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Cheap PC for work... which way to go?

N

n-ster

Joined
Jan 11, 2009
Messages
9,253 (1.54/day)
Location
Montreal, Canada
System Specs
System Name Homelabs
Processor Ryzen 5900x | Ryzen 1920X
Motherboard Asus ProArt x570 Creator | AsRock X399 fatal1ty gaming
Cooling Silent Loop 2 280mm | Dark Rock Pro TR4
Memory 128GB (4x32gb) DDR4 3600Mhz | 128GB (8x16GB) DDR4 2933Mhz
Video Card(s) EVGA RTX 3080 | ASUS Strix GTX 970
Storage Optane 900p + NVMe | Optane 900p + 8TB SATA SSDs + 48TB HDDs
Display(s) Alienware AW3423dw QD-OLED | HP Omen 32 1440p
Case be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 rev 2 | be quiet! Silent Base 800
Power Supply Corsair RM750x + sleeved cables| EVGA P2 750W
Mouse Razer Viper Ultimate (still has buttons on the right side, crucial as I'm a southpaw)
Keyboard Razer Huntsman Elite, Pro Type | Logitech G915 TKL
I want to build a PC for work... It has to be somewhat of quality since it will be kept for quite some time... "Cheap" here is pretty flexible, but I am for bang/buck here... Everything that is the case and inside is needed

Hoping to get at least tri-core
4gb of RAM A little preference to DDR3, but DDR2 is fine
2x caviar blacks 500gb or 640gb would be good
Form factor does not matter
DVD burner
Nice but cheap case, doesn't need that much room
integrated or very cheap graphics

Budget is up to 850$, but hoping to go much lower than that

Perphaps Xazax's 720BE? I don't mind buying used

PSU: Is this good enough?

OHHH and I get 7% taxed at Newegg so ZZF and Amazon are good alternatives if needed
 
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that PSU i wouldnt trust. i bought a AK-850W PSU and it fried in like 3 weeks, sent it back and got another one then it fried in 4 days. i would skip on a good quality PSU.
 
It depends on what type of "work" you intend it for.

Is it normal office?
Would you need graphics?
Would you be needing a lot of storage space?
Basically which programs are you planning to run on it?

A tri core would be overkill if all you intend is running MS Office and IE.

4GB would be overkill if you're using a 32 bit OS.
 
office work... accounting a little... else it is very basic like office stuff lol, but keep in mind this HAS to last long

Overkill is good, I will put 64bit W7 on it, already have it ;)

The current rig that is going to be replaced by this one is a P4 3.2ghz I think, with 1gb of RAM and cost 3k$ 5 yrs ago LOL
 
Topower looks like of those mass produced cheap tin bins. Don't. I have a personal rule that the PSU is the 3rd component to consider quality-wise after CPU and Motherboard.
 
I chose this one because I heard good about it though... remember that brand names arent everything :p But to be sure I guess I could go with a Corsair lol

OHHH and I get 7% taxed at Newegg so ZZF and Amazon are good alternatives if needed
 
n-ster said:
but keep in mind this HAS to last long
Click to expand...

By long you mean 3 years, 5 years or 10 years? :laugh:

At my own office I started using Single core AMD's @ 1.3Ghz with 512MB RAM and onboard graphics. Well I started with those in 1997. They were still great for IE, MS Office and our accounting program... I just replaced them December last year because of reliability issues (you know like they won't POST, I changed mobo... then after a couple of months they come up with another problem).

I couldn't have that.
Reliability is more important than power in an office environment. Had they remained reliable I'd have kept them, and I'm speaking of 12 y/o pc's here! :laugh:

At our work there are 4 pc's ATM. Two of them have been there for 2 years or so - one with an E4300 (which I used to have on my rig oc'd @ 3Ghz) and another one with E6320, both with onboard graphics and with 2GB RAM running XP 32 bit.

Then instead of the other 12 y/olds we got another two both with 2GB RAM and onboard graphics, one with an E7400 and the other one with a Q9400. I got the quad because that particular pc now functions as a server feeding the accounts program to the other 3 pc's. These 2 pc's got windows 7 professional 32 bit.

Btw if you plan to network get the pro version of W7.
 
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I have one in my thread......See sig for link.
 
I'm building you the meanest cheapest office system you can get. You will shit yourself.
 
I do prefer new to used though... and as Black Panther pointed out, RELIABILITY IS IMPORTANT :D

Looking forward to shit myself :)

5yrs is a minimum btw...
 
n-ster said:
Looking forward to shit myself :)
Click to expand...

KILLER $725 OFFICE PC:

750dollarofficekillerpc.png
 
Try getting a chip you can undervolt and underclock, that will probably prolong your pc's life.
 
Fourstaff said:
Try getting a chip you can undervolt and underclock, that will probably prolong your pc's life.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I was thinking
 
I knew I forgot something. The system I built + that PSU. Killer $775 system LOL.
 
Can we try something cheaper along the lines of $500 instead? Athlon II 620 based would be a good start.
 
Fourstaff said:
Can we try something cheaper along the lines of $500 instead? Athlon II 620 based would be a good start.
Click to expand...

Why save $250 to build a system that is supposed to last for years to come? Let's save $200 and build a turd system that pisses itself in the presence of the one I built. Productivity is the keyword here.
 
Kantastic said:
I like this, but SSD and cheap do not get along. ;)
Click to expand...

I just threw in the SSD for flash factor. You can build a killer office PC for under $850 AND put high speed, cutting edge tech in it. I figure the SSD would be a dream for an office PC. I actually didn't wanna put in the WD!
 
DirectorC said:
Why save $250 to build a system that is supposed to last for years to come? Let's save $200 and build a turd system that pisses itself in the presence of the one I built. Productivity is the keyword here.
Click to expand...

Well, I know you can build a reasonably good pc for about 500-600, the rest of the money can be used for upgrade/repairs in the future.
 
DirectorC said:
Why save $250 to build a system that is supposed to last for years to come? Let's save $200 and build a turd system that pisses itself in the presence of the one I built. Productivity is the keyword here.
Click to expand...

But in the same aspect, longevity would be key when you can purchase something cheaper and still have a long way of means to upgrade when prices drop.

I still beleive an i3 everything bought new EXCEPT video card as you can get a 9600GSO or HD4670 cheap secondhand now.
 
What if I get WC setup + HAF 932 for 200$ from someone (lga 1156 WC setup)

and the i5 750 at 190$+ 1/2 tax so 194$ from MC and the 54$ Corsair... and 2x Caviar black 500gb at 65$ from amazon

totals 580$ without mobo and RAM and DVDRW right?
 
Fourstaff said:
Well, I know you can build a reasonably good pc for about 500-600, the rest of the money can be used for upgrade/repairs in the future.
Click to expand...

Take out the SSD and the PC I built cost $575, WITH the Corsair PSU added.

Edit:

n-ster said:
What if I get WC setup + HAF 932 for 200$ from someone (lga 1156 WC setup)

and the i5 750 at 190$+ 1/2 tax so 194$ from MC and the 54$ Corsair... and 2x Caviar black 500gb at 65$ from amazon

totals 580$ without mobo and RAM and DVDRW right?
Click to expand...

You're my hero :D
 
Replace the SSD and WD with an ordinary 320GB or 500GB 7200 rpm and it'll be dirt cheap!
 
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