Budget system build advice

adarryladarryl No Man Stands So Tall As When He Stoops To Help a Child. Icrontian
edited October 2011 in Hardware
A friend has asked me to configure and build a system for her daughter who will graduate from college mid-year. Her use would be primarily web surfing/email, word processing, light gaming, and photo processing. I am looking for input on component choice while trying to keep the budget under $500.00. I have really struggled with this as I really don't think money is well spent on any dual core system these days. I would like to put her in a quad core but can't seem to do so with this budget. To shave $$, I tried to select items with free shipping or rebates. The video card choice was simply "bang for the buck" not brand related and, in fact, she may be able to get by with on-board video. I chose 2 DVD-RW's because I like to see a system have 2 optical drives: 1 DVD-ROM and 1 DVD-RW. Right now, Newegg has 2 DVD-RW's cheaper than one each (because of shipping). Your recommendations are freely sought in this matter so JUMP IN!

The following would be the same (subject to revision/recommendation) whether it is an Intel or AMD build:

*CASE: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147123
*Power Supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033
*Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500204
*Card Reader: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820223103
*Hard Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136770
*DVD-RW (2): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106334
*Windows 7 Home Prem: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986
*RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134792

If Intel, price comes in around $495.00 with these core components:
*Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128489
*Intel Processor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116381
*CPU Cooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835106152 (Intel's OEM hsf is a POS)

If AMD, price comes in around $512.00 with these core components:
*Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128469
*AMD Processor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103887
*CPU Cooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835200056 (AMD's OEM hsf is not much better than a POS)

P.S. I have also recommended her mother go shop at Walmart for an HP package system. Here are examples of buys that might work: http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-p6803w/16595247 or http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-1TB-p6813w/16595252

Your help much appreciated as well as your line item vetoes/substitutions! FWIW, I am probably going to build this gratis.

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