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Building 2011's Sub-$200 Computer

Posted by timothy on from the trade-one-form-of-depreciation-for-another dept.

adeelarshad82 links to PC Magazine's recent account (updating a similar quest detailed last year) "to see if a decent PC could put together for less than $200. Turns out that between some great deals, an AMD processor, and a Linux OS, it can actually be done." They actually come out with a decent-enough system for that money — but omitting an optical drive in a full-size desktop computer build seems something like cheating.

7 of 394 comments (clear)

  1. re: optical drive by ZankerH · · Score: 5, Insightful

    but omitting an optical drive in a full-size desktop computer build seems something like cheating.

    It's 2011, dammit, why do people still use optical drives?

  2. no, it's time. by tverbeek · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "omitting an optical drive in a full-size desktop computer build seems something like cheating"

    Optical disks? How quaint! :)

    --
    http://alternatives.rzero.com/
    1. Re:no, it's time. by JanneM · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "You do realize people still buy software, and that it still comes on optical disks."

      This is a Linux system they built, though. Shrinkwrapped software is very rare, verging on nonexistent, for that OS.

      --
      Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
  3. Press F2 to continue... by CaptCanuk · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Missing:
      - keyboard
      - mouse
      - network cable
      - monitor?
      - USB key to install from
      - Friend to copy OS onto your USB key
      - taxes (for those lucky to have them)

    I think the real cheat is any budget that involves a mail-in rebate.
    The article starts out about financial difficulties and then provides a price that doesn't reflect the walk home price. 3-6 weeks you might make that money back IF you are lucky that the rebate was honored.

    --
    ---- The geek shall inherit the Earth.
  4. Re: optical drive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    > It's 2011, dammit, why do people still use optical drives?

    Because the lightning fast internet connection that (I'm assuming) you have isn't available in every household on the planet.
    It's hard to feel 2011 when you have a 1997 internet connection at home.

  5. Re:Don't even have to build it yourself by Pharmboy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Browsing isn't what it used to be. For many people, browsing means playing Farmville on Facebook, which will eat up a lot of CPU and memory. And no, Zinga programmers don't really care about efficiency on your computer, only on their servers.

    --
    Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
  6. Re:Decent Computer? by RobbieThe1st · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Since moving to Linux 2 years ago, both Windows and OS X are crap.