Custom PC under $400?

[NoNeedSteve]

I haven't made a PC in a while but I want to make one for my mom for Christmas. Any suggestions? She would be using it for web browsing and Facebook but she does like lots of tabs so maybe a good amount of RAM? I really don't want to spend more than $400 and if at all possible a DVD drive would be nice. 

 

Thanks in advance! ?

[Xanthe_2871]

I have this build I recently recommended for someone with similar circumstances: 

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/list/Md8x9W

 

It's just under $400, but that's after $75 in mail-in rebates. If you're ok with that, I think this is a good value for $400.

[kelvinhall05]

If she's not gaming a Pentium and 8gb of ram should cut it.

[NoNeedSteve]

1 minute ago, kelvinhall05 said:

If she's not gaming a Pentium and 8gb of ram should cut it.

 

1 minute ago, kelvinhall05 said:

If she's not gaming a Pentium and 8gb of ram should cut it.

I don't want it to be sluggish though.

[kelvinhall05]

1 minute ago, NoNeedSteve said:

 

I don't want it to be sluggish though.

 

 

It shouldn't be, but get an i3 if you want

[Stardar1]

5 minutes ago, NoNeedSteve said:

I haven't made a PC in a while but I want to make one for my mom for Christmas. Any suggestions? She would be using it for web browsing and Facebook but she does like lots of tabs so maybe a good amount of RAM? I really don't want to spend more than $400 and if at all possible a DVD drive would be nice. 

 

Thanks in advance! ?

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/2sZrcc
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/2sZrcc/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($194.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: Asus H110M-A/M.2 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($49.00 @ Newegg) 
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($35.98 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.49 @ OutletPC) 
Case: Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($24.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($44.99 @ Newegg) 
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer  ($13.99 @ Newegg) 
Total: $413.32
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-10-27 20:53 EDT-0400

[NoNeedSteve]

2 minutes ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

I have this build I recently recommended for someone with similar circumstances: 

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/list/Md8x9W

 

It's just under $400, but that's after $75 in mail-in rebates. If you're ok with that, I think this is a good value for $400.

I like that. I'll keep this in mind! ?

[Stardar1]

Just now, kelvinhall05 said:

Then an i3

Why not an i5? it fits. 

[NoNeedSteve]

2 minutes ago, Stardar1 said:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/2sZrcc
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/2sZrcc/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($194.88 @ OutletPC) 
Motherboard: Asus H110M-A/M.2 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($49.00 @ Newegg) 
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($35.98 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.49 @ OutletPC) 
Case: Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($24.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($44.99 @ Newegg) 
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer  ($13.99 @ Newegg) 
Total: $413.32
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-10-27 20:53 EDT-0400

I like this one too. i5 would be nice but is it overkill?

[Stardar1]

Just now, NoNeedSteve said:

I like this one too. i5 would be nice but is it overkill?

I don't think so. If you have a lot of programs open it takes up CPU and RAM. 

Not to mention that it makes certain it can run well for a long time. 

 

Also you could totally stick a GPU in here later for gaming if you wanted. 

[potatoproduction]

10 minutes ago, NoNeedSteve said:

I like this one too. i5 would be nice but is it overkill?

Well its in your budget range so not really

[DrM]

4 minutes ago, NoNeedSteve said:

 

I don't want it to be sluggish though.

 

Just now, Stardar1 said:

I don't think so. If you have a lot of programs open it takes up CPU and RAM. 

Not to mention that it makes certain it can run well for a long time. 

 

Also you could totally stick a GPU in here later for gaming if you wanted. 

the cpu doesnt make a computer slow when its only used for web browsing. browsers arent very well multithreaded anyways, so even a pentium is fine. if you want fast, get an ssd. i doubt your mother could fill up 1tb, so a cheap 120 or 240gb one should be good

[niccaa23]

4 minutes ago, NoNeedSteve said:

 

I don't want it to be sluggish though.

I had a sandybridge pentium with 8gigs of ram, had no issues with multiple tabs of youtube / facebook. Heck I was even able to play games just don't expect to be able to stream anything.

[aisle9]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Celeron G3900 2.8GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($42.18 @ Newegg) 
Motherboard: ASRock H110M-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($67.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($35.98 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.49 @ OutletPC) 
Case: Raidmax Element Mini ITX Desktop Case  ($35.98 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic 350W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($31.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Optical Drive: LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer  ($15.88 @ OutletPC) 
Total: $279.49
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-10-27 20:57 EDT-0400

 

Lots of room in the budget to add a GT 710 or a G4400 instead, but if all she's doing is Facebook and web browsing, this is all she needs.

[mark_p8]

all is fine, just change the PSU. You don't want components dying on you on a power surge. Check my signature and look at those at tier 3.

[Xanthe_2871]

1 minute ago, DrM said:

doubt your mother could fill up 1tb

And, she could get an external HDD if she ever needed to, probably without needing any help!

[Herman Mcpootis]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Motherboard: MSI H110M PRO-VD PLUS Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($43.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($38.99 @ NCIX US) 
Storage: SK hynix SL308 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($64.99 @ SuperBiiz) will never feel sluggish with this around. store OS here.
Storage: Toshiba 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($44.99 @ NCIX US) feel free to drop this if you think she doesn't need it.
Case: Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($24.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic 300W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($33.98 @ Newegg) 
Total: $362.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-10-27 20:59 EDT-0400

[Stardar1]

Just now, DrM said:

 

the cpu doesnt make a computer slow when its only used for web browsing. browsers arent very well multithreaded anyways, so even a pentium is fine. if you want fast, get an ssd. i doubt your mother could fill up 1tb, so a cheap 120 or 240gb one should be good

Right, but if you have a browser, MSFT word, a media player, powerpoint, oneNote, and other office programs open at once it will be worth it. 

 

You are correct though, swapping the 1TB with a 240GB SSD would be a good idea, assuming you wont store ass-loads of photos. 

[gtx1060=value]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz) 
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($53.88 @ OutletPC) 
Memory: Kingston FURY 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($76.99 @ B&H) 
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.49 @ OutletPC) 
Case: Fractal Design Define R4 (Black Pearl) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($42.79 @ OutletPC) 
Total: $404.13
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-10-27 21:00 EDT-0400

 

chose a better case because i find that for ppl that aren't really spec oriented, a nice case really sums up how nice the computer is

 

[DrM]

1 minute ago, Stardar1 said:

Right, but if you have a browser, MSFT word, a media player, powerpoint, oneNote, and other office programs open at once it will be worth it. 

 

14 minutes ago, NoNeedSteve said:

She would be using it for web browsing and Facebook

im assuming she only uses it for the web. if she does do office work, feel free to throw in an i3/i5 then

[Xanthe_2871]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

i find that for ppl that aren't really spec oriented, a nice case really sums up how nice the computer is

Excellent point. 

[aisle9]

1 minute ago, DrM said:

 

im assuming she only uses it for the web. if she does do office work, feel free to throw in an i3/i5 then

There is no way on God's green earth that this woman needs an i5 

[gtx1060=value]

Just now, Xanthe_2871 said:

Excellent point. 

how does one become a bronze contributor with only 300 posts?

[DrM]

Just now, aisle9 said:

There is no way on God's green earth that this woman needs an i5 

she probably doesnt need more than a celeron, but on the off chance that shes a pro office worker running 7 different programs at once

[Xanthe_2871]

6 minutes ago, gtx1060=value said:

how does one become a bronze contributor with only 300 posts?

With $5.