Cheap and Silent Pc for General use - opinions please

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22 Jan 2006
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I have been asked to build a pc for a friend. They just want it for general use - so the internet, photos etc, no games. The main requirement is that it is quiet...

So this is my first thought:

AMD Sempron 64 3000+ (Socket AM2) CPU £53.00
Asus M2NPV-MX (Socket AM2) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard £60.00
Crucial 1GB (2x512MB) DDR2 PC2-4200C4 £70.00
BenQ DW1655 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer LightScribe ReWriter £28.00
Arctic Cooling T2 Silentium Midi Tower Case - 350W £56.00
Samsung SpinPoint P SP2504C 250GB SATA-II 8MB Cache £52.00



Any thoughts please?

Thanks

Stuart
 
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I'd make a couple of changes, the case because it has an ATX2.0 compliant PSU, the Ram because it is cheaper and faster and the DVDRW because it is cheaper and I've got an NEC drive myself. You could also consider going for a socket 754 based Sempron as they have a better range of after-market coolers at present so if silence is the ultimate aim they may be better.

CA-048-AN Antec SLK3800BUK Black Quiet Midi Tower Case - 400W SmartPower PSU (CA-048-AN)
£54.95 £54.95
MB-149-AS Asus M2NPV-MX (Socket AM2) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard (MB-149-AS)
£49.95 £49.95
MY-030-GL GeIL 1GB (2x512MB) PC5300 667MHz Value DDR2 Dual Channel Kit (GX21GB5300DC) (MY-030-GL)
£54.95 £54.95
CP-157-AM AMD Sempron 64 3000+ (Socket AM2) CPU - Retail (CP-157-AM)
£44.95 £44.95
CD-035-NE NEC ND3550 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM (CD-035-NE)
£19.95 £19.95
HD-018-SA Samsung SpinPoint P SP2504C 250GB SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (HD-018-SA)
£43.50 £43.50
Subtotal £268.25
VAT £46.95
Total £315.20
 
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That would mean a change in motherboard and memory tho - yes?

any options you can provide for making it quieter would also be good thing - the artic the best option for that?
 
Soldato
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Loosecannon said:
Would a case with a 350 psu do if it was atx2?
Depends on what make psu, usually psus with cases are rubbish.
A 350w psu from a decent make will power that fine.
I recommend an Antec case with an Antec psu in it.
 
Soldato
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Its got an Antec 350w psu in it so that will be fine. Antec psus are great.
I have a 380w version and its quiet and survived being shorted out by a faulty graphics card.

Edit: It was the Antec SLK1650B i got, so it must have been the 350w version then.
 
Soldato
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Mine is used in a 3200+ A8n sli deluxe 6600gt system and works fine.
If you wanted to upgrade to a 7900gt or something then you would want a better psu, but for anything less than that it should be fine, and being an antec all it has plenty of power in the 12v rail where its needed.
 
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