New mini pc

M

M1980

New Member
Hi,

I have just registered as a user here because I am in the market for a new desktop pc but so far have had no luck finding what I am looking for, and I very much hope that some of the members on this board will help me out.

The pc I am looking for ideally takes up as little desktop space as possible but includes a dvd (preferably also bluray) drive, and is more than sufficiently powerful for constant writing in several MS Office documents, constant online browsing with multiple windows and streaming videos open simultaneously, constant music listening, and an occasional game of Civilization 4 (I do not play anything else, and even this only very rarely - perhaps three or four times a year for a few days in a row).

I will also be using this pc with an external DAC for audiophile headphone use, and would thus want it to be as quiet as at all possible.

I will want to connect the pc to this monitor:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-273...UXZG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1357573107&sr=8-4

Since this monitor has a displayport connection, I would like the pc to have the same.

Naturally, in addition to fulfilling the above requirements, I would also like my new pc to be as solid, stable and cheap as possible.

So far I have looked at Sapphire vs8, Lenovo ThinkCentre M91, HP Compaq Elite 8200 and a few others, but so far without being too impressed with what I have seen... Am I missing any good candidate, or am I simply forced to make uncomfortable compromises?
 
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M1980 said:
Am I missing any good candidate, or am I simply forced to make uncomfortable compromises?
Click to expand...
Hello,
The best canditate in almost every situation is for the user to custom build what they want. That way there's no compromises, you get everything you want, and, you get to allocate the money towards the individual components you want/need and obtain the desired end result while getting higher quality components.

The research has been done. The knowledge is here. You could learn a little about your pc as its spece'd as well as the easy part of building it.

Sound like a possibility?
 
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Thanks for the quick reply, Benny Boy.

To be honest I would prefer to avoid building anything myself, since I am rather clumsy and have no idea about how to go about anything regarding computers, apart from the daily use thereof - and time is not what I have the most of either. It therefore does not seem very realistic to me to embark upon such a project, although I guess I could be forced to do so if it turns out to be completely impossible to satisfy the requirements listed in my initial post.

Anyway, I would appreciate it if you could give me a link to a description of how a complete novice like me could build a mini pc. That way I could get a better idea of the time and money required for such a project and the risks entailed, and at the same time better evaluate the likelihood of me being capable of it (again, I do have to admit to not being overtly optimistic about my own capabilities in this regard).
 
What is your budget?
I would suggest you look for m-itx form from factor
Civilization 4 doesn't seem to require high spec. How about laptop connecting to monitor?
 
Glad to hear your at least open to the idea. First time, it will take a short afternoon to assemble and program. About 3 hrs.

As far as parts, here's what you'll be working with:

CPU - processor
MB - motherboard
GPU - graphics processing unit (for your game)
RAM - random access memory
HDD - hard drive
OD - optical drive. cd/dvd burner-player/blueray
PSU - power supply
CASE
OS - operating system

Within the case, all the parts have their own place/way to be mounted, and is visually easy to see.
The PSU comes with all the power cables. The cable ends are all keyed differently so they too will all only fit the connector on their perspective parts.
Most cases have tool free design built in. The most you'll probably need is a phillips screw driver and a small wrench/tool to snug the standoffs(they are called) that fit between the MB and the case.

This is 3 parts. Part II is assembly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPIXAtNGGCw
 
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Many thanks for the latest comments. I have now begun looking into building the new pc myself, but I have to admit it all still seems like quite a jungle to me... So far what I have found out (mainly based upon this article: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/how-to-tech/build-a-computer.htm) is that I need to start out by setting a budget and selecting a motherboard.

My budget is 500€ at the absolute most, but if it could be done for half of that it would be just wonderful. Realistically, I expect a price at around 400€ +/- 100€.

As for the motherboard, I am already feeling lost after reading about the different models... I do not care whether it is Intel or AMD - I only care about function and durability. From what I have understood so far, all ports and connections are already on the motherboard, so it is important to choose the right motherboard that contains all connections one need right from the start.

The below is what I, from what I have (understood from what I have) read so far, believe to be the most relevant and important of my requirements and wishes to take into account before choosing a motherboard for the pc I wish to build:

1) I want the pc to be small in order to save desktop space.

2) I want the pc to be quiet! This is more important than power.

3) I also want the pc to be solid and stable - I hate breakdowns! This is even more important than low noise.

4) I would prefer the pc to use as little electricity as possible.

5) I would like a minimum of 4 USB ports.

6) I want a displayport

7) Ideally I would have one Firewire port, but it is not crucial.

8) I need optical audio out for high resolution audio - SPDIF, I think it is called.

9) It could be nice with an HDMI port and a TV tuner, but none of these are essential.

10) I would like to be using Windows 7 or 8 with 4gb of RAM

I do however still have no idea of which motherboard that best fits these requirements and wishes. Advice on particularly this aspect would therefore be highly appreciated. *humbly hoping for further assistance* :)
 
I forgot to say that a laptop is not an option, as that is what I have been using up until now, but it takes too much space on my new and extremely limited desk (I have had to surrender my old office, move my work to the living room, and replace my beloved large desk with a really tine one - all for the sake of a still unborn little person that will be arriving soon thereby turning the old office into a children´s room).
 
Seems like you need a micro-itx build with an AMD Trinity CPU. You can run the entire computer with less than 150 watts and it should perform relatively well. As for audio, you may have to use an external DAC.
 
Do you know any computer online retail store from your country?
Here is my draft list based on UK price.
AMD A10-5800k/ A8-5600k, which ever suit your budget
ASRock FM2A75M-ITX
1 x 4GB DDR3 1600 RAM
3.5" HDD - what ever size you need. personally usually go for seagate/ wd
DVD burner
case + PSU, cooler master elite 120 + good PSU like corsair cx430, antec EA380, etc.
This would provide more flexibility if you want to add a decent video card in future

BTW, do you really need a mini PC? you can always put it on the floor...

Also you can consider micro-atx slim case like Antec Minuet350. When you stand it up, it actually take less space. And you can have more option for motherboard if you you go for micro atx
 
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I have been looking into your recommendations and thereby already learned much more than I ever thought I would get to know about computers. I have thereby also found out that AMD in this price range offers better value for the money as far as games are concerned, while also being noisier and more power consuming than Intel. Since I play as little as I do (after giving it some more thought, it is actually closer to once or twice than three or four times per year that I play Civilization 4, and I do not have any other games than that apart from Chess Master, which I do not think requires any dedicated graphics), then I do believe that in my case I would benefit more from investing in an Intel i3 or i5 core than one from AMD - also because AMD is slower at ripping cd's, and I have some +500 that I would want to rip on this system, so if AMD is 20 seconds slower at ripping each cd it does turn into something not completely insignificant in the long run. Hence, I have tried to find the appropriate components that fit together for my new system, although I still have some crucial doubts, as can be seen from this list of components and prices below:

Motherboard: Asus Maximus V Gene ATX Z77 (http://www.amazon.de/Maximus-Mainbo...1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1357661822&sr=1-1): 170,44 €

CPU: 3,3 GHz, Sockel 1155, 3MB L3 Cache, 55 Watt, Intel Core BX80637133225 i3-3225 (http://www.amazon.de/Intel-BX80637I...1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1357663492&sr=1-1): 125,89 €

RAM: Kingston HyperX PC3-12800 8gb 1600 Mhz, 240-polig DDR3-RAM Kit (http://www.amazon.de/Kingston-PC3-1.../dp/B0037TO5C0/ref=pd_bxgy_computers_text_z): 40€

DVD/Bluray drive: Asus BC-12B1ST Silent (http://www.amazon.de/BC-12B1ST-inte...9?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1357662280&sr=1-9): 89,82 €

Hard drive (preferable some Seagate or Western Digital 6gb/s): 100 € (Price estimate. No idea which or how to choose; I prioritate dependability, durability, speed, silence, price and storage in that order, although I would prefer having at least 300gb. Hoping for help!)

Micro-atx slim case: 50 € (Price estimate. No idea which or how to choose...? Hoping for additional help!)

Total: 576,15 €

Having seen how cheap RAM is these days, I thought I might just as well go for 8 rather than 4gb, although I could save 20€ by sticking to 4 as originally planned... Although, as can be seen, I will by buying these components exceed the initial budget somewhat - but it probably won't be unmanagable anyway, if I just wait a few weeks more.

However, given that I am still a novice and you are the experts, I would greatly appreciate knowing your view on a system like this; does the combination of components make sense in the light of what I need and want, or am I overlooking something important?

My main doubts now concern the case and the harddrive. Any additional help with specific ideas as to which and/or how to select these will naturally also be most welcome and appreciated! :)

Edit:
PS. I do need the computer to be on my desk, since there is no space on the floor.
 
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The MB is overkill. It's built for gaming enthusiats that run multiple GPU's and run high overclocks on their systems. You can spend considerably less and still have an excellent board with all the features you want/need including display port, HDMI, high quality audio, and PCI slots for expandability.

Your memory should be 1.5 volt or lower for Intel.

For HDD get 7200rmp from Seagate model ending in M003 or M004, Samsung F3, or WD Black. WD has the longest warranty but those are all good drives. 1TB is usually the optimal pricepoint. Consider a small SSD, solid state drive, for the os and programs to increase boot time and make working within those snappier, and use the HDD for storing data. If you get an ssd, a WD Blue would be good for storage if it costs considerable less than one of the other recommended hdd's.
 
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A-series or Intel + GPU.
A-series would run the game pretty well. Intel would be on lowest settings w/o a gpu.
 
Excellent, many thanks to you all - this is truly great help! I will be looking into your recommendations before I write again.
 
I like the look of the cases you recommended, daisymtc. It is probably also better quality than those I had found myself - but do I also need to buy a PU and cooler for whichever of the two I choose, or is it included? I cannot really find out from what it says on the Amazon page, although I am sure it's just me.

As for the motherboard and the hdd, I then assume these would be good choices:

http://www.amazon.de/P8Z77-V-Sockel...1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1357670284&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.de/Seagate-ST1000...1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1357670883&sr=1-4

Or am I again overlooking something? So far the above motherboard is the cheapest one from Asus with displayport that I have been able to find, but you all say that it should be possible to find one to suit my needs for much less... Perhaps you have a specific model in mind?
 
That's a good HDD (I personally prefer the Caviar Blacks, but that's just me), and a very solid mobo. However, keep in mind that of the cases that you selected that motherboard would only fit into the last one as it's a full ATX motherboard, and the otehr cases are micro ATX and mini ITX, so you'd have to find a smaller mobo to use the first two.

If you really want something quiet, consider an SSD. Not only is it completely silent as there's no moving parts, but it's also much faster. However, their price to size ratio is high compared to that of standard HDDs, you could get a 180GB SSD for the same price as a 1TB HDD. SSDs are great for storing your OS and all of your applications though, but you'll be looking to add another $100-150 onto the build.

If you're looking for something compact, this may be a good motherboard: http://www.amazon.de/ASUS-Mainboard...XSHO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1357673436&sr=8-5

The only thing that it misses out on is Display Port, but with boards that small you can essentialy forget about it.

And for a case, this is one of my personal favourites, but it's up to you: http://www.bitfenix.com/global/en/products/chassis/prodigy/

As for the rest of the parts, throw in an i3 or i5, a GTX-650 TI, 4GB or 8GB of RAM, a HDD, and a quality PSU from a brand like Corsair, Seasonic or Silverstone. You'll also want a Bluray burner or reader, along with a copy of a 64 bit version of Windows.
 
If by PU you mean PSU(power supply) the minuet comes with. If you mean CPU cooler, that will come with one too.
Depending on the case you chose, you might have to separately buy a case fan.

imo better to chose a case w/o a PSU. There's only a couple manuf's , like Antec and Silverstone, that make a good PSU. The Minuet looks pretty good. There's a couple things to consider tho. The PS gets its cooling from the inside top of the case (heat rises) and is right next to the cpu. A GPU will add heat. The case fan cooling options could be better.

Of the cases listed I like the Kiss No 1. Cross (bottom>top)air flow w/ 4+ fan support. Fits ATX board so mATX would fit nicely with a little more room for cable management. You get to pick the PS. It's bottom mount. And has it's own intake vent. Very similar to one I still own.
 
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M1980 said:
So far the above motherboard is the cheapest one from Asus with displayport that I have been able to find, but you all say that it should be possible to find one to suit my needs for much less... Perhaps you have a specific model in mind?
Click to expand...
TigerDirect ships to Madrid and I bet their prices + shipping is better than Amazon.

:good: to the M003. Those Seagates run smooth and quiet. And an ssd if it fits the budget. SSD would be for the OS and programs + HDD for data storage.

You're better off with an mATX size MB. A bit smaller than the ATX you've been looking. It will fit a smaller case, while keeping all the features you want that ITX won't. Up to 4 display connectors including HDMI and displayport. PCI slots for gpu/sound card/wifi/etc expandability. Most boards have high quality audio built in.

Here's some good cadidates:

AMD < can run multiple displays simultaneously. Runs your game w/o gpu.
http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/AMD_Socket_FM2/F2A85M_PRO/
And Intel.< again multi displays but small gpu needed for game.
http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4145#sp + gpu that has displayport.

Edit:
This would be a great setup and pretty sure it will fit your right now budget. The OS isn't listed, and I presume it will be Windows 7, nor a case.
MB:
http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/AMD_Socket_FM2/F2A85M_PRO/
CPU:
Although a dual would do the job, depending on pricing take a look at A8-5600K quad core.
I wouldn't worry about it being fast enough :)
http://shop.amd.com/us/All/ModelsPerLine/Desktop/Processor?Line=a-seriesprocessors%2Fquad-corea8-seriesapufordesktops&Model=a-seriesprocessors%2Fquad-corea8-seriesapufordesktops%2Fa8-5600kwithradeonhd7560d
For memory 2x4GB 1866. Can be higher than 1.5v. There's a qualified vendors list but since they can't/don't test all memory made, most any name brand will be fine.
Your M003
OD:
http://www.asus.com/Optical_Storage/Internal_Bluray_Drive/BW12B1ST/
PSU:
Start with this quality oriented unit. Might change it to modular if budget permits. Enough amps for some future upgrades if wanted.
http://www.corsair.com/builder-series-cx430-v2-80plus-certified-power-supply.html
Case-
OS -

Or if you want Intel:
Change to that other great little board GA-Z77MX-D3H and get a DVI>displayport adapter along with an I3 processor and [email protected]. If budget doesn't permit right now, you could add a gpu or quad core later on as an upgrade.

Are these within budget?
 
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Once again, thanks to you all for your highly valuable help. It is truly and greatly appreciated!

My main concerns regarding AMD are based upon what I have read the last couple of days, from which I have gathered that AMD is noisier than Intel, consumes considerably more electricity, and performs consistently slower and poorer at everything apart from games, meaning that AMD gives more bang for the buck if one is into gaming, whereas Intel seems to be the smarter choice if one only gives gaming very little, if any, priority.

Given how new I am to all of this, I might just have gotten these things completely wrong, or I might not fully comprehend the (in)significance of the differences between AMD and Intel for my needs and requirements, but I really would appreciate some more comments on this; is the relevant AMD solutions mentioned in this thread really and necessarily noisier than those by Intel (and if so, by how much?), and will the slower and weaker processer be noticable in my daily work as a writer and my hobby as a hifi enthusiast (these are the main activities for which I need this pc - although I also want to access wireless internet and watch movies on it, which I however do not believe makes much of a difference)?

I will naturally not be overclocking anything, nor do I imagine ever upgrading anything except perhaps in five or ten years, unless something breaks before that. So, I just want to buy the (components for a) pc that meets my needs and requirements as good as at all possible. Thus I prefer spending a little more on quality components now rather than just opting for something tolerable until upgrading in a few months.

PS. Sorry for the constant lengthy posts - I am not good at being brief. :o
 
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