Looking for an inexpensive desktop

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SHRED

What is the least expensive way to go as far as a complete system goes,
including OS, keyboard, mouse, and monitor?
Could I build one cheaper than buy it already put together?
I remember a day when building one was cheaper. Is it still?

My mom's friend needs an inexpensive system for Internet and email.

What is the least she can expect to spend for a system and where can I
get her one?
Or, what components (mobo, cpu, etc...) and where should I go to get
them to build her one?
I usually shop at Newegg.

Thanks a lot.
 
What is the least expensive way to go as far as a complete system goes,
including OS, keyboard, mouse, and monitor?
Could I build one cheaper than buy it already put together?
I remember a day when building one was cheaper. Is it still?
Click to expand...

No.

For an email/internet/word processing machine, you can buy cheaper
than you can build. Try Dell, big-box stores, e-machines/gateway, etc.

Terry
 
JAD said:
e-machine
Click to expand...
Another thought is to visit the Dell web page. I just checked the US link
and today they have a model B110 at $399 with an included flat panel screen.
 
Look at buy.com. The have complete sysyem very cheap that are perfect for
e-mail and internet.
 
What is the least expensive way to go as far as a complete system goes,
including OS, keyboard, mouse, and monitor?
Could I build one cheaper than buy it already put together?
I remember a day when building one was cheaper. Is it still?

My mom's friend needs an inexpensive system for Internet and email.

What is the least she can expect to spend for a system and where can I
get her one?
Or, what components (mobo, cpu, etc...) and where should I go to get
them to build her one?
I usually shop at Newegg.

Thanks a lot.
Click to expand...

A neighbor of mine just showed up with a Dell 450mhz P3 he got free,
with 224 mb of RAM, USB 2, winmodem, DVD player, and 12gb hdd. It
had a blown video card, radeon 9000, too bad... but I swapped in an
8mb PCI card, good enough. I set it up to boot Windows 2000, DOS, or
Linux, and it works fine with any of those choices. It has an ISA slot
for the next free full-chip 56k ISA modem that comes my way.

If you go to the right place, it's like offering to take someone's
garbage off their hands. You can get Lexmark/IBM keyboards that are
better than new ones and CRT monitors that work fine.

I still use my thinkpad 560x for Internet when I travel, and it's got
a 233mhz pentium 1. It's all I need for that purpose.

Charlie
 
What is the least expensive way to go as far as a complete system goes,
including OS, keyboard, mouse, and monitor?
Could I build one cheaper than buy it already put together?
I remember a day when building one was cheaper. Is it still?

My mom's friend needs an inexpensive system for Internet and email.

What is the least she can expect to spend for a system and where can I
get her one?
Or, what components (mobo, cpu, etc...) and where should I go to get
them to build her one?
I usually shop at New egg.

Thanks a lot.
Click to expand...
For your moms friends best interest, go to Dell.

She can call them with problems during the warranty period, a real plus.
And it will be cheaper than building one yourself.

Google for the bargains sites where they list current dell deals. Wait till a
good one comes along.
The user interfaces with the monitor so get her at least a 17 flat panel system
for utility. Make sure that it has 512MB memory.
The smallest Hard Drive available is currently 80GB. Plenty!

The CPU is where the variability will come in. Current midline systems have a
choice of dual core Pentium 2.8G or single 3G. I choose the 3G for clients
(Pentium 4 Processor 630). Dual cores give no improvement for typical desktop
service.

Recent customer purchased a Dimension 5150 which included 19" flat panel,
separate 128MB ATI Hyper Memory PCI-Express X16 Radeon X300 SE video card
(rather than shared memory) 2yr warranty, floppy, DVD, CD-RW, DDR2 and all else
noted above for some $700 or so. List was $1100.

Budget system can be had for $400 though it might crawl with a celeron CPU and
smaller memory with shared video. And the 15" monitor might be a bit tight.
Useable though.

I like dell cause when it has a problem, they call dell. Make sure you get a
good discount promotion. They change every 2-3 Days.

Also use the dell De-Crapifier (caution for AOL Users)
http://www.yorkspace.com/2006/04/38


My experience with Emachines is not good.

HP boxes seem ok, but I have no real experience with current products.

The last thing . . . Get an inexpensive Logitech (does not need drivers)
wireless optical mouse.

BTW
on the last 2 dell systems the CD drive did not work out of the box. Some dell
WinXP install glitch. Had to delete the ide channel and let it redetect and
install to make it work. Drive was ok of course.
 
That Hard drive is going to get full really soon.
Click to expand...

No, it won't. These days I don't worry about having a big internal
hdd. I use external USB hdds for data storage beyond immediate
projects. I back it up on CDs or DVDs, too. That way my data is not
dependent on a particular system.

Also, this system is not for practical use. Win98se would be better
OS choice for this hardware. My neighbor gave me a 60gb drive and
some other odds and ends of hardware as a way of paying me to set this
box up for him. So I set it up to suit his tastes, which are
superficial. Now he can tell everyone he has a dual-booting
Windows/Linux machine, blah blah blah. He will use it to watch movies
on DVD and conduct various clueless experiments until it is unusable.

But, for someone else who just wants a working
Internet/email/word-processing system and is pinched for cash, why
spend $400-500 when adequate hardware is available free or for a
nominal sum?

Charlie
 
Splork said:
For your moms friends best interest, go to Dell.

She can call them with problems during the warranty period, a real plus.
And it will be cheaper than building one yourself.

Google for the bargains sites where they list current dell deals. Wait till a
good one comes along.
The user interfaces with the monitor so get her at least a 17 flat panel system
for utility. Make sure that it has 512MB memory.
The smallest Hard Drive available is currently 80GB. Plenty!

The CPU is where the variability will come in. Current midline systems have a
choice of dual core Pentium 2.8G or single 3G. I choose the 3G for clients
(Pentium 4 Processor 630). Dual cores give no improvement for typical desktop
service.

Recent customer purchased a Dimension 5150 which included 19" flat panel,
separate 128MB ATI Hyper Memory PCI-Express X16 Radeon X300 SE video card
(rather than shared memory) 2yr warranty, floppy, DVD, CD-RW, DDR2 and all else
noted above for some $700 or so. List was $1100.

Budget system can be had for $400 though it might crawl with a celeron CPU and
smaller memory with shared video. And the 15" monitor might be a bit tight.
Useable though.

I like dell cause when it has a problem, they call dell. Make sure you get a
good discount promotion. They change every 2-3 Days.

Also use the dell De-Crapifier (caution for AOL Users)
http://www.yorkspace.com/2006/04/38


My experience with Emachines is not good.

HP boxes seem ok, but I have no real experience with current products.

The last thing . . . Get an inexpensive Logitech (does not need drivers)
wireless optical mouse.

BTW
on the last 2 dell systems the CD drive did not work out of the box. Some dell
WinXP install glitch. Had to delete the ide channel and let it redetect and
install to make it work. Drive was ok of course.
Click to expand...

I am looking at the cheap Dells.
Thanks.
 
I am looking at the cheap Dells.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

NOW

Ending Dimension Desktop Sale - Dimension 1100 Celeron 2.53Ghz Desktop 19in LCD
$349, Apr 19

Dell Small Business has a new round of desktops with LCD monitors on sale
through 4/19/06 Wed. Tax is charged.

Additional 2% discount for checking out using Dell QuickLoan. Select Credit card
as payment to see this offer.

Dimension 5150 Pentium Desktop 19in LCD $599 shipped free

Dimension 5150 Desktop P4 3Ghz 512MB/160GB Serial ATA, DVD Writer/DVD, Dell LCD,
1yr warranty, XP Home. Free shipping
 
You can go to www.txmicro.com and check out some of their refurbished
systems. They have several that can be gotten for under $90 including
the shipping and come with a valid operating system, currently they
have mostly dell's with P3500 and up processors, But these are towers
but if you want a barebone desktop, the falt type they have a system
for $18 and the cpu is new for $10 and the memory is $13 and you will
need to get a cpu fan as well or you might just want to go ahead and
get one of the complete systems which are a great price, if you go
ther also check out the just arrived section for more low cost
refurbished computer systems.
 
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