Need a spec for a little rig

PapaLazaru · 24 Jul 2010 at 17:58

Hi chaps.

A lady friend of mine's Dell has packed up. She wants to get a Mac lappy but I am trying to persuade her otherwise. Spanking a grand on what she needs it for is a bit stupid imo.

I have explained can she can have a small form desktop and she has now commited to it.

What she needs is quite simple. As small as possible, as quiet as possible and be able to run Win7. All she uses it for is web surfing, itunes and storing photos. I reckon she needs a 500gb HD tops. She does not game or anything. The budget is around £400.00 for the base unit and Win7. Nothing else is needed.

Can anyone give me any advise or spec me a rig? I will be building it myself.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

PapaLazaru · 25 Jul 2010 at 10:08

Thanks Chipps. I will let her know and will update you if we go for this.

PapaLazaru · 25 Jul 2010 at 10:42

alambpencil said:
Why not consider Ubuntu for the OS if you want to keep the cost down?

I have discussed this with her already but she is not warming to the idea for some reason. Going to have to be Win7 32 methinks.

PapaLazaru · 27 Jul 2010 at 20:23

Stickman said:
I'd consider the 1TB hard disk if she likes taking digital photo's.... modern digicams can make some quite large image files (and are only going to get larger as tech improves), and 1tb drives aren't that much more expensive than 500gig ones.

This may be happening so cheers for the advice.

Just a couple of questions -

1. What is the GPU card equivalent of the i3 graphics?
2. can anyone recommend a decent low profile CPU cooler?

Thanks.

PapaLazaru · 28 Jul 2010 at 07:38

chipps101 said:
any of the low end amd or nvidia graphics cards are more powerful than the i3 onboard so take your pick from 4350. 4550, 5450, 8400gs, 9400gt, 9500gt, gt210, for the cooler i'd go with the scythe big shuriken

Cheers again chipps, but she should be ok with just the i3?

Photos & browsing is about it really.

PapaLazaru · 6 Aug 2010 at 17:42

Well, she has promised me a reward, or two.

I am seeing her in a week I shall report back what the plan is. The thing is, she is internet savvy so I am not concerned about her getting a virus or anything. It just needs not to blow (that will be her job).