New rig for the rents - would like your thoughts.

[aaronkupen]

I'm going to be ordering a new computer for my parents soon and I would like to see what everyone here thinks about it.

GPU: Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100253L Radeon HD 4650 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

HDD: Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Blue WD800JD 80GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives

PSU: Newegg.com - Antec Basiq BP500UB 500W ATX12V Version 2.01 Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

MOBO: Newegg.com - ASUS P5QL PRO LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

CPU: Newegg.com - Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

RAM: Newegg.com - OCZ Vista Upgrade 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

This is all going in my old Antec Sonata case (atx only).

I'm pretty skeptical on the motherboard, does anyone have any other good ones that I could use in place? I'm trying to keep the build less than $350 if at all possible.

 

[veg1992]

Actually for sub-$350, that's really good

 

[patonb]

I'd suggest a bit bigger drive. 80Gig isn't big anymore... My new lappy with office '03, 2 games, takes like 47Gigs with vista 64.

Maybe its Acers software, but still, for 20 or 30 bucks now might be a good investment.

 

[aaronkupen]

I initially had a 160 GB, but I decided to save my parents the 6 dollars. They currently have a 40 GB and are barely pushing half of its capacity.

 

[patonb]

a whole 6 bucks..... The one thing i've found now adays, with space so chgeap, programmers have no need to write small, and programs are ballooning.

If youre keeping XP, than 80 will do, but 6 bucks for 160.. do it.

 

[aaronkupen]

I had that mentality, but 6 bucks is 6 bucks and my parents really do next to nothing on the computer.

 

[chesirecat1701]

I had that mentality, but 6 bucks is 6 bucks and my parents really do next to nothing on the computer.

lolz I'd send you the 6 bucks for the 160 GB but hey that's pretty good considering it comes to ~ $350

 

[Jayce]

I had that mentality, but 6 bucks is 6 bucks and my parents really do next to nothing on the computer.

6 bucks to double the HDD space and you have to question it?

It's one thing if it's 20 bucks to get 40 gig more. It's another to add 6 bucks and double the space. Who knows, maybe your parents will magically grow to use the computer if they have a new one.

Get the 160.

 

[synergy]

Isn't a 4650 overkill if they do "next to nothing on the computer"? I would get a mobo w/ integrated video if that's the case. Something like this:
Newegg.com - Intel BOXDG31PR LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards

 

[aaronkupen]

No. With that mentality, I could justify spending 6 bucks on upgrades to most of these parts and end up exceeding $400.

Most importantly, a hard drive isn't a part that will see them any benefit based on the doubling of the space, unlike subtle upgrades to RAM, GPU, etc. They go on internet and play solitare, and my dad might end up playing some Diablo II or doom 3. All of this is also easily done on thier 5400 rpm, 40 GB hard drive.

And in the event that they need a bigger hard drive some day (it's not going to happen), adding a second hard drive to a computer is trivial.