Building a Basic PC for my nephew. Looking for input

[orcinhell]

Me and my Nephew always game together when he comes around after school (i pick him up some days) and PC gaming is my passion, I want to share that with him... The most expensive part I believe is getting him off the ground as he needs everything, lucky things like M&K combos are cheap, I have a spare monitor so that really only leaves the tower itself. Once together I plan to give him hand me downs, as I upgrade at least once every 2 years, which means next year he will likely get my 970 as an example. I got most of the parts together, I have spent about 650 (USD) on it. He has no idea and plan to gift it too him at Christmas.

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/RK3fBm

 

I cannot decide on a motherboard, everything I look at has average reviews, ideally I wanted to spend about 80 bucks on one, that will see the life of the i3 out. just needs to be able to handle 8GB of ram and a single card with 2 sata ports so nothing fancy. Anyone got any suggestions?

 

As for the build itself I believe this will smash any game he is likely to play, he is only 10 so that will include minecraft of course but I plan to load him up with games like super meat boy, portal, lego games, Mortal combat, tomb raider 2013, fallout 3 & NV, Skyrim, Dirt 2... I could go on but you get the point.

 

I debated stronger hardware but to be honest, while it would give more frames on paper I believe by the time he is old enough to really play games that require stronger hardware he will be getting my older hardware anyway and will be able to play them. I spent a bit more on PSU and the Case to make sure they will be suitable for all future upgrades, the PSU I have and it has a 10 year warranty and has been fantastic for me, the case should fit anything I can throw at it. The i3 and 270x should spit out any game he is realistically going to play for at least the next year.

 

What do you guys think?

[Chugle]

Yes. It's good. 

[byalexandr]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4170 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($113.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($81.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($49.89 @ OutletPC)
Storage: Crucial BX100 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($64.99 @ Adorama)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.98 @ Best Buy)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 280X 3GB Double Dissipation Video Card  ($199.98 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: Cooler Master VSM 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($66.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $694.69
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-23 21:05 EDT-0400

 

Why $250 for a 270X when you can get a 280X for $200? The V300 is shitty as well, a BX100 is much better. I just picked a MB with high reviews, you can change it.

[orcinhell]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4170 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($113.99 @ NCIX US)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($81.89 @ OutletPC)

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($49.89 @ OutletPC)

Storage: Crucial BX100 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($64.99 @ Adorama)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.98 @ Best Buy)

Video Card: XFX Radeon R9 280X 3GB Double Dissipation Video Card  ($199.98 @ Newegg)

Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($68.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Power Supply: Cooler Master VSM 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($66.98 @ Newegg)

Total: $694.69

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-23 21:05 EDT-0400

 

Why $250 for a 270X when you can get a 280X for $200? The V300 is shitty as well, a BX100 is much better. I just picked a MB with high reviews, you can change it.

 

Yea I just realized the GPU was a bad choice, the bloody new releases this year has me all confused lol... I will be getting a 280X for sure! Good call with the SSD too. Thanks

[BigDay]

get cheaper ram

get an ssd plus at 120gb

get a 380 at 4gb

get a corsair 200r case

get an evga g2 or gs psu, semi or fully modular, or seasonic psu

if you can squeeze in an i5 4460, do it

[DarkBlade2117]

Yea I just realized the GPU was a bad choice, the bloody new releases this year has me all confused lol... I will be getting a 280X for sure! Good call with the SSD too. Thanks

@byalexandr is a great choice

[orcinhell]

get cheaper ram

get an ssd plus at 120gb

get a 380 at 4gb

get a corsair 200r case

get an evga g2 or gs psu, semi or fully modular, or seasonic psu

if you can squeeze in an i5 4460, do it

The ram I went with 8 because his father will use it for work, and the little fella is already a tab fiend... I love g skill and have always gone with them... a bit bias but they have never done wrong by me.

 

I did change to ssd, it was a bad choice, going with a Crucial BX100 as suggested.

 

Where does it stop... I can keep doing small upgrades until I have a 2000 system. Ill go with the 280x because its cheaper and better, the 380 costs more and he will be getting my 970 in a year that will smash both cards.

 

The PSU is fanatastic 10 out of 10 on just about every review site and is highly recommended so no need to change. While its only 550, I only have a 550 so any hand me downs he gets will work.

 

I did contemplate going to a i5 but to be honest he wont play any games that will use it, or at the very best the i3 will cost him a high instead of ultra on one or two games so its not worth it at this stage of his PC life. He also looks good to also get my 3770k next year also, if the motherboard fails you can pick up budget ones still so I should still be good. I wouldn't overclock it anyway so just about any decent budget board will serve him well.

 

I went with the case because its well made, and the little guy loves windows on his pc to see the parts, I also have spare led fans that I am going to use. Your suggested case is nice but.

[orcinhell]

@byalexandr is a great choice

 

Yea he made the build a lot better with his choices, very confident now. Even if for some reason (touch wood) my 970 fails and he doesn't get it next year, that 280X will serve him for a long time.

[Thunder Down Under]

I really feel like this is the best for the money. I fit a i5, a better ssd, a nice motherboard, a cheaper and better PSU,and a GTX 960 G1 gaming (which beats the 270x). I know you said you like that case and I do to but this one matches the red and black theme and even has the same 120x240 radiator support in the top and 120x120 in the back. Overall this is nice enouph to through in that gtx 970 without changing a thing.

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/MyqYGX

[orcinhell]

I really feel like this is the best for the money. I fit a i5, a better ssd, a nice motherboard, a cheaper and better PSU,and a GTX 960 G1 gaming (which beats the 270x). I know you said you like that case and I do to but this one matches the red and black theme and even has the same 120x240 radiator support in the top and 120x120 in the back. Overall this is nice enouph to through in that gtx 970 without changing a thing.

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/MyqYGX

 

unfortunately not all prices work out, I live in Australia and only used usd for ease of use for members when asking. for instance a 960 is worth 350 here, while I can get a 280x very close to the usd price @ 220. That PSU is actually 10 more and mine scores around an 8.9 on sites while yours only scores a 8.1. Reasons I value the coolmaster V550S is its:

• High efficiency (especially at low loads)
• Tight voltage regulation
• Good ripple suppression
• Super quiet operation
• Compact dimensions
• Reliable fan

 

while the negatives are somewhat superficial

 

• Affixed cables could be less
• No grommet around the cable-exit hole
• Could have a couple more PCIe connectors - I only run 1 card.
• A protection kicked in during the last turn-on transient tests (however, this specific scenario is highly unlikely to occur in real day-to-day usage).

 

I really wish I could fit an i5 in too, but at 265 dollars here compared to the 165 for the I3 its not worth it, especially once you consider what he is going to be playing. Indeed you computer is well built and on paper would best what I have built, but he is not going to be playing games that stress the system enough to be worth it. the i3 will get the job done and only cost a few ultra settings here and there for games he is going to be playing.

 

The graphics card is going to be replaced with my old 970 too next year and the 280X is a very strong card, even the lastest games it can handle mostly on high apart from a few really top end games like GTA 5, but he won't be playing those types of games for years to come.

 

This PC is to keep him going for a year or 2, then he will be receiving my old gear, and upgrades at Christmas and birthdays. The most expensive part is getting it off the ground, as i have to buy every single part... once off the ground however I can choose what part to replace slowly and gift them to him for Christmases and birthdays, as well as giving him my old gear that is better.

[GDRRiley]

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-motherboard-b85mecsm that will be a fine motherboard and go with this SSD http://pcpartpicker.com/part/a-data-internal-hard-drive-asp600s3128gmc

[Thunder Down Under]

unfortunately not all prices work out, I live in Australia and only used usd for ease of use for members when asking. for instance a 960 is worth 350 here, while I can get a 280x very close to the usd price @ 220. That PSU is actually 10 more and mine scores around an 8.9 on sites while yours only scores a 8.1. Reasons I value the coolmaster V550S is its:

• High efficiency (especially at low loads)
• Tight voltage regulation
• Good ripple suppression
• Super quiet operation
• Compact dimensions
• Reliable fan

 

while the negatives are somewhat superficial

 

• Affixed cables could be less
• No grommet around the cable-exit hole
• Could have a couple more PCIe connectors - I only run 1 card.
• A protection kicked in during the last turn-on transient tests (however, this specific scenario is highly unlikely to occur in real day-to-day usage).

 

I really wish I could fit an i5 in too, but at 265 dollars here compared to the 165 for the I3 its not worth it, especially once you consider what he is going to be playing. Indeed you computer is well built and on paper would best what I have built, but he is not going to be playing games that stress the system enough to be worth it. the i3 will get the job done and only cost a few ultra settings here and there for games he is going to be playing.

 

The graphics card is going to be replaced with my old 970 too next year and the 280X is a very strong card, even the lastest games it can handle mostly on high apart from a few really top end games like GTA 5, but he won't be playing those types of games for years to come.

 

This PC is to keep him going for a year or 2, then he will be receiving my old gear, and upgrades at Christmas and birthdays. The most expensive part is getting it off the ground, as i have to buy every single part... once off the ground however I can choose what part to replace slowly and gift them to him for Christmases and birthdays, as well as giving him my old gear that is better.

I'm really sorry haha. I always forget to check. Give me one minute