Could I get help shaving $40 off of this computer build?

[neonoen]

Hi Computer Hope

I'm in Australia, if you want to know why the prices are relatively high. My friend's budget is $1550 and I've hit $1591 already so I'm looking to take $40 off the build.
This is the current parts/pricelist: https://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=wish_lists&wlcId=294904&action=wish_lists

Parts:

$249.00 CPU: Intel Core i5 4670
$369.00 GPU: Galaxy GeForce GTX 770 GC 2GB
$129.00 PSU: Seasonic M12II 620W Power Supply
$125.00 MOBO: Gigabyte Sniper B5 Motherboard
$99.00   RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws F3-12800CL8D-8GBRM 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3
$135.00 HDD: Seagate Barracuda 3TB ST3000DM001
$109.00 SSD: Samsung 840 EVO Series 120GB SSD
$22.00   Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224DB 24x DVDRW OEM
$75.00   Case: BitFenix Shinobi Black Case
$169.00 Monitor: ViewSonic VA2349S 23in Widescreen IPS LED Monitor

Peripherals:

$29.00   Sound: Logitech LS21 2.1 Stereo Speaker System
$29.00   Mouse: SteelSeries Kinzu V2 Pro Edition Red Gaming Mouse
$52.00   Keyboard: Logitech G105 Gaming Keyboard

Total:
$1,591.00

Aim:
$1550.00

Thanks,

Neon

[DaveLembke]

Does he really need 3TB HDD?  ($135.00 HDD: Seagate Barracuda 3TB ST3000DM001)

You can save $40 by going with a 2TB or 1.5TB for under $100 and still have the same performance system.

[Geek-9pm]

Also, does he really need the high price graphics?
Why not
EVGA 02G-P4-3757-KR GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB

    640 CUDA Cores
    2GB 128-Bit GDDR5
    PCI Express 3.0

And save a lot of money?

[BC_Programmer]

Also, does he really need the high price graphics?
Why not
EVGA 02G-P4-3757-KR GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB

    640 CUDA Cores
    2GB 128-Bit GDDR5
    PCI Express 3.0

And save a lot of money?

Based on the other accessories, it is going to be used for Gaming.

the 770 is about twice the speed in all areas of a 750. It depends on the games they want to play. a 760 could be a reasonable downgrade unless they are are playing the most graphically intensive games, though, and would probably save just the amount needed.

[Kurtiskain]

If you want to shave a bit more off, unless they will be buying physical copies of games an Optical drive these days is basically unnecessary.

Install your OS from a USB drive, faster and cheaper.

[DaveLembke]

If you want to shave a bit more off, unless they will be buying physical copies of games an Optical drive these days is basically unnecessary.
Install your OS from a USB drive, faster and cheaper.

Curious as to this post... Last I knew Microsoft was not selling Windows on USB sticks yet. Its not unless you get an off the shelf computer with ability to make a USB recovery stick or disc set that you have the ability to make a USB stick for Windows installation.

Is there a tool out there that I am not aware of to copy the disc image from disc to a bootable thumb drive for Windows? Last I checked the only bootable Windows from USB thumb drive was Bart PE, which could have a image utility functional within it of which that then pushes a disk image to a HDD or SSD, but the system would have to already have been built to create the image from that is used with Bart PE?

But personally shaving $40 off of a system like this...... I'd just pay the $40 extra and get what the original build came to be since your already going all out, but if you only really have a certain amount of cash for this, then I'd stick with same performance system and a slightly smaller HDD at a lower price tag to fit within the budget. Later on you can always add more storage capacity. Only other area to save and have same performance is to go with a cheaper case, but if you like the case you selected and there are none for $40 lesser that will work or look good, then you are sticking with same case.

[patio]

Here Ya Go...

However i'm 110% with you...bite the bullet at this point and spend the $40.00 Bucks...

[DaveLembke]

Thanks for link Patio... so its downloaded copies of Windows only then... you still cant place a disc image to a thumb drive from a disc you have to allow for a USB flash drive type of direct install. And only USB install option then if OS is already owned on disc is to use an external USB DVD ROM drive.

[patio]

It can be done...however MS technically doesn't support it...
Done it myself many times.

[BC_Programmer]

so its downloaded copies of Windows only then... you still cant place a disc image to a thumb drive from a disc you have to allow for a USB flash drive type of direct install. And only USB install option then if OS is already owned on disc is to use an external USB DVD ROM drive.

If you choose to download an ISO file (so that you can create a bootable file from a DVD or USB flash drive), copy your Windows 7 ISO file onto your media and, run the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool. After you do this, you can install Windows 7 onto your computer directly from the USB flash drive or DVD.

The Tool takes a Windows 7 and Windows 8 DVD ISO and puts it on a Bootable, Installable USB Flash Drive. If you already have a DVD of Windows it can be put on a USB Flash Drive by imaging the DVD.

Of course, without a DVD Drive, that's pretty difficult.

If it really needs to be shaved back, it might be possible to eliminate the peripherals. I know I never purchase new keyboards/mice as part of a new build, since the previous peripherals can be brought forward. So if they have a computer of any sort already they can use their current peripherals. Same for a monitor. They can upgrade those components later, and that added budget space could be used to get a better build.

[patio]

Trying to shave 40 bucks off of a $1600 build is just friggin goofy anyways...JMHO...

[Kurtiskain]

Yes there are ways of creating the USB drive without an official Microsoft ISO.

Note also when I say USB drive I mean a 4 or 8GB (I know my Win 7 64-bit w/ SP1 pre-installed ISO is -just- too big to fit on a 4GB drive) USB thumbdrive/memory stick/jumpdrive. No point in dedicating your 500GB external to a Windows installation drive 

You can use any XP and upwards machine to make the USB bootable using DISKPART to format the USB drive and BOOTSECT to write a boot loader to the USB drive. (This tool is found on the Windows installation disk) Then simply copy the contents of the Windows Disk to the USB drive.

No third party tools are necessary.

I use method 3 on this link myself:
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Bootable-Windows-7-or-Vista-USB-Drive (This will also work for Windows 8/8.1 just fine)
The link also tells you how to create an ISO file from an existing installation disk if need be. The USB drive does not have to be made on the machine you are installing it to, it can be made on any machine, and used again and again. You can also delete the ei.cfg in the 'sources' folder which will remove the specific versioning of the installation, meaning you will get a choice of OSes to install. (Home Basic, Home Premium, Pro, Ultimate) You will still have to install the version that you have a key for, but it is an excellent tool to have in case you ever need to reinstall a machine that you don't have a disk for.

If you do choose this route, remember to install from a USB 2.0 port and not a USB 3.0 port as most USB 3.0 controllers need an additional driver installed before Windows (and consequently the Installer) can work with them correctly.

I also have to agree with the others though. Unless the machine is needed ASAP, get them to save for another week or two and potentially get better hardware.

I do still stick to my opinion that optical drives are no longer a big deal. There are several digital distribution methods for buying games and simply downloading them to your machine, and these are usually a lot cheaper than buying them in-store. (Steam, Origin, and HumbleBundle to name a few)

Personally I have not needed to use a CD/DVD for a very long time, with most TVs these days supporting media from USB devices, easier networking for home users with Homegroups and digital distribution they have been unnecessary.

Too right 
Trying to shave 40 bucks off of a $1600 build is just friggin goofy anyways...JMHO...

[BC_Programmer]

Yes there are ways of creating the USB drive without an official Microsoft ISO.

Then simply copy the contents of the Windows Disk to the USB drive.

Alright. Thought experiment. His friend has just received all the parts for his new build, sans DVD drive. How does he get his Windows 7/8 OS Disc onto a Flash Drive without a DVD Drive? He can't. It's not possible. Your method relies on the existence of a DVD Drive elsewhere. IMO going to another persons PC, using their system to build an ISO file, and then creating a Installable USB Flash Drive from it to install on your Machine is not easier than just sticking the DVD into a Drive and installing the OS.

I do still stick to my opinion that optical drives are no longer a big deal. There are several digital distribution methods for buying games and simply downloading them to your machine, and these are usually a lot cheaper than buying them in-store. (Steam, Origin, and HumbleBundle to name a few)

I wasn't thinking of games, myself. Personally I was thinking of the stacks of backups of data and software that I have on DVD and CD, as well as the systems I have that do not support USB Booting- as well as the fact that all my USB flash drives are small (in today's context) an slow. A USB Flash Drive is going to run the same cost as a DVD Drive if they do not have one, so for all we know it might not save anything anyway.

[camerongray]

I never really use my DVD drive, I mean, I put one in my HTPC purely because the case has a flip down bezel for the drive and it would bug me not to have a drive there!

That said, I'd still always put a drive in a PC when I build it, especially for someone else.  For my own machine I rarely use the drive but it does come in handy if I need to quickly burn a Linux distro rather than having to find a USB drive I can use.  DVD drives are so cheap nowadays I don't really see a reason not to just throw one in, it will never really need upgraded so can be kept for years.  IMO, it's better to have one and never use it instead of finding out down the line that you need to use a DVD.  As far as building machines for others, I will always fit a DVD drive.  It's the sort of thing people expect their PC to have.