Full PC build + OS for $600

I’m looking for a full setup by $1333, including peripherals (at least a 21" monitor) and an original OS.
Is it actually possible to put together something high-quality within this budget?

darkorca52 said:I need a setup for up to $1333 including peripherals (at least a 21" monitor) and an original OS.
Can I actually put together something decent for that kind of budget?

What’s the main use case for this PC?

No matter what you're using it for, once you kill the monitor, you're left staring at $0.67 (or just a wall of pink), and there's not much point in overanalyzing that... maybe it'd be more useful to know if they're paying with cash or a credit card (since that just shrinks the total even further 😬)

analogtiger19 said:No matter what the end goal is, once you ditch the monitor, you're left with just the OS $0.67 (or maybe even more) sitting there, and there's not much room for debate... honestly, it might be more important to find out if he's paying cash or using a card (which would shrink that budget even further 😬)

Exactly, that's why I'm asking. If he needs a computer with a legitimate OS, he probably needs it for work or running a business. Now, if it's just basic data entry or some trivial task, then sure, an SSD and 1840 will do the trick for $667. But if he's planning on doing anything serious like video or photo editing, there's no way 🙂

Honestly, forget about the original OS; if you really need to get things done, just switch over to Linux and invest in a much better computer instead.

Randy, how’s he supposed to run Windows-only apps? You gotta realize we're talking about an average user here... they aren't exactly tech wizards who can mess around with complex software tweaks.

Got any actual arguments for switching to Linux besides just the price tag?

I honestly think it's way smarter to just spin up a virtual machine; you get much better value by putting that money toward beefier hardware instead of dropping a fortune on an overpriced OS that’s frankly inferior to Linux (unless we're talking about macOS or something actually more advanced than Windows)

I mean, look at Ubuntu, for instance—even a regular person who doesn't know the first thing about tech can fire up Ubuntu and get through their daily routine just as easily as they would on Windows, especially since the support community is absolutely massive...

The VM keeps losing power again, so there's no way I'm getting an i7 and 12 gigs of RAM in there to actually make things run smooth. Besides, setting up a virtual machine is always such a headache for a regular user... Windows isn't even worse, it's just different from Linux. Since I can't stand messing with the CLI, I enjoy the fact that I don't have to touch it more than once a month. 😁

William Richardson12 said:He’s going to lose so much power running a virtual machine that he won't even have an i7 and 12 gigs of RAM left to actually make things run smoothly. Besides, setting up a VM is always such a headache for the average user. Honestly, Windows isn't necessarily worse, it's just different from Linux. Since I'm not a big fan of using the CLI, I really enjoy the fact that I don't have to touch it more than once a month. 😁

I honestly doubt his computer will be great for gaming or any heavy-duty professional work given how tight his budget is, but you know, a Linux VM can actually perform way better than one on Windows if you tinker with it a bit—you can even set up VGA passthrough to play modern games, though as I mentioned, I doubt that's even what he's aiming for.

Not to mention how much more advanced Linux (and Unix-based systems like macOS) is compared to Windows when it comes to security, raw performance, resource management, and overall modularity; plus, there's massive community support, so you can find a fix online for pretty much any issue that even a total novice could follow.

I wasn't saying anyone needs to go out and install Arch just to wait around for a terminal prompt—even though I don't see what the fuss is about since the terminal is the only way to truly control everything, and there's a mountain of documentation explaining exactly how it all works—but installing something like Ubuntu or Mint is just as easy as installing Windows, and you get all the essential tools for everyday computing right out of the box, not to mention it's completely free and likely much more stable since it uses fewer resources than closed-source software.

Personally, I use Windows on my main laptop, but I have macOS on my second machine and an Arch Linux build on my desktop, and I can tell you that Windows definitely eats up way more resources than something like macOS after you've been running it for a while without a restart, not to mention those weird little glitches that occasionally pop up, but hey, that's life.

edit-btw, you won't even have to shell out money for antivirus software on Linux, since you really should be sticking to legitimate software anyway.

When did talking about buying a computer turn into just another one of those million fanboy debates over Linux vs Windows?🤔

Adam Moore3 said:When did talking about buying a computer turn into just another one of those million endless debates between fanboys over Linux vs Windows?🤔

I honestly don't see how this counts as some fanboy argument at all, because I was really just trying to lay out some practical reasons why it makes more sense to skip paying for an overpriced OS and instead put that money toward better hardware, and if you look closely, I even mentioned that I use Windows myself.

The computer will be used for web browsing, Microsoft Office, and other light tasks—nothing too demanding.
Basically, I am considering picking up this All-in-One PC

Can anyone tell me how the Celeron 2957 processor performs? Will it handle basic daily use effectively?

1 x Intel Celeron G1840 Processor (2.80GHz, 512KB, 2MB, 54 W, 1150) Box,
1 x Asrock H81M-HDS, s1150, Intel H81, M-ATX, Dual Channel DDR3
1 x Zalman T5 mini tower case. 170(W) x 427(H) x 348(D)mm.
1 x LG 22MP47D-P IPS, 21.5", 16:9, 1920x1080, 250 cd/m2, 5,000,000:1
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingmax, 1600MHz, FLGF
1 x Corsair VS Series Power Supply, 350 Watt, ATX, ATX12V v2.31
1 x LG GH24NS DVD Burner, DVD±RW, 24x DVD±R, 8x DL, 40x CD-R
1 x Microsoft Windows 10 Home, KW9-00139
1 x Kingston 120GB HyperX Fury SSD, 2.5", SATA 3 6G
1 x Genius SlimStar i222, Ultra Slim, USB
1 x Microsoft Wireless Mouse, U7Z-00004

$1338 Invoice

I guess you should only get an original OS if it's for a business or office setting.

If you don't actually need an OS, here’s another way to go:

Pentium G3260
GIGABYTE H81M S2V
KINGSTON 8GB 1600 MHZ
PATRIOT BLAST 240 GB SSD
LG GH24NS
XILENCE R7 400W
Voyager MIDI ATX
BENQ GW2255 VA LED 1080p
GENIUS 2.0 SP HF-160
GENIUS DX-150 + SL. LUCIDIS

= $1233 - shipping and assembly included.

Honestly, just forget about the All-in-One PC idea—it's not worth it. You're better off grabbing a laptop, especially since you can find decent deals online right now with extended warranties up to 5 years if you look hard enough. Either way, your best bet is building a custom desktop from parts... most reputable US online retailers will even throw in free assembly anyway.

graniteharbor85 said:If you don't need an operating system, here is another option:

Pentium G3260
GIGABYTE H81M S2V
KINGSTON 8GB 1600 MHZ
PATRIOT BLAST 240 GB SSD
LG DVD-RW SATA
XILENCE R7 400W
Voyager MIDI ATX
BENQ GW2255 VA LED 1080p
GENIUS 2.0 SP HF-160
GENIUS DX-150 + SL. LUCIDIS

= $1233 - includes delivery and assembly.

Forget about the All-in-One PC; a laptop is the lesser of two evils, especially since you can find them on various sales right now with extended warranties exceeding five years. Regardless, your best bet is to build a custom PC from individual parts, as any reputable US online retailer will offer free assembly anyway.

Thanks!
Since this processor isn't available, could you suggest an alternative?
Perhaps an i3 paired with a dedicated graphics card?
I also need Wi-Fi connectivity included.

darkorca52 said:Thanks!
Since this processor isn't available, any other suggestions?
Maybe an i3 with a dedicated graphics card
I also need Wi-Fi

An i3 won't fit the budget if you want the original OS included, and honestly, you don't even need a dedicated graphics card. For basic web surfing and working in Microsoft Office, the Intel integrated graphics will handle everything just fine. The Pentium G3260 is available; it looks like they just changed the link or something. Here it is: CLICK The only thing I might change in this graniteharbor85 build is the case. This Voyager doesn't really suit an office setup—it looks more like a high-end gaming rig. But hey, that's just personal preference. 🙂 Otherwise, this setup is going to fly through anything you throw at it from your list.

I have an original version of Windows 10 installed on my laptop.
Is it possible to install Windows 10 on a desktop PC and activate it using the product key from the laptop?

darkorca52 said:I have an original Windows 10 installation on my laptop.
Can I install Windows 10 on a desktop build and just activate it using the product key from the laptop?

No way—one license per machine...