I'm looking to build a reliable, basic, no-frills computer primarily for Internet browsing and watching movies. Not sure if it matters, but it would be running Linux Mint. I may also look to do some amount of photo and/or video editing on it at some point too, but i don't have any real needs for gaming with it. There's a million choices when it comes down to the mobo and cpu and all the rest of it, though i think i know which case i want to get so i think that may help narrow my options. (Fwiw, it's a Fractal Designs North model case I'm considering)
Any advice, please?
Edit: thank you all so much for your responses, I'm really glad i posted here! I have a much better sense of which way to go now. I really appreciate the time y'all took to help me out. ๐
Very thoughtful and informative response--thank you!! It looks like i have a microcenter a little over an hour away... Perhaps I'll give them a try. I like that they have some pre-selected options, might make my life easier to let them choose the parts since I don't really know my way around this stuff. Cool case, btw! I like all the different options out there these days. Def looking for something i can display in the living room...
Thanks again for the response, lots of food for thought here.
Yeah, microcenter is kind of the place to go for computer building as far as brick and mortar stores go. And most of the staff there, at least at the one near me, are pretty knowledgeable and willing to talk shop and let you pick their brain a bit.
Also just kind of a fun place to walk around if you like electronics, all the weird adapters and gadgets that you know must exist but never actual see in stores are there. The one near me also has a bunch of 3d printers and other maker/tinkerer tools and gizmos.
And their service department is usually pretty great (although I don't know if their online appointment system actually works, anytime I've brought something in to them with an appointment they kind of act like online appointments don't exist)
I haven't used their PC building service myself, but I'm pretty sure you could pretty much tell them what you want to do with your computer and they'd build you something suitable.
This place sounds amazing! I'm very excited to go there now :)
Thanks for your response!