Mrs k's computer

**keda** · 13-09-2010, 11:27 AM

Mrs doesn't know she's getting a new computer. The one she has is 5 years old so will be lashing out for her birthday in a few weeks.

Her drives and power unit (2 weeks old) can be transferred, and 2gb mem upped to 4gb. Speakers, keyboard and mouse to be upgraded and she can also have the pretty wrist rest and screen cleaner pandas she's losing sleep over!

Case will be 2-3k, 23" monitor around 6-8k, and when I bought a system for a friend last year the sound was onboard so no need for a soundcard. Not sure if the same applies for graphics, or if that depends on the motherboard which leaves me clueless anyway so open for advice on that and tia.

CD/DVD ROM, not sure 1 or 2 or cost or specs but can't be much nowadays.

HP needs a new drum (2k'ish) and will get an inkjet, not sure which one or specs to go for but 6-8k should do it if anyone has any thoughts in that range.

Her use is generally low stress, www and email, Office a lot for school, no games.

Anything missed?

**dirtydog** · 13-09-2010, 01:24 PM

Graphics are onboard generally, case comes with transformer.

**Thetyim** · 13-09-2010, 01:36 PM

If her old computer is 5 years old then you probably won't be able to use the old 2GB of RAM.

**keda** · 13-09-2010, 02:20 PM

DD: I don't like the idea of being forced to see what's inside the case, but the one she likes is made of see-through plastic and the guy said it comes only as basic without any power unit. I assume cables and bits are included, but either way I have to talk her out of it. Think I'll say it's great, that should do it!

Thetyim: Ok and tally raised by a k, but still within my hopeful budget of 30k.

Any clue on what I should be looking for in a motherboard? The one I chose for a friend last year after chatting with vendors narrowed it down to about 6, was based on the most fun looking box.

**Thetyim** · 13-09-2010, 02:47 PM

Cables come with the motherboard.

Your choice of Motherboard depends on what CPU you choose and you haven't mentioned that yet

**Takeovers** · 13-09-2010, 03:53 PM

Onboard graphics should be ok for your applications.

Get new memory if you want 4G, two 2G sticks not four 1G. It is always better because more stable to have only two memory sticks. The old one will probably not fit anyway.

Do you need card adapters for SD/MMC .... cards?

Your harddrives are probably IDE if they run in a 5 year old computer. New motherboards usually support only 2 IDE-drives. New drives have SATA and are faster. So you might want to invest in a new SATA drive. The computer will run faster.
If you want to use both old harddisks you need to get a DVD with SATA if you want to put in both old drives. Most DVD are still IDE so you need to watch out to get the right one.

I always used AMD CPUs as they were cheaper. Some people prefer Intel though. I never had problems with AMD.

**Thetyim** · 13-09-2010, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by keda

still within my hopeful budget of 30k

You should be able to do the whole thing new including a printer for 27k.
Thats with a CPU like the Intel i3 530

**Marmite the Dog** · 13-09-2010, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by keda

my hopeful budget of 30k

I wouldn't look to spend any more than 20k considering what it'll be used for.

**keda** · 13-09-2010, 04:31 PM

Should be CPU not motherboard. I always end up with Intel and never had problems with that before, but won't be going for the latest anything with speed stripes because don't trust new stuff and it's usually way above what's need for normal use. Will go for 2 cores/threads, but the fancy numbers and letters don't mean much to me beyond the raw speed.

My P5PL 3.4gh is a couple of years old and served well but unlikely they're still around, otherwise will probably go on cost after checking with other vendors on compatibility/specs and cost. Earlier today I noted a 30% difference on the same HP drum price at tukcom, 2500 upstairs and 1700 on the computer floor.

**dirtydog** · 13-09-2010, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

I wouldn't look to spend any more than 20k considering what it'll be used for.

15k would be enough for what it is being used for, and that would be all new

**keda** · 13-09-2010, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by Takeovers

Onboard graphics should be ok for your applications.

Get new memory if you want 4G, two 2G sticks not four 1G. It is always better because more stable to have only two memory sticks. The old one will probably not fit anyway.

Do you need card adapters for SD/MMC .... cards?

Your harddrives are probably IDE if they run in a 5 year old computer. New motherboards usually support only 2 IDE-drives. New drives have SATA and are faster. So you might want to invest in a new SATA drive. The computer will run faster.
If you want to use both old harddisks you need to get a DVD with SATA if you want to put in both old drives. Most DVD are still IDE so you need to watch out to get the right one.

I always used AMD CPUs as they were cheaper. Some people prefer Intel though. I never had problems with AMD.

Noted about memory.

Her harddrives are IDE. I have SATA but not sure if it's worth switching her over to SATA as this would mean two wasted drives and one's just a couple months old. Will chew on that one.

I have a card reader but rarely use it. Might give it to her or stick in a new one, I think they're a few hundred baht.

Thanks, more to consider...buying a computer used to be a doddle in the C64 days!

**Bettyboo** · 13-09-2010, 04:46 PM

^ I had a C64 too - donkey kong days...

Does seem to be a lot of playing around with mishmashed bits; I thought the budget was gonna be a couple of K...

You could get a really smart looking (and performing) new desktop for 20k. Can't you?

Bin the lot, and buy new.

**Fondles** · 13-09-2010, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by keda

Should be CPU not motherboard. I always end up with Intel and never had problems with that before, but won't be going for the latest anything with speed stripes because don't trust new stuff and it's usually way above what's need for normal use. Will go for 2 cores/threads, but the fancy numbers and letters don't mean much to me beyond the raw speed.

If you want to stay with dual core you can build a semi decent rig for around the 22k mark.

Heres one I built for a guy a few months back.

Motherboard - ASUS "P5QL-E" Intel P43/ICH10R Chipset Mainboard for Intel LGA 775
Bt.3680.00.

CPU - Intel Core2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz 1066FSB 3MB L2 Cache EM64T LGA 775 Dual Core CPU.
Bt.4040.00.

Hard Drive - Western Digital 640GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache S-ATA II Hard Disk Drive Model "WD6400AAKS".
Bt.2160.00.

Graphics card - Spark GeForce 9400GT OC600 LP 512MB DDR2 128-bit HDTV DVI PCIe 2.0.
Bt.1600.00.

Ram - Corsair XMS2 1GB DDR2 800 PC2-6400 CL5 RAM (X3)
Bt.1800.00.

Case - Hualian Gview Viva Black Mid ATX Case w/ 550w Power Supply.
Bt.1420.00.

DVD Drive - Lite-On iHAS424 24x24 Black DVD Writer w/ 12x12 DL 12x DVD-RAM LS S-ATA.
Bt.860.00.

Monitor – Acer 24”
Bt.5920.00.

Bluetooth - Asus USB-BT21 Mini Bluetooth V2.0 + EDR Dongle.
Bt.440.00.

WiFi - D-Link Wireless G 54Mbps PCI Ethernet Adapter Model "DWA-510".
Bt.760.00.

Total – Bt.22680.00.

**Marmite the Dog** · 13-09-2010, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by keda

Her harddrives are IDE. I have SATA but not sure if it's worth switching her over to SATA as this would mean two wasted drives and one's just a couple months old. Will chew on that one.

Some SATA MB's come with an IDE port, so you could still use them if you had to.

**keda** · 13-09-2010, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by keda

my hopeful budget of 30k

I wouldn't look to spend any more than 20k considering what it'll be used for.

I agree it's not like she'll be using it for critical stuff, but it's beginning to look like a new system is probably better than chopping up the old one and not actually scavenging much in real terms. Aside from the hard drives there's little there to be salvaged, and that's if we stay with IDE.

With a guestimate based on poking around, monitor (6), inkjet (6), puter case (2), memory (2), HP cartridge (2), + bits nudges 20k already. Add CPU (7-8?), DVD (1) and maybe a new drive if switching to SATA and the needles over 30. Mind you, by staying with IDE instead of SATA drive/DVD, and the inkjet which was a recent addon it's as you say around 20k.

Can't imagine what they must be putting in those complete systems at 12k.

**Marmite the Dog** · 13-09-2010, 05:26 PM

Without a monitor, you'd not need much more than 15k.

**Takeovers** · 13-09-2010, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Some SATA MB's come with an IDE port, so you could still use them if you had to.

I believe most if not all come with IDE, but only one port for two drives. As the DVD usually is still IDE and if two older harddrives with IDE are used you need to consider.

Either use an SATA DVD or use only the newer/larger IDE HDD with one IDE DVD plus a new SATA HDD.

I like to use two harddrives because it gives a little extra data security if one drive fails and you keep important files on both drives.

**keda** · 13-09-2010, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

^ I had a C64 too - donkey kong days...

Oil's Well, a real dumb game but I racked up some worldranking score over several weeks (never switched off) till we divorced then I lost the C64 as well.

Does seem to be a lot of playing around with mishmashed bits; I thought the budget was gonna be a couple of K...

You could get a really smart looking (and performing) new desktop for 20k. Can't you?

Bin the lot, and buy new.

I was tempted, but if a fair system costs around 15k all in then adding the non-negotiables (monitor, inkjet and drum + bits) knocks it up by another 15k anyway.

The one I got last year was around 35k, but the invisible extras pushed it to 40.

**keda** · 13-09-2010, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Fondles

Originally Posted by keda

Should be CPU not motherboard. I always end up with Intel and never had problems with that before, but won't be going for the latest anything with speed stripes because don't trust new stuff and it's usually way above what's need for normal use. Will go for 2 cores/threads, but the fancy numbers and letters don't mean much to me beyond the raw speed.

If you want to stay with dual core you can build a semi decent rig for around the 22k mark.

Heres one I built for a guy a few months back.

Motherboard - ASUS "P5QL-E" Intel P43/ICH10R Chipset Mainboard for Intel LGA 775
Bt.3680.00.

CPU - Intel Core2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz 1066FSB 3MB L2 Cache EM64T LGA 775 Dual Core CPU.
Bt.4040.00.

Hard Drive - Western Digital 640GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache S-ATA II Hard Disk Drive Model "WD6400AAKS".
Bt.2160.00.

Graphics card - Spark GeForce 9400GT OC600 LP 512MB DDR2 128-bit HDTV DVI PCIe 2.0.
Bt.1600.00.

Ram - Corsair XMS2 1GB DDR2 800 PC2-6400 CL5 RAM (X3)
Bt.1800.00.

Case - Hualian Gview Viva Black Mid ATX Case w/ 550w Power Supply.
Bt.1420.00.

DVD Drive - Lite-On iHAS424 24x24 Black DVD Writer w/ 12x12 DL 12x DVD-RAM LS S-ATA.
Bt.860.00.

Monitor – Acer 24”
Bt.5920.00.

Bluetooth - Asus USB-BT21 Mini Bluetooth V2.0 + EDR Dongle.
Bt.440.00.

WiFi - D-Link Wireless G 54Mbps PCI Ethernet Adapter Model "DWA-510".
Bt.760.00.

Total – Bt.22680.00.

Thanks, well considered and sounds like you did your homework. Will print it out and go tooled up.

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