Cost effective PCs

[Alanmelon]

I'm involved in a small business startup, and we're looking at needing 2-3 PCs for general admin work/web access. Both will need dual monitor and ethernet capability, but clearly need nothing more than a very basic spec. I've built a few PCs in the past so know my way around a mainboard. The key factor is keeping costs low, and I've considered a few options, but would appreciate advice on the best choice;
1) Buy components and build from scratch
2) Buy very low end pre-built desktop PC
3) Netbook/cheap laptops (easy to add 2nd monitor)

Any recommendations?

[Graham M]

If you're confident at building PCs, I'd be tempted to go that way, that way you can spend as little or as much as required on each one

Originally Posted by Alanmelon

I'm involved in a small business startup, and we're looking at needing 2-3 PCs for general admin work/web access. Both will need dual monitor and ethernet capability, but clearly need nothing more than a very basic spec. I've built a few PCs in the past so know my way around a mainboard. The key factor is keeping costs low, and I've considered a few options, but would appreciate advice on the best choice;
1) Buy components and build from scratch
2) Buy very low end pre-built desktop PC
3) Netbook/cheap laptops (easy to add 2nd monitor)

Any recommendations?

you should be able to knock up basic towers for around the 120 - 150 mark easy with all new parts. The screens will be what costs ya.

---------- Post added at 12:07 ---------- Previous post was at 12:02 ----------

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/148025

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/134749

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/160690

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131269

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/114477

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/115959

£126 quid. If you run nix then the os is free

Dunno much about the windows server software but you can get business server 2008 for 20 quid but I do not knw if thats sufficient

[cookie_365]

Depends on how important the computers are to the day to day business, and what your involvement in the business is.

If you're for instance the person generating all the initial leads with retailers then shouldn't you be spending time getting the business off the ground by making those phone calls instead of putting computers together?

And if you need the computers day to day for the business, who are you going to phone if one you built stops working?

Think about the resources - especially people - you have available and focus on getting them to work to their skills. And have a look at the costs and risks and what-ifs for all your options.

Not saying that building them yourselves is wrong, you just need to be aware of what the longer term effects of your decision are.

if you dont build your own and something goes wrong you could lose the pc for a couple of weeks while they fix it. I can build and install a pc in around 90 mins max doing 3 together would take me 2.5 hours as I build one set it installing as I build the second and so on

If you need in house assistance and warranty you aint gonna do it on the cheap

[admars]

Liek a lot of business we buy Dells, with 3 year support, you phone them up when something goes wrong, then depending on who you speak to they agree to send an engineer round next day, or you go through 10 - 30mins of diagnostics before they agree to send an engineer round the following day. the engineers then turns up with bits that need replacing, if it's a mobo or a laptop problem.

if it's something easy to replace like a hard drive, you phone them up and say, pc tag xxxxxx hard drive has died, and they courier a new one next day.

A few years ago I wouldn't have recommended Dell, but as a business solution can't really fault them. We haven't got time/room/resources to physically assemble PCs, troubleshoot etc.

It all depends on how on the cheap it needs to be done. Buying Dells with support would be a good move if it falls in budget

[Horace]

Originally Posted by Alanmelon

I'm involved in a small business startup, and we're looking at needing 2-3 PCs for general admin work/web access. Both will need dual monitor

You'll need to factor in a dual-DVI graphics card for that. The cheapest I could see on ebuyer was : http://www.ebuyer.com/product/151397

[Alanmelon]

Thanks for all the replies. The PCs are simply being used for a patient database, so downtime, whilst undesirable, isn't too critical at this stage. I consider myself fairly competent in repairs anyway. I just wonder, if, by the time I've bought all the components, OS and monitor etc, it might be cheaper to go the laptop route, and have it all ready to go with a second display output.

how about servers and clients? one machine with plenty of storage ie a tower and then a couple of netbooks networked in?

[keyholder]

Originally Posted by Alanmelon

Thanks for all the replies. The PCs are simply being used for a patient database, so downtime, whilst undesirable, isn't too critical at this stage. I consider myself fairly competent in repairs anyway. I just wonder, if, by the time I've bought all the components, OS and monitor etc, it might be cheaper to go the laptop route, and have it all ready to go with a second display output.

if its only for a database then personally id say, a cheap but fast Dual core @ £35 ish, 500Gb hd to start off with, And top notch gigabyte network card plugged in, and use that as a file / database server.

AS zinglebarb says how about laptops wired / wireless hooked up to the network, which then people can see / share / edit the database files, but being laptops, prices are going to increase. which is another factor.

Best stick to desktop pc's me thinks easier to upgrade and parts are always available in your local shop, + it dont take 1 min to whip off the side of a pc case

As for repairing, i perosonaly wouldnt touch a comapanys warranty they offer, as 9 times out of 10 its not worth it. + with delays for tech vist's etc, your best off repairing them yourself which would mean less down time.

---------- Post added at 03:22 ---------- Previous post was at 02:49 ----------

Ok i jsut worked it out due to boredem @ 3.15 am

with 2 pc's as clients it will cost you £570 @ most. THATS FOR 2, Spec wise, 2gb ram, intel dual core cpu @ 2.2Ghz, dvd rw,7.1 sound, 128 internal gfx, 19" tft monitor,160Gb hd,400watt Psu, kb,mouse,

Server wise it will cost £347. Spec - Intel dual core @ 2.2ghz, Ati gfx ( with HDMI output for future use, Maybe tv for patients ) 500Gb hd,4Gb mem, 19" tft, 7.1 snd,dvdrw, kb,optical mouse,

So in total youll spend £915 for 3 pc's. that are brand new BARGIN.

---------- Post added at 03:26 ---------- Previous post was at 03:22 ----------

if u dont want the tft for the server, u cud knock off £80 which would make it out to be £270 TOTAL £840