Buying a new computer with $50 budget

Mackyboy123 · 02-27-2020, 08:16 AM

Recently my laptop was broken and now I need to buy a new one. I only have a $50 budget and I'm not sure what I can buy. I have been on ebay but I'm wondering if there is anything else I can do. I need about four GB ram because I run virtual machines. I have a external device with fedora installed on it so I don't need a hard drive. What would you say is best?

Philip Lacroix · 02-27-2020, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mackyboy123

What would you say is best?

A used machine in good condition? For decades, people have been instructed to throw away their perfectly functional computers, as soon as they don't support the latest release of <bloated-proprietary-operating-system> anymore.

BW-userx · 02-27-2020, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mackyboy123

Recently my laptop was broken and now I need to buy a new one. I only have a $50 budget and I'm not sure what I can buy. I have been on ebay but I'm wondering if there is anything else I can do. I need about four GB ram because I run virtual machines. I have a external device with fedora installed on it so I don't need a hard drive. What would you say is best?

go to ebay search tell it 50 max -- if you're where they charge tax then make it 40$ max, and look to see what they got. check to see if that laptop uses the same type of RAM ... that will do what for you?

see if it got a hdd or not, charger if no then can you use something you have.
because 40 - 50 will get you something, but I'd look to see if I can salvage some stuff off the old laptop and use on the other one I'd be getting to replace it.

as far as "what is the best?", that is a relative term when dealing with a $50 budget. and personal preference for anything else.

check it out
45 max and free shipping USA search here

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...&rt=nc&LH_FS=1

boughtonp · 02-27-2020, 11:45 AM

$50 isn't much, though the top item here is currently listed at $40 (plus delivery - which is inaccurate for me because I'm not in US, so can't say total price):
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...175672&_sop=15

Another option to consider is if you know anyone who works in an office (or school) that has recently upgraded - they may have perfectly good machines that will otherwise go to landfill, and will be happy for you to take them for free, instead of paying for a disposal company.

rtmistler · 02-27-2020, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boughtonp

Another option to consider is if you know anyone who works in an office (or school) that has recently upgraded - they may have perfectly good machines that will otherwise go to landfill, and will be happy for you to take them for free, instead of paying for a disposal company.

This is what I'm thinking, talk to friends and relatives to see if they have an old system you can grab.

Would also recommend that you use your judgement and really make it relatives and friends you talk to and respect. While you may get something from a friend of a friend of a friend, beware that it could be a non-working piece of junk. Gee, thanks! I wasn't asking to dispose of your trash! Just my humble opinion there.

$50 is extremely low budget. Low enough that I think if you do something like go on ebay for stuff, what you'll find are some large percentage of sales which are "for parts only". In other words, someone wants to make a final buck from their junk, or someone conscientiously cannot bring their self to throw away something that still works. But that latter variation is something I feel would be rare. Further, I think this may be at a low enough price point that there are (my pessimism) bulk buyers who are interested in obtaining old stuff in quantities and then refurbishing using cannibalism, etc, to get working full systems, where they'll try to re-sell them at prices which benefit them.

fatmac · 02-27-2020, 12:52 PM

Freecycle, or equivalent, you just need to collect the items.

(I often put up spare stuff on ours, I'm in the UK though.)

BW-userx · 02-27-2020, 01:35 PM

I've gotten a for parts only good stuff but that was 100$ I just make sure it got actual photos of it for screen and keyboard, and look for the boots to BIOS.

one I got parts only and all it needed was a new keyboard. but you only got 50 bucks maybe save up a little more and keep checking around in the mean time.

rokytnji · 02-27-2020, 02:49 PM

Used Chromebooks on ebay with 4 gig of ram all day in the USA,

Have not spent over 50 bucks for one yet. Acer C720 with 4 gig pretty cheap and easy as pie to convert to a gnu/linux laptop of your choice. So simple. Even a caveman like me can do it.

rokytnji · 02-27-2020, 02:53 PM

This one was harder. Bios needs a jumper instead of screw removal.

Code:

harry@biker:~
$ inxi -b
System:
  Host: biker Kernel: 5.4.0-antix.1-amd64-smp x86_64 bits: 64 
  Desktop: IceWM 1.6.4 
  Distro: antiX-19_x64-full Marielle Franco 16 October 2019 
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: Google product: Parrot v: 1.0 
  serial: <root required> 
  Mobo: Google model: Parrot v: 1.0 serial: <root required> BIOS: coreboot 
  v: 4.0-6588-g4acd8ea-dirty date: 09/04/2014 
Battery:
  ID-1: BATX charge: 29.9 Wh condition: 29.9/37.0 Wh (81%) 
CPU:
  Dual Core: Intel Celeron 1007U type: MCP speed: 1027 MHz 
  min/max: 800/1500 MHz 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics driver: i915 v: kernel 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
  resolution: 1366x768~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ivybridge Mobile v: 4.2 Mesa 18.3.6 
Network:
  Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR9462 Wireless Network Adapter driver: ath9k 
  Device-2: Broadcom Limited NetLink BCM57785 Gigabit Ethernet PCIe 
  driver: tg3 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 14.91 GiB used: 5.82 GiB (39.0%) 
Info:
  Processes: 140 Uptime: 4h 52m Memory: 3.78 GiB used: 1.17 GiB (31.0%) 
  Shell: bash inxi: 3.0.36

Above is readout from a Acer C710 model.

rokytnji · 02-27-2020, 03:00 PM

After reading fatmacs 4 gig rasberry pi post.

What he bought and adding 4 gig himself < they seem to come in 2 gig > comes out way over 50 bucks < new >
Link to amazon

Edit: there is a 4 gig with external case and power supply link in my link for about 90 bucks .

fatmac · 02-27-2020, 04:34 PM

That was for a different subject line...in another thread.

A chromebook might well be an option, if you can find one, (they aren't very cheap over here in the UK).

scasey · 02-27-2020, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boughtonp

Another option to consider is if you know anyone who works in an office (or school) that has recently upgraded - they may have perfectly good machines that will otherwise go to landfill, and will be happy for you to take them for free, instead of paying for a disposal company.

Also, Some companies have a surplus process whereby they sell those to their employees for around $50...I have 4 or 5 HP desktops we bought from the bank where my wife worked back in the day. My last employer did the same with HP laptops.

rokytnji · 02-27-2020, 05:45 PM

Last cheapy I could find.

Link to eaby surface tablet < probably 2 gig ram model also >

I am not hip on surface tablets like I am on chromebooks.

Edit> I know a member here would like this spec

Quote:

Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Couple of bucks more but nothing is missing, only 2 gg of ram though.

link

Last edit. Rollup cheap silicone keyboards or bluetooth keyboards are cheap and good to learn on.

BW-userx · 02-27-2020, 06:18 PM

toy piano's are good to learn on too.

Mackyboy123 · 02-28-2020, 09:45 AM

Yeah, I saw the chromebooks but they were US and I live in UK.