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Custom Desktop Build - What components

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bfr

Technical User
Jan 6, 2002
19
US
It's been 5 years so it's time for a new custom built desktop pc. I'd like component recommendations for a first class desktop business computer - spreadsheets, word processing, 2d cad and heavy internet browsing, no gaming. Budget is +/- $1,200 not including keyboard, mouse, or screen. What components should I buy?
 
If you don't do gaming, you can also get a board with on board video /audio. I use these for the office with no issues. Of course we don't listen to Wagner here.
A couple of thoughts:
I just upgraded to 8gm ram and I find the difference more than noticeable.
I assume you have a screen, but bigger screens are pretty affordable these days.
Considered SSD?
If I were getting a new toy, it would probably be a new pen input pad.
I have a Cooler Master case with clips rather than screws. I can clip off the side panel or slide out the drive bays. Nice.
I suspect there are no video cards or boards without HDMI, but you should definitely get it.
Front bay card reader, if not provided.
Front bay USB panel if not provided.
I love Vacunita's list and like the others. You an also get a leg up on costs by picking up a "kit" from Tiger or Newegg: I've resorted to Tiger's salespeople in the past, and they have never steered me wrong. I'd go I7 on the drive. I generally find after I put something together based on current standards that it is out of use in two years at the most. (I mean by that that, if I want to change something, I need to get all new components). Ergo, go with the newest.
You'd have to buy the parts there, but if you are in the Bay Area, Central Computing does a good job of putting the pieces together. I tend to get boneheaded and do it myself, then wonder why I didn't give it to them. Fry's surely does too.
 
>> Thanks. Cultural gap. Had no clue.

No problem, being a biker computer nerd I tend to forget that others may not have the same influence in life that I've had... I probably would've been just as clueless if I had grown up only in the US, where Hawgs and two wheeled RiceBurners predominate... ;)

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"
 
Back again. I appreciated the NewEgg list from Vacunita and jlockley's Fry's suggestion. I actually went by Fry's with this whole deal and they gave me a list of parts - a "kit", if you will - which included a fee for screwing it all together (pretty cheap I thought < $100 IIRC). I'm thinking that might be a good idea but I would appreciate any comments as to whether that's a good way to get the parts assembled.
 
....any comments as to whether that's a good way to get the parts assembled
If you're not going to do it yourself, somebody has to do it for you. It probably would take me one hour to put a computer together from scratch - add or subtract 15 minutes if things go great/poor. So based on hourly rates, that's not all that bad. Probably doesn't include O.S. installation.

I can't vouch for Fry's ability to put it together as we don't have them in Michigan.
 
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