14 Mar
2011
14 Mar
'11
7:14 a.m.
IMHO: Don't get sucked up in the hi-end desktop rat race. If you need to buy a desktop
machine with Windows, make it a low-end refurbed one (not sure Office Depot has any but
other places do, starting at $100.) Use the Office Depot credit to buy other things (e.g.
screen, printer, etc.).
If you do want a best-for-$650-hardware Intel machine, the market is somewhere between
"pause" and "tumultuous" as the industry deals with the Intel Sandy
Bridge issues. 1366 mobos and CPU's are available but will likely put you above your
price point. AMD stuff is available but doesn't promise the performance of a Sandy
Bridge machine that you probably can't buy :). Again, just don't get sucked into
the rat race.