How Much is this Computer Worth?

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WinnieThePujols

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Sorry if this is in the wrong spot.

My cousin recently dropped $1000 on a new computer that he ordered part-by-part. I'm kind of strapped for cash, but within a month or so, I'll be getting a new computer, and will making my own. (Don't be surprised to see me make a topic asking for help picking stuff out.)

...back to the story. My cousin had a computer that his dad (and my uncle) picked up for him at a swap meet/auction or something along those lines. My uncle claims he paid $1 for the computer. I had a very hard time believing that. It didn't come with a monitor, keyboard, mouse or network card...but here's what it had:

A pentium II 400 Mhz processor
192 MB RAM (not sure what type)
A 9 GB hard drive

Now, you obviously can find old stuff for cheap -- especially a dinosaur like this, so maybe he really did find this thing for that much?

That's basically what needs to be known about the system. I inquired about buying this old piece of shit, thinking it'd be useful for putting in my room, so I could have some privacy. Until I buy a new one, I'm stuck using a family computer. It's not really a big deal using it, but I hate having to stuff all of my stuff in my own folders; I always feel obliged to keep it in at least decent running order for the sake of everyone else that uses it, so sometimes I'm hesitant to download stuff I otherwise would. It really can't do much much, but it'd at least be nice to use for word processing, internet browsing, and really simple stuff like that. I'll save the Photoshopping/Gaming for a computer that doesn't suck ass.

We had went out to some pawn shops, and when I suggested that he maybe sell his old computer to me; it was spur-of-the-moment, and seemed like a good idea at the time. He said he'd think about it. I called him when I got home, thinking that the 10-minute ride would have been more than enough time for him to think about it.

"$100," he said. "But you can't have the monitor I'm using." I'd also need to buy a keyboard and mouse. "Oh, and my friend gave me a 64 MB stick of RAM, so I'll have to give that back to him, too. And I'll also need the network card in it. So...maybe more like $80?"

$80? Plus money for a monitor? A keyboard? A mouse? Basically I was thinking something like $20, and he turned around and shocked me with his answer. It felt like a slap in the face. What do you think guys think? How much would you pay for it? (I realize a lot of you wouldn't even want it, but keep in mind I'm using it for very simplistic purposes.)
 
errr......your uncle is trying to get $80 off a computer he picked up for $1 from his nephew? If you are close to this uncle i think you need to smack him. So all you are getting is the tower? I'd say.....$50 for the tower? I am not sure how much a 400mhz pentiumII proc goes for nowadays.....I have not clue what old computer parts are worth, aren't worth crap. I estimate $50 would be decent.
 
It's worth about $20, he probably doesn't really want to sell it but due to your constant harassment he came up with a price he knew would shut you up.
 
Hahahaha. Sucks for you. You don't have nice relatives. My uncle would've given that to me for free too. Hey, I would too.

Asking for $80 is a slap to the face. I would go with the $20-$30 range.
 
Screw your uncle, you aren't going to get it for a price that'll be worth it. Personally, I would try eBay and check for auctions within 25 miles of your location. Ask the seller if you can do a local pickup, since shipping is what usually keeps these things from fetching any money. I'd do the same with a monitor. Using this method, I picked up 3 350MHz AMD K6 and a 275MHz Pentium for $10 earlier this spring.
 
[quote name='zionoverfire']It's worth about $20, he probably doesn't really want to sell it but due to your constant harassment he came up with a price he knew would shut you up.[/QUOTE]

Well, I really didn't constantly harrass him about it. Like I said, it was a spur-of-the-moment idea that popped into my head when I suggested that he sell it...

[quote name='mkg12']errr......your uncle is trying to get $80 off a computer he picked up for $1 from his nephew? If you are close to this uncle i think you need to smack him.[/QUOTE]

I don't really have him a problem with making profit...I mean, after all, there a number of people on this site who raided the Game Crazy sales with the sole intent of eBaying and making money, right? It's just I think the price he offered...was...well....ludacrous; and it sounds like you guys would agree.

Um, and just to clarify: this is my cousin's (one I consider a good friend) computer that I tried to buy. My uncle was the one that bought it for him...just to clear that up.
 
[quote name='WinnieThePujols']Well, I really didn't constantly harrass him about it. Like I said, it was a spur-of-the-moment idea that popped into my head when I suggested that he sell it...



I don't really have him a problem with making profit...I mean, after all, there a number of people on this site who raided the Game Crazy sales with the sole intent of eBaying and making money, right? It's just I think the price he offered...was...well....ludacrous; and it sounds like you guys would agree.

Um, and just to clarify: this is my cousin's (one I consider a good friend) computer that I tried to buy. My uncle was the one that bought it for him...just to clear that up.[/QUOTE]

The point is still you are way overpaying. These computers are literally a dime a dozen these days. You can go on craigslist and find them being GIVEN away semi often.

The hardest part about buying used computers is people think of what it cost new. They just cant get over something being so worthless.

$30 would be very very kind of you to give him. $100 is total BS even if he threw in a monitor,keyboard,new cards,bigger HD,etc.

If he wont be reasonable, forget it. You will find one of these cheap.

And yeah, I agree there is nothing wrong with making a little profit when its family but charging over 3 times what its worth is total crap. Think of it this way, would YOU charge him 3 times what something was worth if he asked to buy it from you?
 
Another thing Id check is the programs you hope to run. Thats a VERY old spec CPU there. I had to toss my P3 500mhz XPS with a whole lot better stuff than yours because I couldnt run some of the most basic basic stuff anymore.
 
A couple of months ago I found a computer on craigslist.

Pentium II 350MhZ
3 GB Hard Drive
80 MB RAM
Windows 98SE
Monitor
Keyboard
Mouse

$45 TOTAL. My sister bought it for her kids and I was able to install NetZERO and some other apps. Works pretty good.
 
why would it be useful to have this computer in your room?

if by "it'll give me some privacy" you mean you plan on blocking your door with it so nobody can get in your room, then maybe its what you're looking for, but besides that, this computer wont really do shit for you.
 
if i really needed it I probably would have gone up to $15... if you find the right yard sale you can definitely pick up much better

also people throw away stuff too
 
[quote name='Cracka']why would it be useful to have this computer in your room?

if by "it'll give me some privacy" you mean you plan on blocking your door with it so nobody can get in your room, then maybe its what you're looking for, but besides that, this computer wont really do shit for you.[/QUOTE]

For starters, our family computer isn't much better than this.

It would've been just fine for browing the internet with FireFox while listening to WinAmp. I have nothing that's power-intensive that I would use it for.

What if I'm watching porn on my computer? Do I want to do it in the living room where my parents walk through (to get to the bathroom, to get to the laundry room, etc) 8 times every half hour? What if I wanna look up some codes really quick? What's easier for me: turning 4 feet in my room to log in, or getting up, going out into the living room and possibly having my mom, dad, or sister on it already?

I realize it was a piece of crap. Old things can still get the job done, especially when I was using it for such easy tasks.
 
i'm just sayin our first family computer was like a 700Mhz computer and it was so slow that it was barely enjoyable.

and if the computer you're wanting is like 400Mhz, it probably wouldnt do anything more than piss me off.

but i guess it would be alright for just getting on the internet
 
[quote name='Cracka']

and if the computer you're wanting is like 400Mhz, it probably wouldnt do anything more than piss me off.

but i guess it would be alright for just getting on the internet[/QUOTE]

400mhz is fine for basic internet stuff. My mom is still using my old 500mhz Gateway from over five years ago, and it's perfectly fine for what she uses it for (internet and email). You can play old games on it too.

To OP: Around $35 seems decent, although I'd be kinda pissed if a family member made me pay for something like that. I would just give it away to any family member or friend.
 
I had a few Pentium I 233mhz/166 mhz PCs we bought about 5 years ago for like $5-$10 from our local community college computer sale. I took all the ram out of the 166 and stacked it in the 233...I was going to use it for oldschool games, but ended up tossing it out a few years later. (although the 10GB drive I scrounged out of it saw some use for a long time).

My wife liked to joke, her monitor was 0.37, since she got it with a 386 computer and they were like 2/$3 or something. It did die but it worked good for a few years.

A 400mhz PII PC is worth like $20. I mean, I have a K6-2 350mhz, Epox super 7 board, and voodoo3 2000 in the closet that I would pretty much give away for free. I mean, a 1.1ghz oldschool Thunderbird Athlon CPU is like $20. It's not hard to build a decent 1ghz + internet-browsing and some low-rez gaming cheapass computer for like $140.
 
I just built a new comp after using a similar specced comp to the one you are getting. It had a 550 p3, 192 mb ram, and an 8 gb hard drive. Was fine for internet and even played a few games like Warcraft 3. But I wouldn't pay a single dime for it. You could get something much better off of craigslist for around $100 or so, it just isn't worth paying for a comp with that old of specs these days. I would definitely give mine away before I sold it except for a couple parts like the wireless card I put in.
 
[quote name='WinnieThePujols']For starters, our family computer isn't much better than this.

It would've been just fine for browing the internet with FireFox while listening to WinAmp. I have nothing that's power-intensive that I would use it for.

What if I'm watching porn on my computer? Do I want to do it in the living room where my parents walk through (to get to the bathroom, to get to the laundry room, etc) 8 times every half hour? What if I wanna look up some codes really quick? What's easier for me: turning 4 feet in my room to log in, or getting up, going out into the living room and possibly having my mom, dad, or sister on it already?

I realize it was a piece of crap. Old things can still get the job done, especially when I was using it for such easy tasks.[/QUOTE]

First off, relax, breathe, dont let the haters get to you. Its no big thing.

You are correct, old stuff can get the job done when the tasks are simple. This computer will be the same.

My suggestion is that you need to really look at each and every thing you want to do. I JUST got rid of a computer like this and I had the same level of need out of it as you do. A LOT of stuff is 500 P3 minimum. Even what seems like "easy" stuff.

Also, with the pr0n (or any video really) new stuff is more labor intensive than old. Bigger sizes, higher rez, etc. If you are gonna be watching alot of, er.... motion, you may want to consider something else, say in the 800-1000mhz range. If its just pictures and webbrowsing, you ll be fine.
 
Having your own computer is so much better than sharing one with your family. Even if its slower and older. But its not worth 80$. I started out with a 486 with Windows 3.1 in '99 (slow as fuck) but at least it was mine.
 
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