$250 PC recommendation

Hello.
A friend of mine wants a PC with a very tight budget of $250. He doesn’t game and only needs it to surf the internet, listen music and watch movies.
We need everything except the CPU case and Power Supply for a ultra-low budget of $250
So I need recommendations for CPU, Motherboard, RAM, Hard Disk and even a monitor all for $250
Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.
PS: I know the budget is very low and his options are very limited. I too said the same but he still requests if it’d be possible.
Answer #1
You need to get a used PC on that budget. Check your local Craigslist.
Answer #2
SmAsHeDr replied: You need to get a used PC on that budget. Check your local Craigslist.
Thank you for your reply. Will it be possible to somehow squeeze a low-end new rig out of it?
Answer #3
Well, from the top of my head. You could get an AMD x3 4xx and an el cheapo motherboard with integrated video for around $100. Add in the memory, HDD and it’ll still probably be below $150. Use the rest of the cash for a monitor. If you want a better GPU you could do with an E-350 but you’ll lose out on the CPU.
Answer #4
Just looking at some of the cheapest possible stuff on newegg I get
~$50 HDD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136112
~$50 2gb of ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820159106
~$50 micro atx mobo/cpu combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121516
~$90 20″ monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254055
So yeah its possible but I dont know if that video chip on the mobo will be able to handle higher resolution videos.
Answer #5
~$50 2gb of ramI can get 4gigs of DDR3 for less than that. You’re looking at the wrong stuff. That CPU/motherboard combo is outrageously old and shouldn’t be even considered.
Answer #6
-paroxysM^ replied: ~$50 2gb of ramI can get 4gigs of DDR3 for less than that. You're looking at the wrong stuff.
Right I had to look at ddr memory because of the motherboard. This was just a quick search please feel free to contribute some more exhaustive results.
Answer #7
Hegemon875 replied: ~$50 micro atx mobo/cpu combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121516
That motherboard and CPU combo is terrible man.
If you don’t mind getting a used LCD or CRT monitor, and you want quality parts, you can get a setup like this; ASUS motherboard, G.Skill ram, 500GB HDD, and AMD X3 for about $200 bucks. That leaves you with about $40-50 bucks for a monitor.
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=14995751
Just looking at whats on my Craigslist right now, 17″ LCD for $25.
http://austin.craigslist.org/sys/2627495440.html
Or $40 bucks for a 19″ LCD.
http://houston.craigslist.org/sys/2616914365.html
Answer #8
SmAsHeDr replied: Hegemon875 replied: ~$50 micro atx mobo/cpu combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121516
That motherboard and CPU combo is terrible man.
If you don't mind getting a used LCD or CRT monitor, and you want quality parts, you can get a setup like this; ASUS motherboard, G.Skill ram, 500GB HDD, and AMD X3 for about $200 bucks. That leaves you with about $40-50 bucks for a monitor.
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=14995751
Just looking at whats on my Craigslist right now, 17" LCD for $25.
http://austin.craigslist.org/sys/2627495440.html
Or $40 bucks for a 19" LCD.
http://houston.craigslist.org/sys/2616914365.htmlExactly
Here’s an alternative build
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145299
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820576002
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157247
Answer #9
Your friend could also buy a computer box on ebay or craiglist and just buy a computer case on net, and swap out the whole pc and put in new case if you get me. The box will be brand new but the parts will not. Save loads over buying everything new.
Answer #10
Best I could come up with (without a monitor,It would’ve exceeded the budget otherwise):

Mobo: BIOSTAR A780L3L / $49.99+$4.99 shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138290
CPU: AMD Athlon II X2 255 / $62.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103896
RAM: Wintec Value 4GB DDR3 1333 / $20.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820161469
HDD: Hitachi 500GB / $39.99+$1.99 shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145299
Total: $180.94
He should just get the monitor from craiglist.
Edit: Changed the RAM to a single stick for future upgrades,Didn’t notice the mobo has only 2 slots.
Answer #11
Hi there,
Here is a nice build for the money:
ASUS M5A78L-M LE 57.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=ASUS+M5A78L-M+LE&x=19&y=19
Kingston HyperX Blu 2GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model KHX1600C9AD3B1/2G 15.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104219
SAMSUNG Spinpoint MP4 HM500JJ 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache 2.5″ SATA 3.0Gb/s 49.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152236
AMD Athlon II X2 250 Regor 3.0GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor ADX250OCGMBOX 61.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103903
Acer G195WAb Black 19″ 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 250 cd/m2 1,000:1 89.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009279
Total of 275.86$
I strongly recommend to not go out ones and save 25 bucks to buy this. Ur pc is only as strong as the weakest componement so.. you would like to have a decent pc right? I would’t save the money on a monitor because otherwise the movies would have bad img quality
Also what case and psu do you have?
Answer #12
Berke53 replied: Kingston HyperX Blu 2GB
4GB is the standard these days,I wouldn’t go with any less,Especially when it’s only $5 more.
Berke53 replied: SAMSUNG Spinpoint MP4 HM320HJ 320GB
This one is made for laptops and is 2.5″! He can get a desktop 3.5″ 500GB for $10 less!
Answer #13
Roberto400 replied: Berke53 replied: Kingston HyperX Blu 2GB
4GB is the standard these days,I wouldn't go with any less,Especially when it's only $5 more.
Berke53 replied: SAMSUNG Spinpoint MP4 HM320HJ 320GB
This one is made for laptops and is 2.5"! He can get a desktop 3.5" 500GB for $10 less!
Yeah for 5$ more ur better of with 4gb. But I think 2gb is sufficiant if it only is to surf and watch movies…
As for the HD. lol my bad I looked over that. When I saw the pic it looked like a normal sata hdd.
Im not familliar with newegg so i just typed spinpoint in the search bar as in my country they are usually the cheapest
Answer #14
if in the USA, newegg has a few good ones for the $$ you mentioned, i have bought 2 over the past few years for mom, just got one a few weeks ago for $249, works great, she loves it. check the links mentioned above by several members to start,
Answer #15
if in the USA, newegg.com has a few good ones for the $$ you mentioned, i have bought 2 over the past few years for mom, just got one a few weeks ago for $249, works great, she loves it. check the links mentioned above by several members to start,
also try
tigerdirect.com