 550 Ti is way overkill.

Depending on how much gaming you ACTUALLY do, a 6770 would be overkill...

I highly suggest you throw a 64GB SSD in there. Your builds are honestly overkill if she's only going to be doing web browsing and music. She doesn't need an i3 and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card. One of the cheap socket 1155 Pentium processors, or an AMD A-series APU would be more than enough.

An SSD will make her computer noticeably faster for her, while a fast videocard like the 550 Ti you're looking at spending over $100 on won't really help her at all since she isn't playing games. You say she can't justify an SSD, but I say she can't justify a $100 graphics card! I built my Mom a computer last month, using a cheapo FM1 Micro-ATX board, an AMD A4-3300, and a 60GB Muskin Callisto Deluxe SSD. Yes, that's right, the SSD was more expensive than the processor.

but you know what? I used the system, and for web browsing and basic things, it flies. It boots up in just a few seconds. SSDs are totally worth it. On the CPU/video side of things, the $55 processor and it's integrated graphics are still more than enough for her Facebook games. I tried a bit of gaming on it just for ****s and giggles, and it plays Source games just fine. You can do a bit of light gaming on it no problem.

I'm not saying you should go with a dual-core though. We were on an extreme budget (~200) to upgrade her socket 939 desktop, so I just bought her a new motherboard, cpu, ram, and SSD. I used a spare case that I had, re-used her power supply and optical drives, and added her old hard drive as a secondary drive to the SSD.

You sound like you're trying to go at least a little bit overkill, so yeah, I'd recommend the A8-3850, as others have. and if you really don't want to use the APU graphics, just add on a 6770 for $65 and use the rest of that money to get a 64GB SSD. She doesn't need a $100 graphics card.
Edited by Redmist - 8/9/12 at 11:10am