Need advice on building a computer for my dad

[Travis B]

Hi everyone, I am building a new computer for my dad, and I would appreciate any advice or suggestions you may have.

He is only going to use it for basic stuff (email, browsing the internet, watching Youtube, Microsoft Office, etc.). He does not play any games or render video or anything intensive like that. My budget is $500 - $650, and I live in the United States. There are no parts that can be reused. I do need a copy of Windows 8, but I do not need any peripherals.

I have most of the parts picked out already, I mainly just need help picking out a motherboard, but I would greatly appreciate your advice on everything.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2dsWA

Thanks in advance!

[n0cturnal]

Why does he need an i5 and a 600W PSU for browsing the web? You could save maybe $150 by using a less powerful APU that will be plenty for his needs.

[Travis B]

Why does he need an i5 and a 600W PSU for browsing the web? You could save maybe $150 by using a less powerful APU that will be plenty for his needs.

I know an i5 is a bit overkill for his needs, but I wanted to make sure the computer would last a long time (6+ years) without becoming too slow, even for basic use. Is there another CPU you would recommend instead?

[n0cturnal]

I know an i5 is a bit overkill for his needs, but I wanted to make sure the computer would last a long time (6+ years) without becoming too slow, even for basic use. Is there another CPU you would recommend instead?

I would probably go for an APU or an i3 and replace the HDD with an SSD unless he specifically needs more than 120GB.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD A6-6400K 3.9GHz Dual-Core Processor ($67.24 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-F2A55M-HD2 Micro ATX FM2 Motherboard ($42.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($52.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($74.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill FBM-01 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($12.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - OEM (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $388.15
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-12-02 12:46 EST-0500)

or

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i3-4330 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: MSI H81M-P33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($27.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($52.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($74.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill FBM-01 MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($12.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 - OEM (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Total: $420.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-12-02 12:48 EST-0500)

The PSU is complete overkill but it was cheap so whatever.
You can also remove the DVD unless you need it for a specific purpose, just install Windows from a USB drive.

[Travis B]

I decided to go with the AMD processor you suggested, so that should save me a decent amount, thanks a ton for your help!

[Deleted]

I'd actually push for one of the combo deals if you live near a Microcenter - $50 off either an i3-4340 or the A10-6800k.