Best bang for buck prebuilt Desktop PC < $250

• 

  _Bruce_ on 25/01/2013 - 12:01

  http://www.msy.com.au/SYSTEMS/INTELAMD-UpgradeValue.pdf

  This is hard to read but the G550 for $245 might be a good option. I am not clear on what you mean by 1 HDMI out to 2 screens though, care to elaborate?

• 

  ppx on 25/01/2013 - 12:38

  Thanks Bruce.

  I just need a HDMI port to connect to a second screen in addition to a normal DVI port.

  I found these two which look quite good. I don't mind spending a little more! Is the increased performance of the i3 worth the extra $60 and is it even worth it for very basic web surfing?

  http://www.visiontech.com.au/computers/desktops/0-499/24-hou…
  http://www.visiontech.com.au/computers/desktops/0-499/the-ge…

  Thanks for the assistance.

  • 

    _Bruce_ on 25/01/2013 - 13:59

    OK so you want two DVI/HDMI outputs. Note that they are electrically compatible, so two of either will work just fine.

    The i3 is MUCH faster than a G550, but at this price point you will hardly notice as the rest of the system will be the issue anyway, so no don't fork out the extra cash.

    The problem with those links is they don't list what motherboard you get, so you can't tell what/how many video connectors you will get.

    If you wanted to upgrade, get the GT210 or HD6670, either will make a bigger difference than the i3.

    Edit: They list 'outputs' as "D-SUB / HDMI", which implies VGA and HDMI, but could mean any number of things, I would get the actual motherboard model off them and check.

    • 

      scrimshaw on 25/01/2013 - 15:39

      The motherboard that Visiontech puts into their computers is an ECS board:

      http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Product/Product_Detail.aspx…

      So no, you won't get a DVI port, just VGA and HDMI.

      Just take note:

      The PSU will be a generic piece of dung, so GPU upgrades should be kept to a minimum a Radeon 5450 or GT210 or anything low power.

      The motherboard doesn't have USB 3.0 or SATA3. For a browsing computer that's not neccessarily a bad thing, but something to consider if you want to add SSD drives in the future.

      Edit: haha, found your thread in whirlpool
      http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2046722

• 

  ethereal88 on 25/01/2013 - 15:28

  -1

  • Intel G1610 - $45 (Brand spanking new Ivy Bridge repacement for the G550, same price)
  • 4GB RAM - $24
  • Asrock B75M-R2 - $64 (Can run HDMI and DVI-D off that, so 2 monitors covered, also has VGA)
  • Seagate 500GB - $58
  • Thermaltake V4 USB 3 - $75
  • Burner - $20

  TOTAL: $286

  Building is dead easy. That will easily do the job.