WTB: somewhat SFF (preferred) desktop

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badcookies

badcookies

[H]ard|Gawd
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Mar 17, 2010
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Hi [H]!

Good friend of mine is a single mother covid CNA who is on her way to taking nursing classes but has never owned a computer. I'm trying to help remedy that. Shes looking for something that wont feel sluggish and doesnt like using squished keyboards and small screens so laptop is out. Hoping to find one that will last at least several years. Would like to avoid wally world caliber machines if possible.

Uses:
> online classes/meetings (most importantly; will not be sluggish to do courses etc)
> media streaming
> microsoft office
> adulting crap like banking/taxes/etc
> solution for storing photos off iphone

dont need:
> monitor (already have a spare to give her)
> large ssd (i imagine fair sized ssd OS drive + platter storage would be good)
> office


prefer:
> small form factor (she currently is in a 1br apt so space is limited). are those thin-client things capable of being used as a consumer home desktop? those form factors seem super ideal
> at least 8gb ram (hopefully)
> kb/m (tho i do have old mismatched set, wouldnt mind if thats included)
> usb 3.0

budget: asks are all preferential and lack thereof are not deal breakers. she's asked me to find something around $300. I realize the budget is limiting and I may be able to talk her into upping the budget but I'm hoping someone out there has something. If this search is unreasonable, let me know. I'm open minded. Thanks [H]
 
Honestly, at the price point you are looking for and with the lack of any need for gaming ability (which is most of this forum's focus) your best bet is likely a refurbished business PC. Something like this: https://www.newegg.com/lenovo-thinkcentre-m700-business-desktops-workstations/p/1VK-0003-1D7C8

You can find them online, or you can find them locally or for someone to sell you one directly second hand. But that should be your target.

The key to what she wants is getting a 4-core (or better) CPU and mating it with 8+ GB of RAM (I would aim for 16) and a SSD. The SSD is the most important part, and is the difference between a PC feeling like a sluggish piece of crap and feeling like a modern, snappy system. Everything else is negotiable, a SSD is not.
 
If that monitor has vesa mounting you may be able to mount the box dbwillis linked and make it kind of an all-in-one. But I’m not sure if you’d have to buy an additional mounting component? Have a USB dongle or hub coming down for when/if she needs easy access.
 
sinisterDei said:
Honestly, at the price point you are looking for and with the lack of any need for gaming ability (which is most of this forum's focus) your best bet is likely a refurbished business PC. Something like this: https://www.newegg.com/lenovo-thinkcentre-m700-business-desktops-workstations/p/1VK-0003-1D7C8

You can find them online, or you can find them locally or for someone to sell you one directly second hand. But that should be your target.

The key to what she wants is getting a 4-core (or better) CPU and mating it with 8+ GB of RAM (I would aim for 16) and a SSD. The SSD is the most important part, and is the difference between a PC feeling like a sluggish piece of crap and feeling like a modern, snappy system. Everything else is negotiable, a SSD is not.
Click to expand...
I didn't even think of that until I saw your post! Thanks so much for the suggestion.

PMs replied to! Potential find pending..
 
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