Workstation for $1000~$1500 Need suggestions...

[Silentknight]

Hey, my parents asked me to build them a workstation computer for aprox $1500.  There needs are STRICTLY workstation only (facebook games at best) primarily being used for accounting and book-keeping only.  The build needs be as silent, and as power efficient as possible also.  The working budget is $1500 max, this needs to include the computer as well as at least one 22" monitor as well as KB/Mouse

 

All parts must be aquired from http://www.memoryexpress.com only, they dont want to deal with extra shipping costs.

 

Windows 7 Pro and Office 365 will also be used (dont even suggest Win8 it wont happen)

2TB storage is also required.

 

The power supply thats listed is prob. overkill but its also fully modular.  Ideally id like to get one that the fan will throttle down/off when it isnt under load.  The more passive cooling thatcan be achieved the better.  All case fans will be Noctua NF-F12 simpply because there uber and they dont care what they look like.

 

This is what ive pieced togeather so far.  Any help/suggestions much appricieated.

Still need to figure out a case that can accomadate the NH-D14, they dont care what the build looks like, all thats cared for is function and silence.

 

 

MB:  ASUS H87M-E

CPU:  Intel Core i5 4440 (Artic Cooling MX-4 TP)

CPUC:  Noctua NH-D14

RAM:  Corsair Vengence 8GB (2x4) 1600

GFX:  EVGA GTX 560TI (Already purchsed -- not included in final price)

PSU:  Corsair CX600 (prob overkill)

HD1:  Samsung 840 Evo 120GB SSD

HD2:  Western Digital 2TB Black

Case:  undecided

OS: Windows 7 Professional 64 BIT

       Microsoft Office 365

 

Aprox price so far is $1067~

 

[Tea1337]

Thats kinda overkill for bookkeeping, but get something like a corsair air 540 for really good cooling a d quiet operation.

[91wow]

Dude, a APU will do just fine for the needs, invest more into good fans and a good case.

[Flyguygamer]

Just by looking at the title.

 

Go for the non window define r4 for the case.

NH-D14 for the cooler

NF-F12's for the fans

Any asus board

any 1150 I5

EVGA gt 640

Acer H236HLbid monitor/s

Kingston 120gb ssd

Seagate 2tb

[ZanCrow]

use the AMD a10-6800k and tell them 1500$ is overkill for nuthing. u can be good with 800$

[brob]

No need for a 3rd party cpu cooler. The Intel one will do a good job and will be reasonably quite, especially when housed in a quiet case.

 

Use the integrated graphics. It will be more than sufficient for the described needs. Doing so will eliminate any gpu fan noise.

 

An SSD will make a real difference in performance and will save time loading and saving data. The 2TB requirement seems excessive for the outlined use. I would have thought that a 240GB SSD would be more than sufficient.

[Henry]

Book keeping?

Just get any PC then for like $500...

[WoodenMarker]

Such overkill for book keeping

Edits: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/2t2xY

Replace rear case exhaust with NF-S12A

Don't even bother putting the 560 ti in the system. Just use the onboard graphics. The extra graphics card will just add unnecessary heat and noise.

 

Stay away from Caviar blacks if you want quiet--they can be quite loud.

[Silentknight]

Thanks for all the info so far everyone, i was definetly looking at using AMD because of the supurier integrated gfx, the only reason the 560 was in the list was because i have an extra one that isnt in use atm.  But considering that its only being used for bookkeeping and accounting for multiple clients, integrated will work just fine.  My intention was to try and keep the system as fast and quiet, but as cheap as possible and splurge on a good monitor (or 2) as well as seeing if theres enough leftover for a UPS after the fact.

 

Ill keep researching and post a final build that i come up with to see what everyone else thinks.

 

~~Silent

[Silentknight]

Ok after discussion with my parents, ive come up with a finalized list of components.

Ive opted to go AMD because of the improved integrated graphics, as well as generally cheaper components.

 

Case: Fractal Design Arc Micro ATX ($89.99)

MB:  ASUS A88xm-Plus/CSM ($99.99)

CPU:  AMD A8-5600k APU, Black Edition ($99.99)

CPUC:  Noctua NH-U14S ($89.99)

PSU:  Corsair CX430M ($49.99)

HD1:  Crucial M4 128GB SSD ($109.99)

HD2:  Western Digital 1TB Blue ($69.99)

Additional Fans: (to replace the Fractal ones)

• 120mm: Noctua NF-F12 (2x $39.98)
• 140mm: Noctua NF-P14 FLX (1x $19.99)

Microsoft Windos 7 Pro. 64Bit ($149.99)

Microsoft Office Home & Business 2013, w/ Product Key ($209.99)

 

Monitor:  LG 22EA53V-P 22" IPS

 

KB/Mouse: Using existing

 

Total cost ~~$1294.86 not including taxes and eviormental levys.

[brob]

see below, I goofed updating this post.

[brob]

Ok after discussion with my parents, ive come up with a finalized list of components.

Ive opted to go AMD because of the improved integrated graphics, as well as generally cheaper components.

 

Case: Fractal Design Arc Micro ATX ($89.99)

MB:  ASUS A88xm-Plus/CSM ($99.99)

CPU:  AMD A8-5600k APU, Black Edition ($99.99)

CPUC:  Noctua NH-U14S ($89.99)

PSU:  Corsair CX430M ($49.99)

HD1:  Crucial M4 128GB SSD ($109.99)

HD2:  Western Digital 1TB Blue ($69.99)

Additional Fans: (to replace the Fractal ones)

• 120mm: Noctua NF-F12 (2x $39.98)
• 140mm: Noctua NF-P14 FLX (1x $19.99)

Microsoft Windos 7 Pro. 64Bit ($149.99)

Microsoft Office Home & Business 2013, w/ Product Key ($209.99)

 

Monitor:  LG 22EA53V-P 22" IPS

 

KB/Mouse: Using existing

 

Total cost ~~$1294.86 not including taxes and eviormental levys.

 

In my opinion this build provides poor performance for the money spent. Far too much is spent on fans and cpu cooling, especially considering that it is all being put, presumably in an Arc Mini R2. A case not designed for quiet operation.

 

Integrated graphics on both AMD and Intel platforms is more than sufficient for office applications.

 

I believe that for the same expenditure one can achieve a much quieter and more powerful system:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU:  Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($194.83 @ DirectCanada)

Motherboard:  Asus B85M-E/CSM Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($85.28 @ DirectCanada)

Memory:  Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($61.99 @ Newegg Canada)

Storage:  Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk  ($89.99 @ Memory Express)

Storage:  Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($48.50 @ Vuugo)

Case:  Corsair 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($84.98 @ Newegg Canada)

Power Supply:  SeaSonic 360W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($66.98 @ Newegg Canada)

Operating System:  Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)  ($143.02 @ DirectCanada)

Monitor:  LG 23EA53V-P 23.0" Monitor  ($149.99 @ Memory Express)

Other: Microsoft Home & Business 2013 (full list Microsoft) ($249.00)

Total: $1174.56

(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-12-31 16:44 EST-0500)

 

Note that the Office package is shown at full list price. Undoubtedly it can be found for less. Also note that the monitor is 1" larger as ca.pcpartpicker does not have a listing for a 22" model.

 

The silence is achieved by using a quiet case and a very good psu that is quiet. The Intel stock cooler is actually reasonably quiet at less than full load and the case will absorb most of its noise.

[WoodenMarker]

Ok after discussion with my parents, ive come up with a finalized list of components.

Ive opted to go AMD because of the improved integrated graphics, as well as generally cheaper components.

 

Case: Fractal Design Arc Micro ATX ($89.99)

MB:  ASUS A88xm-Plus/CSM ($99.99)

CPU:  AMD A8-5600k APU, Black Edition ($99.99)

CPUC:  Noctua NH-U14S ($89.99)

PSU:  Corsair CX430M ($49.99)

HD1:  Crucial M4 128GB SSD ($109.99)

HD2:  Western Digital 1TB Blue ($69.99)

Additional Fans: (to replace the Fractal ones)

• 120mm: Noctua NF-F12 (2x $39.98)
• 140mm: Noctua NF-P14 FLX (1x $19.99)

Microsoft Windos 7 Pro. 64Bit ($149.99)

Microsoft Office Home & Business 2013, w/ Product Key ($209.99)

 

Monitor:  LG 22EA53V-P 22" IPS

 

KB/Mouse: Using existing

 

Total cost ~~$1294.86 not including taxes and eviormental levys.

This is more expensive than it needs to be and performs just as well as what I suggested without being that much quieter at all.

[Silentknight]

I looked into using the Corsair case instead, however because this is a home run book-keeping business the little kids would competly destroy the anodized aluminum finish on it, and yes could prob save $100 by not using the Noctua cooler... but hey, the entire system is a business tax write off.  As for the additonal Noctua fans, i could eaisly go for something cheaper thats just as efficient, but hey.... its Noctua

[brob]

I looked into using the Corsair case instead, however because this is a home run book-keeping business the little kids would competly destroy the anodized aluminum finish on it, and yes could prob save $100 by not using the Noctua cooler... but hey, the entire system is a business tax write off.  As for the additonal Noctua fans, i could eaisly go for something cheaper thats just as efficient, but hey.... its Noctua

 

I'm not suggesting less expensive fans. There is no need for the fans or the cooler. In fact if "little kids" would destroy an aluminum finish I'd suggest not attaching a 2lb. lever to the motherboard.

 

The money spent on fans and the cooler would be far better invested in a better cpu and motherboard, be it AMD or Intel. It's been my experience that when people have to wait for computers to catch up at work, money is being thrown away and users get frustrated.

[WoodenMarker]

I'm not suggesting less expensive fans. There is no need for the fans or the cooler. In fact if "little kids" would destroy an aluminum finish I'd suggest not attaching a 2lb. lever to the motherboard.

 

The money spent on fans and the cooler would be far better invested in a better cpu and motherboard, be it AMD or Intel. It's been my experience that when people have to wait for computers to catch up at work, money is being thrown away and users get frustrated.

Getting a better cpu/mobo wouldn't really fix that issue. The biggest bottleneck is generally the hard drive and you relieve some of it with a ssd.

I looked into using the Corsair case instead, however because this is a home run book-keeping business the little kids would competly destroy the anodized aluminum finish on it, and yes could prob save $100 by not using the Noctua cooler... but hey, the entire system is a business tax write off.  As for the additonal Noctua fans, i could eaisly go for something cheaper thats just as efficient, but hey.... its Noctua

The 350D uses plastic and not brushed aluminum. Also, you need to quote a post or tag a member or else they won't get a notification you replied to them.