Going to build my first desktop, guidance needed.

[Skylais]

Okay, well i all i know is that i don't want it to be crazy expensive and i do not need it to be crazy good.
To start i know i want, a cpu dual core anywhere 2.5ghz+. preferably amd cpu's. I am not sure if L2 cache is extremely important or what. could someone please explain? as well i notice that mobo's like msi are really cheap and i dont understand why, is there a certain mobo i should avoid and types i should lean toward?
i was thinking using this cpu - AMD A6-5400K Trinity 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) Socket FM2 65W Dual-Core Desktop APU (CPU + GPU) with DirectX 11 Graphic AMD Radeon HD 7540D AD540KOKHJBOX - Newegg.com
i wont need a dedicated gpu for games like minecraft and Age of empires 3 right, or will i?
also could someone notify me on the good brands of ram and bad ones, i just want to avoid getting crap that don't work. Keep in mind i don't need a monster good machine, just something to play those two games above and the experience of building my first desktop.
4-6gb of ram will do fine for me. I am not sure what to look for, or what the amount of pins mean. I hope someone can clarify things for me.
The hdd-this will practically do for me http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136770

 

[linnemeyerhere]

It's always a good idea to give us a budget and very important is there any components you have or can bring from another rig. Also little things like do you need an optical drive and what form factor for case?

Is something like this too cheap?
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8584882&CatId=332

Earliest rebate MSI ends 11.17.13 by my looking into this just FYI

 

[Skylais]

Id prefer not to spend over 400, i don't need any disc drives or any of that. Um. Cases idc about, size or anything. I can be pretty flexible save for the cost. I gotta keyboard mouse monitor all that good stuff and software/driver wise i'm exceptionally fine with. Hardware stuff i'm new to really, dont wanna wait a year until i can take the comptia class at myhigh school.anyways, i just surf the web hold nothing much docs/music i play minecraft age of empires 3 and sometimes i do multitask coding java while using packet tracers and stuff but honestly ican be pretty cheap i just dont want to get things i should avoid.

 

[Skylais]

I could bring really old components from an old rig, not sure if i would wanna use it but i could use the disc drive and hell i could always use my laptops hdd but i prefer to use a 7200 rpm. I do have a wireless nic, although it is usb. I wont be able to use copper cables for my networking setup

 

[DocBrown]

When I build a rig, I usualy get my parts from NewEgg & TigerDirect But mine usually cost more than $400. But here is a deal for $$500

:ar: Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!


Sign up for their email weekly deals. If you really shop the deals & rebates you can still build some decent rigs.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

When I build a rig, I usualy get my parts from NewEgg & TigerDirect But mine usually cost more than $400. But here is a deal for $$500

:ar: Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!


Sign up for their email weekly deals. If you really shop the deals & rebates you can still build some decent rigs.

Smokin deal and would be one smokin rig !

 

[Skylais]

why is this so cheap?
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
is it because of the ram not being dual?

 

[linnemeyerhere]

That's kind of the little secret with combo deals. Deep discounted parts with an off brand/house brand here or there to lower price even more.

 

[Skylais]

That's kind of the little secret with combo deals. Deep discounted parts with an off brand/house brand here or there to lower price even more.

Well whats your opinion on it?

 

[whs]

why is this so cheap?
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
is it because of the ram not being dual?

I don't think that is very cheap. The deal that Linny posted is a lot better in terms of price/performance. For $180 you don't even get a decent CPU.

 

[Skylais]

why is this so cheap?
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
is it because of the ram not being dual?

I don't think that is very cheap. The deal that Linny posted is a lot better in terms of price/performance. For $180 you don't even get a decent CPU.

Would you think Linny's deal is worth a buy. IT has all the right functions for me, powerful enough, i just need an hdd which is cheap enough. I am not sure about the case and as for my first build im not sure if that PSU is reliable. What do you guys think? because it is below my budget decently, and the cpu is absolutely fine. I am unsure of the casing though, and the PSU.
Also if i did buy it, and i wanted Dual memory. for it to be supported do you have to have the same type of ram stick, or does it not matter?

 

[whs]

For $180 what can you lose. The box is probably OK and the PSU with 600W has plenty of reserve - you probably will not use more than 300W of it. And if the gear does not work properly, you can always send it back. TigerDirect is a decent company.

For a disk you might want to consider this SSHD. It is faster than a plain HDD. Newegg.com - Seagate ST500LM000 500GB MLC/8GB 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s NCQ 2.5" Laptop Solid State Hybrid Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Or this one which is twice as big and where you do not need a 3.5" adaptor. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822178381

 

[linnemeyerhere]

To answer your question the Ultra PSU is a good unit of course it's not real sexy and just plain wrap case but it will work well and has way more power than the rig will ever pull but enough you can upgrade some later. This gets you into the game and then later if you want you can upgrade the case and PSU. I've purchased 4 Ultra full modular PSU's and they are all running years later in my personal rigs.

 

[Skylais]

For $180 what can you lose. The box is probably OK and the PSU with 600W has plenty of reserve - you probably will not use more than 300W of it. And if the gear does not work properly, you can always send it back. TigerDirect is a decent company.

For a disk you might want to consider this SSHD. It is faster than a plain HDD. Newegg.com - Seagate ST500LM000 500GB MLC/8GB 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s NCQ 2.5" Laptop Solid State Hybrid Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Or this one which is twice as big and where you do not need a 3.5" adaptor. Newegg.com - Seagate ST1000DX001 1TB MLC/8GB 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s NCQ 3.5" Desktop Solid State Hybrid Drive

wait what.. i didn't know hybrids existed. thats weird. hmm thanks

 

[Skylais]

To answer your question the Ultra PSU is a good unit of course it's not real sexy and just plain wrap case but it will work well and has way more power than the rig will ever pull but enough you can upgrade some later. This gets you into the game and then later if you want you can upgrade the case and PSU. I've purchased 4 Ultra full modular PSU's and they are all running years later in my personal rigs.

Okay thanks, i might go with this rig if i cant find anything better under my budget around Black friday.
As for hdd im not sure if i will go with a ssd or hybrid, im used to 5400 rpm and lower than 300gb so 7200 rpm 500gb plus is plenty good for me

 

[linnemeyerhere]

I would go with a 128gb SSD and you likely can get by till you can regroup and then purchase a nice 1tb spinner.

 

[whs]

HERE ARE SOME REALLY GOOD DEALS. On todays feed from Newegg (pre black Friday) I saw some good deals for disks that would fit well with the $180 build package from TigerDirect.

There are several well priced HDDs and (on the bottom of the first section) a refurbished 60GB OCZ Vertex II for $39. That would be ideal for the OS in combination with a HDD for the user data.

I would not worry about the 'refurbished'. OCZ is a serious company and that SSD is probably better than new. I have a 60GB Vertex II myself which works very well. For the OS, you need less than 30GBs including a good set of addl. programs. If you want to go this route, send me a PM once you have your box up and running and I will explain how to make the best OS setup on that SSD in combination with the data on the HDD.

Btw: Did you figure a copy of windows into your budget. The cheapest available versions will cost you $140 - both Windows 7 and Windows 8.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100006816&IsNodeId=1&Description=WINDOWS%207%20PROFESSIONAL%2064-BIT%20OEM&Tpk=windows%207%20professional%2064%20bit%20oem

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416778

But you also have the option to go with Linux - that is for free. I like Linux Mint Mate which I use a lot. It is a beautiful system and very easy to use. If you want to have a look, download this PDF from my Skydrive. It is the controls to a set of videos I made explaining Mint Mate.

 

[whs]

I would go with a 128gb SSD and you likely can get by till you can regroup and then purchase a nice 1tb spinner.

In today's Newegg feed, there is a 128GB Toshiba SSD for $80.

Newegg.com - Toshiba Q Series HDTS212XZSTA 128GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

But maybe the combination of the $39 OCZ and a HDD would be even better - as I described above.

 

[whs]

I just saw this $380 desktop at Newegg as an alternative to an own build. Fits your budget.

Newegg.com - Acer Intel Core i3 4GB DDR3 1TB HDD Capacity Desktop PC Windows 8 AXC600-UR34

 

[Victor S]

I just saw this $380 desktop at Newegg as an alternative to an own build. Fits your budget.

Newegg.com - Acer Intel Core i3 4GB DDR3 1TB HDD Capacity Desktop PC Windows 8 AXC600-UR34

Best advice yet.
Unless you "just want to do it" there's not much sense in building a low end PC.
A prebuilt will have an OS, and the PC makers get parts wholesale, so the numbers don't work for home-building unless you want a more performance targeted PC.
I've built many PC's, but I do it because I want my PC's "just so." Mainly because I game a lot.
They are close to "high end" and cost me quite a bit in parts.
Wouldn't bother building a "low end" PC unless I just wanted the "experience" of doing it, or found it an interesting hobby.
Nothing wrong with building your own if you really want to, but getting the OS with the prebuilt really kind of tilts the money part toward the prebuilt for less expensive PC's.