Red Tag deal (US customers for 12-31-2011) Linux desktop $69

[The_Dadu]

Got this email advertisement this morning.
http://www.redtag.com/deal/804783911.aspx?uwb=DOTDR111231
Save you a trip to the link, if you are just curious.
Product Description
Get the power of a full-sized tower system with this compact HP Compaq dc5000 Small Form Factor Desktop PC!
This HP Compaq dc5000 features an Intel Pentium 4 HT 3.0GHz processor and 512 MB of DDR RAM expandable up to 4 GB. Storage is provided with the 40 GB hard drive. In addition, Linux open source operating system is already pre-installed.

I thought some of you might be interested

[Just18]

If I could buy that sort of PC at that price I would abandon rescuing older hardware completely!

.....  can I have three please? ....

[Neal ManBear]

If I thought that deal was legit, I'd try to get some $$$ and get one. LOL     

[parnote]

If I thought that deal was legit, I'd try to get some $$$ and get one. LOL     

Neal,

The deal IS legit. I've ordered several items from Red Tag Deal of The Day and I've never been burned. I've always gotten good quality merchandise for very, very, very affordable prices.

parnote

[Neal ManBear]

Thanks, Paul. I'll proceed.     

[Just18]

I just want to point out something .......  the onboard graphics will be limited, and the only way of getting anything better is with a PCI card (not PCIe) and even that would have to be low profile ........  this is the only real limitation I noticed in the specs.

[Texstar]

You can borrow my bandana if needed.


Yo man!!! I need 69.00 dollars from that register!

[parnote]

I just want to point out something .......  the onboard graphics will be limited, and the only way of getting anything better is with a PCI card (not PCIe) and even that would have to be low profile ........  this is the only real limitation I noticed in the specs.

True, Just18. But I have to admit that I have the 2.8 GHz version of that computer (this one is 3.0 GHz P4 HT), and despite the modest graphics onboard, the graphics card was properly recognized during installation, and I never had a problem with video. I even watched online videos with ease (although full screen vids were a bit choppy). I won't (can't) claim that it'll do Compiz, but then I never tried it either, since I'm not into all the flash and glitter that Compiz delivers.

I will recommend, however, upgrading the memory in the advertised computer to 1.5 or 2 GB RAM, minimally. Otherwise, even with a light desktop, you may be digging into swap quite a bit, causing a serious slowdown. My 2.8 GHz version has 1.5 GB RAM, and I was (until recently) using it to build the magazine every month with Scribus, running Phoenix.

[Just18]

I just want to point out something .......  the onboard graphics will be limited, and the only way of getting anything better is with a PCI card (not PCIe) and even that would have to be low profile ........  this is the only real limitation I noticed in the specs.

True, Just18. But I have to admit that I have the 2.8 GHz version of that computer (this one is 3.0 GHz P4 HT), and despite the modest graphics onboard, the graphics card was properly recognized during installation, and I never had a problem with video. I even watched online videos with ease (although full screen vids were a bit choppy). I won't (can't) claim that it'll do Compiz, but then I never tried it either, since I'm not into all the flash and glitter that Compiz delivers.

I will recommend, however, upgrading the memory in the advertised computer to 1.5 or 2 GB RAM, minimally. Otherwise, even with a light desktop, you may be digging into swap quite a bit, causing a serious slowdown. My 2.8 GHz version has 1.5 GB RAM, and I was (until recently) using it to build the magazine every month with Scribus, running Phoenix.

Yes, it is otherwise, very well specified.
With four memory slots upgrading the memory won't mean discarding the existing memory.

If I could buy it here at that price I would definitely do it.
Heck if it was only used for a server it would be a great buy!

The other thing I noticed was the 1Gb/s ethernet ......  most have only 100Mb/s.

From what I could find, it is a similar price to the 2.8Ghz, 100Mb/s units being sold as used on Amazon.

Nice!

[YouCanToo]

I wonder just which "Linux Operating System" that come with?  I couldn't find anything where it said.  I went ahead and bought one. A Christmas present to myself.

UPDATE:

I found this doing a web search

Product Features
Feature    Description
Processor    

    Minimum : 2.6 GHz Intel Celeron
    Maximum : 3.4 GHz Intel Pentium 4 with HyperThread

Chipset    Intel 865 GV chipset
Chassis    Small Form Factor
Cache    128 KB or 1024 KB Integrated L2 Cache
Memory    

    Minimum : 128 MB
    Maximum : 4 GB

Network    Integrated Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet for HP
Slots    

    PCI : three low profile PCI slots
    Memory Expansion : four DIMMs, Max: 4 GB

Drive Bays    

    one 3.5 inch Internal
    one 3.5 inch and one 5.25 inch External
    no Multibay

USB Support    six USB 2.0
Input/Output Devices    

    six USB 2.0
    one standard serial and one optional serial
    one parallel
    two PS/2
    one RJ-45
    VGA, audio in/out, headphone and microphone

Optical Storage    

    48X CD-ROM Drive



Optional Solutions :

    48X/32X/48X CD-RW Drive
    16X/40X DVD-ROM with +R Read Drive
    48X/32X48X/16X Combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM Drive
    8X 4.7 GB DVD+R/RW Drive

Hard Drives    

    Minimum : 40 GB (7200 rpm)
    Maximum : 160 GB (7200 rpm)

Keyboard    PS/2 or USB Standard Keyboard
Mouse    PS/2 2-button Scroll Mouse
Graphics    Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2
Audio    Integrated Intel Audio with Premier Internal Speaker
Operating Systems    

    Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP 1a
    Microsoft Windows XP Home SP 1a
    Mandrake Linux 9.2

Power Supply    185 Watts
Warranty    3-3-3 standard warranty - Three years onsite, next business day, three years parts and three years labor and includes free telephone support 24 x 7. Certain restrictions and exclusions apply.

[dougmack]

This basic off-service computer has been selling for a year or more now, usually at about $89, from various vendors.
Today eCost has the machine with 1GB ram for $67.   info@mail.ecost.com    It comes with XP.  Only 40GB HD, which
is more than enough for one Linux system, or may be a little tight if you want to keep XP and dual-boot.  HP machines
are built like the proverbial ceramic outhouse!

--doug

[YouCanToo]

Well they are actually not the same. The one from Red Tag shows it being a Intel Pentium 4 HT 3.0 GHz, 512K memory, 40DB HDD, LinuxOS,  where the on at eCOST say it is a  Intel Pentium 4 2.4GHz, 1GB DDR, 40GB HDD, Windows XP Pro

Red Tag cost is $69.00 plus 1.95 S&H for a total of $70.95

eCOST price is $ Total Items: 1    Subtotal:    $67.99  Shipping & Handling:    $44.68 (their cheapest shipping 5 day)   for a Grand Total:    $112.67    

Some $41.72  difference.  For that amount I can buy more ram and get a faster machine in the end. Once you look at everything the machine from Red Tag is an overall better buy for the money

[YouCanToo]

You can borrow my bandana if needed.


Yo man!!! I need 69.00 dollars from that register!

Ya think it would work at the bank too

[Rudge]

SkeeeRoo it. I just ordered one for a total of $70.95usd. (includes shipping)

Looks like a great deal to me.

I will let you guys all know how it goes.

[YouCanToo]

SkeeeRoo it. I just ordered one for a total of $70.95usd. (includes shipping)

Looks like a great deal to me.

I will let you guys all know how it goes.

That will make two of use.