Cheap PC?

[HavocXphere]

I need to organize a PC for relatives.

Standard email, facebook & cat pictures type usage. Must power a 1080p screen. No heavy gfx stuff.

Must be Win 7 (maybe 8 if absolutely necessary).

Box only - no peripherals. Case & hdd can maybe be re-used.

They are quite price sensitive though. So def <5k.

2nd hand will not fly.

Any ideas? I can throw together a couple of components but my gut feeling tells me I'm missing an easier solution here...

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Why not just a prebuilt machine? Do you need a monitor also?

Here are two machines under 5k:

http://www.webantics.co.za/viewItem.aspx?idProduct=18371
http://www.pc-direct.co.za/computers/desktops/hp-desktop-mt-3500-intel-pdc-2032.html

 

[HavocXphere]

Nope - just box.

I should perhaps add...they have a strong preference for brick & mortar shop purchases. Though I suppose I can buy in my own name and absorb the "risk" of buying online.

I can assemble it so thats a non-issue either way. Are prebuilts better value for money?

Do you think there would be a noticeable hit on taking a 3k machine? Really battling to judge how close to the bone one can cut it here...never bought a box below 10k tbh. But this is email usage not gaming...so I'm a bit lost here.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Nope - just box.

I should perhaps add...they have a strong preference for brick & mortar shop purchases. Though I suppose I can buy in my own name and absorb the "risk" of buying online.

I can assemble it so thats a non-issue either way. Are prebuilts better value for money?

Do you think there would be a noticeable hit on taking a 3k machine? Really battling to judge how close to the bone one can cut it here...never bought a box below 10k tbh. But this is email usage not gaming...so I'm a bit lost here.

You can't go wrong with those Dell machines. Comes with bundled support, much better option for the "light email user".

 

[HavocXphere]

You can't go wrong with those Dell machines. Comes with bundled support, much better option for the "light email user".

The more I eyeball this thing the more I think one of your pre-builts might be the best option.

e.g. I paid 300 for my Win8 (launch discount)...now they want 1.5k. Say what?

1.5k? No way I can make that work even if I factor my own l33t assembly skills in for free.

 

[D4N]

Microserver?

 

[HavocXphere]

Microserver?

Seems like a definite option - not sure I want to deal with the support part though. If the mobo on a microserver bombs then you're screwed & remember I'll be the one called in to please explain if this goes wrong. Yep - designated family IT guy.

So I'm leaning towards prebuilt desktop tower atm - mainly to get around the shtty OS cost.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Seems like a definite option - not sure I want to deal with the support part though. If the mobo on a microserver bombs then you're screwed & remember I'll be the one called in to please explain if this goes wrong. Yep - designated family IT guy.

So I'm leaning towards prebuilt desktop tower atm - mainly to get around the shtty OS cost.

Install Linux on it! If the thing is only going to be a glorified browser it's a much easier solution.

My mother has been running Fedora on her laptop for the past 3 years, she loves it and it just works.

 

[HavocXphere]

Install Linux on it!

Unfortunately in this case it has to be 7 or 8...and there is no way around that.

I use a *nix OS for some tasks so I'm not opposed to it in principle, but its really not going to fly here.

Specifically this whole debate was caused by software bitching about WinXP incompatibility...hence 7/8.

 

[Rickster]

I need to organize a PC for relatives.

Standard email, facebook & cat pictures type usage. Must power a 1080p screen. No heavy gfx stuff.

Must be Win 7 (maybe 8 if absolutely necessary).

Box only - no peripherals. Case & hdd can maybe be re-used.

They are quite price sensitive though. So def <5k.

2nd hand will not fly.

Any ideas? I can throw together a couple of components but my gut feeling tells me I'm missing an easier solution here...

Unfortunately in this case it has to be 7 or 8...and there is no way around that.

I use a *nix OS for some tasks so I'm not opposed to it in principle, but its really not going to fly here.

Specifically this whole debate was caused by software bitching about WinXP incompatibility...hence 7/8.

Wow, your relatives sound very very picky. You can get some really good second-hand PC's out there, why are they against 2nd hand?

 

[HavocXphere]

Wow, your relatives sound very very picky. You can get some really good second-hand PC's out there, why are they against 2nd hand?

Yip - that plus limited budget isn't exactly making this easy.

 

[Fox1]

Seems like you are stuck with Matrix, PC Zone, Computer World, etc. unless you live near Wootware.

 

[mintydroid]

Intel Nuc

 

[EmileS]

No idea why you want to buy at a store when you can buy online for a lot cheaper. Hard to help you out in that matter, since we don't really know the prices of the stores like Matrix and IC. But, for a 5k budget you can hook up a i3, H81, 4GB (or 8GB) RAM, 350W PSU, and then some.