Help me build a second system - cheap please

sidefxv1 · 1 Oct 2011 at 03:16

I'm looking at building another system, mainly for the Mrs to use. We're currently running the one in my sig and will keep using it, so looking for something that will perform similar to it.

It will likely sit in our bedroom so needs to look decent, be reasonably quiet and not huge. I'm also thinking perhaps it could double as an HTPC so if anybody has any thoughts on good cases\monitors(or lcd tv for monitor?)

Doesn't need to be hugely powerful, she mainly just plays sims 3\sims medieval\that sort of thing. I'd like to use it on occasion though so not too under powered. ;-)

Most importantly it needs to be cheap!

Anybody got suggestions on a starting point for this?

sidefxv1 · 1 Oct 2011 at 20:05

Thanks guys, those look like good starting points! How will that "feel" in use compared to my current system, much difference?

sidefxv1 · 1 Oct 2011 at 20:56

budget... I would say around 400 max, preferably less.

Also, while small is good, it doesn't have to be "tiny" if there's going to be significant price differences - I just don't want any monster gaming cases, lol.

I probably do want a bit of storage on it, enough for windows 7 and a few games (Sims3 + a bunch of expansion packs, sims medieval and maybe mass effect 2) so if I went SSD I;d probably still want something backing it up for storage.

And I'd probably prefer discrete graphics to start with, though the Llano integrated graphics do look ok...

sidefxv1 · 1 Oct 2011 at 21:12

@bobbarley: hmmm, that's not a bad idea either - let's say my max budget is 370 then; What would a good "standard" build be to compare to the more HTPC oriented builds above. HTPC would be nice but if there's going to be significant price\performance trade-offs we can probably live with my current PC-7 Plus (or something similar) in our bedroom ;-)