is $300 doable?

[Tsuki]

my brother wants me to help him build a computer for his son, but his budget is only $300. He'll mostly be using it for school and some light gaming (minecraft), and maybe some photoshop work. He'll pretty much need everything except keyboard/mouse, monitor and OS. is it even doable?

[Valkyrie Lenneth]

easily doable just go with cheapest parts possible, and some cheap case with a free psu

 

monitor ur going to have to get a used one ( also cheap ass one )

[Vavetti]

Yup watch the Scrapyard Wars series

 

 

Seriously at this price point you should go used parts instead of new. 

[k1llampt]

Do not go with a Case/power supply combo plz.... those power supplies are HORRIBLE!

[PlayStation 2]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: AMD A8-7600 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($83.89 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($19.89 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A68HM-DS2H Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard  ($43.98 @ Newegg) 

Memory: Mushkin Stealth 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory  ($48.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.88 @ OutletPC) 

Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($32.99 @ Micro Center) 

Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($39.99 @ NCIX US) 

Total: $319.61

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-21 13:46 EDT-0400

Slightly over budget but eh

[TomvanWijnen]

If you buy everything (except HDD) secondhand, yeah sure.

[don_svetlio]

Do not go with a Case/power supply combo plz.... those power supplies are HORRIBLE!

some like Fractal ones are okay

[Tsuki]

Do not go with a Case/power supply combo plz.... those power supplies are HORRIBLE!

i was afraid i might have to, although they should be sufficient enough for him to save up a little more for a decent cheap psu

 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: AMD A8-7600 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($83.89 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($19.89 @ OutletPC) 

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A68HM-DS2H Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard  ($43.98 @ Newegg) 

Memory: Mushkin Stealth 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory  ($48.99 @ Newegg) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($49.88 @ OutletPC) 

Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($32.99 @ Micro Center) 

Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($39.99 @ NCIX US) 

Total: $319.61

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-21 13:46 EDT-0400

Slightly over budget but eh

 

thats actually pretty good. i was thinking of going the intel pentium g3258 route though. since that thing can go on sale for like $40, which'll give me some headroom for an actual gpu (want to see if he can push his budget a little for a gtx 950 or 750ti)

[PlayStation 2]

i was afraid i might have to, although they should be sufficient enough for him to save up a little more for a decent cheap psu

 

thats actually pretty good. i was thinking of going the intel pentium g3258 route though. since that thing can go on sale for like $40, which'll give me some headroom for an actual gpu (want to see if he can push his budget a little for a gtx 950 or 750ti)

If he's gonna do Photoshop and Minecraft, AMD's the way to go for $300

[LiamApex]

Do not go with a Case/power supply combo plz.... those power supplies are HORRIBLE!

they arent horrible. THEY ARE COMPLETEL FXXXING STUPID AND SHOULD ALL BE BURNED 

[don_svetlio]

they arent horrible. THEY ARE COMPLETEL FXXXING STUPID AND SHOULD ALL BE BURNED 

Fractal and Antec ones are okay

[SeanBond]

Do not go with a Case/power supply combo plz.... those power supplies are HORRIBLE!

Pretty sure cooler master and fractal has a few cases with psu's that aren't unusable. Most of them are garbage though. 

[LiamApex]

Fractal and Antec ones are okay

well yea i surpose but YOU REWINED MY MOMENT GOD DAMB IT

[k1llampt]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/9cMjxr

 

Pentium G3258
Asus Z87 motherboard (will allow overclocking and expansion)

Kingston HyperX Fury 4GB

WD Blue 1TB

Raidmax 402WB Case

XFX TS Edition PRO650W (Tier 1/2 Power supply manufactured by Seasonic) This will allow you to get a better cpu and gpu down the line. 

Total: $272.63

[don_svetlio]

well yea i surpose but YOU REWINED MY MOMENT GOD DAMB IT

Sorry mate

[don_svetlio]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/9cMjxr

 

Pentium G3258

Asus Z87 motherboard (will allow overclocking and expansion)

Kingston HyperX Fury 4GB

WD Blue 1TB

Raidmax 402WB Case

XFX TS Edition PRO650W (Tier 1/2 Power supply manufactured by Seasonic) This will allow you to get a better cpu and gpu down the line. 

Total: $272.63

you don't need a Z board to OC the pentium - all boards allow it.

[LiamApex]

Sorry mate

Thanks Now I Feel BETTER 

[k1llampt]

you don't need a Z board to OC the pentium - all boards allow it.

However H series boards don't usually have that good power phase design and if he were to ever upgrade to a better cpu they wouldnt supply enough power or allow as much overclocking and they are only minimally less expensive.

[don_svetlio]

However H series boards don't usually have that good power phase design and if he were to ever upgrade to a better cpu they wouldnt supply enough power or allow as much overclocking and they are only minimally less expensive.

i5 OCing is not necessary and i3s don't allow it - H board + a 740/R7 250 is better imo

[k1llampt]

the pentium can play minecraft fine, and this is $30 under budget and will allow them to save up and get a better gpu, the 740 and 250 suck.

[don_svetlio]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($73.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A68HM-HD2 Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard  ($39.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: Crucial 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($20.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 250GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($24.80 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card  ($97.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Cooler Master Elite 311 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case w/420W Power Supply  ($45.99 @ Directron)
Total: $303.65
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-21 14:14 EDT-0400

[Tsuki]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/9cMjxr

 

Pentium G3258

Asus Z87 motherboard (will allow overclocking and expansion)

Kingston HyperX Fury 4GB

WD Blue 1TB

Raidmax 402WB Case

XFX TS Edition PRO650W (Tier 1/2 Power supply manufactured by Seasonic) This will allow you to get a better cpu and gpu down the line. 

Total: $272.63

 

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($73.89 @ OutletPC)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A68HM-HD2 Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard  ($39.99 @ Micro Center)

Memory: Crucial 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($20.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 250GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($24.80 @ Amazon)

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card  ($97.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Case: Cooler Master Elite 311 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case w/420W Power Supply  ($45.99 @ Directron)

Total: $303.65

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-21 14:14 EDT-0400

 

these both look really good! ill send him both these builds and see which one he decides to go with.  and ill see if he can stretch his budget a little more and can stop being a cheap bastard

 

 

 

thanks to everybody!!!

[k1llampt]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($73.89 @ OutletPC)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A68HM-HD2 Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard  ($39.99 @ Micro Center)

Memory: Crucial 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($20.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 250GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($24.80 @ Amazon)

Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB Video Card  ($97.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Case: Cooler Master Elite 311 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case w/420W Power Supply  ($45.99 @ Directron)

Total: $303.65

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-21 14:14 EDT-0400

The problem I have with this is where does this power supply come from. Most likely is a tier 4/5 power supply and could possibly fry all of the components. Not to mention only 250GB for storage. The gpu and CPU look ok, but that power supply and storage have me worried. I wouldnt use it.

 

these both look really good! ill send him both these builds and see which one he decides to go with.  and ill see if he can stretch his budget a little more and can stop being a cheap bastard

 

 

 

thanks to everybody!!!

Honestly that is what I would do, see if they can save up a little more, you have in that build a 650W power supply that is tier 1/2 manufactured by Seasonic. This will power any gpu and cpu that you want to throw at it with no issues, you dont have to worry about it catching on fire. And see if they can maybe save up a little more and put in a gpu later

[don_svetlio]

these both look really good! ill send him both these builds and see which one he decides to go with.  and ill see if he can stretch his budget a little more and can stop being a cheap bastard

 

 

 

thanks to everybody!!!

If he can stretch his budget, get a seperate case and PSU for more reliability - preferably an EVGA 400W+

[don_svetlio]

The problem I have with this is where does this power supply come from. Most likely is a tier 4/5 power supply and could possibly fry all of the components. Not to mention only 250GB for storage. The gpu and CPU look ok, but that power supply and storage have me worried. I wouldnt use it.

 

Honestly that is what I would do, see if they can save up a little more, you have in that build a 650W power supply that is tier 1/2 manufactured by Seasonic. This will power any gpu and cpu that you want to throw at it with no issues, you dont have to worry about it catching on fire. And see if they can maybe save up a little more and put in a gpu later

CM elite have been good in my experience - my old CM elite 460W, while missing all sorts of protections, lasted me for 4 years and lived through over 20 power surges. It's still going btw.