I'm not sure I would buy a refurb computer. (Maybe I would.) But, I have purchased a refurb Samsung TV and refurb Sony Blueray player from Amazon. Both were excellent. I also bought a new Asus desktop from Amazon. It has been great. AND it came without any bloatware. I searched for a computer on Amazon for a couple of weeks. After logging onto the page for the Asus I wanted a few times, a "sale" on it popped up on my e-mail, so don't pass up new units without at least some browsing. Whatever you do, take a look at Amazon. I've had great experiences.
Refurb Desktop....Which one, and where to buy??
- Thread starter FADEC
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Originally Posted By: daddi
I'm looking at something like these two on Ebay.
Any comments?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/192109981614
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252995483266?var=552039276400
Both looks good, but I agree that choice 1 has more memory.
As for the Graphics Card, yes, if it is bad, you can just buy anything with 1 or 2 GB a little bit obsolete technology.
If you don't do any ACAD or Solid Works, you don't need any Quadro.
The beauty of the T3500, you can still upgrade the CPU to a Xeon with Hex Core.
It is still about the same level as the i7 CPU.
I'm looking at something like these two on Ebay.
Any comments?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/192109981614
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252995483266?var=552039276400
Both looks good, but I agree that choice 1 has more memory.
As for the Graphics Card, yes, if it is bad, you can just buy anything with 1 or 2 GB a little bit obsolete technology.
If you don't do any ACAD or Solid Works, you don't need any Quadro.
The beauty of the T3500, you can still upgrade the CPU to a Xeon with Hex Core.
It is still about the same level as the i7 CPU.
Thanks for all the suggestions and advice. I ordered one today from Ebay. Thanks!
I've bought a few from Newegg over the past couple years. One was for my mother, to replace her aging desktop, and one was for a neighbor when his [censored] out. Always had great results.
OP - based on what your needed specs are, have a look at this:
HP Elite 8300- Intel Core i5 3470 - 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD - Windows 10 Pro - $236.99
OP - based on what your needed specs are, have a look at this:
HP Elite 8300- Intel Core i5 3470 - 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD - Windows 10 Pro - $236.99
I purchased a DELL Optiplex 7010 with 7 from DELL and paid extra for cosmetics. The thing looks like it just came out of the original shipping container. Not a mark on it and interior looked like new. Installed Crucial 250g SSD and Crucial RAM and no complaints. One of the best purchases I ever made.
I'd advise staying away from the Dell SFF Optiplex machines due to their lack of availability of a NEW power supply. BTDT. Matter of fact, before buying any SFF box, check first for the availability of a NEW power supply...not refirb'd.
Caveat Emptor....
Caveat Emptor....
Originally Posted By: JMJNet
Search Ebay for Dell Precision T3500.
It is usually powered by Xeon CPU which is 7 years old but this is one of the most powerful computer at a workstation level you will ever have and probably ahead of its time.
You can put any OS you want including Win 10.
I have one of them for 3 years now and I bought it for around $150 without a hard drive.
HD is very cheap now.
They're big, heavy, power-hungry and produce a lot of heat. And 'daddi' is looking for something futureproof, which an end-of-life Xeon workstation isn't.
Search Ebay for Dell Precision T3500.
It is usually powered by Xeon CPU which is 7 years old but this is one of the most powerful computer at a workstation level you will ever have and probably ahead of its time.
You can put any OS you want including Win 10.
I have one of them for 3 years now and I bought it for around $150 without a hard drive.
HD is very cheap now.
They're big, heavy, power-hungry and produce a lot of heat. And 'daddi' is looking for something futureproof, which an end-of-life Xeon workstation isn't.
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Originally Posted By: JMJNet
Search Ebay for Dell Precision T3500.
It is usually powered by Xeon CPU which is 7 years old but this is one of the most powerful computer at a workstation level you will ever have and probably ahead of its time.
You can put any OS you want including Win 10.
I have one of them for 3 years now and I bought it for around $150 without a hard drive.
HD is very cheap now.
They're big, heavy, power-hungry and produce a lot of heat. And 'daddi' is looking for something futureproof, which an end-of-life Xeon workstation isn't.
Instead of criticizing, what is your suggestions? Although daddi has already purchase 1 anyway.
A little bit late to the game!!!
By the way, I like big and heavy. Well built.
Heat, no more than the old Pentium D I had, no throttling though, always smooth in all things I have run.
We can flip the fan to make it an exhaust instead of intake.
Also, if you want to upgrade the CPU, there are Hex Core Xeon CPU available economically.
Yes, it is out of life but that is the beauty and that makes it cheap.
LOL!!!
Originally Posted By: JMJNet
Search Ebay for Dell Precision T3500.
It is usually powered by Xeon CPU which is 7 years old but this is one of the most powerful computer at a workstation level you will ever have and probably ahead of its time.
You can put any OS you want including Win 10.
I have one of them for 3 years now and I bought it for around $150 without a hard drive.
HD is very cheap now.
They're big, heavy, power-hungry and produce a lot of heat. And 'daddi' is looking for something futureproof, which an end-of-life Xeon workstation isn't.
Instead of criticizing, what is your suggestions? Although daddi has already purchase 1 anyway.
A little bit late to the game!!!
By the way, I like big and heavy. Well built.
Heat, no more than the old Pentium D I had, no throttling though, always smooth in all things I have run.
We can flip the fan to make it an exhaust instead of intake.
Also, if you want to upgrade the CPU, there are Hex Core Xeon CPU available economically.
Yes, it is out of life but that is the beauty and that makes it cheap.
LOL!!!
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I'm sort of there too ... I just built my third HP XW4400 Workstation 2.3GHz Dual core. $49 + shipping for the chassis, Intel MB, 4GB RAM, DVDRW, and SATA or IDE drive interfaces. They have variable speed fans, so if SSD for HDD, no heat, no noise, no issue.
My big thing is audio and tweaking files. So sound is a crucial factor for me. Found these HP Workstations have very nice quiet sound systems (Realtek). PCIe for video board slot, so buy whatever floats your boat. Tons of ATI and nVidia boards out there. Any O/S you want. Zippy boxes. The XW 4600 is a set up
The HP Z400 (and above) are even faster, but the sound sub-system is not quite as clean or quiet ... CAD guys have been running these for years. Very stable. Six USB on the back, and two on the front. Mic, headphones jacks front and back. Don't know what else you need ...
Never met a Dell (workstation or business class) with a sound sub-system this quiet ...
I have a M-Audio board that I was going to install, but the OEM components are so close, I never bothered. Of course I don't have RCA jacks in and out with the OEM, but I can live w/o for now ...
My big thing is audio and tweaking files. So sound is a crucial factor for me. Found these HP Workstations have very nice quiet sound systems (Realtek). PCIe for video board slot, so buy whatever floats your boat. Tons of ATI and nVidia boards out there. Any O/S you want. Zippy boxes. The XW 4600 is a set up
The HP Z400 (and above) are even faster, but the sound sub-system is not quite as clean or quiet ... CAD guys have been running these for years. Very stable. Six USB on the back, and two on the front. Mic, headphones jacks front and back. Don't know what else you need ...
Never met a Dell (workstation or business class) with a sound sub-system this quiet ...
I have a M-Audio board that I was going to install, but the OEM components are so close, I never bothered. Of course I don't have RCA jacks in and out with the OEM, but I can live w/o for now ...
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