Building My Last Desktop PC (but I don't want to ever upgrade it)

[Sir Topham Hatt]

After the recent review of Falcon Northwest's Tiki PC, I have been inspired to build a similar spec PC, possibly the last tower computer I would build.

I haven't upgraded my current tower so I thought why do I even bother having a huge lump which has been a hassle in it's 4 hour moves.

BUDGET: No more than ?1500, closer to the ?1000 mark if poss.

CURRENT PC:

Windows 7 - 64-bit

4GB Ram (I guess DDR2)

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 - 3Ghz

ATI Radeon HD 4800 graphics

WD 500GB x 2

DVD Drive x 2 (I only use one really)

NEW PC (?1568 / $2432):

Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-I Deluxe

Processor: Intel Core i7 3770K 3.5GHz

RAM: 2 x 4GB DDR3

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 (1GB)

SSD: Crucial m4 256GB

HDD: WD 2TB Green

Optical: TEAC Slot-Load Blu-ray Reader

Windows 8 Standard (64-bit)

Office Home & Student (I guess office 2013)

However I don't know if I got components I would actually use/need.

I am not a massive gamer, Sim City 5, Team Fortress 2 is about my limits and don't do much video encoding, perhaps just adding subtitles to MKVs or deleting part of a video.

I have a couple of external hard drives which hold most of my archives, others get written to a series of DVDs. While the price of blank BR discs is still relatively high, I wouldn't mind sticking to DVD if it means a fair amount less on the PC build.

So taking the above into account, I changed some of the parts and came out with:

NEW PC - lower spec (changes only) (?1386 / $2150):

Processor: Intel Core i5 3570K 3.4GHz

Optical: Sony Slot-Load DVD Writer

A difference of ?182. What do you guys think?

It would possibly work out better if I got Windows 8, Office and the 2TB drive over here, plus I haven't even seen if they ship to the UK. Taking out those brings the price in at ?1207, but then it'd be the hassle of having to fit the drive myself.

Is there another company that produces small, but powerful mini computers? Apart from Shuttle PC.

Thanks

[Haggis Veteran]

Are you going to be overclocking? if not dont get a K version CPU your paying more for nothing

If your not bothered about bluray keep your current optical drives

[madmrcopper]

I would shop around on those parts. I managed to get the first new pc specs for about ?600 less than you have quoted.

[threetonesun]

Are you going to be overclocking? if not dont get a K version CPU your paying more for nothing

If your not bothered about bluray keep your current optical drives

Conversely, the K version comes with Intel 4000 series graphics... if he's not a big gamer, he could try to just use the onboard GPU and save some money. TF2 certainly runs on a 4000 series.

[kaffra]

also if not overclocking, even the h7x or b7x motherboards will do.

[DrakeN2k]

Also the new Intel core i7s should be soon, if you happy to wait i would. No point buying something when 2 mouths or so be out of debt. You might even get that part for less.

[Haggis Veteran]

All From Ebuyer.com

Asus P8Z77-V DELUXE Z77 Socket 1155 8 Channel HD Audio ATX Motherboard

around ?80

i7 3770K

?254

Corsair 8GB DDR3 2133MHz Vengeance Blue

?63

Gigabyte GTX 650 1GB GDDR5

?86

Crucial 256GB M4 SSD

?161

WD 2TB Green Desktop Drive

?70

Pioneer BDR-207EBK 12x Blu-Ray Writer Drive

?65

Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit DVD - OEM

?69

Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 32bit/x64 - Medialess

?100

?948

Thats without looking at different sites for cheapest buy

[Sir Topham Hatt]

No overclocking here!

I think most of the cost is the case and someone building it for you. I wonder if I'd be able to get the car and a couple of bits then put the rest in myself. Hmm.