[PC Build] I issue you a challenge!

Our home computer is starting to bite the dust. It's pretty old, getting bogged down constantly, and always infested with a virus or two thanks to shitty anti-virus programs. Thankfully, after we had to fix a blue screen error earlier this week, my penny pinching parents are a bit more open to the idea of just replacing the computer altogether.

My father wants to try for a PC under $400 that's good for general internet browsing and playing solitaire. He has absolutely no patience though, and has already broken a monitor by throwing the mouse at it when the computer lagged on him, so speed is essential for him. My mother wouldn't mind something up to $600, just for running word processor, a few general games like Sudoku or solitaire, basic internet browsing, and playing movie files that are sent to her. Personally I don't care the cost, as long as it has decent speed and can play games like Portal without having a CPU heart attack or bitching about a poor graphics card.

What type of build (or what components would be best to build with) for a computer with decent speed and graphics for somewhere around $500?

At wal-mart I just got a computer for 597, its a Dell. Its a bundle comes with a LCD monitor and all the components. 4 GB DDR3 and dual core 3.0. It runs like a boss. I also got a laptop for about 500 that also runs very well and is in no way slow, its an acer and also from walmart. His problem with speed will be largely due to what programs he uses, and how he uses his computer. If you stay on top of keeping his computer optimized for him he should be fine. This computer is a really great deal for the money in my opinion, and for what he uses it for, its beyond perfect. For the Dell desktop Ill show you the experience ratings. Processor 6.4, Memory 6.4 Gaming 3.5, Hard Disk 5.9. Yes the gaming graphics is a little low, but It runs most games I play which they are fairly new, at a decent level. Good luck man.

The Processor speed and the memory will be the largest factors for finding a pc that wont be all laggy, and as a side note, the dell I got came with virtually no bloatware, which usually bogs the computer down when you first get it. If you want to know more PM me.

Mine is a Dell too it was £200 secondhand and it can run pretty much every program on my computer at once without lag lol. The walmart deal sounds good, though :3

Dell is garbage.

Not as much as they used to be, for a lower to mid range computer, they have some pretty durable decent lines out there. The last dell I had lasted me quite a long time and preformed very well until I sold it. Yes they aren't well designed for upgrading, and yes some parts aren't the name brands you would want or expect. Still they really aren't as bad as they once were.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128490
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103871
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231421
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131372
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152173
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171031
 
$448

Never buy complete. Always build yourself.

I always assemble myself. I'll look at some specs.

Not as much as they used to be, for a lower to mid range computer, they have some pretty durable decent lines out there. The last dell I had lasted me quite a long time and preformed very well until I sold it. Yes they aren't well designed for upgrading, and yes some parts aren't the name brands you would want or expect. Still they really aren't as bad as they once were.

Dell computers have modified hardware that force you to use in-house drivers or risk hardware/software corruption issues.  These drivers are also usually poorly written.  Their support is also shit.  Dell, as a company, is garbage.

My lappy is a Dell. I completely agree with Nam.  Do not buy Dell. 

http://secure.newegg.com/Shopping/ShoppingCart.aspx?Submit=view

This includes Monitor and Keyboard, if you do not need these then disregard those parts.

In case that doesn't work (sometimes the cart will work), here is an image to just show what prices you could be looking at.

Spoiler for PC Parts:

 I built a machine with these parts for my sister recently and she can run Portal/Portal 2 and Sims3 (only things she plays) on it at max or close to with no lag. I left out the case and speakers because they were cheaply made, my mother paid for it and she insisted on super cheap so I had to go pretty low-end for a few things.

I would also suggest Seagate instead of Western Digital for the HD, it's my experience that WDs come D.O.A. The one I bought for that particular PC did as well, but your experience may differ. Just a warning.

I also have a build for a processor-heavy PC that I built my grandmother. She insisted on a tiny case and a high-end processor but didn't care what else it had. Ended up about $500 and she can run just about every program she has on there at the same time with no lag or heating issues. It's just a netbox though, good for movies and multi-tasking but not for gaming/graphic programs.

Honestly, it's just about research. Make sure all the parts work together and meet your needs. Google is your friend here. Also keep in mind that shopping around will find you better prices and OEM/Bare parts will always be cheaper but offer no return policy or cords/driver discs/instructions usually.

Newegg has a very nice return policy and generally friendly/helpful customer service representatives, so they're a favorite. TigerDirect is also an option but they've been getting more expensive with less selection over the years. =/

...I've been building PCs for myself/friends/relatives for a while now and though I doubt I'm the best to give advice on it, the subject interests me a bit too much not to respond to this sort of topic. So sorry if I babble about it and certainly don't take my word without looking into things yourself. >.<

Ugh, so my wonderful father FINALLY decided to go ahead and replace the computer. But he decided to completely ignore the advice I gave him based from this thread, and the advice of my new sister-in-law who works at Best Buy and told him something very similar. Instead, he did one bloody day of research after throwing a temper tantrum at our computer freezing on him, and impulsively got something off of Office Depot, which was what the salespeople were pressing on him.

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/901554/HP-Pavilion-Slimline-s5710f-Desktop-Computer/


Am I destined for computer hell?

it doesn't look too bad I guess, it'll probably be fine for most things outside of gaming.

it'll probably be fine for most things outside of gaming.

So, uh, what's the point?

Apparently the point was simply a computer that he could play solitaire on.

He also purchased a new monitor to go with it, but of course it's a size too big for the space we've got on our computer desk...