PC desktop system: Good, Bad or Ugly?

[silvarios]

zero wrote:
For the price of the computer you want:

$649 + $150 monitor + $100 keyboard and mouse = Already $900

With your Education Discount, you could get a MacBook Air, or 13" MacBook Pro.
It would be portable, you could take it to class, take it to the library, do work anywhere you want to.

That math doesn't seem right. I can find perfectly acceptable laptops for under $600. How could a desktop be $650?

$100 for a keyboard and mouse? Remember the forum thread about that really nice Logitech wireless mouse? $11. Add a nice solar powered wireless Logitech keyboard for $50. With a little work, a display can be found for $100 instead of $150.

For a desktop specced like the cheapest Air, I'd guess $350 to be a more likely pricepoint. Something akin to a last gen mobile i5 and integrated graphics with 2GB RAM, right?

[kap]

What I already have:
23" IPS Dell widescreen monitor
Many good Logitech keyboards
MS wireless mouse
Logitech webcam
Logitech PC speakers

What I need:
A PC desktop tower running Windows 7 upgradable to Windows 8 using AMD chipset

What I WISH:
A MacPro to run a virtual Windows desktop. On the scale of affordability from 1 through 10, where would my budget of $500 fit?

[Article Accelerator]

kap wrote: My professors requires their students to have a PC for MS Office Suite school assignments.

No, they don't.

Your professors think that their students require Windows PCs for MS Office Suite school assignments. I'm pretty sure they're wrong but if they're correct, just do what M A V I C or zero suggested.

[zero]

silvarios wrote:
[quote=zero]
For the price of the computer you want:

$649

That math doesn't seem right. I can find perfectly acceptable laptops for under $600. How could a desktop be $650?
...... $649 comes from the original post.

[M A V I C]

kap wrote: What I need:
A PC desktop tower running Windows 7 upgradable to Windows 8 using AMD chipset

AMD chipset?

[kap]

M A V I C wrote:
[quote=kap]What I need:
A PC desktop tower running Windows 7 upgradable to Windows 8 using AMD chipset

AMD chipset?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400301680718+&item=400301680718&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466

[M A V I C]

kap wrote:
[quote=M A V I C]
[quote=kap]What I need:
A PC desktop tower running Windows 7 upgradable to Windows 8 using AMD chipset

AMD chipset?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400301680718+&item=400301680718&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466
I know they're made, but why is that a requirement?

[kap]

M A V I C wrote:
[quote=kap]
[quote=M A V I C]
[quote=kap]What I need:
A PC desktop tower running Windows 7 upgradable to Windows 8 using AMD chipset

AMD chipset?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400301680718+&item=400301680718&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466
I know they're made, but why is that a requirement?
Better price better performance compared to Intel for my budget. It's not a school's requirement.

Better deal: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...No=6047822&CatId=5138

[decay]

here's an example of an off-lease AMD deal at MC:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_produc...id=0389670

$269.99

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit)
4GB DDR2-400 RAM (max is 8 GB)
1TB Hard Drive
DVDRW Drive
NVIDIA Quadro NVS 210S
10/100/1000 Network
Display Not Included

GX740 Desktop Computer Off Lease Refurbished, Power cord, New generic keyboard & mouse, Microsoft recovery CD, Set-up guide

The refurbished Optiplex 740 Desktop Computer is a flexible, mainstream business desktop maximized for performance, stability and manageability.

[kap]

decay wrote:
here's an example of an off-lease AMD deal at MC:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_produc...id=0389670

$269.99

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit)
4GB DDR2-400 RAM (max is 8 GB)
1TB Hard Drive
DVDRW Drive
NVIDIA Quadro NVS 210S
10/100/1000 Network
Display Not Included

GX740 Desktop Computer Off Lease Refurbished, Power cord, New generic keyboard & mouse, Microsoft recovery CD, Set-up guide

The refurbished Optiplex 740 Desktop Computer is a flexible, mainstream business desktop maximized for performance, stability and manageability.

Good enough. Thanks!