I want to put together a computer for my dad for his birthday. My budget is about $300, but would like to spend closer to $200. I need everything but the monitor. Should i get it from stores online (newegg refurbs?)? Or how bout the buy/sell forum here? My dad would basically use the computer for just email, internet, ms office... right now he has a really slow computer that cant even handle ms word. Thanks in advance for any help!
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Help me build a computer for someone on a limited budget
- Thread starter GRagland
- Start date
Yeah check out neweggs refurbs, they got some nice deals i bought my ati 7500 from there about a year ago, works great. you can also try Price Watch.com they have prices on everything, and if u have some time, which u might not, check out Techdeals.net some really good deals on there for just about everything. Good luck
Dogg
Dogg
Vonkhan
Diamond Member
I'm addicted to the For Sale/Trade (FS/T) Forum here and the newegg refurb tab 😀
U'll still get better deals in the FS/T forum here than newegg in most cases if u're patient.
Did a quick search and there's a member called render who's selling a decent system for $270. U mite be able to negotiate with him ...
U'll still get better deals in the FS/T forum here than newegg in most cases if u're patient.
Did a quick search and there's a member called render who's selling a decent system for $270. U mite be able to negotiate with him ...
ScrapSilicon
Lifer
Athlon XP 1800+ (1.53Ghz)
Epox 8K7A
384MB Crucial PC2100 DDR
40GB IBM Deckstar
52x Creative CDROM
Plextor 8/4/32A CDRW
use the above for his start ..you get in on a Cendyne at OM deal(possible harddrive there as well..check out HotDeals forum..) I'd say grab yourself an $85 newegg nib Epox 8rda+ and a T'Bred of whatever speed(1700+ is going for about $45 or so) you'd like..or the Barton 2500+ Retail box(3yr warranty is tied to said retail HSF ..even if you don't use it..) ..grab a Radeon 9000 from BB for about $80($10 MIR on it as well) or a Radeon 32DDR card off FS/FT forum for around $35-$45 shipped. <edit> on ram its up to you..quite a few will say grab Corsair XMS..BB has a 512MB(PNY possible to get Infineon,Samsung,Spectek also...) stick of pc2700 for $40 after rebates this week as well..but pc3200(3500) would give more headroom on an overclock...
Epox 8K7A
384MB Crucial PC2100 DDR
40GB IBM Deckstar
52x Creative CDROM
Plextor 8/4/32A CDRW
use the above for his start ..you get in on a Cendyne at OM deal(possible harddrive there as well..check out HotDeals forum..) I'd say grab yourself an $85 newegg nib Epox 8rda+ and a T'Bred of whatever speed(1700+ is going for about $45 or so) you'd like..or the Barton 2500+ Retail box(3yr warranty is tied to said retail HSF ..even if you don't use it..) ..grab a Radeon 9000 from BB for about $80($10 MIR on it as well) or a Radeon 32DDR card off FS/FT forum for around $35-$45 shipped. <edit> on ram its up to you..quite a few will say grab Corsair XMS..BB has a 512MB(PNY possible to get Infineon,Samsung,Spectek also...) stick of pc2700 for $40 after rebates this week as well..but pc3200(3500) would give more headroom on an overclock...
ScrapSilicon
Lifer
exactly 😉 you upgrade yourself and he'll be as well..🙂
left out a case ..last case I bought was at the local compshow(only things I'll pretty much will buy there besides floppy drives and retail boxed procs..) only $35 with a 400w Achieve psu ..I know of a 300w Achieve running an ECS K75SA and those mobos are picky on psus.....
Jeff7181
Lifer
That would be fine if he paid you for your old parts... but for you to upgrade to something better than what you got, it's gonna cost more than $200.
If your dad's not gonna play games, you can probably do it for $200.
Get a cheap $40 case with 300 watt power supply, find a mobo/CPU bundle with an XP1700 for $80-100, make sure the mobo uses DDR RAM, get 256 MB of PC2100 RAM on sale at Best Buy for $20, get a 40 GB hard drive on sale at Best Buy for $40. Get a CD-ROM or CDRW for free from a place like Office Max after rebates. Floppy drives are cheap, $7 at newegg for a Sony. Like I said, if he's not going to play games... you could find an old video card, like a GF2 MX200 for like $20... motherboard should have onboard sound. And that pretty much covers it.
The problem is that i would be spending extra money to upgrade myself, and it would sort of be a waste, cause there are no games coming out soon that would benifit from the upgrade. I was thinking about upgrading my mobo/cpu/ram when halflife2 came out (end of september). Hmm... maybe... its tempting.
Jeff7181
Lifer
Well... there's this...
Not great, but sounds like maybe what you're looking for... of course you'd probably have to put Windows on it, cause I doubt your dad would want to use Lindows.
Or there's this... but it's pretty out dated.
Not great, but sounds like maybe what you're looking for... of course you'd probably have to put Windows on it, cause I doubt your dad would want to use Lindows.
Or there's this... but it's pretty out dated.
paperfist
Diamond Member
As much as I hate Walmart... don't they have a super cheap PC for around $200 that comes with Linux and no monitor? Not sure how the quailty is but at that price I wouldn't be expecting top of the line anyway.
I checked their website, here it is if your interested: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2225971&cat=3951&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951
I checked their website, here it is if your interested: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2225971&cat=3951&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951
Jeff7181
Lifer
One problem you'll run into is cases... they're flimsy, like to bend, and are often bent when you get them, so the side panel doesn't fit right. Another problem is the power supplies... I use to buy cheap cases... and the fan in the power supplies would rattle after about 6 months.
ScrapSilicon
Lifer
PM AT user ..skyking..he is in the Seattle area I believe..not sure if AT user ..render.. is out WA way or not ..there's an Emachine at WalMart ..😛 ..it actually uses the FIC AM-37 mobo I believe..
Radeon has better 2D for websurfing... I still say go with upping yourself ...I assembled a lil comp for my aunt recently with an ECS K75SA(was $40), a 1ghz Athlon 'B'($30 and used a $5 GC68), 40GB Maxtor 7.2k had bought from Staples for $38 after(have rec'd) MIR and a coupon, $10 TNT 16MB AGP(had it from a previous build was upgraded), a $7 Alps floppy from buyextremegear(I think that's the website..), a pulled from my PacDigital USB 2.0 enclosure 16x10x40 LTR-16102B, the Dealsonic case but had got it shipped for $30 from newegg with a 350w L&C psu(put a 300w Eagle/VTech in it works better with it), a stick of 512MB pc133 MT ECC stick from a very old trade(estimated cost $30) and a Sterling 56k softmodem was free after rebate from Staples.
Biostar M7VIG Pro (onboard 32MB video (borrowed from system mem) and sound) ($59 Newegg)
AMD Athlon 2000+ CPU ($69 Retail - Newegg) (or sell him your 1800+ for $30 and get a retail 2200+ for $79 for yourself at newegg - net out of pocket for you=$50)
256MB PC2100 DDR Mem ($30 - Crucial @ newegg)
Cheap Case w/ 300W PSU ($40)
WD 40GB HDD ($30-40, depending on rebates, local store)
CD/RW ($20 w/ rebate local store)
floppy ($7 newegg or local store)
modem (free, watch at Office Max)
Total: ~ $265 and you can probably do better on some of the above in refurb or just hunting around. It's pretty ez. The Biostar is a nice stable board and the vid is more than enuf for his purposes. I just built on of these for my wife's parents. They love it!
AMD Athlon 2000+ CPU ($69 Retail - Newegg) (or sell him your 1800+ for $30 and get a retail 2200+ for $79 for yourself at newegg - net out of pocket for you=$50)
256MB PC2100 DDR Mem ($30 - Crucial @ newegg)
Cheap Case w/ 300W PSU ($40)
WD 40GB HDD ($30-40, depending on rebates, local store)
CD/RW ($20 w/ rebate local store)
floppy ($7 newegg or local store)
modem (free, watch at Office Max)
Total: ~ $265 and you can probably do better on some of the above in refurb or just hunting around. It's pretty ez. The Biostar is a nice stable board and the vid is more than enuf for his purposes. I just built on of these for my wife's parents. They love it!
Thanks for the system recommendations. Although those are good deals and fit my budget, i really dont have time to shop, rebates, build the computer... cause i have tons of schoolwork to do. I think that im gonna have to buy a prebuilt system off of someone in the buy/sell forums, or on ebay.. or something.
ScrapSilicon
Lifer
that's why I suggested a local AT user..like skyking..😉 ..check his heatware rating..
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