Is it possible to buy a PC for under $200

[DaVortex]

I'm looking to purchase a PC for my brother but he just needs it for surfing & email. I dont need anything fancy just the basic components. He doesnt need a printer/monitor/speakers as he already has this.

I checked Circuit City & BestBuy but they start out at $350+


Also I'm not looking to buy the parts seperate.

 

[Brainonska511]

I would have said, you could scrape an older machine together with parts off the FS/FT forum, but I doubt you'll find a machine for $200, unless it is older equipment and you'd probably have to put it together yourself.

 

[Rock Hydra]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I would have said, you could scrape an older machine together with parts off the FS/FT forum, but I doubt you'll find a machine for $200, unless it is older equipment and you'd probably have to put it together yourself.

Your forgot that he might have to support it himself too.

Build machines for yourself, give manufactured PCs as gifts.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

i'm pretty sure that bestbuy had something in that range not too long ago( not Black friday, just a regular deal)

 

[DAGTA]

On rare occasion, yes, but they are crap. My father's wife found one for $99 on some black friday sale. It boots XP slower than the computer I built them in 1999.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: Rock Hydra

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I would have said, you could scrape an older machine together with parts off the FS/FT forum, but I doubt you'll find a machine for $200, unless it is older equipment and you'd probably have to put it together yourself.

Your forgot that he might have to support it himself too.

Build machines for yourself, give manufactured PCs as gifts.

That's true.

For manufactured PCs, it may be possible to find something between $200 and $350 through the Dell Outlet.

 

[QuEeNyGuRl]

It's possible but rare. A couple years back I was able to buy a decent Dell desktop for $200 + tax.

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I would have said, you could scrape an older machine together with parts off the FS/FT forum, but I doubt you'll find a machine for $200, unless it is older equipment and you'd probably have to put it together yourself.

$200 is really nothing for an old PC for basic office work. Sure, you've got to put it together yourself(maybe not even) and offer "support" if that's part of the deal, but component prices have dropped like a rock.
FS/FT is your friend.

As far as a pre-built system... good luck.

 

[Shawn]

I'll sell you an IBM Netvista desktop I have for $150. It's a P3 1ghz with 256mb of ram, 40gb hard drive, a cd burner, network card and a legit version of win2k. It's actually really fast for most things. I wouldn't try gaming with it tho but it does have a free AGP slot if you wanted to upgrade the video. Don't know how much it'd be to ship but i'm sure it would be less than $50.

 

[Lurknomore]

Every so often, bestbuy will have one of those $199 emachine or HP deals.
They will prolly be impossible to find, but at least it's worth the look.

 

[duragezic]

Got any major components from your last PC upgrade? I sold my previous PC: a Athlon XP 2400+ (Barton mobile even, but I clocked it down for 'em ), 512mb RAM, 9600 Pro, and Shuttle NF2-Ultra motherboard for like $175 a year ago. Figure something similar but without the 256mb 3d card and today's prices, + case, PSU, optical, hdd, and misc, I would think $250 would buy him a machine much faster than what he needs. Finding a good deal on the bulk of a computer would bring something decent down to $200 total maybe. My older older computer, a 1.2ghz Tbird with 512mb PC133, is pretty much smokin' for email and internet use that my parents put it to. The 3ghz 'puters that they try and sell for email/internet use are only needed because they are so loaded down with crap.

 

[uhohs]

you missed out.

probably oos everywhere

 

[CraigRT]

At factorydirect.ca they have PC's for $60. (CAD)

They are good enough for surfing and email...haha

 

[jadinolf]

Don't forget the want ads and Craig's list.

There are plenty of $100 computers out there which will fill the bill.