Idle question for all you oh-so-knowledgeable computer geeks

[kellinator]

What's the cheapest that one can get a decent computer?

The IT department here was selling off some old computers for ten bucks apiece, but of course they ran out before my turn in line came, dammit. The professors got their pick before the staff. I'm not in urgent need of a computer, but I would like to upgrade one of these days. What are the least expensive options out there?

Comments

[reannon.livejournal.com]

New Mac iBooks with the G3 chip are discounted to $700 these days at MacMall and similar retailers. You might even be able to get an educator discount on top of that. If I had the wherewithal, that's what I'd buy. My dad says I shouldn't buy lower than G4, but that's what a person says when he makes three times my salary.

Sorry, can't speak for PCs - I use GOOD computers. *snicker*

[rocketmelee.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure, but I know my current boyfriend builds computers for people, a lot of times at cost. I could ask him about least expensive options... of course, someone else will probably have an answer for you before that happens :)

[poprockgrrl.livejournal.com]

If you're looking for new, Dell has some deals sometimes. Their refurb site is also excellent (http://www1.us.dell.com/content/default.aspx?c=us&cs=22&l=en&s=dfh). Their refurb stuff comes with the same warranty as the new stuff.

Also, what speed is your current computer because I might could give you something that we'd just send to surplus...

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I'm not even sure how slow mine at home is. I have my college computer that I got in, like, '96, so it's old.

[poprockgrrl.livejournal.com]

doh! that is old.

We'll probably have some spares that will be going to surplus at the end of summer. I don't know what speed the ones we have left will be but I could snag one for you.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Oh, that would be so awesome! Honestly, I can't afford high-speed net access or anything, so right now one that does basic stuff and can run Civilization III would work just fine for me. ;) Thank you!

[poprockgrrl.livejournal.com]

Well, I will definitely try and snag a decent one that we should have left over.

[leezechka.livejournal.com]

I got my Dell for $500-ish.

I love it, it is fast, has goodies and is upgradable. I got a preconfigured one with gobs of memory and RAM.

[vanguardian.livejournal.com]

Don't you play a swash-buckling thief? Steal one, of course!

Preferrably from the office of a professor who continually asks for things but without going through the proper channels.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

*snerk* *giggle*

[adamosity.livejournal.com]

If you wanted to drive to Jacksonville, I could get you a $25 computer, but it's probably no better than what you have (pentium 400ish, 96-128 meg ram, 14 inch monitor, 6-10 gig hd).

I may be selling a laptop pretty cheaply in the near future. Both of these were IT specials from my dad's company.

I'm actually getting one of the $25 ones to donate to an interfaith art museum project I consult on, but I can get more.

Honestly? I'd say get a low-end Dell for $500-700 and go from there. Old computers are a temporary solution that get worse each day.

--adam

[dellaran.livejournal.com]

You could build a middling-quality new machine for maybe $300, a good one for $500-600, and a fairly high end machine for $1000. Generally speaking, that will be cheaper than buying a brand-name computer of equivalent power. You can find good deals at the computer shows at the Cobb Civic Center (next one mid-August), or pick up a copy of "Computer User" (or look at them online) and check out the ads for small local shops.

If you wouldn't mind a used computer, I could put one of my leftover machines together for you for less than those prices... it would be nice to find a home for one of them. This isn't a sales pitch, but if you'd be interested, just ask.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

I may take you up on that once I get my finances a little more in order... thanks!

[kmn-rdr-caoimhe.livejournal.com]

Here, this might help out. >^_^

[kmn-rdr-caoimhe.livejournal.com]

Well, no, wait…this might be easier, as I don't know how much you know about hardware.

Well…I also don't know what what OS you're using, but both of those links came from this section of Pricewatch, so if you don't like those, there are SEVERAL more to choose from. PC, Mac, Linspire, or empty, so you can put whatever the hell you want on it.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

There are many tools for the job, and some tools are better for different jobs. What do you want to be able to do with your computer?

I must say, I do like the apples (ibook in my case), but windows are king for gaming, etc.

[legolastn.livejournal.com]

If you are looking for a good, quality, cheap computer (besides, say, a custom built from a computer nerd acquaintance), I would suggest looking at emachines or low-end dells. Emachines used to have a rep as a crap computer maker. But they came under new management and have become much improved in the last few years. Still low-cost, but have been getting props from the PC magazines/experts, and gateway bought them up recently (presumably mirroring the compaq/hp low-end/high-end brand name partnership). My parents bought one last year to replace the old one I'd given them, and they've had no trouble out of it. My laptop will probably be an emachine. You should be able to get a decent desktop WITH FLAT PANEL MONITOR for well under $500 if you keep an eye out for sales/rebate offers.

In the case of the emachines, the models listed on the website are not all the model options they have - go to best buy or circuit city (or perhaps sam's club and/or costco, if you or someone you know has a membership) and check out what they have in stock.

Lastly, I mentioned compaq earlier. I can't recommend a compaq (though I won't say "definitely don't buy one.") My current computer is a compaq, and I've sworn off them personally because of problems I've had with it. My harddrive crashed within a year of purchase. They did send me a new one, but I lost quite a bit of data. I've also had problems with my DVD/CD drives. One no longer works at all. And there are a few other quirks.

[gaiagurl.livejournal.com]

the problem with emachines, however, last i heard, is they are not upgradeable. that to me would not be a good thing.

kelly--the best deals are usually going to be Frankenputers, as opposed to name brand whatevers. usually. at microcenter i found a compaq for a really good price, although i wound up having to upgrade the memory because 128mb just doesn't cut it for a two-and-a-half gigahertz processor. but overall i was very pleased--it came in at well under a thousand, including a monitor. i think it might have been refurbished, i'm not sure, but it looks new to me.

micro center sometimes has great deals. local non-chain computer stores sometimes have great deals. another option, if you're willing to do mail or online order, is to get a copy of computer shopper magazine. it's really thick, will make you think of a sears & roebuck catalog, and it's got all kinds of parts and systems listed.

[kmn-rdr-caoimhe.livejournal.com]

Well, my current box is an eMachines eTower 400i, and the only original parts left in it are the original HD, the modem, the floppy, the cables and the processor - but it's almost 5 years old, so I don't know what they've done with their computers since then.

Just noting. ^_^

[kmn-rdr-caoimhe.livejournal.com]

Oh, and yes. An eMachines box is usually made of refurbished hardware.

[legolastn.livejournal.com]

Uh, what? Putting used/refurbished parts in a new computer and selling it as new would be illegal. So I'm pretty sure that's not true either.

[sleepingwolf.livejournal.com]

Perhaps comorbid is thinking of Packard Bell, who was using refurbished parts illegally in new systems and is now defunct in the US.

[legolastn.livejournal.com]

What isn't upgradable? If you mean nothing at all is upgradable, of course that's not true. And as far as I now, isn't true in regards to specifics either. Where did you hear that?!

[bannanna.livejournal.com]

My boy (Greg, whom I think you have met) will build you one. He'll do it as cheap as possible, and he has access to some really good parts. He said it would be in the $200-$300 range depending on what you wanted, so if you don't really know what you want, you could start by telling me what you have now so we could figure out what "better" is...

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow! I may take y'all up on that, but I need to get my finances a little bit in order first... *hugs*

[bannanna.livejournal.com]

*hugs back* Absolutely hun...and when/if you have problems with it, my personal geek...or probably one of the many others we know would be happy to fix it for you. If you'd like we could even arrange some kinda installment plan. Just lemme know....

[vernard.livejournal.com]

The mom-n-pop computer stores in Norrcross off of jimmy carter can sell you an adequate computer for $3000 with a 3 year warranty on labor and a one year warranty on parts. Brand new.

or you can buy a used machine with a 60 day warranty from the same location for $50.

Depends on what you want to do with it.

[la-poubelle.livejournal.com]

http://slickdeals.net has good deals, you could probably get a whole new Dell system which I'd recommend since it has warranty (unlike the homemade computers that people build themselves).

Home built PC's are good if you know how to fix them yourself but a royal pain in the ass to get serviced if its not name brand. With virus outbreaks these days and the amount of times you'll probably need to reload the damn thing I'd stick with Dell.

If you want help finding one let me know what you want to spend and I'll help you pick out the best for your buck.

[skellington.livejournal.com]

To mirror other questions:

What do you have now, and what would you consider "decent"?

My brother's idea of decent is considerable more powerful than mine, and I'm a hardcore geek. (He plays latest-and-greatest games on his.)

I have a couple of REALLY old computers that have been looking for a good home, and I could help you put something together for relatively cheap as well. I also have some spare parts lying around that might be of use.

Although getting a complete working system from Dell is nice if you're able to afford it. On the "Small Business" site (you can order from it), they have a brand new computer with decent specs for $349 (not including monitor and printer). Although you'd probably need to add a few things, including anti-virus, etc.

(And it's cheaper to buy most of the add-ons yourself on sale than have Dell do it... if you want some advice, post on your LJ and I'm sure plenty of people will let you know what's a good deal from Dell, and what isn't..)