Can I build a computer for $300 or less for my mom?

[pw257008]

$319.99 for Pentium G3220 tower, new
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-ins...rive/2999138.p

 

[crashtech]

I think I purchased my parents the same computer. Works just fine for their needs which are pretty much the same as hers (surfing, office programs, photo viewing, etc.) so it should be fine for her too. One potential gotcha about this PC is that there is zero room for additional internal hard drives. I was originally going to install an SSD for my parents on theirs but that went out the window when I opened the system and saw that not only was there not a free SATA port but there was no place to mount it. Shouldn't be a big deal though just remember if she needs additional storage you'll need to either buy an external drive or be prepared to copy everything needed from the old drive over.

I would think that on a machine of this nature you would clone the existing system drive to the SSD by temporarily using the port for the optical drive, then remove the old HDD and install the SSD the only drive in the system.

 

[nsafreak]

I would think that on a machine of this nature you would clone the existing system drive to the SSD by temporarily using the port for the optical drive, then remove the old HDD and install the SSD the only drive in the system.

I thought about doing that but there budget only allowed for a 128GB drive at the time. I could've put the internal drive in an enclosure (because they did need the space for all the pictures my mother has) but I could easily see that causing problems. It's fast enough for them and they're happy, should they need an upgrade I may propose that again although by that time a 500GB SSD may be reasonably priced.

 

[lucklessgorath]

I am still thinking this is the best bang for the buck...

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-i3647-123...productDetails

1600rpm DDR3 and an Intel HD-DVD drive?

 

[mfenn]

For basic uses like that, why not get a laptop?

Something like the Asus Transformer Book T100 would probably blow her away in terms of functionality for $350. The only thing it doesn't have is tons of storage for photos, but you can add a cheap microSD card for that.

Frankly, $300 desktops really aren't worth buying - too slow, way too clunky and big for the performance they provide.

A $300 Windows laptop is going to be even slower and clunkier, with a crap screen, keyboard, and touchpad to boot.

 

[mfenn]

$319.99 for Pentium G3220 tower, new
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-ins...rive/2999138.p

:thumbsup: Good find! This is the same PC as was listed on Amazon, but less expensive.

 

[Anomaly1964]

:thumbsup: Good find! This is the same PC as was listed on Amazon, but less expensive.

I found it on amazon for $319 too!

 

[DesiPower]

open box is even cheaper! I feel like snaging one even though I do not need it

 

[Insert_Nickname]

I disagree with the SSD essential in 2014 point. I'd take a faster CPU over SSD any day. Especially in this price range.

Then we disagree. SSDs at least makes slow CPUs bearable. 5400RPM HDDs and too little memory makes me want to throw the system out the window...

 

[crashtech]

Then we disagree. SSDs at least makes slow CPUs bearable. 5400RPM HDDs and too little memory makes me want to throw the system out the window...

Well, if the CPU is too slow, nothing is going to save the system. So you might want to add some qualifiers. For me, anything P4 or earlier has passed into the "too slow to save" category. YMMV.

 

[toughtrasher]

open box is even cheaper! I feel like snaging one even though I do not need it

Every computer geek's thoughts when new hardware releases.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Then we disagree. SSDs at least makes slow CPUs bearable. 5400RPM HDDs and too little memory makes me want to throw the system out the window...

I doubt an SSD would help this Kabini E1-2500 dual-core 1.37Ghz CPU in this AIO I bought. It's ... slow. Internet radio takes 40% CPU, YouTube pauses sometimes, web browsing is delayed a bit.

 

[aigomorla]

5400RPM HDDs and too little memory makes me want to throw the system out the window...

AHAHAHAHA +1

i know that pain well.... you also need to include the extra abuse the mouse and keyboard gets while ur waiting for the stupid thing to load.

 

[frozentundra123456]

I have a 7200 RPM hard drive and an i5, and the machine certainly does not feel slow. I usually just put the comp in sleep mode, so boot time is not a big deal, and the programs I use open within a few seconds, and usually are stored in cached memory so they open almost instantaneously, as does Chrome or Firefox. I do have 8 gig of memory though.

 

[Termie]

A $300 Windows laptop is going to be even slower and clunkier, with a crap screen, keyboard, and touchpad to boot.

Well, none of that applies to the T100 I'm typing on right now. Available right now for $350 on Amazon.

And by clunky, I meant large. Most older people do not need full-size PCs sitting at their desks to serve their computing needs.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Well, if the CPU is too slow, nothing is going to save the system. So you might want to add some qualifiers. For me, anything P4 or earlier has passed into the "too slow to save" category. YMMV.

Well, I had a 2009 CULV "Netbook" with an SU4100 (Dualcore Penryn @ 1.3GHz/2MB L2) to which I added an X25-V 40GB. Was surprisingly usable, didn't feel too slow. Except when running really CPU intensive stuff, which is to be expected. But for surfing the internet it was just fine.

Which leads to;

I doubt an SSD would help this Kabini E1-2500 dual-core 1.37Ghz CPU in this AIO I bought. It's ... slow. Internet radio takes 40% CPU, YouTube pauses sometimes, web browsing is delayed a bit.

My XPbox is based on an ASUS C60M1-I board (Brazos C60/1GHz-1.33GHz turbo), 60GB Vertex2 and 4GB RAM. Shows exact same "lag" browsing, I'm thinking its most likely due to how Bobcat handles SSE. That said it still usable, runs old games and applications just fine. You do not want to use Brazos with a 5400RPM HDD. How anyone can stand that without becoming suicidal, is beyond me.

What's more it only uses 12W running full-stop...

I have a 7200 RPM hard drive and an i5, and the machine certainly does not feel slow. I usually just put the comp in sleep mode, so boot time is not a big deal, and the programs I use open within a few seconds, and usually are stored in cached memory so they open almost instantaneously, as does Chrome or Firefox. I do have 8 gig of memory though.

Of course an i5 + 8GB memory is fine combined with a 7200RPM drive. What you don't want to do is combine a slow CPU with too little memory, and a slow HDD. If the system has to swap memory to disk, it really kills performance, no matter how fast your CPU is...

 

[Charlie98]

I disagree with the SSD essential in 2014 point. I'd take a faster CPU over SSD any day. Especially in this price range.

I'd take an SSD over a faster processor, assuming it's a reasonable CPU.

Although every rig I build now has an SSD, by definition a 'budget build' is defined by it's budget. Either you can fit an SSD in the budget (even in lieu of an HDD as I did in my last build) or you need bigger storage than a budget SSD can provide. Once you get above $400, I feel an SSD is mandatory.

 

[mfenn]

Well, none of that applies to the T100 I'm typing on right now. Available right now for $350 on Amazon.

Not quite true. You have to go to $400 to get the keyboard dock, and that means going down to 32GB of flash. $500 to keep the 64GB of flash and get the dock.

I'd also not consider the keyboard to be very good if you have larger hands. It's tiny. The touchpad is also bad, granted that is ameliorated by having a touchscreen.

 

[frozentundra123456]

What do you mean by the "keyboard dock"? I am not familiar with that. I thought the keyboard was standard. Currently I am seeing a 64gb model with the detachable keyboard for 370.00.

That said, I am not sure a small screen and keyboard like this would be a good choice for some older people if they have poor vision and maybe some problems with their hands.

 

[Termie]

Not quite true. You have to go to $400 to get the keyboard dock, and that means going down to 32GB of flash. $500 to keep the 64GB of flash and get the dock.

I'd also not consider the keyboard to be very good if you have larger hands. It's tiny. The touchpad is also bad, granted that is ameliorated by having a touchscreen.

What do you mean by the "keyboard dock"? I am not familiar with that. I thought the keyboard was standard. Currently I am seeing a 64gb model with the detachable keyboard for 370.00.

That said, I am not sure a small screen and keyboard like this would be a good choice for some older people if they have poor vision and maybe some problems with their hands.

Price actually went up twenty bucks today, but yes, it comes with a dock, and yes, the screen is rather small. Just giving it as an example of something that I believe has far more intrinsic value than a $300 bottom of the barrel desktop. There are other laptops in the $300 range that are probably good options, but lack an SSD, which the T100 has.

The OP seems to want a desktop, and frankly, there isn't a question in my mind that building one will cost more than buying one for equal performance.