First Ever PC Build

trevb0t · January 28, 2020

17 hours ago, Kamikaze420 said:

Why Core i5? Also would something like this build Linus had be suitable possibly? I'm not trying to ignore your advice but I feel building it will help in developing an interest deeper than just games.

Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft are pretty dang low requirement.

I still wouldn't go Athlon. Very few cores, and slow ones, Vega 3... It's barely gonna play the above titles.

As a dad, I am in a similar spot. What can I get away with saving? Will cheaper parts last a few years at least?

There are a few places I'd invest just a touch more to give this thing a few good years of life, so you're not putting more money into another system a year down the road.

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 5 3400G 3.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor	$147.00 @ Amazon
Motherboard	MSI B450M PRO-VDH MAX Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard	$79.98 @ Amazon
Memory	Patriot Viper 4 Blackout 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory	$41.99 @ Amazon
Storage	TCSunBow X3 240 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive	$29.99 @ Amazon
Case	DIYPC Model X ATX Mid Tower Case	$56.99 @ Newegg
Power Supply	Corsair CX (2017) 450 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply	$49.99 @ Corsair
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total	$405.94
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-01-27 21:59 EST-0500

3400G is 4c/8t APU with Vega 11. This will certainly work well for the intended use, and you could even slap a GPU in this build in a couple of years if her interests get more intensive without worrying about a CPU change.
Included the 2x4GB RAM configuration, but honestly 2x8GB is barely any pricier, and again helps stabilize the system for several years of use. Here's a link for $10 more to double down on RAM. (I would.)
240GB SSD instead of a HDD will be enough for Windows (10GB) and the 3 games listed without any issue. This is the best way to start is with a solid boot drive and a bit of space. As she grows into the PC, a 1TB HDD can be had on a good sale for around $25 in the future.
I chose this case as an inexpensive RGB option. It's got a white exterior, which I think would compliment pink lighting, and then you can utilize RBG software to turn the RGB fans and front elements to a fun pink. (And any RGB case could do the same if you or she doesn't like this option.)
Skip the VS PSU. It's junk. This is the same price and much better quality.