Mini PC or modular microATX?

[CRASHON]

Good afternoon family!!
Of course, I return to these parts to listen to your eternal wisdom, this time for a little friend who asks for help to upgrade (he's with a sempron...I won't say more...8-9 years?
Well, to the point, the use is basic to the max, office software, browsing, some casual downloads and the most feared of all....the HOFMANN for the woman....which is not heavy or anything....
Currently he has the atx case with integrated graphics and all and it still works
..yes...you have time to have dinner and take a nap while it starts.
Personally, I would recommend a pc format NUC, which I use to browse, download and multimedia server, I have the celeron N3050 with 8 Gb and an SSD and I don't need more...approximately today it will be in 200-225 all, the only problem I see is if it would be short for him for only having an HD and I don't know if the HOFMANN would move it well, although I can try it in mine.
The doubt I have is the following...could we look at a similar or superior combination for a similar amount? That is, a box a little bigger, with a little more processing power (integrated graphics if it makes it more economical) and 2 hd bays?
I listen to your opinion...let's see if we can all solve it....thanks!!

[whoololon]

I'm not really a fan of NUCs to replace a desktop, no matter how basic it is.
Let's call it a "mania".
What I'm going to recommend is a HTPC type configuration, maximum connectivity and good performance for less than 500 €.
But just to be safe, I also propose a cloud-based configuration (without HDD), the safest way to have family photos. It comes out to less than 350 €.
Best regards

[CRASHON]

@whoololon
Thanks for the recommendation, no doubt I will study it.
I honestly didn't believe in NUC solutions either, but I wanted to see how it worked and I was pleasantly surprised, that is, I use it for what I said...for everything else I have my girl....

[Fassou]

@CRASHON Check out the Black Friday-style deals, because many small desktop computers have come out, based on Celeron and Pentium (yes, they still make them ) for 299€.

Although I fear that if the heaviest user is Hofman, an SSD will make even the Sempron look new :nerd:

PS: an example, with versions Pentium, Celeron and Core i3

[CRASHON]

@whoololon
Good afternoon,
After studying the current prices and the proposed configuration of the CPU G4400, as well as removing the card reader, WIFI card, and keyboard and mouse, which are currently not necessary, the economic difference is as follows:

• NUC: 251.58 €
• HTPC: 304.90 €

We are talking about a difference of 53.32 € considering that in the NUC configuration we do not have a DVD, which I would not need very often but occasionally yes, and an external one is about 20 €.

Considering this, there is a difference of 16% one from the other... do you think that the performance, as well as the "future" possibilities of expansion justify this difference??

I would like to make a decision tomorrow to see if there is any offer on Black Friday. So I would appreciate advice.

Once again, thank you.

[CRASHON]

A question, regarding the RAM in the HTPC option, do you think 2*4 is better than 1 of 8? I imagine you will say this because of the dual-channel advantage?

[whoololon]

@CRASHON For my part, yes. But anyway, whatever is cheaper; in that configuration SC or DC it doesn't matter.

[CRASHON]

@whoololon
in that thread it comes out for the same amount, 30-1 60-2, that's why the doubt...thanks.
Well, the cards are on the table, now the interested party decides, after seeing the comparisons I see more than enough the increase in performance vs amount, so let the one who pays decide.
many thanks for the help and I will tell you what the result was.
greetings, good night and happy black friday

[CRASHON]

@whoololon
and one more question and sorry for the trouble....appreciable differences of the Asus H110I-PLUS vs the Gigabyte GA-H110M-S2H??...it's almost 26 € that can make you doubt more about the decision....

[whoololon]

@CRASHON The format.
That was my mistake; I got it into my head (I don't know why) that it had to be small because it was in the living room, with full connectivity... the movies I make. :upside_down:

You can put an mATX board without any problem other than choosing an appropriate case.

HTTP configuration in mATX format without extra nonsense. Less than 330 €.

This mini-PC cheap is basically what you have, but with HDD instead of SSD. and there are even cheaper ones.

I don't know how long it takes to manage an album there; that's for sure, if you can, you can.

The NUCs I've seen (for no more than 320 €) come without RAM or storage drive, and in the end they end up costing you what a basic desktop costs.

Greetings.

[CRASHON]

@whoololon
Good morning,
This one has come out on Amazon:
Lenovo Ideacentre 300S-08IHH - Desktop (Intel core i3 4170, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB, Intel HD Graphics 4400, Windows 10 Home),
I know it's DDR3 RAM compared to the DDR4 of the other option.
About the processors I think this one is a bit better.
And this one would already have win10 which would save me assembly and installation.
It's for 299€....How do you see it? I have a few hours to decide. I know I sacrificed some modularity...but it makes me doubt...

[whoololon]

If the OS and the build are a problem, go ahead; it's a pretty balanced machine and for that price it's very good. :thumbsup_tone3:

Plus, it's plug and play.

[CRASHON]

The assembly and OS would be for me, but I think for the end user it would mean some additional peace of mind.
Thanks for the advice

[Fassou]

Personally when the budget is so tight, these small PCs seem to me the best option, and now that they are discounted, they are all advantages

You can buy it directly from the interested party, and then if later on you want more power, you can put some RAM or an SSD in it, and you'll look like a Lord

Salu2!