Where's a cheap computer?

[706]

I have asked here before about building my own comp and got plenty of help. So im asking for some more help here, or rather your own opinions.

Im looking for a simple and cheap computer for a friend of mine. She doesn't play games or anything like that, she will only want it for homework, playing music, going on the net, that sort of thing.
Im an Australian so people from other countries may find it difficult to help me.

She was looking at the Dimension 3000 from Dell seen here (http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/pro..._3000_au?c=au&l=en&s=dhs&~tab=specstab#tabtop)
I had advised her that you may be better off to build it yourself, but upon trying this i found that i hit the $1300 price of the Dimension 3000 before i had chosen graphics/sound cards, case, power supply, motherboard.

In your opinion do you think this is an alright deal, or do you know of better ones that you can find? Dell is currently taking $100 off the price and doubling the hard drive to an 80 gig for free so i think it may be the best choice.

 

[jaksback]

i can tell you if shes just doing the basics, go for a Dell but not one so expensive.....they have great deals for desktops under 5-600 bucks, laptops 7-900.....

 

[waynejkruse10]

if your not confident enough in building yourself, go with a dell. Another option is to go to a company like Tech Team, RPM, I-Tech, PcQuest (they are all Australian companies) and buy one of thier computers. Basicly they are computers build from parts, with a brand name stuck on the side, so usually they follow the standards better and are easier to upgrade, unlike dell which are horrbile to upgrade. From some of these companies, you can get a decent macine for under $1000 australian.

Wayne

 

[willsko87]

thats not too bad as you get a monitor but as mentioned Dell's are hard to upgrade.

 

[Tuskatappaja]

Try to find used 600+ Mhz Pentium III or 700 + AMD Duron
They are more than enough for anything but gaming.
You got to have 512MB memory though if you use Windows XP

 

[phosho510]

i hate dell... you have to take everything part just to put in a dvd drive...

 

[CntdwnToExtn]

ya...i suggest just finding a duron or p3..something like that.
i just got a p3 800 runnin' last night and i was word processin', surfin' the net and playin' music at a great pace.

 

[waynejkruse10]

yeah, you can get a Athlon xp 2200+, 256mb ram, Mobo with integrated graphics, 40gb hdd, 15in monitor, etc, that wont cost more than $600 Australian. That will do fine for most people just sufing, and word processing.

 

[Trifid]

you dont need anything really for that, I have a 450mhz P3 in the other room, that does all that at a great pace, with 98se.

 

[Echo_]

http://www.apple.com.au/macmini/

that would be best for her imo great lil comp and shell prob like it