Considering purchase of an i5 2400s package along with a motherboard.
Considering purchase of an i5 2400s package along with a motherboard.
Checking the details, an Intel i5-2400s could fit a budget build, but more info is needed to confirm performance and value. Let me know if you want help evaluating it!
Your budget looks tight around $500, and getting the CPU, board, and 8GB+ RAM for about $100 makes sense if you allocate the rest to the GPU. However, buying more than that isn't practical. You're likely looking at a pretty old CPU now, which is noticeably slow. A Pentium Gold G7400 would be significantly faster for around $85, plus a budget-friendly H610 board and an 8GB DDR4 stick for $20.
Budget matters a lot. Remember you can purchase fully refurbished machines with an i5 2400 for around $110—here’s an example: https://www.newegg.com/hp-compaq-6200-pr...klink=true. For a bit more than $10, you’ll find options with Windows 10 included. Also keep in mind that because the machine is quite old, it might not support certain CPU instructions required by some modern games, and whether it can run Windows 11 is uncertain; I’d suggest at least a 6th generation processor.
This method supports Windows 11; just choose the version that omits TPM checks for systems older than the 4th generation. Use Rufus to make your bootable drive instead of the built-in tool. After installation it will automatically upgrade to the latest release. https://rufus.ie/en/ I applied this on a machine with an i3 3240 and it functioned flawlessly. For gaming, it may not be the quickest, but performance remains acceptable since the cores still outperform those on PS4 or Xbox One. A dedicated graphics card is recommended—something around a 970 series from Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace works well. Expect around $150, though you can go higher if needed.
For $30, that’s acceptable. Keep in mind you’ll probably need an upgrade in about a year or two. Remember, it’s still an 11-year-old CPU and it should work just fine.