Tips on buying a new PC for under $300
Keep in mind that shipping costs can add a good chunk to the total price.
You can expect to spend $40 or more on shipping to United States destinations.
You aren't likely to get a free shipping deal on a heavy, low-profit item
like this.
All of the PCs mentioned on this site are ready-to-use (you don't have to build them yourself,
install RAM or a hard drive, etc.) They all include a keyboard and mouse, CD-ROM drive, 100
base-T Ethernet port, USB, serial, parallel, and game ports. Some don't
include a floppy drive (which isn't a necessity for most people anymore) or a modem
(which you don't need if you have a cable modem or DSL connection.)
But... you may need to install an operating system, and you'll definitely need a monitor.
None of these Ridiculously Cheap PCs include a monitor. If your old computer used
a VGA monitor, it should work just fine with your new PC. Otherwise, budget
funds for a monitor. You can easily find a 15-inch CRT monitor for $15 to $40.
In order to keep costs down, none of the under-$300 PCs include Microsoft Windows. Some
come preinstalled with LInspire or another version of the Linux operating system.
Some don't come with an operating system at all. You don't have to stick with the OS
that comes with it. You may prefer to install your favorite Linux distribution, or use an old
Windows 98 disc that you have lying around. Yes, you can buy a new copy of Windows,
buy keep in mind that Windows XP Home Edition costs about $200, as much as some of these PCs.
If you are going to install Windows on your PC, don't worry. It probably comes with a CD-ROM
with Windows drivers. (All of the machines that I tested included one.)
If not, search for the motherboard manufacturer's Web site to download those drivers.
There's no free technical support on a Ridiculously Cheap PC, and often no documentation,
which are big reasons that they're not for everyone. If you don't know how to set up
a PC for the first time, get around in Linux, or install another operating system, find
a friendly computer geek to help you... or save your pennies for a more expensive computer
from a company that can provide better support.
All of the cheap PCs that I have tested are speedy, capable machines. They're fast enough for
word processing, Internet access, working with digital pictures, and playing many
games. The machines aren't fast enough to do intensive video editing work
or getting the highest frame rates on Quake III, but are generally more than good enough for most
home and office users.
Most of these machines come with 256 MB RAM, which I consider the bare minimum
a modern PC needs to squeak by. If I could do just one upgrade to these machines,
it would be to add more memory. That alone can make the computer work significantly faster.
Most of these machines are expandable to 1GB (which is more than most home and office users need.)