Garage PC $200-300 budget

[bochnak]

I want to add a PC in the garage to do the following:

• Surf the web
• View PDF's
• Play music
• Watch video files stored on HD
• Monitor will be a 32" LCD TV

Pretty basic stuff really. I'm wondering if I should build one or buy a refurbed one.

Build something like this:
https://www.toptengamer.com/150-gaming-pc/

Or buy something like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fast-Dell-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

What would you do?

 

[bcradio]

What would you do?

buy a tablet

 

[peter2772000]

I took one of our older laptops, wiped the drive clean and added more memory. Wizzes right along when used with Chrome, but I don't play music on it or watch heavy video files, except thru youtube

 

[biggziff]

Just go to the Dell outlet and grab one for under $300 with a warranty.

 

[bdbecker]

I use my home PC for pretty much exactly what you describe. You may want to consider a "mini pc". I've been running an older model of this for 6 or 7 years now and have had no issues. The only thing you might run into is how much storage it has if you want to save a lot of videos to the hard drive.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=2S7-004T-00050

 

[EchoFiveCharlie]

I bought a $50 laptop off eBay, then a $50 5.1 speaker system from Walmart. Hung the speakers throughout the garage.

At 1/3 volume, it's nearly concert level. One of the best things I've done for my garage.

Hook it up to your 32" monitor, and you're still in budget.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

I did a refurb Dell from Microcenter- $139. Had a 32"monitor from the wife; who had upgraded her monitor at work. Threw in as much ram as I could.

For other than looking for parts/info/how-to's; it's more an info storage warehouse for pdf's on TSB's, mod plans, suspension build ups, etc., etc.

 

[casmurbax]

try looking at www.tigerdirect.com, wide variety there. What others have mentioned are good places as well.

 

[bochnak]

buy a tablet

Thanks but don't want a tablet.

 

[bochnak]

And:
A cheap monitor and Bluetooth keyboard/mouse will let you use your phone to a much greater advantage. The advantages being
Phone is always with you so your information is always with you.

Already have a wired keyboard and mouse. Haven't had good luck with wireless acc and changing batts are a pain.

 

[bochnak]

I bought a $50 laptop off eBay, then a $50 5.1 speaker system from Walmart. Hung the speakers throughout the garage.

At 1/3 volume, it's nearly concert level. One of the best things I've done for my garage.

Hook it up to your 32" monitor, and you're still in budget.

Already have a stereo that I'll connect to.

 

[bochnak]

I did a refurb Dell from Microcenter- $139. Had a 32"monitor from the wife; who had upgraded her monitor at work. Threw in as much ram as I could.

For other than looking for parts/info/how-to's; it's more an info storage warehouse for pdf's on TSB's, mod plans, suspension build ups, etc., etc.

Pretty much what I need it for. Service manuals and online parts ordering. Maybe throw in some instructional videos as well.

My main PC inside the house is a powerhouse and where everything gets stored. Will network them together.

 

[Colin Len]

I'd look at a Chromebook. Depending on your use and size of garage it could be very nice to have a portable computer to take thru the shop instead of a big honking PC. Especially handy for referencing shop manuals while working on a vehicle.

 

[Davefr]

Why not get an off lease Thinkpad laptop like the T430 or X220.

These are excellent machines when configured with an SSD. You should be able to get one within your budget. (Newegg, Arrow Direct, Ebay)

Just plug in your monitor if you need a bigger screen.

 

[kbs2244]

WalMart Online

Dell's and more.
Free shipping and all their customer service.

 

[stonesfan68]

You might take a look at a PC stick. They have a HDMI output that plugs right into the monitor. It is probably all of the computing power that you'll ever need.

Intel BOXSTK1AW32

 

[mach1mustangman]

I use my tablet for that...you can usually get a nice used one for the price range you specified.

 

[bahamasair]

I use the Minix Neo mini pc and do exactly what you are looking to do with it. $175 on amazon.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Best bang for the buck is a refurb desktop. Using the TV will save you a lot ! Almost everything now a days has DVI video output. This is just HDMI WITHOUT audio and a different connector. Adapters are cheap.

Buy some cheap powered speaker (I got refurb Logitech ones on eBay for about 25% of their original price) and you are good.

 

[lonestarky]

Lenovo mini units are fairly bulletproof, and cheap. I believe they are called think centres?

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[James-W]

I have a laptop that I put Linux Mint on and when I need a computer in the garage I take it out there. The WI-FI we have works out to the garage so having Internet access out there isn't a problem. I seldom need it in the garage, but it is available if the need arises.

 

[PhysicsDude]

I was able to find a small mini-tower desktop workstation PC on Craigslist for $100. It had 80Gb SSD, 2gb RAM, decent older but decent dual core processor, wifi adapter, basic mouse and keyboard. It was a refurbished workstation from some large company. It boots up in <10 seconds due to SSD and does all basic computer functions well. You can find them all over the place, they're regularly on eBay for $80-$180 depending on what features it has.

I wanted a garage computer for the exact same reasons you do, and it fill the bill perfectly.

 

[themiller]

Those Optiplex units are bullet-proof. I'd buy one in a heartbeat for your purpose - BUT - get one with an SSD.

 

[rannoch]

I have an old X201 thinkpad tablet PC that works great for my purposes.
The portability is great.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

I'd go to Newegg.com and look at holiday deals. You want to be sure and get something that isn't yet at a technological dead end.
Mylast PC died of motherboard failure. I could have paid 3x too much for anew(or used) obsolete board which no modern power supply, drive, or accessory would even plug in to.
Instead I bought pretty much everything but the case and video card new.

 

[firworks]

For your requirements I wouldn't be building a PC. I'd be picking up a used corporate machine. I've got a buddy who always buys PCs from here and just sticks a graphics card in them to play the games he plays:
http://arrowdirect.com/

At my work we cycle out computers every 2 years. Those 2 year old PCs are perfectly good workhorse PCs that they swap out for new perfectly also working PCs because the schedule says so. Just filter by having an OS / HDD included and you're ready to rock and roll. You could probably snag something on there in the 150-200$ range and be just fine.

Granted, that's not as much fun as specing out parts and building your own PC but you have to decide if you want to spend time making the computer or using it.

 

[mjchamp]

Tons of deals on Craigslist. I run a 5 year old laptop (w/ 32" TV as a monitor) and a tablet; couldn't be happier.

 

[bochnak]

For your requirements I wouldn't be building a PC. I'd be picking up a used corporate machine. I've got a buddy who always buys PCs from here and just sticks a graphics card in them to play the games he plays:
http://arrowdirect.com/

At my work we cycle out computers every 2 years. Those 2 year old PCs are perfectly good workhorse PCs that they swap out for new perfectly also working PCs because the schedule says so. Just filter by having an OS / HDD included and you're ready to rock and roll. You could probably snag something on there in the 150-200$ range and be just fine.

Granted, that's not as much fun as specing out parts and building your own PC but you have to decide if you want to spend time making the computer or using it.

Thanks for that link.

What do you think about this one:
http://arrowdirect.com/hp-compaq-elite-8300-3-20ghz-intel-core-i5-gen3-desktop-128gb-4-gb-3.html

Matt

 

[Falcon67]

Wifi, Chromcast, Galaxy Tab A - thats all the computing I use in the shop.

 

[Jon_E]

Subscribing to this thread. I will need a PC in my shop for music, YouTube/how-to videos, surfing the web and looking at PDFs. Key consideration for me will be how dust-resistant it is. Probably will build it into a gasketed cabinet to keep the dust fairy at bay.

 

[jfranco]

The newer 'Smart' TV's should be able to do what you need if you have Wii-Fi out to the garage.

 

[James-W]

An option for music is if you have an MP-3 player and a boom box with an auxiliary input, that would work really OK for music. Of course you wouldn't have Internet access or the ability to read a PDF file, but for music it would work quite well.

 

[mrramsey]

I would agree with others and do a laptop. Portability is nice. I will have my old but really good laptop out there. I have a bluetooth speaker that works really well.

 

[bochnak]

I don't want a laptop since the wife and kids may steal it..LOL

Another option:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=afc-VigLink2

 

[apollo11]

I bought an eBay Dell refurb laptop for under 150.00 awhile back.
I just plug a 40" TV as a monitor into it

Hide it and use wireless mouse and keyboard

 

[zjrog]

I have a wiped older laptop that fits nicely in a locked cabinet. It replaces an old desktop machine that takes up too much space. I have an old 35" tube tv on top of my beer fridge, that has a VGA port to match the old laptop if I wish. And I have a full blown stereo for sound. I have a cable lock to keep it in place when not in the cabinet...

 

[Trey T]

+1 for Chromebook

 

[ItsNemo]

If you have any computer smarts...just find one cheap used on craigslist or similar and fix it up. I spent a total of $20 on the box, put a $100 SSD into it, used an old monitor/keyboard/mouse I had kicking around...done.

 

[GNX423]

The I7 Dell refub that you show seem like good bang for the buck.
I am doing similar things as you and this is what I went with https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076DCWZNT/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I am impressed with the performance in the tiny package and barely uses any power. For you, the monitor output could be an issue, It has HDMI but no standard connection. Not sure what connections you have. I run mine to a TLC 32" TV for a monitor.

Good luck with it,
Mike

 

[jpinca]

You might take a look at a PC stick. They have a HDMI output that plugs right into the monitor. It is probably all of the computing power that you'll ever need.

Intel BOXSTK1AW32

This is what I'm using for a gaming emulation machine and Steam streaming client in my living room. Plenty of power for browsing and built in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

I also recommend a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse or trackball.