# Cheapest Quality Build Possible?



## Walter Mitty (Oct 5, 2016)

I'm on another forum and the OP has just decided to buy his mom another computer instead of continuing to mess with her old one, which probably has a bad motherboard, a bad Power Supply, or both. It's a WinXP machine, so it's time anyways.

He's asking my opinion about this $270 computer at Staples, vs. another for $430 at Staples, and if a 3rd computer is worth it for $520. My only online awareness of any recommended builds, as more-or-less a "How to" manual for 1st time builders is here at TSF, and this particular OP seems like a good candidate for doing his 1st build, however with a $800 minimum that's a bit out of his price range for a computer that is going to be used for nothing more than surfing the internet, doing email and small "residential" print jobs. Avoiding Win10 is also a priority, and almost all the OEM's have Win10 now.

So my idea/proposal/question is to wonder out loud if it's possible to build a reasonably good quality desktop computer at a low enough price so that it can compete with the OEMs being sold for about $400. Because I think if I could give him a "shopping list" of components at NewEgg that totalled less than $400, I think I could talk him into building a computer instead of buying one from Staples (or Walmart, or wherever).

One thing I'm pretty sure of is the Power Supply should be Seasonic, since I see them at NewEgg for about $40. But at least 80+ certified is a minimum standard in order to be considered "good enough". And onboard video saves the cost of a video card. So there's to "factors" to consider.

But then it comes to platform/socket and I'm clueless. Assume a low-watt CPU would be better (less demand on the lower-end PSU), but then low-watt CPUs might go for a premium, and not less. Less memory, cheaper memory, maybe 4 slot motherboard for upgradeability (vs. 2 slot).

And that's about all I've got. Hope this gets someone else interested. A super-low "budget system" might get real popular particularly if you can tell people they get more power for the same price if they build it themselves.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Remember he's going to have to buy a legal copy of Windows, other than 10. That immediately eats up some of the funds. At his level he might do best by going to the Dell Auction.


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## Walter Mitty (Oct 5, 2016)

Corday said:


> Remember he's going to have to buy a legal copy of Windows, other than 10. That immediately eats up some of the funds. At his level he might do best by going to the Dell Auction.


Huh? Wuzzat? Dell... AUCTION? You say?

I imagine a fast warehouse filled with last-generation computers and laptops being sold for pennies on the dollar. Tell me I'm right.


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## Walter Mitty (Oct 5, 2016)

So today I was too lazy to do something constructive so I did this instead. I roamed NewEgg and put together a Prototype of a "Cheap, Ultra-Low Budget Build" and want to see if anyone is interested. Comments welcome.


*Motherboard:*
ASRock H81M-HDS R2.0 LGA 1150 Intel H81 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

*$49.99*


*Processor:*
Intel Pentium G3440 Haswell Dual-Core 3.3 GHz LGA 1150 53W BX80646G3440

*$87.80*


*CPU Cooler:*
_(Intel Factory, included with Processor)_


*Video Card:*
_(Onboard Graphics)_


*Memory:*
G.SKILL Value 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) F3-1600C11S-4GNT

*$26.99 (X 2 = 8 Gbyte) $53.98*

*Hard Drive:*
Seagate Desktop HDD ST500DM002 500GB 16MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s" Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive

*$35.99*

*Power Supply:*
SeaSonic S12II 430B 430W ATX12V / EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

*$35.99*


*Case:*
Rosewill FBM-02 - Dual-Fan Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case

*$24.99*


*Subtotal: $292.74*


_*Notes:*

- CPU fan included with processor
- Motherboard has onboard HD video
- Case has (1) 80 mm fan (front) and (1) 120 mm fan (rear) for "push-pull" 
operation
- Power Supply is 80+ Bronze Certified with Active PFC
- Seagate 500 Gbyte SATA Hard Drive has 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty
- Thermal Compound not included
_


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