CHEAPEST Homebrew PC on the planet

[A31]

Yeah the system you configured is cheap because it's really slow! AMD Sempron and 1GB RAM?/

Here in the UK we can use these guys, Novatech, for our PC parts. I bough the components for my PC from them! http://www.novatech.co.uk

[hunterman223]

Well, I instead of building an Atom machine, I bought this Dell Optiplex 760 desktop:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &viewitem=

However, I like my Dimension B110 so much that I am keeping it as well. I will probably set it up in my lab for my students to use.

The next thing to get will be a PCI riser so that I can put my PCI video card into this Optiplex 760.

Nice! That looks like a great system and good luck with it.

@A31, speed wasn't the point. It was just looking at the cheapest home-built modern PC's, obviously if you want a more powerful system than you should expect to pay considerably more. Thanks for the link too, I'm new in the UK (from US) and my main staple has been FeeBay.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[A31]

One lesson to learn when building PCs, the slower you go (ie, like the Sempron and 1GB RAM system), it is often cheaper to just buy an off the shelf from Dell or HP or whoever, but as you get faster, and you get PCs like my own I'm typing on now (i5 760 and 8GB RAM), it is often cheaper to just build one than get an off the shelf from Dell or Alienware or whoever.

[ozzymud]

I find that for the most part, that Sempron with 1GB is STILL faster then an off the shelf machine...

They have a bottom line to meet... I aint gonna put a PCChips motherboard in a machine just because it is lower power... Even when they do put something like an Asus in em, I would bet it is built/designed specifically to be re-branded with cost cutting "measures" in place.

Plus you don't get as much choice in the case, which is the main part you gotta look at all the time

[A31]

Plus you don't get as much choice in the case, which is the main part you gotta look at all the time

Why does it really matter how the case looks? For me at least, it's what's inside the case that matters most.

Have you ever tried an AMD Sempron and 1GB RAM? It is slow, believe me, and the Dells and other PCs that some of the other users were going on about earlier are better than the Sempron system IMO.

[ozzymud]

Inspiron 570 - Dell Price (Listed as an "everyday" computer):
$279.99 + $9 shipping (Just clicking next on all standard $0 features)
Newegg equivalent:
$310.91 + $15 shipping

Dell case/PS/Card reader vs. Logisys case/PS/Card Reader
Same CPU/OEM heatsink
2GB DDR3 1333 (I bet the Dell uses 1066, they don't specify)
Dell ATI Radeon HD4200 vs. Biostar ATI Radeon HD 4250
Dell 500GB sata unknown brand vs. WD 500GB Blue
Dell 16x DVD burner again unknown brand vs. Samsung 16X SH-222AB
Both with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit

no speakers or monitor, generic keyboard mouse in both...

When i get the Dell, I pretty much need to reinstall windows from a normal dvd (not system restore) to load a decent copy of windows WITHOUT all the garbage that I can't seem to unselect. (I call this one a draw, cause I would have to on a homebuilt too)

For a grand total of $35 more... I'd rather build my own.
(and prolly spend another $100 to make it twice as good)

[Harryc]

Chalk the $35 up to the warranty you get with the Dell and you'll be even. It has a value, right?

[ozzymud]

The dell was $35 *cheaper*... and all parts I put into the homebuilt have manufacturers warranties on em...

I'd call the warranty a draw as well.

Knock on wood and all that good stuff, but I still have not received a defective part in all the time I've done mail order parts, I've had MANY parts die just after a 1 year warranty, and one Hitachi 1TB (teach me for not buying WD) go out during warranty(1yr into 3yr)... cost $5 to send back for a new one.

[Harryc]

Not saying it's great, but I believe Dell also provides phone support during the warranty period. When you say "both with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit". You didn't include that in the cost of the homebuilt.

[ozzymud]

Looks like it is there...

image of my cart:
http://www.conradshome.com/images/300_06102011.png

Last line item... $89.99

I'd rather "talk" to google then someone I can't understand too well

[A31]

My "cheap but half-decent system" I would build if tight on a budget

Pentium Dual-Core + 4GB RAM + G41-Based mobo - http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prod ... G.html#sp2

Novatech "Panther" ATX-case - http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prod ... anth5.html

500GB Seagate HDD - http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prod ... anth5.html

This DVD-RW with Lightscribe technology drive from LiteOn - http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prod ... 24-19.html

Decent 400W PSU - http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prod ... sg400.html

TOTAL: £228.92 / $372.06

Add on £26.99 for this low-end but OK-ish still GeForce GT 210 may as well just use the on-board graphics though - http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prod ... gt210.html

Prices of screens vary depending on what size you want, most are around £100 - £200 mark for anywhere between a 19" to 24", and keyboards and mice are really cheap anyway and if you're a basic home user you're not going to need a gaming keyboard or mouse, which will save you money.

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OEM from Novatech is about £79.99 I believe.

I'm sure if you look around on Novatech you could probably build a system for even cheaper than this still, but remember this has a good-ish hard drive (bit low on the cache, my 2TB WD has 64MB cache but then again that cost £80 alone to buy), good PSU, a dual-core CPU and 4GB DDR3 RAM.

[pianowizard]

Nice! That looks like a great system and good luck with it.

OMG, this Dell Optiplex 760 has got to be my favorite desktop computer of all time! Very quite and cool, and one of the fastest computers I have ever owned (though this isn't saying much since most of my computers have been very old LOL!). Vista 32bit runs smoothly on it. A pleasant surprise is that the Intel graphics has not only a VGA port but also a Displayport output, which supports my Dell 3008WFP's full 2560x1600 resolution with ease. Another pleasant surprise: it still has just over a year of Dell warranty!

I doubt I could build such a nice computer for only $213.50 shipped.

[craigmontHunter]

That is one thing I have noticed about the dell desktops I have used - they all seem to be cool, quiet and well built. The only gripe I have with them is that on the older ones I have used, USB ports are all facing down under a flap, which is very inconvenient when it is sitting under a computer desk. In terms of sound, unless they are completely choked with dust (which I have seen a few times), they are quieter than any of the homebrew systems I have ever seen (admittedly those are working systems, not designed to be silent). The only truely silent system I have ever come across is a IBM M55 sff, which does not make a sound (that I can notice), even when it is being fully pushed - the dells come very close though)

[A31]

Dell have got better over the past few years, about 5 or so years ago they used to be terrible. The 760 looks cool, and for the price, a great set of specifications. However, I'd still go for HP over Dell, just because I have used them for almost all my life, but otherwise I'd get a Dell. I would never have an Acer though!!

[ozzymud]

No doubt... Dell circa 2006...

http://img.tomshardware.com/de/2006/07/ ... de1big.jpg

Compaq and HP were no better, past the drives themselves (except floppies/LS120), there wasn't a "standard" part to be found in em. Upgrading a motherboard with an aftermarket one was futile.

Nowadays, least the last few I seen are looking pretty decent inside.

[A31]

Just a quick question - any of you guys got any experience with eMachines computers? If so, what do you think of them? They look to be pretty cheap and obviously for people on a budget who do not need tons of power.

[pianowizard]

Just a quick question - any of you guys got any experience with eMachines computers?

You wouldn't want to buy them because you wrote this earlier:

I would never have an Acer though!!

Acer owns eMachines.

I did have an eMachines desktop for several years -- it was a 2002 model, when eMachines was still an independent company -- and it had several minor issues.

[ozzymud]

I have one sitting around here somewhere, It was my brothers before I built him one (the eMachines was originally given to him by someone).

It is an older "eMachines etower 400i3" circa 1999...

It is a prime example of what I posted earlier about propriatary stuff...

Floppy has no front bezel (the case is the bezel, so no replacing with a standard drive, even removing the front bezel, it's still different)

Motherboard is MicroATX, But the front panel uses a 14 or so pin ribbon cable to connect to the motherboard, so would be a pain to upgrade with an aftermarket MB

This /quality/ machine came with a 5.25" Quantum Bigfoot hard disk (read 3,600 RPM SLOW drive)

My brother has now been using his same aftermarket (Antec) case since 2003, same case, just replace mb/cpu/mem/vid/hd/psu as needed over the years. (This is where it's bigtime cheaper to homebrew versus retail)

Now they are Acer, I like acer monitors, and their netbooks(which apparently Dell does too as they sell a Dell rebadged Acer Netbook ). I cant comment if I would buy an Acer machine these days, as I aint bought a whole PC since 1992

On a side note, the eMachines STILL boots up fine (Celeron 400MHz Win98) but man oh man is it SLOW, My Thinkpad 760XL seems snapier

[pianowizard]

I like acer monitors

Do you like their prices or "quality"? All the Acer desktop monitors I have seen use the cheapest and crappiest LCD panels.

[A31]

You wouldn't want to buy them because you wrote this earlier

Fair enough I don't like Acers, but I wasn't thinking of getting one, just wanted to know what they were like.

[ozzymud]

MY 1st larger LCD was and Acer 19" (4:3), It was cheap at the time (main thing I liked about it ), but that was like 5 or 6 years ago... and it is still working strong, no dimming, no dead pixels... I've own other "el cheapo" brands and they are long since dead after shorter lifespans or so dull they are barely usable... maybe luck with the Acer, dunno... but I have been buying Asus monitors of late (dunno what real brand they may be), so I can't comment on newer Acer monitors.

I'm no videophile... so it really only has to look good/decent... My eyes are far to old to need SUPER HIGH DEF stuff

[craigmontHunter]

My parents have a 19" acer lcd, it still looks fine, good enough quality for me (then again, the screen on my T61 is good enough for me )

The dell desktop you posted the picture of shows how the consumer models have gone downhill - my 2002 dimension 4500 is a beauty to work on (as is the optiplex gx270) - there seems to have been a low point in their desktop construction in the last several years, before it was great, and apparently it is getting better.

[ozzymud]

Yea, I had an old Dell Dimension from the late 90's someone gave me. the powersupply used some wierd proprietary connection... past that it was a pretty standard beige case.

I would agree that out of all the big players, Dell is prolly the best when it comes to upgradeablity, just have to re-wire the front panel header and figure out the front usb/audio/etc connector.


"Dude, you're getting a Dell." heh