David Looney wrote: > James G. Sack (jim) wrote: >> on the subject of cheap computers, Frys has some cheap (<~ $100.) >> MoBo+CPU packages, which lately seem to use ECS MoBo's. >> >> Are these any good? > > I bought two of the ECS athlon boards in the past due to the very > attractive price for the cpu/mb combo. I didn't have one fail to start > but none lasted more than 6 months without failing. Then it didn't seem > so inexpensive.
Well, I may have the same experience, 'cause I took a gamble today. Today (Friday) through Tuesday, Jan 22 Frys has: - E2180 (cpu, boxed) + ECS 945GCT-M/1333 .. $79.99 they ring it up as $49.19 + $29.80 so I figure I've only gambled the 29.80 - OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 PC6400 .. $24.99 (after $30 rebate) - Antec NSK1300 (w/ 300W PS) uATX Cube Case .. $29.99 (after $35 rebate) So I got a set. $135. The disks, etc maybe can come from my junkpile. I put it together and it runs (hey!). Running memtest now. The ECS _looks_ decent to me .. for whatever that counts. The Antec, I would rate as a very nice package. The memory seems like a good brand and has a lifetime warranty, seems to have good latency and CAS specs (I believe) and even has heat spreaders. The rebate items are limit 1 per customer (household, I suppose). ==> Anybody want to volunteer proxying another purchase for me -- I wouldn't mind having another. I'm building a box or two for relatives. They're going to have a few extra horsepower for email, web and maybe some wordprocessing and spreadsheets. At least one of them I'm planning on trying to get Linux Mint in their hands. Maybe both? I saw LCD monitors a couple of weeks ago at Frys for ~$120. Now I wish I had picked up a couple of them. Oh, well, maybe they will come around again. Regards, ..jim -- [email protected] http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-list
