Re:How about a used laptop? (Score 1)

Used IBM 600E or 600X's are perfect for this. Not ripping fast but fine for a pf box on a cable modem or a mini web server.

I've run openbsd, freebsd, and linux on them. Under $400 on ebay + $45 for a replacement battery (built-in UPS for those pesky power outages!)

They're very common models so there's a ton of supply on ebay for spare parts etc.

I think I have about 5 of them...