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Best deal on a budget desktop PC?

GoodEnough

GoodEnough

Golden Member
I need a spare PC for basic use (internet, email, MS-office)

I don't need a hotrodded gamer PC.
I can even go used or refurb.
Can I do it for $300?

Anyone like to shop?
Can you help me find a link to buy?
Anyone selling a spare PC?
 
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You will get far more help posting this in the General Hardware forum.
 
where are you and what is your budget and what do you already have if anything.

If you honestly just need the basics of web browsing and MS office, just go to the dell outlet store online and find the cheapest desktop you can.


The Inspiron 3647 Small Desktop is available from the outlet store for $289. It isn't a very good computer, but it has an OS and it will do the basics just fine.
 
Go to ebay, under the Desktops & All-In-Ones category, type in "E8600". If you are patient you can snag a fully functional core 2 duo E8600 machine for $100. If not so patient, then you pay $150. Then search for an intel X25-M SSD and pick one up for $40-$50. You get a pretty good machine for $200. Intel's data migration software works with those drives and makes it really painless to replace the HDD.
 
Does Office need to be MS Office? If not, look into a Chromebook/Chromebox.
 
$300 is really scraping the bottom of the barrel.

You can get a new tablet for $200.

OS costs $99 (Microsoft) Linux maybe free
Motherboard $40 older model
Case $30 Maybe Used Case - Friend may have one.
HD $50
CPU $40-$250
RAM $20-$80
Optical Drive $15-$30 Optional
Power Supply $20 CX480 $39.95 + $20 Rebate Card
Buy cheap case with cheap power supply

Buy used or refurbished maybe?
 
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One of the 8" Atom tablets with HDMI out (Acer W4?) could be used as a desktop replacement by attaching a monitor and keyboard. They come with the Home & Student version of Office.


Otherwise, Dell Financial Services off-lease includes Windows and a good warranty, but probably not Office. They have desktops and laptops for $250 - $350.
http://www.dfsdirectsales.com/
 
Thanks for the options, guy. Much appreciated.
And thanks for not telling me to go out and get a Lenovo Erazer X700

The Inspiron 3647 is $299 with KVM.
With $120 monitor, that would put me at $420.
That seems decent and better than options at BB for $500. Like this or this

Not looking to build a PC.

The $179 newegg refurb is 6 years old.
I think it would be smart to pay another $100 and get something more modern from Dell Outlet.
 
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Yeah when I brought up Dell Outlet I really didn't know *when* you needed it. If you wait for the right coupons, you can walk out with a steal.
 
I've never had a machine from Dell Outlet not ship in 24hrs. Maybe I am lucky, but my impression is that everything is in stock: they just have to pick it and ship it.
 
You can get a celeron laptop for around 300.00 that would be fast enough for the basics. You could get a considerably faster i3 for 350 to 400. I recently got a HP laptop with a 2.4ghz i3 from Best Buy for around 360.00 and it is plenty fast for everyday use.
 
mfenn said:
I've never had a machine from Dell Outlet not ship in 24hrs. Maybe I am lucky, but my impression is that everything is in stock: they just have to pick it and ship it.
Click to expand...

This. What's on their website is what they have. You can watch things disappear from the search after you put them in your cart, and reappear after you release them.
I think they might occasionally screw up with a listing or find that something's bad before it goes out the door and put you on wait until they get another, but other than that there shouldn't be a wait.
 
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