Build or Buy the Cheapest Box on the Planet?

[morningtrader]

I've built a custom, state of the art, megadollar PC box for myself, but now I have a different problem. Need a PC for my wife. Real, real basic use (Word, Net and networked to my system).

When its cheap-cheap, is it still worth it to build it myself? Or should I just grab a POS off the shelf at Best Buy?

Alan

 

[CTho9305]

from newegg (last week):
1 Amd Athlon 266 bus 1Gig $66.00 <-- drop to a $35 duron, or something
1 Ecs K7S5A $57.00
1 256 DDR Memory $35.00 <-- more than you need, but its cheap
1 20Gig Harddrive $77.00 <-- way more than needed
1 CD RW 16x10x40 $70.00 <-- don't even need
1 Creative Labs 56k Modem $18.00 <-- if you're on a LAN, you don't need this, the mobo has NIC onboard
1 Ati Rage 128 Pro Graphic $22.00
1 shipping $24.00
1 Case $60.00 <-- more than you need
1 17" Samrton Monitor $89.00



total $518

if you get this mobo: BIOSTAR M7VKS AMD VIA KLE133 686B 266MHZ FSB PC 133 MICRO ATX I'm told it has onboard video or something too and it is even cheaper than the ECS.

 

[Rahminator]

Building your own pays off if you build a high end expensive system. In case of cheapo computers, it would probably be more expensive to build yourself if you use legitemate software. You also get a warranty so if something goes wrong you won't have to spend hours troubleshooting. Get a prebuilt.

 

[CTho9305]

good point. if you're not running a free OS (that could be a "wink-wink" or linux ) and are interested in warranties, you may find it more cost effective to go with a major OEM.

 

[morningtrader]

Boy this is a toss up. Certainly dont need the CD writer, so a $25 CD-ROM. Have a graveyard of old TNTs and Rages. And the, ahem, software...a pile of OEM OSs I could open a OS museum with

But the $89 17in monitor is scary. Probably makes your eyes bleed.

Last question: have an old HP133 sitting around. I'm going to junk that in favor of the cheapie because some software wont run well on it That is an ATX case right? So I could strip out the MB and use the case and power supply if I wanted? Maybe even the 8x CD.

Alan

 

[pay]

Probably not, its most likely an AT case. But check the case, it could be ATX