Best CPU for non-gaming

[PalkiaRock484]

Actually, would a gigbyte brix be good for an application like this? I could put it on the back of the monitor and I don't think she needs an optical drive.

[amftech512]

Yeah, I suppose you could do that. You might end up paying just a little more though.

[dlink377]

4 minutes ago, PalkiaRock484 said:

Actually, would a gigbyte brix be good for an application like this? I could put it on the back of the monitor and I don't think she needs an optical drive.

Just take note that it has mobile CPU rather than much more powerful desktop processors. If she is not an heavy user, I don't think that matter so much. The new Intel Skylake NUC might be better since it has Iris graphics. And yes, you will pay more for brix or nuc. I actually almost bought the Intel NUC, it just the mobile CPU turns me off.

[SLAYR]

1 hour ago, PalkiaRock484 said:

Actually, would a gigbyte brix be good for an application like this? I could put it on the back of the monitor and I don't think she needs an optical drive.

If anything a usb to dvd drive isn't too terribly expensive, but a ssd in may help it to be fast if they don't need a lot of storage.

[ESPImperium]

Ive just built a PC for my aunt with these specs:

 

CPU: Intel i3 6100

MOTHERBOARD: Asus B150 Aura ITX

COOLER: CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Evo (Overkill for this build but its in for future proofing/when i give her my old CPU in a couple of years time)

GPU: Gigabyte 2GB GTX 950

RAM: Corsair DDR4 Vengeance 2400 8GB

SSD: Samsung 850 Evo 256GB (In Rapid Mode)

HDD: WD Black 750GB Laptop Drive

PSU: Corsair RM550 Fully Modular

CASE: BitFenix Phenom ITX

 

That system with Windows 10, Norton and a Samsung 21 inch monitor with a cheap Logitech keyboard and mouse combo came to less than £1000, and with a printer and surge protection at the wall added later it was a pretty cheap £1200. I did add a couple of fans for free and a fan splitter.

 

The thing runs at a cool 31c under load in Aida64 and got a decent Firestrike score as well. It also consumes a pretty small 290W under a stress test.

 

Its a great wee machine for her as all she does is word processing, email and various other tasks that are not majorly labour intensive.

 

If i was gonna change it, id add a M.2 in place of the SSD and add a much larger mechanical drive, and change the CPU to a i5 6400 that was going cheap on Amazon just 2 days later for £6 less than the 6100, and also possibly change the GPU with a GTX 960 or R9 285 with the savings i would have made in the CPU and M.2.

 

Best machine I've built for the price, or until i build my HTPC in the next few weeks.

[Wolther]

7 minutes ago, ESPImperium said:

-snip-

 

His budget is $300

[PalkiaRock484]

Do you think the psu in the rosewill case will be good enough, or should I shoot for an 80+

[ESPImperium]

1 minute ago, Wolther said:

His budget is $300

 

Bugger, never saw that.

[PalkiaRock484]

1 minute ago, ESPImperium said:

 

Bugger, never saw that.

Yea, she's just using it for office and sims.