However, I do not know if you will be needing the TV input etc. It really depends on your needs.
There is no mention of any Office type software. That can be expensive also.
If your main goal is surfing then you are paying for features that you will never use. Another question, is $1100 (after taxes and shipping) affordable for you?
Take a look here:
http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/team_summary.php?s=&t=36120
and click on ExtremeDeals on the banner. The very first item is:
“This Inspiron 530 comes with a 2.4Ghz Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor, 3GB of DDR2 667Mhz SDRAM (upgrade to 800Mhz for $20), 500GB SATA Hard Drive, 16x DVD+/-RW double layer burner, and a 1 year warranty, all for $499. Expires 4/17/08 at 5:59AM CT.”
Quad core is as good or better than the AMD Tri-core, and you can sometimes configure Dells with Windows XP.
Some deals feature a monitor, you can extend the warranty, etc. I personally prefer HP to Dell or Gateway, but there rally isn't much difference if you never need service.
No matter which computer you choose, please sashay over to the latest Folding thread and join the Free Republic Folding team 36120 and help cure Alzheimer's Disease when the system is idling.
For all those who currently encounter or will encounter a wasting disease like Alzheimer's Disease, Huntington's Disease or Parkinson's Disease please consider our latest Free Republic Folding@home thread, and join up there also.
Simple to download and you can even run it on your PS3!
Not a bad alternative to MS Office, for free.