62strat said:

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FatZilla said:

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I put together a build for my buddy using a 5600g, which is very cheap and is equivalent to a Nvidia 1030 desktop card. That example would be able to play Minecraft and similar with probably medium to high graphics at 1080p without issue.

Something like this, just grab a case that includes fans and is on sale with good reviews from newegg/amazon/microcenter etc when you are ready to order since they change all the time. Then grab a gfx card in future. The only main downside is this is a pcie gen 3 cpu. The 8600g would be a step up in price and to pcie gen 4 for longevity.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/zd2fJy

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i see this error a handful of times, like on your link


"If the motherboard is using an older BIOS version, updating the BIOS will be necessary to support the CPU."

is that an issue?

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I used a USB drive to update my BIOS right after building and before I installed Windows. Just went to the website for the motherboard manufacturer and downloaded the latest update. It took a little while to install in the new computer, and make sure the power is not disrupted

I found this video helpful after the build was done

aside from my fan question above, I think I've settled on this.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Wg2fJy

the 9 year old asked for i5 specifically, I have no idea how much he knows about it, I know he's watching youtube builds.
So anyway, gonna stick with i5.

This has integrated graphics, so a GPU can come later for xmas.

AtticusMatlock said:

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Definitely get a case that has built-in fans. Some cases have addressable fan colors but some don't. If I'm not mistaken the Montech cases (usually a good value) do, but may want to double check.

Fan speed is handled by the motherboard in most situations. Can set range in BIOS.

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so am I overthinking the molex vs 4 pin? Microcenter guy seemed to be pushing 4 pin, which put me at almost $100 for the case. molex one was $60.

Unlike Intel, AMD sockets are designed multiple generations of chips. The AM4 socket was released before the 5000 series of CPUs, so some older motherboards that have been sitting on shelves for 5 years may not have the software update to recognize that series of CPU. It *should* be OK but can't guarantee.

The motherboard can be updated via USB but it may require an older CPU to be inserted first.

A place like Microcenter would help with this for a small fee or sometimes for free.

4-pin is better. Molex is cheaper.

To clarify:
Molex doesn't plug into your motherboard, only to your PSU. 4-pin plugs into your motherboard.

Molex fans just get direct power so can't control speed. Running 4-pin through your motherboard can control color and speed.

Just looked and the Montech X3 Mesh is ALL molex so it just rainbow all the time with no fan speed and no color control. Would not go with that one if that's what you were looking at.

uggh.. i keep finding details that slow me down!

So this case doesn't seem to have USB-C on the I/O panel, should I be concerned with that?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTYMDS5Y

62strat said:

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AtticusMatlock said:

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Definitely get a case that has built-in fans. Some cases have addressable fan colors but some don't. If I'm not mistaken the Montech cases (usually a good value) do, but may want to double check.

Fan speed is handled by the motherboard in most situations. Can set range in BIOS.

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so am I overthinking the molex vs 4 pin? Microcenter guy seemed to be pushing 4 pin, which put me at almost $100 for the case. molex one was $60.

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4pin is speed control and can ramp up/down as needed. Can make the pc quieter. 3pin and molex are essentially the same thing in that they run at 100% speed all the time.

You can buy packs of 4pin fans for pretty cheap on Amazon, dont buy a case just because it has 4pin fans preinstalled.

62strat said:

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FatZilla said:

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I put together a build for my buddy using a 5600g, which is very cheap and is equivalent to a Nvidia 1030 desktop card. That example would be able to play Minecraft and similar with probably medium to high graphics at 1080p without issue.

Something like this, just grab a case that includes fans and is on sale with good reviews from newegg/amazon/microcenter etc when you are ready to order since they change all the time. Then grab a gfx card in future. The only main downside is this is a pcie gen 3 cpu. The 8600g would be a step up in price and to pcie gen 4 for longevity.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/zd2fJy

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i see this error a handful of times, like on your link


"If the motherboard is using an older BIOS version, updating the BIOS will be necessary to support the CPU."

is that an issue?

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This one specifically, no. I checked it for a bios flashback option on mobo and it has a dedicated button for it. You just download the newest bios for the mobo, put it on a flash drive, plug it in while the mobo is powered and push the button. It will flash the firmware and restart and recognize the newer cpu.

ok I'm think I've been happy with this line up for a bit now.. starting to put it in the amazon cart.


https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Wg2fJy

Your motherboard doesn't have RBG headers, which may be what would control your fan colors.

62strat said:

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aside from my fan question above, I think I've settled on this.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Wg2fJy

the 9 year old asked for i5 specifically, I have no idea how much he knows about it, I know he's watching youtube builds.
So anyway, gonna stick with i5.

This has integrated graphics, so a GPU can come later for xmas.

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He will be getting worse graphics and overall performance for months until you get a gfx card, i would stress that (and youtube has millions of idiots peddling garbage builds and other products due to sponsorships). You also need a better cpu cooler. AMD has the wraith with a lot of their cpus which can cool them just fine. Intel does not include an adequate cooler when they do include one. Their chips run much hotter than amd. I would add in the cost of the hyper212 at a minimum ($20).

AMD is his better build here for sure.

Not sure if it applies to this situation or not, but the overall heat output is noticeable in intel vs amd, so if his room can get warm, it definitely will with an intel chip.

62strat said:

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ok I'm think I've been happy with this line up for a bit now.. starting to put it in the amazon cart.


https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Wg2fJy

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Just fyi, i meant the amd build, not the intel build on that response. I have no idea on if intel needs a bios flash or if the board supports it without a cpu.

AtticusMatlock said:

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Your motherboard doesn't have RBG headers, which may be what would control your fan colors.

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ahh, so in layman's terms, the fans will just be on and you won't be able to control them?

Where do I identify if mobo has rgb headers?

To other response, I will add a fan, seems like a cheap investment.

FatZilla said:

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62strat said:

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aside from my fan question above, I think I've settled on this.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Wg2fJy

the 9 year old asked for i5 specifically, I have no idea how much he knows about it, I know he's watching youtube builds.
So anyway, gonna stick with i5.

This has integrated graphics, so a GPU can come later for xmas.

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He will be getting worse graphics and overall performance for months until you get a gfx card, i would stress that (and youtube has millions of idiots peddling garbage builds and other products due to sponsorships). You also need a better cpu cooler. AMD has the wraith with a lot of their cpus which can cool them just fine. Intel does not include an adequate cooler when they do include one. Their chips run much hotter than amd. I would add in the cost of the hyper212 at a minimum ($20).

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This is actually perfect.. I want him to understand a budget and that sometimes you may have to wait to get another piece that helps, or he can use his money (and his brothers) to get a gpu right away.

As long as it 'works' with the integrated, I'm good with this.

I hadn't gotten to the coolers or cases paragraphs yet, haha.

The CPU needs a cooler to dissipate heat. The CPU you chose comes with one but it is not good. The Thermalright Assassin X is $18 and will keep the CPU from slowing down during intense tasks especially if the integrated graphics are being used.

The fans on the case need to plug into an RGB header on the motherboard in order to be color controlled. I'm trying to find a good site that filters by RGB headers but it's difficult. PC Partpicker doesn't have a filter for it. The only reason I knew is from a few of the reviews of the motherboard. I'm looking to see if there's a motherboard in that price range with one.

62strat said:

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ok I'm think I've been happy with this line up for a bit now.. starting to put it in the amazon cart.


https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Wg2fJy

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This powersupply is a little cheaper and is a semi modular for better cable management.

MSI MAG A650BE Gaming Power Supply - 80 Plus Bronze Certified 650W - Semi-Modular - Low Noise ATX PSU https://a.co/d/1rV6ViK

Case, there are some cheaper options on newegg on sale atm. If you search by cases and sort by price, you can find some decent cases for a little cheaper. This case also includes a fan hub already installed in case, so you only need 1 wire to it from your mobo.

Check this out on @Newegg:SAMA SAMA-Z4 White Steel / Tempered Glass ATX Mid Tower Computer Case w/ 4 x 120mm ARGB LED Fans (Pre-Installed) https://www.newegg.com/white-sama-sama-z4-atx-mid-tower/p/N82E16811197014?Item=N82E16811197014&Source=socialshare&cm_mmc=snc-social-_-sr-_-11-197-014-_-09172024

AtticusMatlock said:

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Your motherboard doesn't have RBG headers, which may be what would control your fan colors.

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does this one?

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/M6nypg/msi-pro-b760m-p-ddr4-micro-atx-lga1700-motherboard-pro-b760m-p-ddr4

This one looks good:
ASRock B660M Pro RS
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/TZPQzy/asrock-b660m-pro-rs-micro-atx-lga1700-motherboard-b660m-pro-rs

If they don't outright say it, it probably isn't there. The one I linked above looks like a good board.

This one does per the specs. Says 4 overall pin outs for addressable rgb. Its also a better overall board with 4 ram slots, a heatsink for your main m.2 drive, 2 pcie slots, much better overall cooling for your other chips and a second m.2 slot he can add storage into later.
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Ljy7kJ

ASRock B660M Pro RS Intel B660 Series CPU (LGA1700) 32 GB Compatible B660M MicroATX Motherboard https://a.co/d/4WvrJKb

ok swapped out for semi modular psu, mobo that has the rgb header, the white case which the kiddo will like and a bit cheaper, added a cpu fan that has some colors as well, and cpu with integrated graphics.


https://pcpartpicker.com/list/6gnrz6



GPU to come later.

are all 3 of these the exact same thing?
i5 12400

microcenter
amazon
newegg

Windows 11 pro key. I have used this same company (wanasllc) for multiple windows keys and for office keys. No issues with them.

https://www.groupon.com/deals/office-1
https://www.groupon.com/deals/wanas-llc

For office (second link) chose the bind one. Once you create the Microsoft account needed for windows 11, you can enter that key to bind it to the account rather tgan the pc. It will give you the download after binding the key to your account.

62strat said:

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are all 3 of these the exact same thing?
i5 12400

microcenter
amazon
newegg

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Yes, grab the microcenter one if its in stock at the one by you.

Looks good from my point of view for what you are wanting.

There's always going to be quirks to install process but there's an abundance of online resources.

RAM is fine ignore me.

AtticusMatlock said:

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Looks good from my point of view for what you are wanting.

There's always going to be quirks to install process but there's an abundance of online resources.

When you install everything you will notice that you won't get the full 3600 speed out of this RAM kit because this processor only supports up to max 3200 speed. However, you are getting a good deal on the RAM so there's really no need to change it out. The 3200 kits I'm seeing arent much cheaper. It will work just fine. It will run at 3200 speed on that motherboard.

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The swapped mobo supports up to 4800 with xmp. He can get full 3600 with turning xmp profile on for it in bios.

2 install things OP.

Xmp profile in bios, you will need to enable this to get your ram up to its full speeds.

When installing your m.2 drive, use the slot under the heatsink first, that should be your gen 4 slot which matches the m.2 picked out. The second slot without a heatsink is gen 3, so if he ever expands storage using this slot, you dont need to buy a gen 4 drive, gen 3 is cheaper and the max this slot can fill speed wise.

Never mind I'm completely wrong. CPU is only RAM limited in the H motherboards. Should be able to get up to speed on that motherboard.

If building a gaming PC,

1. Pick as much GPU as you want to spend.
2. Buy a mid-range CPU from around the same era as the GPU you picked. Do not overspend on this. You just want to make sure it's not bottlenecking the GPU.
3. Pick a cheap motherboard for that CPU socket. You don't need to overclock your CPU so cheap works just fine.
4. Everything else has no impact. Pick cheaply.

Edit: assuming for kids, and that bells and whistles are not important

That's pretty much what he's done here, I think.

Waiting a few months for the GPU is smart for this budget and use case. Black Friday is usually full of good deals but holiday deals in general will go through December.

For Minecraft, Roblox and other low-poly, low-texture games the kids like these days the integrated graphics will be just fine. When they get the GPU it will feel like a whole new world.

Yep I think part of the joy of pc building is learning to enjoy a game at lower fps or settings, and then upgrading and getting the full experience

I was thinking of building my new one too. Certainly didn't think I would find a deal like I did. I knew I wanted a 4070 and a good enough processor to match up with it and run Windows 11.

my compy

Not too bad of a deal. First comment even mentions "Amex Lenovo Offer: $75 back on $750+" if you have an amex card, would make this a very good deal at $700 pre tax. Only fixes i would say is buying a second stick of ram to make it a pair as this is a single stick deal (hate it when they do this garbage) and a second m.2 drive to go with the 500gb unit (same one as pcpartpicker.com is fine). Both of those can be done later such as at Christmas as the machine will function perfectly fine as is, just not its best.

https://slickdeals.net/f/17755647-lenovo-loq-desktop-i5-14400f-rtx-4060-16gb-ram-512gb-ssd-774-free-shipping

This deal also comes with a basic keyboard and mouse set plus a 3 month subscription to xbox gamepass for pc.

That would be a very solid machine to start with.

There's a freakin' ghost trapped in there. She's looking at me.