Where's a good place to get a used computer for relatively cheap? I have a uncle who's struggling with a fairly old machine (I'm not sure what it is, but it has a CRT monitor) and I was hoping to replace it with something slightly newer. Maybe someone knows a good spot to get off-lease computers? What does UofT do with their hand-me-downs?
Freegeek on Sudbury St usually has some older computers pre installed with Ubuntu. I don't know the current pricing but a few years ago I paid 35$ for a perfectly serviceable box for a friend. HTH Russell Sent from mobile. On May 31, 2016 8:36 AM, "Tim Tisdall" <tisdall@gmail.com> wrote:
Where's a good place to get a used computer for relatively cheap? I have a uncle who's struggling with a fairly old machine (I'm not sure what it is, but it has a CRT monitor) and I was hoping to replace it with something slightly newer. Maybe someone knows a good spot to get off-lease computers? What does UofT do with their hand-me-downs?
--- Talk Mailing List talk@gtalug.org https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
On 31 May 2016 at 08:36, Tim Tisdall <tisdall@gmail.com> wrote:
Where's a good place to get a used computer for relatively cheap? I have a uncle who's struggling with a fairly old machine (I'm not sure what it is, but it has a CRT monitor) and I was hoping to replace it with something slightly newer. Maybe someone knows a good spot to get off-lease computers? What does UofT do with their hand-me-downs?
You didn't specify if you wanted a desktop or laptop, although I don't suppose it matters in the context of my answer (it might matter to others). The best places I know of to find off-lease computers is College and Spadina: just drop into the various computer stores in the area. These will usually come with a fresh Windows 7, or more likely Windows 8.1 install. But there's some question as to whether that's the best use of your money: for the same price or $50 more, you can often walk into Best Buy and buy a mid-line or low-end computer that may well have the same computing power and comes with a warranty. If you're looking for a system with Linux pre-installed, Russell's suggestion of FreeGeek is probably a good one - although the last time I was in there their prices didn't go as low as he suggested, and seemed higher than equivalent off-lease machines on College. (This may well be wrong: I wasn't in the market at the time and wasn't making any kind of record of either sets of prices.) -- Giles http://www.gilesorr.com/ gilesorr@gmail.com
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA256 On 05/31/2016 08:36 AM, Tim Tisdall wrote:
Where's a good place to get a used computer for relatively cheap? I have a uncle who's struggling with a fairly old machine (I'm not sure what it is, but it has a CRT monitor) and I was hoping to replace it with something slightly newer. Maybe someone knows a good spot to get off-lease computers? What does UofT do with their hand-me-downs?
http://www.theworkingcentre.org/cr - -- Daniel Villarreal http://www.youcanlinux.org youcanlinux@gmail.com PGP key 2F6E 0DC3 85E2 5EC0 DA03 3F5B F251 8938 A83E 7B49 https://pgp.mit.edu/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xF2518938A83E7B49 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2 iQEcBAEBCAAGBQJXTbMqAAoJEPJRiTioPntJqEgH/1xTRWlXdlLYmirKqGpyQprj aZBXlefumeJhoMWIi+GCav6uN0foyJ1sYZBT0i1Rak9cmvpelNk0owR6IiihGTll VTbAAWfREC94z9i6EDLEtWQZ0S0lYA8e0XitUO/pJdigLS8HCGap7kmD9m30laED 31D1cpP1mMXPM8k0ph8diiIJBysryKcMk6gpndxeDYMpxSY4r/lnARYbz8oxKqcO YhqyVm4br7XJNH3W9CfquwQMzMl293EmQbhgOoJ+zqDbxQo9TEV9mh4OKjYJgLgc tc4Y7Kz9ZDkxY8zFIgecNAKtVlfU4i1GnKd+rlSKnpRNltQufCaGRl3dc3o2+Ek= =u8Fn -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
It depends on intended use. If it's to run a specific Windows-specific app, that will limits option. But if the intent is mainly browsing and web-based stuff, and you're uncle isn't into geek, I strongly suggest a Chromebook. Current tech, dead simple, inexpensive and (if you pick the right model) soon able to run android apps. On 31 May 2016 at 17:52, Daniel Villarreal <youcanlinux@gmail.com> wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA256
On 05/31/2016 08:36 AM, Tim Tisdall wrote:
Where's a good place to get a used computer for relatively cheap? I have a uncle who's struggling with a fairly old machine (I'm not sure what it is, but it has a CRT monitor) and I was hoping to replace it with something slightly newer. Maybe someone knows a good spot to get off-lease computers? What does UofT do with their hand-me-downs?
http://www.theworkingcentre.org/cr
- -- Daniel Villarreal http://www.youcanlinux.org youcanlinux@gmail.com PGP key 2F6E 0DC3 85E2 5EC0 DA03 3F5B F251 8938 A83E 7B49 https://pgp.mit.edu/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xF2518938A83E7B49
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2
iQEcBAEBCAAGBQJXTbMqAAoJEPJRiTioPntJqEgH/1xTRWlXdlLYmirKqGpyQprj aZBXlefumeJhoMWIi+GCav6uN0foyJ1sYZBT0i1Rak9cmvpelNk0owR6IiihGTll VTbAAWfREC94z9i6EDLEtWQZ0S0lYA8e0XitUO/pJdigLS8HCGap7kmD9m30laED 31D1cpP1mMXPM8k0ph8diiIJBysryKcMk6gpndxeDYMpxSY4r/lnARYbz8oxKqcO YhqyVm4br7XJNH3W9CfquwQMzMl293EmQbhgOoJ+zqDbxQo9TEV9mh4OKjYJgLgc tc4Y7Kz9ZDkxY8zFIgecNAKtVlfU4i1GnKd+rlSKnpRNltQufCaGRl3dc3o2+Ek= =u8Fn -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --- Talk Mailing List talk@gtalug.org https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
-- Evan Leibovitch Geneva, CH Em: evan at telly dot org Sk: evanleibovitch Tw: el56
On 31 May 2016 at 12:06, Evan Leibovitch <evan@telly.org> wrote:
It depends on intended use. If it's to run a specific Windows-specific app, that will limits option. But if the intent is mainly browsing and web-based stuff, and you're uncle isn't into geek, I strongly suggest a Chromebook. Current tech, dead simple, inexpensive and (if you pick the right model) soon able to run android apps.
Yeah, it's mostly for checking email, but it may also get used for Skype and possibly other things. I was intending to put Linux but he's most familiar with Windows and I'm not sure his willingness to learn something new. The old computer is a desktop, so I don't think there's any concern either way about form factor.
| From: Tim Tisdall <tisdall@gmail.com> | On 31 May 2016 at 12:06, Evan Leibovitch <evan@telly.org> wrote: | > It depends on intended use. If it's to run a specific Windows-specific | > app, that will limits option. Absolutely. Also: what might make him feel good. Sometimes people feel better or more confident with brandnames. Or with new as opposed to used. | Yeah, it's mostly for checking email, but it may also get used for | Skype and possibly other things. I was intending to put Linux but | he's most familiar with Windows and I'm not sure his willingness to | learn something new. | | The old computer is a desktop, so I don't think there's any concern | either way about form factor. It's alien to me, but more and more people seem to be doing mail and Skype on tablets and cell phones. Lots of older folks seem to prefer tablets. Some decent tablets are fairly inexpensive.
On Tue, May 31, 2016 at 11:52:21AM -0400, Daniel Villarreal wrote:
On 05/31/2016 08:36 AM, Tim Tisdall wrote:
Where's a good place to get a used computer for relatively cheap? I have a uncle who's struggling with a fairly old machine (I'm not sure what it is, but it has a CRT monitor) and I was hoping to replace it with something slightly newer. Maybe someone knows a good spot to get off-lease computers? What does UofT do with their hand-me-downs?
They are the core member of and venue of KWLUG. So, I know them, and recommend them. But, they are in Kitchener. -- William
On 05/31/2016 08:36 AM, Tim Tisdall wrote:
Where's a good place to get a used computer for relatively cheap? I have a uncle who's struggling with a fairly old machine (I'm not sure what it is, but it has a CRT monitor) and I was hoping to replace it with something slightly newer. Maybe someone knows a good spot to get off-lease computers? What does UofT do with their hand-me-downs?
I have bought a few refurbs from Factory Direct.
| From: James Knott <james.knott@rogers.com> | I have bought a few refurbs from Factory Direct. When? In the last decade, I think that the only good prices from Factory Direct have been pricing errors. (I bought a tablet PC from them a couple of months ago that I think that they mispriced chain-wide.) When they list things that I have previously purchased elsewhere, their refurb prices are often a bit higher than I paid for new.
On 05/31/2016 01:13 PM, D. Hugh Redelmeier wrote:
| From: James Knott <james.knott@rogers.com>
| I have bought a few refurbs from Factory Direct.
When?
In the last decade, I think that the only good prices from Factory Direct have been pricing errors. (I bought a tablet PC from them a couple of months ago that I think that they mispriced chain-wide.)
When they list things that I have previously purchased elsewhere, their refurb prices are often a bit higher than I paid for new. --- Talk Mailing List talk@gtalug.org https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
I bought a refurb HP 64 bit system a couple of years ago for about $100, IIRC. However, I agree, they're not what they used to be.
| From: Tim Tisdall <tisdall@gmail.com> | Where's a good place to get a used computer for relatively cheap? I have a | uncle who's struggling with a fairly old machine (I'm not sure what it is, | but it has a CRT monitor) and I was hoping to replace it with something | slightly newer. Maybe someone knows a good spot to get off-lease | computers? What does UofT do with their hand-me-downs? Older computers show their age in particular ways. - laptops are less upgradable than desktops (duh) - not enough RAM. These days, perhap 4G is comfortable and 2G works. My oldest machines cannot reach 4G. Adding RAM might be cost effective. - SSDs are so much better for startup and some other things. Not too expensive these days. Easy to add if the computer uses SATA. If it doesn't, it is probably too old to refresh. - USB 3. Nice. Not necessary for casual users. - CRT: upgrade to LCD. I've seen 1920x1080 IPS as cheap as $100 but that is rare. I guess you'd want one with a microphone and camera and that will likely cost quite a bit more. - video card performance. Really old cards don't do video well. If your computer doesn't have PCIe for video it is probably not worth upgrading. - OS: any Windows OS that cannot be updated to Win 10 should be blown away. Some Linux would be my choice. But pre-Win7 machines might well not be worth saving. Good sources for cheap computers (but you really need to know what you are buying): Friends who are upgrading. Best Buy refurbs. But there are two clases: ones that are essentially new but cannot be sold as such, and off-lease computers. I would hesitate to buy off-lease from them. Best Buys "open box" computers are not discounted enough. Off-lease computers from Dell Financial Services, but only when they have a sale (every month or two, discounts often 33% or better). Their most recent sale was for Victoria Day weekend. By the nature of leasing, they are going to be business machines: unsexy but solid and not as cheap as one would like. Staples in-store clearance (each store has a board listing their clearance machines) Staples' ebay.ca store. Seems to be empty at the moment. <http://stores.ebay.ca/Staples-Canada> Staples' disguised auction-only ebay store ("Surplus by Design"). <http://www.ebay.ca/usr/surplusbydesign> Too bad the auctions usually end with high prices that show up in the last few seconds. Note: some a broken (that is disclosed in the listing). I'd take a gamble on this one at $200 but I bet it goes for quite a bit more (I can usually fix fans): <http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Working-Lenovo-H50-50-Windows-10-Desktop-PC-90B700H7CF-/401128506864> kijiji Craig's List.
Yeah.. Maybe I'll see if I can get him using a tablet and see if that meets his needs. I wish there was a computer landfill open to the public... I'm sure people are throwing out just what I'm looking for. ;)
| From: Tim Tisdall <tisdall@gmail.com> | | I wish there was a computer landfill open to the | public... I'm sure people are throwing out just what I'm looking for. Amen to that. I went to Community Environment Day on Saturday. They are on most weekends during warm weather. <http://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/30/101000038830.html> <http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/Solid%20Waste%20Management%20Services/1.%20Overview/1.2.%20Community%20Environment%20Days/ced16_schedule-bring_may5-16.pdf> They welcome ewaste but it ends up at a commercial recycler. I'm pretty sure it just gets selectively melted down. If you see a computer that you'd like, intercept the donor BEFORE they get to the stand. If it hits the table or a staffer's hand, it is gone. I have rescued a small number of computers over the years. This year I only donated. I talked to the senior City staffer there about actual re-use or repair but there are some problems: - a contract with the recycling firm. Planning would have to start now for next year since contracts are awarded annually. - no electricity for testing - no staffing (I could imagine volunteering but a year's commitment is a bit much) - (unstated but likely serious) liability issues Notice on the second link they say: Donate other items for reuse: Eye-glasses, walking aids, hearing aids, etc. They would NOT accept a walker I brought due to liability issues.
Hi everyone, I am surprised none have mentioned the various freecycle groups around the gTA. www.trashnothing.com or since most are on yahoogroups, try recycletoronto-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Not only is this a terrific place to donate computers, but it can be a fine resource for finding needed items. The extra bonus is helping someone who might not otherwise have the resources to obtain what you are providing. Additionally, I know someone who personally builds units for a reasonable rate. If the goal is out of warranty I am happy to connect you and see if he can provide what you require. Kare On Tue, 31 May 2016, D. Hugh Redelmeier wrote:
| From: Tim Tisdall <tisdall@gmail.com> | | I wish there was a computer landfill open to the | public... I'm sure people are throwing out just what I'm looking for.
Amen to that.
I went to Community Environment Day on Saturday. They are on most weekends during warm weather. <http://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/30/101000038830.html> <http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/Solid%20Waste%20Management%20Services/1.%20Overview/1.2.%20Community%20Environment%20Days/ced16_schedule-bring_may5-16.pdf>
They welcome ewaste but it ends up at a commercial recycler. I'm pretty sure it just gets selectively melted down.
If you see a computer that you'd like, intercept the donor BEFORE they get to the stand. If it hits the table or a staffer's hand, it is gone.
I have rescued a small number of computers over the years. This year I only donated.
I talked to the senior City staffer there about actual re-use or repair but there are some problems:
- a contract with the recycling firm. Planning would have to start now for next year since contracts are awarded annually.
- no electricity for testing
- no staffing (I could imagine volunteering but a year's commitment is a bit much)
- (unstated but likely serious) liability issues
Notice on the second link they say:
Donate other items for reuse: Eye-glasses, walking aids, hearing aids, etc.
They would NOT accept a walker I brought due to liability issues. --- Talk Mailing List talk@gtalug.org https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
Hi Karen,
I am surprised none have mentioned the various freecycle groups around the gTA.
If they've managed to get around the wall of autoresponders and self-appointed concern trolls that plagued them a few years back, then yes, they can be pretty good. cheers, Stewart
Hi Stewart, While I cannot say with 100% firmness...not sure to what you are referring, I believe that issue was corrected by creating the trashnothing.com door. Kare On Wed, 1 Jun 2016, Stewart C. Russell wrote:
Hi Karen,
I am surprised none have mentioned the various freecycle groups around the gTA.
If they've managed to get around the wall of autoresponders and self-appointed concern trolls that plagued them a few years back, then yes, they can be pretty good.
cheers, Stewart --- Talk Mailing List talk@gtalug.org https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
To the OP: You might also consider TechSource, http://techsourcecanada.ca/ They remind me a lot of how Factory Direct used to be (less the wall of O'Reilly books, that is). Their website is utterly crap, but their Kennedy location has piles of used computers from Chromebooks up to colossal multi-Xeon Dell workstations. The prices seem variable, from quite decent to alarmingly high. I think they might be open to haggling. Machines are mostly Dell, with some compact desktops from Lenovo and ThinkPads too. I was in to score a dual display portable DVD player, which local retrocomputing nerds have discovered that the units can act as tiny PAL/NTSC composite monitors. On 2016-06-01 02:24 PM, Karen Lewellen wrote:
While I cannot say with 100% firmness...not sure to what you are referring, I believe that issue was corrected by creating the trashnothing.com door.
The original Freecyle group in Toronto collapsed in a mess of bickering about a decade ago, shortly after the central Freecycle org tried (and failed) to strongarm everyone to a commercial model. Posting multiple items in an e-mail would get you temporarily blocked, with tens to hundreds of people sending you scolding e-mails. Every post would generate many auto-replies in an attempt to get first refusal on all items. It was a mess. cheers, Stewart
On 06/01/2016 10:56 PM, Stewart C. Russell wrote:
To the OP: You might also consider TechSource, http://techsourcecanada.ca/
They remind me a lot of how Factory Direct used to be (less the wall of O'Reilly books, that is). Their website is utterly crap, but their Kennedy location has piles of used computers from Chromebooks up to colossal multi-Xeon Dell workstations.
I noticed that store, as I was driving by it last week. Didn't stop in though.
On 1 June 2016 at 22:56, Stewart C. Russell <scruss@gmail.com> wrote:
To the OP: You might also consider TechSource, http://techsourcecanada.ca/
They remind me a lot of how Factory Direct used to be (less the wall of O'Reilly books, that is). Their website is utterly crap, but their Kennedy location has piles of used computers from Chromebooks up to colossal multi-Xeon Dell workstations.
That's not too far from me! Thanks! I vaguely remember Factory Direct being a sub-section of Liquidation World and selling out-dated O'Reilly books... That was a long time ago, though.
| From: D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh@mimosa.com> | Off-lease computers from Dell Financial Services, but only when they | have a sale (every month or two, discounts often 33% or better). | Their most recent sale was for Victoria Day weekend. By the nature of | leasing, they are going to be business machines: unsexy but solid and | not as cheap as one would like. There is a sale this weekend: 33% Off all Dell Laptops, including Hot Deals, with code 33LTWKND <http://forums.redflagdeals.com/new-dfsdirect-ca-coupon-codes-1155678/35/#post26114895>
Not sure if it worth mentioning as it may seem obvious but Staples seems to maintain a large inventory of used laptops. I assume they are mostly off lease. I see some very good deals come via their mailing list from time to time, usually when they have put a refurbished machine on sale. Recently, they listed some HP and Dell units with 3rd generation i5 processors for around $300. These are business class laptops. On Sat, Jun 4, 2016 at 2:16 PM, D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh@mimosa.com> wrote:
| From: D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh@mimosa.com>
| Off-lease computers from Dell Financial Services, but only when they | have a sale (every month or two, discounts often 33% or better). | Their most recent sale was for Victoria Day weekend. By the nature of | leasing, they are going to be business machines: unsexy but solid and | not as cheap as one would like.
There is a sale this weekend: 33% Off all Dell Laptops, including Hot Deals, with code 33LTWKND
< http://forums.redflagdeals.com/new-dfsdirect-ca-coupon-codes-1155678/35/#pos...
--- Talk Mailing List talk@gtalug.org https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
Also, at CanadaComputers. You know, $300 here, $300 there, pretty soon you'll be spending $800 for old computers. Or, you can bite the bullet and buy brand new ThinkPad T450 for $800. -- William On Sun, Jun 05, 2016 at 09:27:37AM -0400, Nigel Auger wrote:
Not sure if it worth mentioning as it may seem obvious but Staples seems to maintain a large inventory of used laptops. I assume they are mostly off lease. I see some very good deals come via their mailing list from time to time, usually when they have put a refurbished machine on sale. Recently, they listed some HP and Dell units with 3rd generation i5 processors for around $300. These are business class laptops.
On Sat, Jun 4, 2016 at 2:16 PM, D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh@mimosa.com> wrote:
| From: D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh@mimosa.com>
| Off-lease computers from Dell Financial Services, but only when they | have a sale (every month or two, discounts often 33% or better). | Their most recent sale was for Victoria Day weekend. By the nature of | leasing, they are going to be business machines: unsexy but solid and | not as cheap as one would like.
There is a sale this weekend: 33% Off all Dell Laptops, including Hot Deals, with code 33LTWKND
< http://forums.redflagdeals.com/new-dfsdirect-ca-coupon-codes-1155678/35/#pos...
--- Talk Mailing List talk@gtalug.org https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
--- Talk Mailing List talk@gtalug.org https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
On 06/05/2016 10:38 AM, William Park wrote:
Also, at CanadaComputers. You know, $300 here, $300 there, pretty soon you'll be spending $800 for old computers. Or, you can bite the bullet and buy brand new ThinkPad T450 for $800.
I kind of +1 for the idea of buying something new. I bought a referb laptop for my wife and after a few fixes to make it useful I could have gotten a nice shiny new Asus laptop. No more use Dell's or ThinkPads for me. -- Alvin Starr || voice: (905)513-7688 Netvel Inc. || Cell: (416)806-0133 alvin@netvel.net ||
On 16-05-31 08:36 AM, Tim Tisdall wrote:
Where's a good place to get a used computer for relatively cheap?Â
One other place that might be worth checking out is the place that takes donations of old computer and refurbishes them. I forgot the name of it or I would mention the name. I'm sure someone else here will remember. -- Cheers! Kevin. http://www.ve3syb.ca/ |"Nerds make the shiny things that distract Owner of Elecraft K2 #2172 | the mouth-breathers, and that's why we're | powerful!" #include <disclaimer/favourite> | --Chris Hardwick
participants (13)
-
Alvin Starr -
D. Hugh Redelmeier -
Daniel Villarreal -
Evan Leibovitch -
Giles Orr -
James Knott -
Karen Lewellen -
Kevin Cozens -
Nigel Auger -
Russell Reiter -
Stewart C. Russell -
Tim Tisdall -
William Park