Why don't pre-made desktops have SSDs?

[Jumpem]

Which you're going to be regardless. When she has a question regarding a computer you provided for her are you going to tell her to call HP? It doesn't matter if you bought it for her or built it for her, you're the one she'll be calling.

I would expect an HP or Dell to be pretty bullet proof. Anything I build could have driver or part idiosyncrasies that have to be dealt with.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Well, I am going to go against the grain here, and argue that the basic "grandma" computer doesnt really need an SSD. I use multiple machines at my work and even my home desktop does not have an SSD. None of those computers feel "slow" to me in casual usage. Now might they boot 30 seconds faster, or open a program in 3 seconds, instead of 10 with an SSD. Of course, but does it really matter for an occasional user who just goes on the computer briefly a few times a day? And even regarding boot time, just let the computer go into sleep mode. Now when I am sitting there waiting for a level to load in FO4, *that* is when I wish I had an SSD, or of course if you are doing productivity tasks that do a lot of reading and writing to disk.

And Please, Please, Please, stop posting advice to buy atom systems. They are pitiful in a desktop or full size laptop. I would take a HDD, even the slowest possible one, with a big core cpu over a tablet processor in a desktop any day.

Now before I get ripped a new one, with SSDs getting cheaper, for a light use computer, it *would* make much more sense to include a small SSD instead of a 1TB hard drive. But I just dont think a "grandma" user is going to be dissatisfied with any modern big core desktop.

 

[Termie]

^ I respectfully disagree with the post above. I have used multiple Atom-based systems with SSDs, and multiple Core i3/i5 systems with hard drives.

The average user will like the SSD system more.

Since it seems to have been lost in the shuffle, I'm going to re-post my suggestion for the HP Pavilion for $250, which is what I'd purchase for an older person:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rue&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_5&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

A NUC is cool and all, and I've built them, but it represents an unnecessary expense.

 

[Jumpem]

^ I respectfully disagree with the post above. I have used multiple Atom-based systems with SSDs, and multiple Core i3/i5 systems with hard drives.

The average user will like the SSD system more.

Since it seems to have been lost in the shuffle, I'm going to re-post my suggestion for the HP Pavilion for $250, which is what I'd purchase for an older person:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rue&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_5&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

A NUC is cool and all, and I've built them, but it represents an unnecessary expense.

That looks interesting. The slower one has a 32GB SSD. I'm not sure how much room is even available after Windows. The ones with a better CPU revert back to a large HDD.

 

[Termie]

That looks interesting. The slower one has a 32GB SSD. I'm not sure how much room is even available after Windows. The ones with a better CPU revert back to a large HDD.

If she has a large photo collection, you can always get her an external hard drive for storage, or better yet a large SD card that you can just leave in the slot. While people talk about large media collections, having over 100GB of photos requires a lot of photo collecting! I have ten years' worth of high-res photos on my system, and it only takes up 45GB.

 

[daveybrat]

I just did a search on Newegg, and some computers do have SSDs. Even fairly affordable ones, both new and used. Here's a nice new Lenovo, for basic usage. (You might have to remove Superfish.)

Nice find Ken. Great price $439 for an i3 3.7GHz with a 120GB SSD and a discrete Nvidia GTX 745 video card.

You can always upgrade the ram easily down the road.

Oh wow, i didn't even notice that it comes with a 1TB mechanical drive as well!

 

[topmounter]

That looks interesting. The slower one has a 32GB SSD. I'm not sure how much room is even available after Windows. The ones with a better CPU revert back to a large HDD.

Dell has a micro PC that comes with a 32GB SSD, but for an average user I'd stick with a high capacity spinning drive (and cloud back-up) rather than trying to teach them how to navigate multiple storage volumes when that 32GB fills up. Sure, the SSD is snappier, but there is a tech support aspect that I would prefer to avoid taking on myself.

 

[Jumpem]

Dell has a micro PC that comes with a 32GB SSD, but for an average user I'd stick with a high capacity spinning drive (and cloud back-up) rather than trying to teach them how to navigate multiple storage volumes when that 32GB fills up. Sure, the SSD is snappier, but there is a tech support aspect that I would prefer to avoid taking on myself.

She is emailing all sorts of all-in-ones in the $300 to $600 range from all different places. Maybe I just pick the least bad and stop worrying about it.

 

[Ketchup]

FWIW I put together a well-priced computer for a genteman in his 80's who is very active on his PC. Folks here helped me work an SSD (that fits all of his data) into our budget and he was thrilled with the final product.

 

[escrow4]

She is emailing all sorts of all-in-ones in the $300 to $600 range from all different places. Maybe I just pick the least bad and stop worrying about it.

A G1820 + H81 mobo with onboard USB 3 header + 8GB dual channel kit would be around $120, add a case + PSU for another $80, add a 500GB EVO 850 is $150 on Amazon (and appears to be on special):

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-2-5-Inch-Internal-MZ-75E500B-AM/dp/B00OBRE5UE

Comes to $350, add 10 for an extra $100. That would do it for $450, closer to $400 if you find some rebates or discounts. Then add a 24" monitor. I'd take that over any AIO.

 

[Jumpem]

A G1820 + H81 mobo with onboard USB 3 header + 8GB dual channel kit would be around $120, add a case + PSU for another $80, add a 500GB EVO 850 is $150 on Amazon (and appears to be on special):

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-2-5-Inch-Internal-MZ-75E500B-AM/dp/B00OBRE5UE

Comes to $350, add 10 for an extra $100. That would do it for $450, closer to $400 if you find some rebates or discounts. Then add a 24" monitor. I'd take that over any AIO.

I have been tempted to just build an ITX system.

 

[MrTeal]

How many hundreds of gigabytes of photos, home videos, and Office documents does the average consumer have? I think a 250GB SSD would be enough for them.

That really depends on the person. You probably want ~60-100GB for os, program files, buffer, etc. How much you need above that depends on usage. For most gramma's that's way more than they need. If she has a photography habit and is popping off a couple hundred 10MB images at a time, you might need to think about a second hard drive.

 

[VirtualLarry]

She is emailing all sorts of all-in-ones in the $300 to $600 range from all different places. Maybe I just pick the least bad and stop worrying about it.

Whatever you do, don't get an Atom or Kabini / AMD small-core based AIO. Spend the extra to get a big-core Pentium or i3.

 

[Gunbuster]

Why does anything have a spinning dick boot drive, full stop. It should be a CRIME! Spinning disk and 720p laptop screens should be punishable offenses.

 

[piasabird]

I don't think a NUC saves any money. It may actually cost more even though it has a size and a cuteness factor.

 

[sm625]

Because they are cheap dirty rats who will hose your gramma for a nickel. This is why I been saying AMD needs not just HBM but HBF too. Stack 128GB of flash on their SoC and the OEMs will be forced to use it since it would be cheaper than including an ancient 5400rpm on the BoM. It is a travesty that these things are still around in 2016.

 

[RossMAN]

Dell Outlet is offering 30% off refurb laptops and desktops including AIO's.

I found a few good desktops for under $500, LCD's are cheap. What city is your gramma in?

 

[Jumpem]

Dell Outlet is offering 30% off refurb laptops and desktops including AIO's.

I found a few good desktops for under $500, LCD's are cheap. What city is your gramma in?

Western NY.

 

[Denithor]

I got a Dell Vostro with i3 for $90 from eBay, swapped in a 120GB SSD ($65) and gave it to my Mom for Christmas. She's ecstatic with the quick boots and how fast everything opens.