Another Ars Ultimate Budget Box 321
Some nice Friday afternoon reading for you; Ars Technica has another go at the Ultimate Budget Box, a cheap no-frills PC for minimum cash output. From the article: "Look around inside most corporate offices, where most computers need to handle a few Office documents and light Internet use. They don't need to be able to burn CDs or handle 3D-intensive games, but they do need to be reliable and affordable. Lots of consumers out there probably want a similar box--an appliance that lets them get onto the Internet, take care of e-mail, and create a few documents. For them, being able to burn a CD-RW would probably be nice, but anything beyond that is an extra. Low-cost, reliability, and quality are key. That is what the Ultimate Budget Box is about: not skimping on components, but not loading it up with features either." The final price? US$525.46
FIRST TROUT! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:FIRST TROUT! (Score:2, Funny)
I didn't RTFA, but.... (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe I should have read the article, because I feel like I missed something here....
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Re:I didn't RTFA, but.... (Score:2, Interesting)
Last summer, my parents bought my brothers a SlickDeals Dell. P4 3.0GHz HT, 40GB, 128MB or 256MB (lowest option, bought cheaper memory elsewhere), integrated graphics. No AGP or PCIe, but for them, a PCI FX5200 was enough. $350 included the 17" LCD.
What a load of CRAP (Score:2)
Re:What a load of CRAP (Score:4, Insightful)
Gaming PC for about this much (Score:3, Informative)
The low-end graphics cards at my local store, Central Computer, have 256MB of video RAM and very capable cores, and now cost well under $80. Here's an OEM R
Re:Gaming PC for about this much (Score:2)
Re:Gaming PC for about this much (Score:2)
Re:Gaming PC for about this much (Score:3, Insightful)
Try ripping some CDs to MP3 or OGG on there. It'll take you at least twice as long to rip 20 CDs as someone with a better computer.
Try doing some real research. It's not uncommon for me to have several Firefox sessions with 10+ tabs in each session. Not to mention having PuTTY up and listening to MP3s. On top of that, I'm running Word to type up my report. Yo
Re:Gaming PC for about this much (Score:3, Interesting)
Hmm. I've got a 600Mhz Duron chip and I do stuff like that. Of course I've got 1.5 gigs of ram.
Actually, the real reason I have so much ram is that I wrote a java program to post stuff to autopr0n.com
Re:Gaming PC for about this much (Score:2)
If you're spending $70 on a video card, I'd rather have this 9600 PRO [newegg.com] from newegg, which I consider to be a very reliable vendor. It's got 256MB of ram, DVI and VGA, and TV out, and can play most (semi-)modern games with no problem (I wouldn't try running FEAR on it and expecting high framerates).
And you can get the non-PRO radeon 9600 from newegg for $57.
~W
Re:What a load of CRAP (Score:3, Funny)
$300 gets you a new computer all decked out in these parts, but the cases are so cheap and thin and razor sharo (ouch) I'd rather mod old stuff, where old is a
Re:What a load of CRAP (Score:3, Interesting)
I put together a PC with similar components for my mom, and the final price (not including a monitor because it doesn't make sense to pay to ship a monitor) was $180. In the Silicon Valley I have access to a lot of surplus computer parts places, but anywhere else you could find prices just as good or better through w
Comment removed (Score:3, Funny)
Re:The real quetsion is... (Score:2)
Sorry, couldn't help myself
Re:The real quetsion is... (Score:2)
Re:The real quetsion is... (Score:2)
Re:The real quetsion is... (Score:2)
Re:The real quetsion is... (Score:2)
final specs (Score:4, Informative)
80 gig SATA HD
DVD+-RW
520 megs DDR
Sempron 2800
Onboard GeForce 6100
15" LCD
+case+speakers+keyboard+mouse
Re:final specs (Score:5, Insightful)
Sure that's cool for people like me that are going to throw gentoo on there, but what about gramma, she doesn't want linux... (yes some are ok with that, but for the majority, it's just not the way for the masses yet!). so we're well over 600 bucks if not more for a full version of something, close to 700. Since when is that cheap or budget?
Re:final specs (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm currently in stage 2 of 3 in getting my family off of Windows. They're already using Open Office and Firefox. They're actually happier with them than they were with IE and Office- when I told them I could block ads with Firefox their faces lit up. The next time they buy a computer, I am installing linux on it- just leave them a firefox and an office icon on their desktop and they won't care about the difference in colors. And it'll be a win for them, as I can just ssh into their box if they have problems. I'll just give them a no-privlidges account on it and I'm done.
Re:final specs (Score:2)
To avoid being tech support, I usually recommend a Mac to my family, then they buy a Dell and I refuse to help. Problem solved!
Re:final specs (Score:2)
Re:final specs (Score:2)
I have switched him over to Firefox and Thunderbird, and he seems quite happy with those. I don't plan on switching him to linux since Windows 2000 does just about everything he really needs.
Re:final specs (Score:2)
It's wonderful for your family that they have such a great computer expert like you at their beck and call. What about all the families that don't have a built in IT person to get them out of the inevitable jams they get into. For them it's either a cheap Dell with Windows or a Mac Mini. If money is really tight, a working CRT monitor can be gotten used for very little or even for free. A Mac mini is definitely a better system for anyone
Re:final specs (Score:2)
Re:final specs (Score:2)
Re:final specs (Score:2)
TurboTax- a real accountant. Gets better returns than TurboTax did.
QuickBooks- a checkbook. They never trusted the computer for that, and I see no reason to move them off a working solution.
Games will be the last issue. Luckily, they don't play high end games, they play
Re:final specs (Score:3, Insightful)
That's because this machine is targetted towards businesses. The businesses already have site licenses.. they don't need to buy the OS.
Re:final specs (Score:2)
Gentoo is free.
Re:final specs (Score:2)
Dell does it cheaper (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Dell does it cheaper (Score:2)
Re:Dell does it cheaper (Score:2)
$399!.... but with a $250 shipping charge. Hmm
Re:Dell does it cheaper (Score:2)
In a corp. environment having a single system monoculture means you can easily roll out an image with everything preconfigured the way you like. Dell's lower end offerings seem to have some capacitor and hard disk issues from time to time, so getting a sub-500 system is asking for problems.
As for Dell's home offerings, their tech support will ask you to jump through an hour of troubleshooting before sending a $15 part. Not including reinstall media (make i
Re:Dell does it cheaper (Score:2)
$500US?? (Score:2, Insightful)
Admittedly, I haven't RTFA, but I really don't care to. Just seeing that price tag is enough to make me believe it's another piece of overpowered crap. If you just want net browsing and occasional burning, then a Sempron 2xxx + is more than enough for you, and anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to screw ya.
Re:$500US?? (Score:5, Insightful)
Eliminating games and high end applications (like video editing), you could do with a lot less of a machine than that one, even.
I mean, come on... maybe they are used to XP or something, because I remember upgrading my Win2K box a couple of years ago to 512MB specifically to do video editing, and now they are saying you can't do with less than 512? With prices so cheap, it's definately worthwhile, but to claim that you need more than 256MB... to do what? Surf? Email? You've got to be kidding me. That's like saying you need an SUV to do grocery shopping... on the other hand, it seems a lot of people really do believe that, too.
Re:$500US?? (Score:2, Insightful)
Sempron + MB w/ Video -- Drives Too... (Score:3, Informative)
The Deskstar 80 is nice, but 250 Deskstars have been as low as $49 after rebate, and there are currently 200 gig drives that are free after some rebate-price-matching -- See places like Fatwallet.com.
Re:Sempron + MB w/ Video -- Drives Too... (Score:2)
Cough (Score:3, Informative)
2.53Ghz Celeron, 533 FSB
512MB RAM
XP Home
80 GB Drive
CD-RW drive
15" Flat Panel LCD
The price? $399. Why, again, would I pay $525 for this "ultimate" budget box?
Re:Cough (Score:2)
* Sempron is AMD, while Celeron is (eew) Intel.
* Dell doesn't include an Onboard GeForce 6100, does it?
* Dell sells you a CD-RW, not DVD+RW. DVD drives are a necessity today.
* XP Home is practically a fraud. I'd go for XP Pro instead.
Re:Cough (Score:2)
The premise of the article is BUDGET BOX for surfing, reading e-mail and a few documents. The article doesn't even include a CD writer. This $399 box is already way overkill even for the premise. Sure, you can load more features in, but who's arguing that you can't? The point is that their $525 box (which doesn't even include the freaking OS) is way inferior to this $399 box.
Re:Cough (Score:2)
I should have said "way inferior for the stated purpose, which is the lowest possible cost."
Re:Cough (Score:2)
Spoken like someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. I actually own two of these low-end boxes for the kids. I won't deny that there's some junk
Re:Cough (Score:2)
I'll never move to XP or Vista. I'm off the train with 2000, and it's sooo peaceful.
Re:Cough (Score:2)
However I sense its death maybe here soon. Google products require Xp or vista and the new api's in Vista and XP with
Linux is not that stable as it once was and buggy. I wonder if I could just upgrade to XP or just bite teh bullet with Vista? I may need windows anyway if I want to stay in IT. My skills are rapdily getting rusty.
Re:Cough (Score:2)
Re:Cough (Score:2)
serously, it's like looking at two pretty equal cars, and not choosing the one thats 25% cheaper because it comes with something you could throw away when you get home.
Re:Cough (Score:2)
Re:Cough (Score:2)
Re:Cough (Score:3, Insightful)
1. P.O.S. onboard Intel video vs the Nvidia in the Ars machine.
2. P.O.S. system. Dells are plastic crap, even the power supply is non-standard. This doesn't matter to some, but to those who have been burned. Quality parts cost more but you get what you pay for. Ars wasn't claiming to be putting together the cheapest P.O.S. they could, that is what Dell is for.
3. Dell appears t
dell... (Score:2, Informative)
celeron D 325 / intel extreme graphics 2
however one huge and lame problem would be only 3x PCI slots (no agp or PCI express slot for video upgrades)
but if you didn't need a gaming pc.. this thing is like $437.94 shipped (free shipping right now) when it comes to low end pc's
Retail boxen are still really cheap by comparison (Score:3, Insightful)
Simply put, for end users, just about any black box PC is going to be able to compete with a system like this, and probably come with more than you need for the same price. Just my 2 cents.
harryk
Same specs for cheaper buying a "bundle" (Score:3, Informative)
I recently purchased an HP CTO bundle through CompUSA. After rebates (yeah, I know, rebates suck) it was $300 + $89 (shipping/handling) + tax. The specs are very close to the Ars system (faster CPU, no DVD burner, 40G drive). It would have cost an extra $30-40 to upgrade the optical drive and hard drive, but the ones I got are all I needed for the "appliance" tasks I an using the machine for.
Plus, I didn't have assemble anything (not like that's difficult, though).
Re:Same specs for cheaper buying a "bundle" (Score:2)
Re:Same specs for cheaper buying a "bundle" (Score:2)
HP 15" 1024x768 LCD monitor. A pretty crappy one: no DVI input; just a single VGA.
Defintely overpriced, I can do better (Score:4, Informative)
I can get a Dell Dimension 3100 through Dell Small Business for $500 (+ $24 shipping) with the following:
Processor: P4 Processor 521 w/HT Technology (2.8GHz,800FSB)
OS: Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
Memory: 512MB DDR2 SDRAM at 400MHz -1 DIMM
Dell Service & Support Plans: 90 Day On-site Economy Plan
Keyboard: Dell USB Keyboard
Mouse: Dell® 2-button USB mouse
Hard Drive: 80GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
Single Drive: 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability
Monitor: 17 inch E176FP Analog Flat Panel
Video Card: Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 900
Sound: Integrated 2.0 Channel High Definition Audio
Network Interface: Integrated 10/100 Ethernet
-Nick
$500!?!?!? (Score:2, Insightful)
Seriously, $500 is RIDICULOUS for a PC of that calibur (unless your talking laptops). I can build a moderate gaming computer for that. A no-frills-just-types-prints-and-surfs PC should be possible at around $300.
Why do you need 80GB for internet and word processing again? These people are idiots, and I feel sorry for people that really do just want the basics and go out and build this thing...waste of money...
Re:$500!?!?!? (Score:2)
Keep in mind that the quoted price includes a 17" LCD.
Re:$500!?!?!? (Score:2)
For example, Newegg has a 40GM SATA150 Maxtor for $49, and an 80GB SATA150 Maxtor for $57.
money money money (Score:2)
Mac Mini (Score:2)
Very silent, very reliable. Highly recommended.
Couple of comments about Dell cheepo systems (Score:2)
Yes it will essentially do email and web just as well as the ars box but....
1) The dell probably has onboard video and NO AGP OR PCI-Express slot so you can upgrade the video
and
2) The CPU will not be upgradable.
I bought a Dell for my mother and did'nt realize that the motherboard did'nt have an AGP slot on it (big bummer).
The ars box can be upgraded with faster AMD socket 939 processors if needed and can upgrade the video card. So
If you click the link of linux issues... (Score:2)
Stability
Unfortunately it appears that the supplied passive northbridge heatsink does not provide enough cooling for the integrated graphics processor, at least as it arrived from the factory. Any extended us of the 3D acceleration capabilities will result it a system crash. This is in a large server case with good airflow.
Hmm, if you can't rely on this bare bones 3d then it might not be worth it. I wasn't thinking gaming but a modest rig that can handle xgl once nvidia releases linu
Office Box? (Score:2)
I put my office computer through far greater processing punishment than my home computer.
Pretty high (Score:2)
If they can sell a laptop for that, I'm sure a modest desktop could be a lot cheaper.
I built a pretty decent machine for a friend last year. I think the total was around $400 with a legal Windows. It had 256M RAM, a CD burner, and a 17" CRT monitor.
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
Mac Mini does not come with that stuff. Of course, if it's between a Mac Mini and a Windows machine, the cost of the OS would probably even that out.
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
Total price: US$525.46 with LCD, US$461.02 with CRT, not including shipping and handling (2/21/2006, no OS)
Re:Linux = free (Score:2)
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:3, Informative)
Not to nitpick, but XP Home actually isn't included in Ars' price. It's only mentioned after the $525 total. So with XP Home, the total comes to $606. You're right though, it does include the LCD.
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
You know, you look like an idiot (Score:2)
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:3, Interesting)
1) is almost impossible with PC components, if you want any reasonable performance. I will be choosing a MATX board, but I am trying to find one that is smaller than 24.4×22 cm and which still has Firewire and DVI/TV out like the Mac Mini.
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
It's the exact same size as a Mac mini, just as stylish, and the same price.
But lots of upgradable options and uses Ubuntu [ubuntu.com] (or Kubuntu) Linux as the OS.
I just ordered one myself after a friend recommended their laptops (she loves the one she got from them).
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
-matthew
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:3, Interesting)
MacMall sells this for $474, but gives an extra $20 rebate, a free printer and a 4x5 graphics tablet.
Instead of a crappy MS XP home you get a real OS, better than XP-professional and you also get the iLife programs.
Add the same keyboard, monitor, speakers and mouse as listed and you get a media capable computer that'll also work great for browsing the web and simple office jobs. The mini is silent, but how much noise does that 300 watt po
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
Either way, if you hunt around, you can get a Mini with LCD and such for ar
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
We bought a mini for our teenager's school work and he has a few older games such as Myth, Battlefield 1942, Sims, Starcraft, Rainbow Six and the Age of Empires series. He doesn't complain too much about how well they play. The certainly work better than they did on the old purple iMac.
Re:You mean the Mac Mini, right? (Score:2)
"
The mac mini 1.2GHz G4 is extremely slow compared to the machine in the article, which has a Sempron 2800+, plus the mac mini has only half the hard drive space
Re:Sorry podboy .. no monitor included with mini (Score:2)
Re:LCD? (Score:2)
LCDs take less electricity to use than CRTs. Ergo, they wind up costing less over the course of their lifespan.
Plus they're smaller, easier on the eyes, and have the nice benefit of looking much pricer than they really are.
Re:LCD? (Score:2)
Re:LCD? (Score:2)
Re:LCD? (Score:2)
Re:LCD? (Score:2)
Going from an CRT to an LCD is a very noticable and appreciable upgrade for most people. It's not like adding a somewhat better processor that will give you an imperceptible 17% improvement in performance or whatever. Depends on your need
Re:How is this news? (Score:2)
Re:How do you recommend XP Home with a straight fa (Score:2)
XP Home's networking is "crippled" in exactly one way - no domain support. It is absolutely suitable for all tasks involving all sorts of networking -- as long as that task isn't joining a Windows domain.
Re:How do you recommend XP Home with a straight fa (Score:2)
So basically anything as long as you're only using it at home for personal stuff...
What windows business network doesn't have a domain controller these days? What percentage of windows users build their own PCs, but don't work from home ever? Plus this article touts these boxes for the typical corporate office.
Re:How do you recommend XP Home with a straight fa (Score:2)
What windows business network doesn't have a domain controller these days?
Wouldn't that business network be supplying their own images of XP Pro? So why are you even talking about XP Home?
Re:How do you recommend XP Home with a straight fa (Score:2)
Did you read the article?
Re:useless. (Score:2)
Because the #1 requirement was "reliability".