Can I get guidance for a PC using only an iGPU? Also, do you suggest a PSU recommendation for this setup?
Can I get guidance for a PC using only an iGPU? Also, do you suggest a PSU recommendation for this setup?
I am thinking about putting together a cheap, iGPU only, SFF PC based on the i3 12100 CPU.
I would like some opinions about the build i made, and some recommendations for a SFX PSU. (The be quiet! model i picked is fine, but seems pricy for what it is (108 Euro).
Budget Range:
up to 500-600 Euro
System Usage from Most to Least Important:
(browsing, watching movies, light gaming, backups)
Are you buying a monitor:
No
Preferred Website(s) for Parts:
(PPP, jimms.fi, multitronic.fi)
Location:
Finland, Europe
Overclocking:
No
Your Monitor Resolution:
(1920x1080)
Additional Comments:
Want to build a low power but modern PC. It can be capable of gaming but without a GPU. Primary purpose is running Win 11 with enough speed. Just basic browsing, watching movies, etc.
In a nutshell, this is a PC your grandma can play mahjongg on. It doesn't need to be remotely close to superpowered. The only requirement was to beat handily my old i5 3750K.
Naturaly, i'd like it as cheap as possible because it's not a primary PC.
This is the build i came up with:
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
Intel Core i3-12100 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor
(€120.90 @ Datatronic)
Motherboard:
ASRock B660M-HDV Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
(€94.90 @ Datatronic)
Motherboard:
Gigabyte B760M DS3H DDR4 Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
(€108.90 @ Datatronic)
Memory:
G.Skill Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
(€43.90 @ Datatronic)
Memory:
G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
(€43.90 @ Datatronic)
Storage:
ADATA Legend 750 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
(€70.90 @ Datatronic)
Storage:
Crucial P3 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
(€72.90 @ Datatronic)
Power Supply:
be quiet! SFX L Power 500 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular SFX Power Supply
(€108.90 @ Datatronic)
Total:
€454.50
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
+
Case:
Sharkoon Shark Zone C10
https://en.sharkoon.com/product/16426#specs
(€59.90 @ Multitronic)
+
DVD Drive (reuse)
HDD (reuse)
24" Acer Nitro something (reuse)
Total price is 487 Euro.
That seems like decent computing power for the money. I didn't think sub 500 builds were worth it.
A few comments:
There's a pair of AsRock H610 boards that sell for only 65 euro. They both lack an M.2 slot, but are otherwise perfectly acceptable.
One Gigabyte board is a little pricier, and has a 3rd gen M.2 slot, and also an astonishing 3+1+1 VRM. Even for a low powered iTX build, that is not an encouraging sight.
SFX PSUs and many SFF cases cost a lot.
🙁
Much cheaper to buy a cheap and cheerfull tower and a full size ATX PSU.
12th gen is impressive. 13 and 14 gen CPUs are admitedly better but sometimes just enough is just enough.
AsRock can deliver decent cheapass motherboards. (And you're better off double checking whether they're good or crap!)
Thank you.
Good SFX power supplies come with a high cost. In fact, most reliable options today are still quite pricey compared to a few years back. This is mainly due to import tariffs on electronics from China and the country's dominant position in supplying rare metals essential for many electronic components. Since nearly all PCs and most server power supplies are made there, it adds to the expense.
This model represents the best value for its price. If you're seeking something superior, you'll likely have to spend a bit more. For your project, this unit meets expectations. I’d steer clear of HDV boards—they seem to have many issues here. A lot of them.
I also don’t like Adata products. There are better alternatives available at similar prices. If you’re interested, I can help assemble a comparable build for the same budget. Maybe even cheaper, though that’s uncertain since I’m less accustomed to using euros.
Thanks for the response and suggestions. I'll explore options for a motherboard since I don't require many features. I was considering cheaper models, though some seem too limited. The ADATA drive looked acceptable, so I chose it. Unlike power supplies or boards, replacements are readily available. A Crucial P3 adds only a few euros. TEAMGROUP, Silicon power and WD offer affordable choices without significant extra cost. The Samsung 980 is also reasonably priced at around 95 euros.
Thank you for the build suggestions, but since this isn't urgent, perhaps it's not necessary. PPP may miss some stores, and prices are in euros, making it harder to compare.
Highlighting weaknesses or unreliable components is already helpful.
For drives I generally prefer Samsung, Crucial, WD, SK Hynix, Corsair, Intel, Seagate, Sandisk, HP and Sabrent models. Teamgroup offers some solid options too, but it really depends on the specific products you're considering. Adata doesn’t seem reliable to me—I’ve experienced several issues with their products.
When it comes to the motherboard, there’s no need for top-tier choices unless you’re aiming for maximum performance. Lower mid-range boards usually suffice because budget options often lack quality in both assembly and components. Poor-quality parts like capacitors, transistors, and MOSFETs are common in cheaper models, which also affects audio codecs and networking features. So, a mid-range option is usually a better investment unless you’re under strict cost constraints.
Good advice. Again, i apreciate it and i have amended the build accordingly.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
Intel Core i3-12100 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor
(€119.90 @ Datatronic)
(provisional)
Motherboard:
Gigabyte B760M DS3H DDR4 Micro ATX
(€108.90 @ Datatronic)
Memory:
G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
(€43.90 @ Datatronic)
Storage:
Crucial P3 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
(€72.90 @ Datatronic)
Power Supply:
be quiet! SFX L Power 500 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular SFX Power Supply
(€108.90 @ Datatronic)
Total:
€454.50
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by
PCPartPicker
2024-03-27 06:31 EET+0200
I looked at reviews of that ADATA and it seemed ok to go with.
That HDV board really is horrible! I haven't checked reviews for the motherboard beforehand. I would have done that before pulling the trigger on the purchase. Didn't expect that level of badness from AsRock honestly.
As for motherboards, i don't know what i was thinking. That somehow a bottom of the barrel board would not be courting disaster.
Looking again at what's available, this time 12 and 13 gen non-z chipsets, there a few to choose from before edging up into high cost, high end tier:
https://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/B660M Pro RS/index.asp
(€118.90)
Asus TUF GAMING B660M- PLUS DDR4 mATX (€160.90)
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B76...-rev-10#kf
(€121.90)
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B760M-E-DDR4
(€138.90)
https://www.asrock.com/MB/Intel/B760M-ITXD4 WiFi/index.asp
(€147.90)
Already the AsRock B660M Pro RS has features i'm not looking for while not exactly inspiring confidence in durability. The Gigabyte B760M-DSH3-DDR4 is twice the motherboard i need but i'm not sure about reliability either. Nice to have USB-c and two DPs but...
MSI looks like a durable board at more or less the right price. Funny seeing a VGA port on it though.
AsRock PG Lightning and Riptide seem good but they're DDR5 models. Finally, the AsRock B760M ITX D4 seems like a good choice except for the power delivery. Maybe it's good?
I'm not against spending the money on a decent one. Finding said decent one is the tricky part.
Of the lot, MSI PRO B760M-E DDR4 seems like the best bet with B760M-DS3H-DDR4 also in contention. The Gigabyte has more iGPU ports and a USB-C Gen 2 port.
I am also torn on whether to abandon the small form case and pick a smaller ATX case. I would lose a handy small size case but SFF/SFX cases are usually pricier, and too pricy for the convenience. They also require a pricier SFX PSU.
For the price of the be quiet! SFX L Power i could stuff the above build into a
Deepcool Matrexx 30
, and power it with a
SeaSonic G12 GM 550W
. The be quiet! is a better PSU but that SeaSonic is not too shabby.
I installed the components in a Metallic Gear Neo Mini V2 with a be quiet! Straight Power 11 450w PSU, since I had one nearby. This setup was made around a year ago when power supplies were more affordable. If I needed a replacement, I'd choose a be quiet! Pure Power 11 400w instead. It offers good performance, efficiency, silence, and cost-effectiveness. You can find it in your region here: https://multitronic.fi/en/products/2421739.
For the case, the Jonsbo model could be a good option – https://multitronic.fi/en/products/40933...ase--black. It's much more compact than the Deepcool Matrexx 30.
Oh dear. My vision is fuzzy. That Shark Zone C10 is an ITX case... I was browsing mATX motherboards. *sigh*
I had to give up on my first pick and check out other options. Because I needed an optical drive bay there weren’t many choices. I think I’ll try the German company (made in China) and opt for their V-1000 model.
The Jonsbos, the Chieftecs, the lesser-known brands are more affordable but I’m not keen. To be honest, the Deepcool Matrexx 30 is the most budget-friendly and actually looks decent.
But ultimately it came down to either a Fractal Design Core 1000 (with PSU on top) or one of the Sharkoon 1000s. Since I already have FDs, I decided to try something different.
A smaller ATX case lets you use a cheaper ATX PSU, so the overall cost stays similar.
Revised version of build:
(I haven’t decided yet between the MSI board or the Gigabyte)
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
Intel Core i3-12100 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor
(€122.90 @ Datatronic)
Motherboard:
Gigabyte B760M DS3H DDR4 Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
(€107.90 @ Datatronic)
Memory:
G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
(€43.90 @ Datatronic)
Storage:
Crucial P3 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME SSD
(€72.90 @ Datatronic)
***Case:
SHARKOON S1000 MicroATX Mini Tower Case
(€64.90)
Power Supply:
be quiet! Pure Power 11 400 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply
(€66.90 @ Datatronic)
Total:
€479.40
Prices cover shipping, taxes, and discounts where possible
Generated by
PCPartPicker
2024-03-28 23:34 EET+0200
***PPP couldn’t see the Sharkoon V1000 model for a reason. Its price matches, and here’s the link if anyone wants to check:
https://en.sharkoon.com/product/13951
It’s not great, but it’s not terrible.
I’m puzzled about why the fan is directing air more towards the HDD/SSD and PSU than the upper part. They could’ve just placed one 140mm fan roughly in the middle to circulate air over the GPU and CPU.
Thank you
@--SID--
For the PSU choice.
This discussion has drifted from its original focus. It’s hard to balance low cost with performance, and this was supposed to be a budget-friendly build, so here we are.
Belated update:
I've pulled the trigger on this build:
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
Intel Core i3-12100 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor
(Purchased For €120.90)
Motherboard:
Gigabyte B760M DS3H DDR4 Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
(Purchased For €108.90)
Memory:
G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
(Purchased For €43.90)
Storage:
Crucial P3 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
(Purchased For €72.90)
Power Supply:
be quiet! Pure Power 11 400 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply
(Purchased For €64.90)
Case:
SHARKOON V1000 MicroATX Mini Tower Case (Purchased For €64.90 EUR)
Total:
€475.50 EUR
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by
PCPartPicker
2024-06-02 02:43 EDT-0400
The stuff's eventually arrived, i've had time to figure out whether to get fired or quit my job, got over a stubborn flu, and got a million other things that got in the way, out of the way.
So i've built it and here are my impressions.
Windows 11 runs fast. There are no hiccups, hold-ups or delays after the initial update and driver installation. Power-on to login is actually faster than my 13600K main PC. The z790 UD takes longer to get through POST for some reason.
Overall, in normal home desktop tasks like browsing, moving files around or working in applications (not rendering or video; that's a separate issue), this PC feels no slower. I could tolerate it being a little bit slower, but it isn't.
The iGPU did struggle with graphics quality in a few games but that's due to poor support for non-AMD/nvidia graphics.
I haven't tested this much yet.
No problems with RAM at all. Enabled XMP in BIOS, left it on auto and called it a day.
The Sharkoon case is cheaply made
but not bad
. Surprisingly not bad. I wouldn't recommend it but i've had no trouble working with it at all.
Sharkoon take good ideas others pioneered and manufacture the cases as cheaply as possible in China, but price them much higher than i'd expect. Again, it is
not
bad. The no name DC fans it comes with (1 intake + 1 exhaust) are totally silent. It has decent room and accessories like HDD trays and such. The trays feel paper thin and flimsy as do the expansion slot covers. Whole case barely weighs anything.
Even the power button is a cheap plastic rectangle, and it's loose. Cheaply made everywhere.
But i cannot say it's bad. The reason i would not recommend it is because the price is not cheap. There are much higher quality cases available for around ~65 euro
Highlight of the case is a perforated area of the shroud, where the HDD tray can be attached. This allows you to fit a fan inside the HDD tray. ...
The reasons why anyone would do that escape me, but if you are overclocking your HDD trying to break the sound barrier, you'll be able to fit a fan to cool off your death disks.
If the P3 is a slower, gen 3 NVMe, it doesn't feel like it at all. I knew this would be the case, but here it is anyway. NVMe speed is largely meaningless. Reliability matters most.
Pleasently surprised by the stock Intel cooler. The fan can spin well over 3000rpm, and the case offers next to nothing in sound deadening but the noise is bearable. It's mostly silent up to 2000rpm. Starts to whirr more loudly then and becomes a bit of a nuisance at 3300rpm. Only happened during stress testing.
Normal operation, the fan is silent but becomes momentarily perceptible if it has to deal with spikes in temperature.
I was considering a Thermalright Assassin X 120, but i'm glad i didn't opt for it.
i3 12100 is a gem. Very affordable, on average uses little power and is capable of handling Win 11 in 2024. It's amazing how good it is when you consider there is only the Celeron G beneath it in the entire Alder/Raptor line-up.
I wanted this chip not because it's cheap but because it actually is capable! 12th gen i5 are technically superior and that may show in benchmarks, but not in practical use.
Of course that depends on what you need it to do. I haven't thrown any difficult jobs at it yet. I'll report if i experience poor performance.
But remember this is a sub-500 euro build, and anything under about 800 is trash. So this is outperforming expectations for now.
The Pure Power 11 400w PSU is non-modular and made for low-power PCs like this one. Excellent quality and it's silent. It doesn't have too many darn cables to deal with. CPU, Motherboard, VGA(unused) and two peripheral cables, one of which i used for the DVD burner. Remember when those were a thing? Me neither.
And finally the motherboard. Gigabyte B760M DS3H DDR4
- i didn't like fiddling with the crappy I/O shield; but it's a budget board
- it has two DPs, 1 HDMI and 1 VGA port and can support 4 monitors... that's a lot for a budget board. i only need 1 anyway
- provides a USB-C gen 2 rear connector; no USB-C headers
- limited to
either
the CPU side M.2 NVMe port
or
PCIe 4.0 x16 GPU; there is a second M.2 port on the chipset side
- has Q-Flash, so it can be flashed without a CPU or memory.
- supports up to DDR4 5333Mhz
- 6+2+1 digital VRM limits it to locked i5 intel at the most. It technically can support more beastly CPUs but why on Earth would you spend money on a processor but utterly cheap out on a motherboard??
As you can see the motherboard is a mix of pros and cons. It's a very budget board but it has some sweet perks. The fact it can be flashed without a CPU instantly puts every other motherboard to shame if it doesn't have this feature!
tl;dr
The CPU is good. Shame the Intel A730 iGPU is weak but i haven't tested it thoroughly yet. Motherboard is limited yet perfect. I'm happy with this, it runs Win 11 quiet and fast.