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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.

3 of 394 comments (clear)

  1. Don't even have to build it yourself by steevven1 · · Score: 5, Informative

    You can get an eeePC netbook for $199 RETAIL at Best Buy...Best Buy!!! I know this is talking about desktops, but it just doesn't seem that surprising...

  2. 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?

  3. 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.