Thread: Fair asking price for a desktop?

Did you even bother to look at the link? Because it right at the top for me. $149.99

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...7&Sku=B69-0017

Processor Speed: X2 4200+ / 2.20GHz
Memory Size: 2048MB
1024MB
Form Factor: ATX Mid-Tower
Compatible Motherboards: ATX
Micro ATX
Memory Type: DDR2, DDR2
Processor Interface: Socket AM2
Processor Class: Athlon 64 X2
Processor Core: Windsor
Memory Speed: 667MHz PC5400
Side Panel Type: Vented
Memory Speed: 667MHz PC5400
Cache Size: 1MB
Power Supply: 450 Watt

Originally Posted by abachler

Did you even bother to look at the link? Because it right at the top for me. $149.99

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...7&Sku=B69-0017

... ok, and where does your claim of "better specs" fall into play, exactly? An on par processor with a motherboard with a weak IGP, a cheap case and power supply. No hard drive, no optical drive... you're still in the same boat as you were with my example. If you were to complete that system with the missing components you're looking at a $300-350 system that is still significantly weaker because of the bad PSU and case. I don't even know why you would even bother comparing a barebones to a complete computer. You're talking about two different consumer bases.

Originally Posted by whiteflags

Price points do not work this way. Don't they teach business in Sweden? (I kid.)

Oh no, I was thinking like this:
Newer Dual/Quad Cores = Core 2 Duo/Quad.
Old Dual Core from Intel = Pentium D (basically 2 P4s slapped together).
Meaning = Pentium D = old = lower price from today's Core 2 XXX.
Obviously I was wrong with what type of processor it was.

Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom

That's absolutely untrue. A desktop PC with those specs without the video cards would be $450 used and built. Add the graphics card and a TV tuner and you're easily at $450. Even if you wanted to build it yourself new and you shopped around, it'd run you close to $400. Don't forget that's a $100 case it's sitting in. That might not matter to you, but to many buyers, a good case is essential. As far as a laptop, just to get one with a graphics equivilent of the HD3850 would run you up to a grand easily.

That computer can be sold for $500, I think, if you give it a few weeks to find a good buyer. Just craigslist it at that price, you'll get an offer or two.

Oh no. I think you haven't done enough research.
I found that I could build a barebones (completely working!) with cpu, memory, hard drive, optical drive--everything for about $170.
Or if you want a beast for multi-tasking, it would be around $270.
Of course, it still doesn't include some things like lots of hard drive space, but it just shows that with proper research, it can be done at very low prices, if you just know how to do it.

Originally Posted by cyberfish

The Pentium name is now used to budget segment stuff. Pentium Dual-Cores are Core 2 Duo's with smaller L2.

Well, AMD names everything Athlon...

Hmmmm.
I think my memory is failing me... I know of:
Athlon
Athlon XP
Athlon MP
Athlon 64
Athlon 64 X2
Phenom X3
Phenom X4
Duron

It just seems to me that Intel abandoned the Pentium name after Core 2, and then they go back and slap together another new product with the older name.
Especially with the whole Pentium D name, that seems confusing to me.
Can't really say with AMD, though. Always been an AMD enthusiast.

Originally Posted by Elysia

Oh no. I think you haven't done enough research.
I found that I could build a barebones (completely working!) with cpu, memory, hard drive, optical drive--everything for about $170.
Or if you want a beast for multi-tasking, it would be around $270.

I don't suppose I should take your word for it... you'd have to be talking about some very, very cheap parts that are in no way comparable to what is listed above.

Here is what I will give you... I'd say if you really, really wanted to build an equivalent PC for $300, you can do so if you spent about a month shopping for deals on Ebay to eventually get all of the parts. The problem is that we're talking about sub totals, here. When you buy a PC in parts off the internet, you're almost guaranteed to pay significantly more in shipping costs than you would if you buy it whole. It's generally not economical to build a PC in the $300 range.

I feel like everyone arguing here is only looking at the absolute best prices they can find online and never actually sold anything before. There isn't some special deal police out there that is going to jump in on your sale when the buyer starts to pay you $100 more than he would have off in some corner of the internet. Not to mention that if he sells locally, he'll be able to avoid tax and shipping costs for the buyer which is another $30-40 in most cases.

Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom

I don't suppose I should take your word for it... you'd have to be talking about some very, very cheap parts that are in no way comparable to what is listed above.

Oh yes, they are cheap parts, but they will work.
You don't have to take my word for it, if you don't want to, but I do assure you that I looked into it a long time ago, to see how cheaply I could build a computer.

Here is what I will give you... I'd say if you really, really wanted to build an equivalent PC for $300, you can do so if you spent about a month shopping for deals on Ebay to eventually get all of the parts. The problem is that we're talking about sub totals, here. When you buy a PC in parts off the internet, you're almost guaranteed to pay significantly more in shipping costs than you would if you buy it whole. It's generally not economical to build a PC in the $300 range.

No, you don't have to scourage ebay. You just have to use a price comparison site. A good one.
Shipping can indeed be a problem, unless you went to physical stores and shopped there. I also took that into account by choosing slightly more expensive parts to be able to locally get there and purchase them.
And it is indeed very feasible for sub-300, if you just know where and how to look.

And you can get a hard drive for cheaper than $40 (as per your original post).

And all links I have was made locally in local language.

Originally Posted by Elysia

And it is indeed very feasible for sub-300, if you just know where and how to look.

You're still not on the same page, here. I never claimed you couldn't make a sub-300 PC. I claimed you couldn't make one equivalent to what is listed above for that price. Not even close. Secondly, the "local links in your local language" kind of says it all. Why would we compare prices from your country to prices in Canada? You're now talking about two different costs for employees, storage facilities, tax, shipping, and whatever other kind of overhead you can think of. You're also not considering the fact that most (and I mean a great most) would much rather spend an extra $50 from someone local or someone reputable than some off-the-beaten-path store they've never heard of and wouldn't know how to contact if anything was dysfunctional. You're really comparing apple-to-oranges here and until I see someone post something even reasonably accurate to the claim that you can build the OPs PC or something with better specs for cheaper, I'm going to stick with my estimate that he could sell that PC for $500 USD if he gave himself a few weeks to find a buyer.

... and retail or OEM you're not going to get a hard drive much cheaper than $40. The cheap ones your seeing are pulled from junked PCs and they are an extremely high risk buy. I had a friend that bought a lot of 50 HDDs from a guy on eBay (with great reputation, mind you) that were all pulls and about 2/3s of them worked. If you feel confident that you can return the HDD when it arrives broken, then fine... but consider that a lot of people would rather just pay $10-15 extra up front to avoid that hassle.

Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom

You're still not on the same page, here. I never claimed you couldn't make a sub-300 PC. I claimed you couldn't make one equivalent to what is listed above for that price. Not even close.

I disagree. And that is why I post this. I claim that I can do it.

Secondly, the "local links in your local language" kind of says it all. Why would we compare prices from your country to prices in Canada? You're now talking about two different costs for employees, storage facilities, tax, shipping, and whatever other kind of overhead you can think of.

But I did compensate. I did not do a direct conversion from local prices to US$ prices. Instead I used a factor, because I know that something in US costs about that x 10 here, so it's pretty easy to do it that way.
And if you cannot find parts cheap in the US then I'll eat my tongue.

You're also not considering the fact that most (and I mean a great most) would much rather spend an extra $50 from someone local or someone reputable than some off-the-beaten-path store they've never heard of and wouldn't know how to contact if anything was dysfunctional.

I will agree with you that you want to purchase from a reputable store.
Well, I believe I did take into account not to purchase from unknown stores, but from stores that have a good reputation.
Still, you are right and this does inflate the price, but it still doesn't change the fact that you can do it cheaper.

You're really comparing apple-to-oranges here and until I see someone post something even reasonably accurate to the claim that you can build the OPs PC or something with better specs for cheaper, I'm going to stick with my estimate that he could sell that PC for $500 USD if he gave himself a few weeks to find a buyer.

I would love to post my links, but if there's one I thing I've learned is that there are never the same parts available at different parts of the world, and if they are, not at the same price. The local parts I have here I would not find in US. 'Tis a shame since it would mean new research.

... and retail or OEM you're not going to get a hard drive much cheaper than $40. The cheap ones your seeing are pulled from junked PCs and they are an extremely high risk buy. I had a friend that bought a lot of 50 HDDs from a guy on eBay (with great reputation, mind you) that were all pulls and about 2/3s of them worked. If you feel confident that you can return the HDD when it arrives broken, then fine... but consider that a lot of people would rather just pay $10-15 extra up front to avoid that hassle.

Well, yes, maybe. Maybe not. I can't say.
But even adding up a little extra on things to make sure I get reputable parts and such, I get about $320.
And that is far better. Dual core, good case, good PSU, much hard drive space, etc.
And btw, I never compromise on the PSU at all, even with the cheapest of systems.

Anyway, the point is, you don't need to take this seriously, but do take the prices with a grain of salt. That computer may not be worth $500, but if it can be sold for that, then great. I have nothing against that.