Computers for my School

[billdcat4]

My school could use some new PCs for its computer room. Currently its using 20 or so Dell Optiplexes with a P3 and 256megs of ram. The machines are networked together with 100mb ethernet and are running WinXP.

What im looking for is a cheap (lower the better) SFF (preferably desktop) system. They will have to run WinXP and Vista Home Basic in the future. Not much performance is required, all it needs to do is run an internet browser.It has to have 64bit support and a DVD ROM drive (to install vista.) It also need s a Cheap LCD that can be placed on top of the case. DVI is not important. We have plenty of keyboards and mice that can be reused.

This is what Ive found so far:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3400 Socket 939 OEM- $51

CPU Cooler:
Arctic Cooling 10 dollar CPU cooler

Mobo: Not the best, but should work Biostar mATX $60
The important thing is that it has Integrated Video.

RAM:PC3200 1gb Corsair Dual Channel is nice one stick would be ok though

Case and PSU: Antec Solution Case w/380w PSU (dunno what amperage, but should be ok)

Hard Drive: WD 80gb SATA2, more than enough space: $43

Optical Drive: ASUS DVD Rom SATA !!!airflow $22

LCD:Hanns G 19" DIGITAL $130 after MIR (25pcs max so were good)


TOTAL: You can get the Biostar Mobo in a combo deal with the CPU for $10 less :lol:

The total cost for 20 of these is $10400 USD. There is $800 of rebates though, which bring it down to $9600. Add shipping ($780) and it comes to $10,380 after MIRs.

Not bad for 20 PCs with LCDs eh? It comes out to $480 before and 519 after shipping. The cheapest I can get a Dell SFF is around 1100-1200 8O

Any suggestions?

 

[billdcat4]

You would be better off ordering some more mid level Dells.

For 3x the $$?
My school isnt exactly rolling in $

This isnt gonna happen, the Computer Teacher just asked me for my idea of a build.

Not bad eh?

 

[lunyone]

I can see a couple of issues with the setup.

First, who is going to support these computers for the school?

Second, I know that cost is #1 priority with the build, but s939 chips aren't probably the best for repairs/replacements if you run into that problem during install. AM2 CPU's would be a better choice for any repairs/replacements that you may run into.

My 2cp's.

 

[billdcat4]

I can see a couple of issues with the setup.

First, who is going to support these computers for the school?

Second, I know that cost is #1 priority with the build, but s939 chips aren't probably the best for repairs/replacements if you run into that problem during install. AM2 CPU's would be a better choice for any repairs/replacements that you may run into.

My 2cp's.

Doesnt Newegg offer RMA support for OEM CPUs?

 

[Mondoman]

...t s939 chips aren't probably the best for repairs/replacements if you run into that problem during install.....

They are plentiful and cheap now, and in the future there's always eBay. Sounds OK for 20 units.

 

[Wgfalcon]

15 days

 

[billdcat4]

Thats a really good deal on an lcd eh?

 

[Mondoman]

Another option:

Intel® Celeron® D 331 $39/ea, Intel CPU cooler included, free shipping: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80552-3

Foxconn 865G7MF-SH Intel® 865G + Intel® ICH5 Socket 775 MB, $52/ea, free shipping: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=249234

That saves you $30+shipping per computer.

 

[billdcat4]

Another option:

Intel® Celeron® D 331 $39/ea, Intel CPU cooler included, free shipping: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80552-3

Foxconn 865G7MF-SH Intel® 865G + Intel® ICH5 Socket 775 MB, $52/ea, free shipping: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=249234

That saves you $30+shipping per computer.

How would the performance of the Celeron stack up against the Athlon 64?

 

[madmurph]

A couple, as I do the same thing. (Apparently your district isn't in bed with Dell, compelling you to buy only from them.) I don't know where you are located but I find distributors or OEMs, or even businesses in my area and beg with an appropriately sad face. There's lots of older generation, but new, equipment out there that can be "harvested" when you play the "school" card. Smaller hard drives, or ones that have been remanufactured, older CPU's, cases with power supplies, even smaller monitors. I've received donations from Western Digital, AMD, MAG Innovision, local memory manufacturers, (even Microsoft) and the list goes on. If businesses will donate their "marginalized" equipment, you can use the carcass for the foundation -- psu, cd's, floppy??, etc. They all get to write it off because you give them a tax deductible receipt through the school. Have kids build the systems and you get your name and their pictures in the paper, then others want to jump on the band wagon. You facilitate. I built a lab with 32 computers, and a teacher station, for $20K, and that was four years ago. They're still using it, and it's all been upgraded to XP sp-2. Every now and then I buy one of the combo deals that Fry's anties up, and upgrade two or three units, so it all stays pretty current. It can be done with a little effort. Let me know if I can help further.

 

[Wgfalcon]

best i can do without some sleep

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Brisbane 1.9GHz Socket AM2 $1,780.00 ($89.00 each)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103046

A-DATA 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 $1,399.80 ($69.99 each)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820211064

Foxconn MCP61VM2MA-RS2H Socket AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 $1,199.80 ($59.99 each)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813186105

SCEPTRE X9WG-NagaV Black 19" 8ms DVI Widescreen $3,599.80 ($179.99 each)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16824112002

Western Digital Caviar SE WD800JD 80GB 7200 RPM SATA $839.80 ($41.99 each)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822135106

Antec Solution Series NSK2400 Black/Silver Steel MicroATX Desktop Computer Case 380W ATX12V v2.0 Power Supply $1,999.80 ($99.99 each)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811129014

sub total $10,819.00
Shipping to WV $715.62
$30 rebate on monitor x20 $600.00

total $10,934.62

EDIT: forgot a dvd drive so much for the monitor rebate sleep now

 

[billdcat4]

A couple, as I do the same thing. (Apparently your district isn't in bed with Dell, compelling you to buy only from them.) I don't know where you are located but I find distributors or OEMs, or even businesses in my area and beg with an appropriately sad face. There's lots of older generation, but new, equipment out there that can be "harvested" when you play the "school" card. Smaller hard drives, or ones that have been remanufactured, older CPU's, cases with power supplies, even smaller monitors. I've received donations from Western Digital, AMD, MAG Innovision, local memory manufacturers, (even Microsoft) and the list goes on. If businesses will donate their "marginalized" equipment, you can use the carcass for the foundation -- psu, cd's, floppy??, etc. They all get to write it off because you give them a tax deductible receipt through the school. Have kids build the systems and you get your name and their pictures in the paper, then others want to jump on the band wagon. You facilitate. I built a lab with 32 computers, and a teacher station, for $20K, and that was four years ago. They're still using it, and it's all been upgraded to XP sp-2. Every now and then I buy one of the combo deals that Fry's anties up, and upgrade two or three units, so it all stays pretty current. It can be done with a little effort. Let me know if I can help further.

Thats pretty cool. The thing is my school is a private school and is quite funding-deprived. They probably wont be up for new systems until the next windows :?

Thats real impressive though, what went into those machines? How did the kids building the machines work out?

 

[leadtrombone]

With the consideration that you would have to buy Vista I would suggest go with an HP RT786UT#ABA its a sff with vista business 32 preinstall
ahtlon x2 3800 1 gig ddr2-667 only 80 gig drive for $945. For only 145 more you get AM2, dual core, tech support for the machines and vista preinstalled and considering its a school order and a large order there might be a discount.


DISCLAIMER: I'm not trying to sell anything but this is what I found when I looked around at more than just dell. There are cheapers ones but this is the one I thought was the best purchase for the money.

 

[alcattle]

Just a couple qurstions. Why 19"? My 17" is plenty nice, and at least $50 cheaper. What was the price on retail 64's? MOre than $10 differance? I am sure you can get a school discount for Vista home basic. Cost to them is real cheap, under $25 each?!?

 

[billdcat4]

Just a couple qurstions. Why 19"? My 17" is plenty nice, and at least $50 cheaper. What was the price on retail 64's? MOre than $10 differance? I am sure you can get a school discount for Vista home basic. Cost to them is real cheap, under $25 each?!?

You got a 17" lcd for $80??????????????????

 

[billdcat4]

try getting money for this here
http://www.intel.com/community/grant.htm

\

Says they wont fund private schools. eh, nice find though

 

[alcattle]

I bet Billy boy would, the old Lakeside school prodigy 8)

 

[AeroB1033]

A better question is who's going to build all of these PCs? And what if you order $10,000 of gear and find out that, say, the memory is incompatible with your motherboard, or the PSU is a piece of junk? In any case, building 20 PCs is a lot of work!

I would definitely consider buying them from a retailer. Check out this one--it can be customized down to $450 (without the monitor) to meet your needs, and includes a 3-year warranty if anything goes wrong. Then you can go snag twenty of that $130 monitor to go with the systems. $580*20=11600 before shipping. Not bad for tossing in a three year warranty and not having to build all of the machines yourself.

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/sp2.asp?v=d

 

[alcattle]

Do you know what forum you are talking to? Bill knows about Dells and the rest, he knows how much work it is, and that him building computers are a breakeven with buying the cheap stuff. But what he builds are well built and will last. Even with a warraty, can cyberpower really say that or is the fact that they can BS half the returns into more sales???

 

[billdcat4]

Do you know what forum you are talking to? Bill knows about Dells and the rest, he knows how much work it is, and that him building computers are a breakeven with buying the cheap stuff. But what he builds are well built and will last. Even with a warraty, can cyberpower really say that or is the fact that they can BS half the returns into more sales???

I have built 1 computer in my life, last nov. Are you mixing me up w someone?

I wouldnt recommend CyberPowerPC to an enemy.
The mobo,ram, cpu, cpu cooler, case, and psu are all very compatible.
And fast... and cheap

 

[impreza]

Another option:

Intel® Celeron® D 331 $39/ea, Intel CPU cooler included, free shipping: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80552-3

Foxconn 865G7MF-SH Intel® 865G + Intel® ICH5 Socket 775 MB, $52/ea, free shipping: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=249234

That saves you $30+shipping per computer.

How would the performance of the Celeron stack up against the Athlon 64?
the athlon is much faster, but for web browsing and word processing you wouldn't notice the difference

 

[impreza]

My school could use some new PCs for its computer room. Currently its using 20 or so Dell Optiplexes with a P3 and 256megs of ram. The machines are networked together with 100mb ethernet and are running WinXP.

What im looking for is a cheap (lower the better) SFF (preferably desktop) system. They will have to run WinXP and Vista Home Basic in the future. Not much performance is required, all it needs to do is run an internet browser.It has to have 64bit support and a DVD ROM drive (to install vista.) It also need s a Cheap LCD that can be placed on top of the case. DVI is not important. We have plenty of keyboards and mice that can be reused.

This is what Ive found so far:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3400 Socket 939 OEM- $51

CPU Cooler:
Arctic Cooling 10 dollar CPU cooler

Mobo: Not the best, but should work Biostar mATX $60
The important thing is that it has Integrated Video.

RAM:PC3200 1gb Corsair Dual Channel is nice one stick would be ok though

Case and PSU: Antec Solution Case w/380w PSU (dunno what amperage, but should be ok)

Hard Drive: WD 80gb SATA2, more than enough space: $43

Optical Drive: ASUS DVD Rom SATA !!!airflow $22

LCD:Hanns G 19" DIGITAL $130 after MIR (25pcs max so were good)


TOTAL: You can get the Biostar Mobo in a combo deal with the CPU for $10 less :lol:

The total cost for 20 of these is $10400 USD. There is $800 of rebates though, which bring it down to $9600. Add shipping ($780) and it comes to $10,380 after MIRs.

Not bad for 20 PCs with LCDs eh? It comes out to $480 before and 519 after shipping. The cheapest I can get a Dell SFF is around 1100-1200 8O

Any suggestions?

do the dells use ddr ram? if they do you could reuse it with s939 so just 15 would need ram since you could use 4x the 256mb chips and what about reusing the cases as well any micro atx m/b should fit?

 

[alcattle]

Just a couple qurstions. Why 19"? My 17" is plenty nice, and at least $50 cheaper. What was the price on retail 64's? MOre than $10 differance? I am sure you can get a school discount for Vista home basic. Cost to them is real cheap, under $25 each?!?

You got a 17" lcd for $80??????????????????
How crazy is that?? The 19" is $20 cheaper than the same model 17". I guess it has been a while since I bought either one

 

[bLAKEpERKINS]

Thats pretty cool. The thing is my school is a private school and is quite funding-deprived. They probably wont be up for new systems until the next windows :?

Thats real impressive though, what went into those machines? How did the kids building the machines work out?

You sure it's a private school? all private schools here in australia seem to be loaded, i mean my school had a few blade servers, and arround 100 dumb terminals running from the server, was also easier to mantain. Only way they got a real IT department was because the IT teacher said the network is shit and stopped maintaining it. then the budget went up along way.... tell your teacher that.