Used Computer: What would be a reasonable price? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Xell101 · 09-10-2006, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Power Supply: 500W
Processor: Pentium 4 2.8GHz HT (800MHz FSB)
RAM: 1GB DDR400 RAM
Graphics: Radeon X800 XT 256MB
Disc Drives: DVD-ROM + CD-RW
Hard Disks: 160GB (7200RPM) + 80GB (7200RPM) IDE
PCI Cards: Netgear 802.11g, FireWire
Operating Systems: Windows XP Pro SP2 and Windows Vista RC1

What's a reasonable price? I'm fixin' to get a new computer. This seems cheaper than building an equivellent. The seller just tossed out $400 as a suggestion, therefore haggling will ensue. Additionally, I can verify functionality and inclusion of documentation/disks/etc. in person.

Edit: The most demanding business that'll be conducted on this thing will be World of Warcraft or watching movies while browsing the net.

Dilbert1234567 · 09-10-2006, 07:31 AM

$400 seems fair, but i'd try for $350 and a coke. is the copy of XP legit, and does the box have the cd key posted on it?

ratbastid · 09-10-2006, 08:06 AM

It'd be interesting to know the usage pattern of those hard drives. Was the machine kept running 24/7, or was it shut down at night or when not in use? Was it largely idle when not in use, or was he constantly seeding torrents on the machine or something equally disk-intensive? Every hard drive fails, given time and usage.

Still, you won't find a new machine with that spec for $400. Seems like a decent price to me.

Kaliena · 09-10-2006, 08:42 AM

If I were you, I'd hop on ebay and see what other systems are running for. That can be a fairly decent gage. Or else, talk to a few friends and see what they would be willing to shell out

Dilbert1234567 · 09-10-2006, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaliena

...Or else, talk to a few friends and see what they would be willing to shell out

(thats what he is doing here)

cyrnel · 09-10-2006, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratbastid

It'd be interesting to know the usage pattern of those hard drives. Was the machine kept running 24/7, or was it shut down at night or when not in use? Was it largely idle when not in use, or was he constantly seeding torrents on the machine or something equally disk-intensive? Every hard drive fails, given time and usage.

Still, you won't find a new machine with that spec for $400. Seems like a decent price to me.

SMART provides several old-age attributes. Look for:

Power on hours, power cycle count, and error values.

Be careful. SMART is a spec; drives are implementations. Sometimes values are stored as minutes instead of hours while others have wraparound bugs/features. Moral: get the model and google a reality check on the values.

Anyway, $400 seems fair if he's really giving up the windows product key.

Xell101 · 09-10-2006, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratbastid

It'd be interesting to know the usage pattern of those hard drives

[quote=SMART provides sevral old-ade attributes.[/quote]
Can and will do. I lucked out in that the seller is drivably close. This'll definitely be part of my quick once over.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilbert1234567

is the copy of XP legit, and does the box have the cd key posted on it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyrnel

if he's really giving up the windows product key.

Sure is.

Also, a 20" Dell 2001fps for a suggested $200 has entered the picture. That a good price?

newtx · 09-10-2006, 06:57 PM

I agree with Kaliena. Ebay will usually tell you what an item is actually worth.

Martel · 09-10-2006, 08:10 PM

That seems to be a decent price but I'd be wary...

I know everyone hates Dell and OEM builders (and rightly so in some regards) but it's hard to beat having a total warranty for a year or more. Who says this guy didn't run the machine on heavy duty overclocking for however long and the parts aren't all about to fail? There's really not much way to tell. Plus, if that technology was new when he put it together then it's got a few years under its belt by now.

Personally I'd go to newegg and check out how much it would cost to buy those pieces yourself and put it together, and keep that in mind as far as potential replacement cost.

Plaid13 · 09-10-2006, 09:56 PM

i would say tell him 500 for both the computer and moniter and if he goes for it take it and be happy. but 400 is a fair price for that.

Jinn · 09-10-2006, 11:19 PM

If you went cheapo for a similar system,

X800 XT = 180
P4 2.8 GHz 800 MHz FSB = $70
Cheap LGA775 Board = $75
1 GB DDR400 = $90
500W PSU = $40
WD 250 GB SATA drive = $78
Case = $40

It's like $570 brand new. At $400 you're looking at a 15% reduction from "new" for what I'm estimating to be about a year old.

Its up to you to decide if one year of wear is worth 15%..

Kaliena · 09-11-2006, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dilbert1234567

(thats what he is doing here)

(I meant close friends he sees IRL--someone he could actually walk the computer over to and drop it at their house)

09-10-2006, 07:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dilbert1234567 Devils Cabana Boy Location: Central Coast CA	$400 seems fair, but i'd try for $350 and a coke. is the copy of XP legit, and does the box have the cd key posted on it? __________________ Donate Blood! "Love is not finding the perfect person, but learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." -Sam Keen

09-10-2006, 08:10 PM	#9 (permalink)
Martel Insane Location: Sage's bed	That seems to be a decent price but I'd be wary... I know everyone hates Dell and OEM builders (and rightly so in some regards) but it's hard to beat having a total warranty for a year or more. Who says this guy didn't run the machine on heavy duty overclocking for however long and the parts aren't all about to fail? There's really not much way to tell. Plus, if that technology was new when he put it together then it's got a few years under its belt by now. Personally I'd go to newegg and check out how much it would cost to buy those pieces yourself and put it together, and keep that in mind as far as potential replacement cost. __________________ Anamnesis

09-10-2006, 11:19 PM	#11 (permalink)
Jinn Lover - Protector - Teacher Location: Seattle, WA	If you went cheapo for a similar system, X800 XT = 180 P4 2.8 GHz 800 MHz FSB = $70 Cheap LGA775 Board = $75 1 GB DDR400 = $90 500W PSU = $40 WD 250 GB SATA drive = $78 Case = $40 It's like $570 brand new. At $400 you're looking at a 15% reduction from "new" for what I'm estimating to be about a year old. Its up to you to decide if one year of wear is worth 15%.. __________________ "I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

09-10-2006, 08:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	It'd be interesting to know the usage pattern of those hard drives. Was the machine kept running 24/7, or was it shut down at night or when not in use? Was it largely idle when not in use, or was he constantly seeding torrents on the machine or something equally disk-intensive? Every hard drive fails, given time and usage. Still, you won't find a new machine with that spec for $400. Seems like a decent price to me.

09-10-2006, 08:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
Kaliena Crazy Location: Pennsylvania, USA	If I were you, I'd hop on ebay and see what other systems are running for. That can be a fairly decent gage. Or else, talk to a few friends and see what they would be willing to shell out

09-10-2006, 06:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
newtx Addict	I agree with Kaliena. Ebay will usually tell you what an item is actually worth.

09-10-2006, 09:56 PM	#10 (permalink)
Plaid13 I want a Plaid crayon	i would say tell him 500 for both the computer and moniter and if he goes for it take it and be happy. but 400 is a fair price for that.