Get off my computer! budget/guest build help

[Rpgamer]

Hey everybody I've got a problem, when my family visits everyone wants to use my computer, mainly because their laptops are terrible and i told them they were wasting money when they got them...

So I'm going for a cheap build that can handle day to day pc use very smoothly (but doesn't have to do anything to difficult, I'm pretty much the only pc gamer in the family). budget $300 I have windows 7/other required software and https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233144 for memory from an earlier build as well as the mouse/keyboard/monitor.

So far I'm looking at-

Case
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144270&ignorebbr=1
Put this up to vote and this case style (that front part mainly) won out, also comes with 450w psu which should be plenty. $40

Mother board
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128822
cheap good reviews overall seems to meet my needs here but i'm open to suggestions $55

Cpu
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=2MN-0004-00002
This computer is mostly going to see youtube, dating sites and minor games (think zuma) but possibly several of these at once, in any case the celeron laptops don't cut it and the Pentiums just barely so i figured this would be about right. $120

Storage
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16820211983
120gb ssd since most data will leave with the user I figure this should be plenty and appease the less patient.
$50

cd/dvd drive
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106276
because if i don't put one in I can see my computer being hijacked because of it someday. $18

misc
And i think the psu with the case needs one of these https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200061 to be able to connect to the disk drive as well (correct me if i'm wrong) $2.50

So up to about $286 + shipping which right about hits the budget.

If anyone sees a mistake or has better suggestions I always appreciate the help.

 

[Suppressor1137]

The only thing i would change is storage. https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...ebbr=1&cm_re=ssd_256gb-_-20-226-853-_-Product

You would be surprised how little 120 gb SSD's get you after OS, Page Cache, And other reserved space

Sure, less Write speed, but I don't see it as a con for what the purpose of the pc is.

 

[trents]

I would not buy components and build one for the other users. It would be much more cost effective to purchase a good refurbished PC. You should be able to get a nice one for under $300 with a warranty. NewEgg has a whole section of refurbished units on their web site.

 

[Rpgamer]

Took a look through the refurbished ones https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883795779
looking at the cpu on that my computer is using https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 am i right that buying that comp and swapping out the cpus would get me a somewhat of an upgrade? can you even do that with those?

 

[trents]

Several things:

1. The all in one refurb CPU is an "S" model. Those are low voltage units. They use those in AIO computers because they are easy to cool and there is not room for a normal sized CPU cooler in an AIO. So if you swap out the CPUs the AIO will probably overheat.
2. Although the AIO has an i7 CPU it is clocked at only 3.1. So it's single core performance will be less than your current i5 Sandybridge. It won't feel as snappy in light usage.
3. Most games thrive on good single core performance and very few of them can even use more than four cores on a CPU. So the HT advantage of the i7 Ivy is not an advantage in gaming and you are a gamer.
4. You would need to make sure both machines have bioses that support the CPU swap even if it would work otherwise.

In short, probably not a good idea.

 

[Rpgamer]

ok looked through the refurbished options down to 3

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...7702X1552850X2013db708b56c9ceb55e496598c22601
Pros- compact, nicer monitor, i7
cons- hdd, am I missing it or does this have no native networking?

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5965581400
Pros- wifi capable means no wires between rooms, nicer monitor included
cons- small ssd

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883285947
Pros- lots of storage both ssd+hdd, has a graphics card
cons- I feel like i'm missing something here but can't put my finger on it.

or my described build
Pro- better warranty, custom build so its less aggravating and easy to repair/upgrade as needed (pretty much why I made my own comp in the first place was i was sick of the way prebuilt stuff tended to be hard to fix, showed poor performance usually bottlenecking, and came with so much crud that would never stop harassing me built in)
con- i3, after upping the ssd one size its abit more expensive.

what do you guys think?

 

[ssjwizard]

If you scratch build Id do something more like this

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157587&ignorebbr=1
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113349&ignorebbr=1
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231518&ignorebbr=1


$135 shipped for MB/CPU/RAM would cut the costs down a bit and I doubt at the desktop level you would notice the difference from the i3

 

[Rpgamer]

If you scratch build Id do something more like this

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157587&ignorebbr=1
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113349&ignorebbr=1
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231518&ignorebbr=1


$135 shipped for MB/CPU/RAM would cut the costs down a bit and I doubt at the desktop level you would notice the difference from the i3

I already have the ram so thats not an issue, but the other 2 would cut the cost alot. am i reading the specs on that cpu right as being somewhere between Pentium and i3 (the cache is abit small tho so i'm not sure)?

 

[trents]

Just keep in mind that because this PC will not be used for gaming by your guests it does not have to be a high performance unit. If all they do is surf the net and play solitaire almost anything will do. That's why I was suggesting a refurb. You seem to be pondering questions about performance in post #6 as you talk about one of the units having a "better graphics card."