Suggestions for a fast non-gaming comp that can fly, looking at Intel NUC, ideas?

[gigahertz20]

Looking for a new computer for a friend, no gaming will be done on it, budget is $1,000 or less. It will mostly be used for productivity software like Microsoft Office/internet surfing/watching videos and so on, my friend wants it to be bitchin' fast since the computer is used extensively so a SSD is a must. No monitor/keyboard/mouse needed, she already has a Dell 24" Ultrasharp 1920x1200.

I was looking at the Intel NUC5i7RYH NUC (http://www.anandtech.com/show/9166/intel-nuc5i7ryh-broadwellu-iris-nuc-review) since Anandtech gave it a pretty good review.

I'm not sure if I should go with the i7 NUC or the i5 NUC, what do you guys think? I was reading through all the reviews on Amazon/Newegg for the i7 NUC and people were complaining about fan noise and were saying to just go with the i5 NUC. Is there any reason to really go with the i7 over the i5 for what this computer will be used for?

Also, for the SSD do you guys think I should just go with the Samsung 850 evo M.2 as listed below or wait for the new Samsung 950 Pro M.2 256 GB (http://www.tomshardware.com/news/samsung-950-pro-ssd-nvme-3d-vnand,30135.html) to hit Amazon/Newegg for $200? The Anandtech review used the new 950 Pro and everything I'm reading about this SSD makes it sound like the next awesome thing.

The Samsung 950 Pro 256 GB model has 2,200 MB/s sequential read and 900 MB/s sequential write and the Samsung 850 evo below has sequential read (540MB/s) and write (520MB/s) speeds. I'm not sure how this would translate to real world performance though, do you guys think you would actually notice a difference in the performance of the computer if I went with the faster SSD?




Below are the parts I'm looking to get, I already have a copy of Windows 10 that I'm going to load onto it, if I get the i5 it comes out to $560 for everything, if I get the i7 it comes out to $650.

------------------------------------------------------
$460
Intel NUC NUC5i7RYH with Intel Core i7 Processor
http://www.amazon.com/Intel-NUC5i7R...8&qid=1445397764&sr=8-1&keywords=intel+i7+nuc

OR


$370
Intel NUC NUC5i5RYH with Intel Core i5 Processor
http://www.amazon.com/Intel-NUC5i5R...8&qid=1445397719&sr=8-1&keywords=intel+i5+nuc
------------------------------------------------------
$76
Memory: Crucial 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR3-1600 MT/s (PC3-12800) 204-Pin SODIMM Notebook Memory CT2KIT102464BF160B / CT2CP102464BF160B
http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-DDR3-...xgy_147_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=07W11Q0VY90CZ4PDTMGK
-----------------------------------------------------

$89
SSD Samsung 850 EVO 250 GB M.2 SSD (MZ-N5E250BW)
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-850-EVO-250-MZ-N5E250BW/dp/B00TGIVZTW/ref=pd_bxgy_147_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=15Z0HJQKH1Y6TFQN1XZV

-----------------------------------------------------

$25
External DVD drive: LG Electronics 8X USB 2.0 Ultra Slim Portable DVD Rewriter, External Drive with M-DISC Support, Retail (Black) GP60NB50
http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronic...445398652&sr=8-2&keywords=external+dvd+burner

 

[frozentundra123456]

Well, if you want it to be "blazing fast" get a true desktop with a haswell or skylake quad core, not some mobile processor. Wont have to worry about throttling either. Or even a desktop i3 is much faster than those mobile processors.

Edit: I have an old sandy bridge i5 desktop, and believe me it is miles away faster than any laptop I have used. I dont really understand the obsession with the NUC form factor to be honest, seems to be the worst of both worlds: the slower performance and throttling issues of a laptop, without being truly portable.

 

[freeskier93]

Is there a reason for looking at the NUC? If size isn't an issue you can do way better for the money by building a full desktop.

 

[gigahertz20]

Well, if you want it to be "blazing fast" get a true desktop with a haswell or skylake quad core, not some mobile processor. Wont have to worry about throttling either. Or even a desktop i3 is much faster than those mobile processors.

Edit: I have an old sandy bridge i5 desktop, and believe me it is miles away faster than any laptop I have used. I dont really understand the obsession with the NUC form factor to be honest, seems to be the worst of both worlds: the slower performance and throttling issues of a laptop, without being truly portable.

Hmmm didn't think the mobile processor in the NUC's would be that much slower in real world performance for the tasks this PC will be doing. Good to know info, will a mobile processor really bog down that much doing general tasks on a PC like this computer will be used for?

Is there a reason for looking at the NUC? If size isn't an issue you can do way better for the money by building a full desktop.

There is no one specific reason for why I was looking at getting a NUC, size isn't an issue at all. I'm just trying to get a fast computer that is not big/heavy/loud. I'm not going to build a computer though for my friend, if anything breaks/issues I don't want to be the one she calls. If this was a gaming computer for myself I'd certainly build it but it's not.

I like the Intel NUC kits since there's not alot of parts to them and the computer should be easy to maintain for my friend who is not tech savvy. I was trying to stay away from the Dell/HP/Lenovo desktops so that way there is no bloatware on the computer.

Any ideas on where to look for getting a desktop computer since you guys are not liking the NUC I was thinking of getting my friend?

 

[daveybrat]

How about this option?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...enText'>=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Intel Core i3-4170 Dual-Core 3.7GHz processor
8GB DDR3; 1TB HDD
Intel Integrated 4400 HD Graphics
802.11 AC WiFi with Bluetooth 4.0
Windows 10 Operating System

$354.99

Add a Samsung EVO 250GB SSD: $84.99

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-2-5-I...UTF8&qid=1445428805&sr=1-1&keywords=250gb+ssd

$354.99 + $84.99 = $439.98 and you get to save your Windows 10 copy.

Another bonus is AC wireless and Bluetooth.

(Just clone the 1TB drive to the new 250GB SSD and make the 1TB a storage drive)

 

[Charlie98]

I'm not going to build a computer though for my friend, if anything breaks/issues I don't want to be the one she calls.

I was trying to stay away from the Dell/HP/Lenovo desktops so that way there is no bloatware on the computer.

Yes and no... A simple PC build with no GPU built by someone who knows what they are doing is probably just as reliable as any prebuild, NUC or otherwise. The bonus is you get to pick better components over the prebuilt. Once you load the OS on it and send it on it's way, there is very little to go wrong that would be the fault of the initial build.

If I didn't build my own, Dell is my brand of choice. As far as Dell's bloatware... just wipe it and reinstall a clean OS (it sounds like you already have a W10 install disk handy) leaving the bloatware behind. I've done it on a friend's business machine and it came out very well (I installed a SSD on his machine and upgraded the RAM when he got it.)

 

[vailr]

I was trying to stay away from the Dell/HP/Lenovo desktops so that way there is no bloatware on the computer.

There's always the option of: a re-format and fresh re-install of Windows.
That may require a little extra effort and/or expense of obtaining a (bloatware free) Windows installation disc at the time of purchase from Dell/Lenovo/etc.
Might also look into building a miniITX or microATX form factor machine, using a desktop i5 or i7 Skylake CPU. Use a non-"K" CPU, since those are less expensive and overclocking wouldn't be such a good idea in a small form factor device.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132569
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132638

 

[thesmokingman]

I would probably go for that Alienware Alpha for Inte or build a diminutive APU. After building a 7850k APU for my daughter, it's been pretty zippy on the desktop and does well for medium duty games. Both mentioned setups are well under 500 easy.

 

[Blue_Max]

A low-profile ITX rig with a desktop i5 or i7 is affordable, insanely fast, will do light gaming in a pinch, and still look good.

 

[gigahertz20]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'm still thinking about an Intel NUC like I posted in my OP. All the reviews say either the i5 or i7 NUC are fairly snappy computers. I know they just have a mobile processor and it's not the same as a desktop....but would the difference be that noticeable when using productivity software/internet surfing and other basic computer tasks? I don't care about benchmarks, I want to know real world use.

 

[gigahertz20]

A low-profile ITX rig with a desktop i5 or i7 is affordable, insanely fast, will do light gaming in a pinch, and still look good.

Are there any solid barebone kits for ITX rigs like the Intel NUC's I posted where I can just add my own SSD/memory and install the OS and be good to go?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Are there any solid barebone kits for ITX rigs like the Intel NUC's I posted where I can just add my own SSD/memory and install the OS and be good to go?

Shuttle and Foxconn and MSI make them.

 

[Zodiark1593]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'm still thinking about an Intel NUC like I posted in my OP. All the reviews say either the i5 or i7 NUC are fairly snappy computers. I know they just have a mobile processor and it's not the same as a desktop....but would the difference be that noticeable when using productivity software/internet surfing and other basic computer tasks? I don't care about benchmarks, I want to know real world use.

Odds are you won't notice in the scenarios you listed. The core counts differ though, the mobile i5s and most i7s being dual core, with only a few quad i7 skus. If a quad is what you're after, just something to keep in mind.

 

[frozentundra123456]

With an SSD, the mobile processors in the NUCs that you mentioned are probably fast enough in light use. Just remember that most of those have base clocks in the mid 2ghz range and turbo to around 3ghz or slightly faster. A desktop processor i3 or i5 *base* clock is as fast than the boost clocks on the mobile processors, with turbo on top of that. You also dont have to worry about a full on desktop throttling, while a NUC may not be able to maintain its turbo clocks under a sustained heavy load.

To be honest, to get a computer for someone else, and not want to be responsible for tech support, I would just get a prebuilt. It will have a warranty, and if the bloatware bothers you, you can spend an hour or two removing it or doing a clean install of Windows.

 

[gigahertz20]

Odds are you won't notice in the scenarios you listed. The core counts differ though, the mobile i5s and most i7s being dual core, with only a few quad i7 skus. If a quad is what you're after, just something to keep in mind.

Thanks for responding, I think the i5 nuc will be fine for what she will use the computer for. I hope I'm right.

With an SSD, the mobile processors in the NUCs that you mentioned are probably fast enough in light use. Just remember that most of those have base clocks in the mid 2ghz range and turbo to around 3ghz or slightly faster. A desktop processor i3 or i5 *base* clock is as fast than the boost clocks on the mobile processors, with turbo on top of that. You also dont have to worry about a full on desktop throttling, while a NUC may not be able to maintain its turbo clocks under a sustained heavy load.

To be honest, to get a computer for someone else, and not want to be responsible for tech support, I would just get a prebuilt. It will have a warranty, and if the bloatware bothers you, you can spend an hour or two removing it or doing a clean install of Windows.

I don't think a heavy load will ever be put on the NUC for what she uses a computer for so probably won't have to worry too much about throttling.

I was looking at getting a prebuilt computer but none of the entry level PC"s around $500-$750 have a SSD drive. It's like you have to buy a high end computer just to get a SSD drive. The Intel NUC's were nice since I just pop in a SSD and memory and load up a copy of Windows with no bloatware. I don't want to build a computer from scratch. I was looking for a good barebone ITX system like the Intel NUC's as maybe an alternative but not finding much.

 

[hemedans]

i find gigabyte brix barebone to be more powerfull than nuc

http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Bare...=UTF8&qid=1445588921&sr=1-1&keywords=iris+pro

you get
- i5 4570R which is as powerfull as desktop sandy bridge quad
- iris pro 5200 gpu
and price is only $379

 

[gigahertz20]

i find gigabyte brix barebone to be more powerfull than nuc

http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Bare...=UTF8&qid=1445588921&sr=1-1&keywords=iris+pro

you get
- i5 4570R which is as powerfull as desktop sandy bridge quad
- iris pro 5200 gpu
and price is only $379

Nice, was checking it out, doesn't look bad.