Poor student needs computer buying advice

#1

Hi everyone!

I’m looking to replace my piece of junk desktop so I can work on my 3D portfolio and homework (from home). I use programs like Maya, Mudbox, and Zbrush. I do want to add that I don’t have much money to spend on an advanced computer. My budget is around $600. Anything that can get me through my homework smoothly would be great. I was looking at customizing the ASUS M32AD from iBUYPOWER, but don’t know anything about computers tbh…

Any help and recommendations on computers would be amazing.

Thanks~

#2

Do you have anything already like keyboard and monitor or do you need a complete computer system with all the peripherals?

#3

You’d definitely get more for your money if you built one yourself. Plus, provided its not too old, you could probably cannibalise parts from your current desktop. Memory, case, psu, etc…

#4

I have everything I need. Just looking to buy a new tower.

#5

Based on that budget I would go for something like this build below. The AMD processor has a GPU integrated which is half decent (much better than Intel graphics). The processor itself is a quad core on par with the lower end Intel quad core processors. The machine has 16 GB of memory (expandable to 32 GB), 1 TB hard drive, and a decent 500 watt power supply so you could upgrade it later with a better graphics card, more drives, whatever else you want.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129024
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236339
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132080
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148704
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113359

It comes to about $530 which leaves some money for an academic copy of Windows (around $70). If you can afford a little more like $800 you could upgrade the processor and graphics a lot.