Cheap desktop suggestions.

[Vectraat]

Looking to buy a relatively cheap $1000 CAD or under desktop for my dad. 
I don't need a tower, he doesn't game. 
Something small and compact.
Windows 11.
Just needs the standard ports like USB, HDMI, ethernet port, audio jacks for a headset and speakers, a USB type C port might be good. 
He's really only gonna be using it for web browsing, emails and YouTube. 

Should be able to get something relatively cheap.
If you have any ideas let me know. I was a fan of Intel NUC's years ago when I was looking to build an HTPC, but I don't know if they're any good anymore. Prolly overpriced for what he needs.

Is this Mini PC a good value for what you get or nah?
 

[Khione]

Is there a reason it need to be a windows system? Or that it needs to be a mini PC? This seem overkill for general browsing and content consumption. For the same price, you could look into Apple's Certified Refurbished Macbook Airs with M1 chips. There are several currently going for about $750. You could even pay up front to have it Apple Care+ plus insured and you'd still come under your $1000CAD budget.

 

If you're really adamant on it being a windows system or mini PC, and he doesn't need the PC to be mobile, I'd still recommend a tower. Gamer or not, if something goes wrong, the ease of access of a full tower will make servicing the system much easier.

[Vectraat]

1 minute ago, Khione said:

Is there a reason it need to be a windows system? Or that it needs to be a mini PC? This seem overkill for general browsing and content consumption. For the same price, you could look into Apple's Certified Refurbished Macbook Airs with M1 chips. There are several currently going for about $750. You could even pay up front to have it Apple Care+ plus insured and you'd still come under your $1000CAD budget.

 

If you're really adamant on it being a windows system or mini PC, and he doesn't need the PC to be mobile, I'd still recommend a tower. Gamer or not, if something goes wrong, the ease of access of a full tower will make servicing the system much easier.

I mean, it can be a smaller desktop tower build like these:

https://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?cPath=7_4529_4571&sid=4a34p7ia01cmul5ud16vsm6344

Ideally I don't want a large tower. 

My dad is used to Windows. He's too damn old to be learning a new OS. He can barely use Windows as it is. 

[Vectraat]

Just now, 8tg said:

Absolute overkill for the use case. 
once you take gaming or video editing or whatever out of the equation, what you actually need for a competent experience otherwise drops through the floor

Get an N100 based mini pc, or any current i3 or something, lower end amd apu based systems, etc.

you can watch 4k YouTube without issue on a decade old mobile dual core 

Got any links? I suppose $500 might be reasonable. Even something refurbished. 

[Khione]

14 minutes ago, Vectraat said:

I mean, it can be a smaller desktop tower build like these:

https://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?cPath=7_4529_4571&sid=4a34p7ia01cmul5ud16vsm6344

Ideally I don't want a large tower. 

My dad is used to Windows. He's too damn old to be learning a new OS. He can barely use Windows as it is. 

At the price point you want, and with the specs you honestly need, your main focus should be serviceability. Or at least insurance. Costco for example sells various towers within your budget. And they constantly run Online-only deals on those low end machines.

 

This PC is currently $200 off, for a pre-tax price of $400:

Features:

• Intel® Core i5-14400 (10-Core) Processor
• Wi-Fi 6 (2x2) and Bluetooth® 5.1
• Integrated Intel® UHD 730 Graphics
• Wired Keyboard & Wired Mouse
• Microsoft® Windows 11 Home (64-bit)

 

And there are several others that fit your needs and price point. You could have any of them shipped to your doorstep, knowing that if anything ever goes wrong, you can just drive it to Costco, and they'd give you a full refund 2 years later, no questions asked. My sister once returned a couch set 3 years after purchase, they hardly even asked her why she didn't want them anymore. And I've gotten full refunds on year old airpods the same way. This takes any concern of him or you having to troubleshoot the system if something goes wrong. Which I think is the most valuable thing you can give your dad. Stress free browsing.

[saintlouisbagels]

For such a large budget and zero needs, I would get your dad a Mac Mini M2 and use the remaining budget for a really satisfying mechanical keyboard and something like the Logitech MX Master Mouse.

 

He's not doing anything specific to Windows from what you're describing.

[Vectraat]

8 minutes ago, 8tg said:

Something like this

https://www.amazon.com/Beelink-SER5-Desktop-Computer-Support/dp/B0B2RHXLDK/

beelink is the name for these, they do one thing really well and that’s make mini pcs

 

these are basically if you took mid tier ryzen apu laptops and put their hardware in a brick

and there’s a bajillion of them, in pretty much any config you would want spec wise

that one has type c, hdmi, DisplayPort, gigabit Ethernet, but only a front panel combo 3.5mm jack, you might want a usb to 3.5mm dongle for multiple 3.5mm jacks 

 

these things come in every flavor from the modern low end like the Intel N95 to the amd 6900HX which is one of their high end gaming laptop CPUs 

So you can't really go wrong with any beelink? I'd be buying from Amazon.ca 
How do I know if I'm getting a good price? I guess you should only buy from sold by: Beelink? 
Do these Mini PC's even last long or do they overheat or slow down over time? 

[Vectraat]

5 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

For such a large budget and zero needs, I would get your dad a Mac Mini M2 and use the remaining budget for a really satisfying mechanical keyboard and something like the Logitech MX Master Mouse.

 

He's not doing anything specific to Windows from what you're describing.

Has to be Windows 11. He will have no idea how to use a Mac. I mean, I'd be open to just spending $400-500. Maybe Mini-PC's are good enough these days, they sure weren't when I bought one 13 years ago. A smaller tower should be fine too, just not a big case. 

[Vectraat]

3 minutes ago, 8tg said:

They’re just a big name in the mini pc space. Buy off specs first, if you find a better deal for the same specs from the likes of Dell, HP, Acer, whoever, go with them. 
As for price, compare the cpu to other options for the same cpu. For mini PCs they should be priced very similar. And then you can compare them to laptops, they should always be 2/3 or less than the cost of a laptop with the same cpu, most commonly half price.

If you look at ryzen 5560u based mini PCs they’re pretty much all in the same $250 ballpark. Canada pricing may vary, Amazon.ca doesn’t like my browser cookies.

 

as far as cooling goes, they’re usually better than their laptop equivalents since they’re not thin, these are fairly low wattage CPUs that are designed to operate fine with a minuscule sized laptop heatsink and fan, the mini PCs usually have a larger cooler

any one of them with a fan will be decent enough but some of the lower wattage ones even come passive because something like a 6 watt N100 can be cooled by holding your hand to the bare die if needed, let alone an actual heatsink 

any pc will slow down over time with no maintenance, the hardware itself doesn’t really degrade on a scale that matters for the lifespan of the machine, but like any pc, you should probably reinstall the OS every few years if it’s being fiddled with all the time

thats not as much of a concern for a minimalist use case where it’s not really going to be tinkered with, it’ll pretty much stay as it is 

Ok, longevity would be good because I won't always be available to fix his computer if something goes wrong. That's why I asked about cooling and what not. Ideally this PC will last him a long time and it should since he's hardly doing anything on it. I can buy something with a slightly larger tower if need be, doesn't have to be a Mini-PC if something in a larger tower will last longer. Just no big desktop chassis. 

[saintlouisbagels]

36 minutes ago, Vectraat said:

He will have no idea how to use a Mac.

You type in a password to sign in.

You double click a desktop icon or single-click a dock item.

You type into a URL to navigate to a website.

You click the red button in the corner to close the window.

You click the button in the corner and navigate to Shutdown or Sleep.

 

I just described a Windows PC and a Mac.

My mother does not speak English nor understand technology, but she seamlessly switched from Windows to MacOS for YouTube and Facebook.

 

20 minutes ago, Vectraat said:

I won't always be available to fix his computer if something goes wrong.

That's exactly why I am recommending MacOS.

Windows is SO pervasive with its constant updating and fucking things up.

 

36 minutes ago, Vectraat said:

I mean, I'd be open to just spending $400-500.

That's a perfect budget for an M1 Mac Mini.

[Vectraat]

On 7/1/2024 at 10:15 PM, 8tg said:

Something like this

https://www.amazon.com/Beelink-SER5-Desktop-Computer-Support/dp/B0B2RHXLDK/

beelink is the name for these, they do one thing really well and that’s make mini pcs

 

these are basically if you took mid tier ryzen apu laptops and put their hardware in a brick

and there’s a bajillion of them, in pretty much any config you would want spec wise

that one has type c, hdmi, DisplayPort, gigabit Ethernet, but only a front panel combo 3.5mm jack, you might want a usb to 3.5mm dongle for multiple 3.5mm jacks 

 

these things come in every flavor from the modern low end like the Intel N95 to the amd 6900HX which is one of their high end gaming laptop CPUs 

When you say "front panel combo" you're talking about the one jack that works for both mic and speakers? What do you need multiple 3.5mm jacks for? 

[Vectraat]

21 minutes ago, 8tg said:

Yeah, it does both 

you could use a splitter for mic + headphones separately, or combination headsets usually just use the one plug combined

im thinking like if you had standalone speakers plugged in and wanted the front panel 3.5mm open for headphones at times, you’d want more than one jack 

I'm gonna try and make this simpler for myself because I think I'm overthinking this.

If you had to pick 1 higher-end and lower-end Beelink option here, what would you pick? 

I'm looking at either the $367.20 or $495.20 options. 

Are these easy to open up/clean out and repair or do they have proprietary parts?

[rikitikitavi]

On 7/1/2024 at 10:06 PM, Vectraat said:

My dad is used to Windows. He's too damn old to be learning a new OS. He can barely use Windows as it is.

There isn't really anything to learn, since all he uses is the browser and clicks the icon to launch the said browser. So just install Chrome, if that's what he uses on Windows anyway.

 

M1 Mac Mini and M1 MacBook Air are great value, and will last him very long time.

 

However, I would get him an iPad instead of PC - it is way simpler, more intuitive and more convenient. Even my granny of almost a century uses an old iPad for youtube and facebook, and that is the same person who confuses buttons on the tv remote.

[Vectraat]

1 minute ago, 8tg said:

Get the one with the 5560U, the $367 one

the other is slightly faster but the biggest cost jump is the ram, it’s just not needed for the use case

theyre pretty simple machines, they use normal parts, m.2 ssds and laptop sodimm ram

I guess having a 1 TB SSD is nice too vs 500 GB. 

Would you go with the $367 one over this guy? I don't know anything about TRIGKEY though.