So my parents are asking me to build them a new computer, and since I built my new rig almost a year ago, I've fallen out of touch with the market around me. I heard sometime last fall AMD quad cores began to not suck anymore.

There requirements are pretty simple, they don't game, at most they check email and run microsoft office programs. I want to get them something with a fast core that will age well, but at the same time will be low maintenance. Also trying to keep the cost down to around 500-600$ with an operating system. They aren't going to be needing a GTX 285 or a 4750.

As far as processors go, I was thinking a quad core might age better than a dual core, even though right now the E8500 deliver some pretty solid performance. However, the intel quads are just out of budget.

I've narrowed it down to 2 processors, the E8500 or the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819103650

quad cores for checking email... ummm ya. Go with a cheap core 2 duo and make sure they got some anti spyware software.

Should make it clear that it's not simply that it's overkill - but it simply won't be used. Two, probably three, of those cores will be put to zero use and do nothing but generate heat, shortening the overall life of the system. Only multi-thread aware aps actually use secondary cores (which pretty much means only advanced video encoders and sophisticated compilers). Windows only offloads CPU up to one additional core max (regardless of version, and even then, it still keeps all interrupt activity on CPU 0), so unless you are specifically going assign services/apps to specific cores, manually, there's absolutely no advantage.

The architecture in the Quad cores isn't any better than that in the Dual cores of the same generation, so there's simply no point, except to add heat to the system, and to e-dick size.

Albeit, I have a Quad-core, but I also have separate servers hosted on each core. - But I certainly wouldn't get one for my parents, or anyone else using their puter for nothing but net. The only reason I'd get them a dual core over a single core, is that the architecture is significantly better, and they run cooler, with less power. (Plus, well, it's getting hard to find single-core CPU's.)
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"So you found a girl who thinks really deep thoughts. What's so great about really deep thoughts? Boy, you best pray that I bleed real soon. How's that thought for you?" - Tori
Thothie

I Lol'ed

e-peen I've heard, but e-dick is just funny.

You should buy half of the google building, and host the internet on your 50,000 terabyte drives so that your parents can surf the internet locally.

guys.. i built the computer like a 3 weeks ago while the forum was down.

I went with an E8500 and have it overclocked to 3.6ghz. Idle temp is around 38, on the highest load (prime95) it stabilized at 59. Not bad using the stock cooler, and considering they're never going to be running anything nearly as taxing as prime95 i'd be surprised if the temp ever broke 45 degrees, so I'm really not worried about system heat.

Thanks for your... really unhelpful input (excluding thoth, his input was helpful if not 2 weeks too late.)

Thoth is right - that's definitely overkill for your target users... and on top of that, you overclocked it? Overclocking reduces the lifespan of a CPU and with a beefy CPU, you're just wasting their power. I think CPUs have gotten to the point where they're so fast, most applications won't be able to leverage their computational power for years. Even the shittiest CPU on the market right now should last for at least 6 years. This is of course, based on what I know to be true - my own primary computer.

According to Dell's site, I bought it on: 11/25/2003

Specs:

2.6ghz P4, pre-HT
512megs of ram
ATI Radeon 9800 pro
80 gb HDD

I still use it for everything from h.264 video encoding and L4D to everyday tasks like web browsing and word processing/visio diagramming. The only major improvements I've made to it are going from 512mb of ram to 2gb and changing the Radeon 9800 pro to a X800. Other than encoding and l4d (which is still very playable), it still hauls ass. I'd imagine someone who isn't a power user would be able to get many more years out of this thing. So at the risk of sounding blunt, the point I'm making is that what you're getting is a complete and absolute waste of money for your parents. It sounds like you're trying to build a computer for yourself to be honest

If you really want to hit those requirements, get a budget Dell box, buy an extended warranty (standard is 3 years I believe), and pocket the money you saved by not buying something incredibly excessive and unnecessary.

-JP

I don't think the E8500 is that "beefy" of a processor. It's a nice dual core. The a small overclock is s not going to decrease the lifespan of the chip a noticable amount.

It's literally running at idle 3 degrees above what it was running without the overclock. On a 5 year replacement cycle, 3 degrees of heat isn't going to make any kind of noticable difference in the life of the chip.

The budget they quoted me was 1000$ with a monitor, I was able to build this machine was 500$ and got a nice 22 inch monitor for 150$, so I stayed well under budget.

To a point, you're right I did build this machine for me in the sense that... I wouldn't build someone a machine I wouldn't use myself. I built it to my standards, minus the video card. The onboard video on the board i chose should be fine for their needs. And the 30% overclock shouldn't make a noticable difference on the life of the chip.

Web browsing temp stays stable between 38-41 degrees, as opposed to the 35-39 degrees it was before the overclock. If you can tell me the real lapse in chip lifespan you'll see in that 2-3 degrees, then I'll remove the overclock. In my opinion, this machine will easily last 5 years, and could probably be stretched for a 6th.

Compared with the machines they were looking at from Dell/Best Buy/Costco, this machine is cheaper and vastly superior. All the computers they were hawking either had crappy Q6000 or 8000 series intels or old Phenom 9000/8000 series AMDs. I'm quite happy with the build and the price.

I'm not sure why you guys are being so critical of quality hardware. It's not like I built them an i7 core with a 4870 space heater. I think this machine was plenty modest, and very well priced.

Should have bought a wristwatch with a bluetooth network adapter imo

just be lame and go here

http://www.electrocomputerwarehouse.com/

pick a decent system for cheap that can surf all the web you want

no rendering or compiling though ^_~

It's already built. Thanks for reading the thread though.

the refubs can check email with the best of them

why build it when you can just be lame (like I said) for 1/3 / 1/2 1/5 of the price.

then you can just get a jokes flatscreen, and a tb backup HDD for 99 bucks and still have 500 left over

20 bucks says that when you build it you don't put the spacers on the mobo and it shorts ^_~

Can we lock this thread?

hey I read the thread before I posted

my input just doesn't conform to the guidelines you provided

I could rename it the "Make fun of Doc for blowing too much money on his folks" thread... Or mayhaps the "Give sage system building advice two weeks too late" thread.
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"A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila." - Mitch Ratcliffe
Thothie