Cheap PC?

Discussion in 'Off-Topic' started by Cool_____, Dec 14, 2010.

  1. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Anyone know where I can find good cheap desktops? All I need is at least 2 gig ram, Win7, DVD-r would be nice and USB 2.0. I don't play games online, don't do heavy processing. Just online surfing and maybe loading photos but that's basically it. I have another PC for heavy stuff but I don't like the missus and the kids playing on my dedicated PC so I want a cheapo one that will live for another 4-5 years.

    I'm thinking the generic walmart or best buy ones are gonna be as cheap as you can find. Surfing newegg.com right now.
     
  2. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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    microcenter.com typically has some cheap stuff...or you can build your own for pretty cheap too.
     
  3. nsvwrx

    nsvwrx Active Member

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    bensbargains.net
     
  4. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Yeah I was thinking of just building one.

    I know nothing of the new processors......suggestions for a good basic setup?
     
  5. nygiant

    nygiant Member

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    build one. its cheaper. u get what u want. u can easily update/upgrade down the line. i never buy desktops anymore, only build them
     
  6. Alex

    Alex Community Founder
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    What he said. This place is awesome for tech deals.
     
  7. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Thinking more I think I'm gonna just build one. I already have some of the hardware....why buy more?

    I just don't know where the bargain places are. Checking all suggested....thanks.
     
  8. integroid

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    I agree you should build one but they are not cheaper because you are getting quality parts and you get to spec it out.

    Honestly though, if it is just for surfing the web you are probably better off just buying a refurb or seeing if Rick has something he can sell you cheap.
     
  9. nsvwrx

    nsvwrx Active Member

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    You're better off buying a cheap pc than trying to build one. Its going to cost more to build. I got my decent htpc for 270.
     
  10. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Where you get that? I'm trying to stay lower then $300. My biggest hurdle is gonna be getting Windows 7. I have WinXP but would like to upgrade however it's not a must.
     
  11. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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  12. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Yeah I saw those Matt.....ticked me off when I saw the in store pickup.
     
  13. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    I may see what they have first Jan and get it then.....since I'll be in Atl then.
     
  14. Alex

    Alex Community Founder
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    I am sure that with Matt or I living in that area, one of us could go pick up the pc for you and ship it out.
     
  15. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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    the only issue I see with that is typically the person who purchases the goods has to show proof of id and credit card. Granted, one of us could purchase it, provided he will pay us back for it. :p
     
  16. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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  17. tolnep

    tolnep Member

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    reviews of motherboards, cpus, memory, sound and video cards:

    abxzone and anandtech.

    then buy at newegg.com. newegg also has reviews of parts.

    you might be able to review at above and buy at fry's or microcenter. depending on tax v shipping.

    you can build cheap. trick is to pick parts that have been out a while instead of being cutting edge.

    though i always build high end stuff, i think you can build for cheap too. probably cheaper than buying. especially if you have a few pieces already and dont need to buy the whole thing.

    this includes OEM OS's too, unless you want to run something like Linux which is free.
     
  18. nsvwrx

    nsvwrx Active Member

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  19. techlord

    techlord Active Member

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    you're about to have a pm
     
  20. integroid

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    Like I said...Rick can probably get you something for the low low that will do everything you need it to.
     
  21. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Yep. And I think I'm gonna get it and stick with WinXP.
     
  22. nygiant

    nygiant Member

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  23. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    You really don't read much do you?
     
  24. integroid

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    reading is overrated;)
     
  25. nygiant

    nygiant Member

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    reading is overrated;)
     
    #25 nygiant, Dec 15, 2010
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2010
  26. superdoughboy4

    superdoughboy4 Active Member

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    I'll put something up together for you, Cool.

    *Link removed

    *Nevermind. It doesn't want be published for some reason.

    I went with AMD + a mobo with an integrated GPU mainly because you're on a low budget.
    AMD is now known for the best bang for your buck in terms of processors.

    Well, here's the parts list:


    Xigmatek ASGARD II B/B CPC-T45UC-U01 Black / Black 0.8 mm SECC / Aluminum and Aluminum Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
    ASUS M4A785-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
    Rosewill Stallion Series RD450-2-SB 450W ATX V2.2 Power Supply
    AMD Athlon X2 7850 Black Edition Kuma 2.8GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Dual-Core Desktop Processor AD785ZWCJ2BGH - OEM
    G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ
    Western Digital Caviar Blue WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
    ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
     
    #26 superdoughboy4, Dec 15, 2010
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2010
  27. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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  28. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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  29. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Holy crap.....even though Rick's deal was cheaper, this one is much better and way more advanced and updated.

    Buy.com sold out already.....that was fast.

    Thanks Matt!
     
  30. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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    I'd hop on that newegg deal. that's almost a decent htpc.
     
  31. superdoughboy4

    superdoughboy4 Active Member

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    That Shell Shocker deal is good. Get it. Aside from the Seagate HDD, it's a good PC.
     
  32. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Yeah. I've never had issues with Seagate HDD though...they've all worked well for me.
     
  33. superdoughboy4

    superdoughboy4 Active Member

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    Well, since about last year (or maybe 2 years ago), Seagate had moved their production facilities over to China, and since then, there have been less reliability in their hard drives. I have a 500GB Seagate that I use, but I bought it when I built this PC, which was about 3-4 years ago.
    Seagate HDDs are now a lot cheaper, but they still offer their awesome warranty.
     
  34. nsvwrx

    nsvwrx Active Member

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    They used to have a 5 year warranty -- its down to 3 now.
     
  35. superdoughboy4

    superdoughboy4 Active Member

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    That's right. 5 year warranty. That's what also gave them an edge.
    But wow... Cutting it down to 3...
    WD, for their higher-end and high-end HDDs, they offer 5 years.
    That includes the Raptors and Blacks. All of the Greens and Blues have 3 years.
    For the blacks, you have to pay a fairly hefty premium, but I love my 1TB black.
     
  36. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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    my 1TB black was the same as all their other 1TB HDDs...
     
  37. superdoughboy4

    superdoughboy4 Active Member

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    I don't use my hardware as extensively as other users, but for the Greens anyway, they don't have a consistent 7200RPM spin from what I've heard, so there is reliability issues because the Greens go from 5400RPM to 7200RPM. That's meant for them to of course save energy and be "green", but also can cause and inconsistency in reading and writing, which could possibly make them prone to failure.
    I've never had experience with the other drives, but that's just from that I've heard.
    The Blacks are aimed more towards the performance hungry, faster HDD reading/OS booting people.
    If you don't care about any of that, the Blues will do you fine.
     
  38. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    I'm still looking. Rick's PC is too outdated. I want dual or quad core processors as I have decided to do more with this next PC.
     
  39. nsvwrx

    nsvwrx Active Member

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    See the deal i posted
     
  40. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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  41. superdoughboy4

    superdoughboy4 Active Member

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    Ew. HP. They can burn in hell.
     
  42. Matt

    Matt Think before you post
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    it's cheap...it's dual core.

    :D
     
  43. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    Ugh another brand name fanboi.
     
  44. jt money

    jt money 350hp mmm mmm Good!
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  45. superdoughboy4

    superdoughboy4 Active Member

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    What? More like a no brand name fanboi.
    I've put up with tons of HPs to know that they're quality is just flat out shitty and a pain in the ass if not taken care of, which is what happened to all of the ones that I had to fix.
    Also Gateway and eMachines. Having owned an eMachines prior to the current RIG, their hardware just does not last, hence their ridiculously cheap prices for decent hardware
    It's much more cost effective to put together your own system, even though each individual part will have its warranty. Most of the times, that's not even a bother.
     
    #46 superdoughboy4, Dec 20, 2010
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2010
  46. Cool_____

    Cool_____ Banned

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    On the contrary I know quite a few people with HP and they all working fine with zero issues. You people must not take care of your stuff and throw it everywhere.

    EVERY manufacturer has good stuff and bad stuff. You just don't hear about the good stuff because everyone is happy and no one speaks until something breaks so that is the only thing you hear.....well such and such broke....must be a POS.
     
  47. superdoughboy4

    superdoughboy4 Active Member

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    The people that I help with their PCs are obviously ones that are not very tech savvy.
    You also don't have to worry about bloatware, or the manufacturer's method of restoration, taking a partition from the hard drive with the factory settings.
    I take care of my stuff. I don't understand how other people can't.
    That's why my PC has lasted 3 (4?) years so far, having a few upgrades throughout its life.
     
  48. integroid

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    HP, like many brands, have more than one line. The majority of the comsumers buy HP's crap consumer line. Same quality as everything else that is sold in the retail box stores. The HP business lines of PCs and Notebooks are probably one of the best that I have used while in the industry. Their business customer support is also top notch. On the consumer side all of the name brands are about the same to me. That is why I always try to just build my own PC because I know what is going into the machine.
     
  49. techlord

    techlord Active Member

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    Having participated in the service and deployment of thousands of desktop and laptop in an enterprise environment over the past 17yrs, I can say with certainty that HP is the way to go. Nearly all of our clients have migrated to the HP Compaq line (exactly what matt linked but in the tower form factor) with the exception of specialty purchases with specific application.
    IBM, Dell and others simply don't cut it on total life cycle and cost companies more, period.

    Delette the box I mentioned to you is the first gen dc7600 with hyperthreading 3.4ghz. the model that came before the link Matt posted above.

    EDIT:
    getting pulled away watching kids...Eddie speaks the truth on different lines and I deal with all business lines and HP still rules there. I used to build my own but now just buy the crap coming back as it works for my needs just fine and it cost me virtually nothing. I always load my own crap NEVER do I use any oem load...
     
    #50 techlord, Dec 20, 2010
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2010

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