Today's top daily deals include a top Gateway laptop refurbished (and down over $200), a cookware set, and more.
Desktop Deals
Cheapism
Mid-range
High end
$250
$550
$1000...+In this review:
Deals
Desktop deals on deal aggregation sites, as well as offers on manufacturer and retailer websites, can help make a cheap computer even cheaper. The calendar has an effect, too, because desktop deals are better at certain times of the year.
According to PC World, some of the best desktop deals are offered during the back-to-school rush. You can also save on a new computer during the holidays and immediately after (in January and February) when stores are eager to chuck their inventory.
Another opportune moment for landing a desktop deal is around the launch of new product lines and upgraded models. Have you noticed how cheap some iPods and iPads become since the latest iterations have been released? The same phenomenon happens with computers. Although the sales strategy obviously differs from manufacturer to manufacturer, it might be smart to set up a Google Alert that lets you know about upcoming computer launches for your brand of choice so you can watch for price drops on older models.
One of the best places to look for desktop computer deals is TechBargains, which presents a host of hot sales that are updated throughout the day. Some desktops are deeply discounted by $300 or more. We reviewed TechBargains in our coupon site roundup and found that consumers like the vast array of continually changing deals for both in-store and online purchase.
Best Buy is another good spot for deals, particularly on Cyber Monday, the day after Thanksgiving weekend. Last year, this vendor offered desktops for as low as $200. PC Mag recommends Best Buy, the largest electronics retailer in the country, for desktop deals. The Best Buy sales page is here.
Manufacturers' websites are often sources for the best desktop deals. Dell maintains a dedicated desktop deals page that advertises discounts of $60 to more than $200. HP has a page that mines all the offers for its varied product line-up in addition to a desktop deals page featuring discounted machines and rebates. Lenovo mounts a page that showcases deals on laptops and desktops.
Don't forget about wholesale clubs in your quest for a cheap desktop computer. The store sites don't have separate deals pages, but retailers such as Costco list deals in the desktop section at the very top of the page under the "top sellers" header. All the wholesale clubs carry well-known brands like Dell and HP, sometimes priced at $100 to $400 off. Be sure to check out desktop deals at Sam's Club and BJ's.
Desktop coupons.
Desktop coupons are available on coupon sites such as Savings.com, which immediately tells you if a deal is good or bad and lets you click on the code button for the coupon. DealNews.com, FatWallet, and SlickDeals post a list of computer coupons in forum format. Retailmenot tells you the coupon code and whether it worked for other bargain seekers. It also allows you to set up an alert for desktop coupons. Cheapstingybargains is a site much like Techbargains and specializes in electronics deals. The site shows you the code for various desktop deals and when the coupon expires.
Back to top »
Read user comments below
Filed in:
Cheap Computers,
Computers,
Desktops,
Home-Office,
Inkjet Printers,
Laptops,
Microsoft,
Multifunction Printers,
WiFi,
Windows
Best Cheap Desktops
Asus Essentio CM1630-05
This popular Best Buy-exclusive runs well and boasts a large hard drive and plenty of USB ports. Users praise its multitasking abilities and PC Mag liked it enough to give it an Editor's Choice award -- and we can see why. Read more »Desktops Deals
Gateway SX2851-41
Gateway's SX2851-41 just hits our price ceiling, but you get a lot of PC for your money, including an Intel i3-550 CPU, a huge 1TB hard drive, and 11 USB ports. Read more »Desktops Deals
Good Cheap Desktops
Dell Inspiron 580s
The Dell Inspiron 580s is a little light on some features but is still a pretty good value overall. The star of this system is the Intel i3-530 CPU but the 320GB hard drive is small compared to most budget PCs. Its six USB ports and 4GB of RAM are pretty standard for desktops in this price range. Read more »Desktops Deals
HP p6710f
In most respects the HP p6710f is an average PC, but this system does sport an ATI Radeon 4200 integrated graphics chip, which is better than what you'll find in most budget desktops. It also has a beefy 1TB hard drive for those who never seem to have enough storage room. Read more »Desktops Deals
Cheapism.com on Facebook
Don't Bother Cheap Desktops
Compaq Presario CQ5720F
The cheapest PC in our group, the Presario CQ5720F is a decent choice if you're looking for a rock-bottom priced PC that can still carry out simple PC tasks. But note that the system's CPU is relatively slow, and it has less memory than the competition. It also lacks a PCI-Express graphics card slot, so if you're planning to buy a budget PC and upgrade its graphics, this system is definitely not for you. Read more »
Lenovo IdeaCentre Q150
Lenovo's IdeaCentre Q150 falls into the "nettop" category of desktop PCs, meaning it's designed to be a tiny, tiny system that can still perform basic PC tasks. Whether this system is a good deal for you depends on how you want to use it. The IdeaCentre Q150 is at its best as a living room media PC, or perhaps as a backup. It simply doesn't have the power or features of other affordable systems. Read more »
Products Mentioned in This Review
HP p6110ySystemax V7C2
HP Slimline s5220y
Compaq Presario CQ5720F
Lenovo IdeaCentre Q150
Dell Inspiron 580s
HP p6710f
Asus Essentio CM1630-05
Gateway SX2851-41
Thrifty Resources
May 23rd Daily Deals - Refurbished Gateway Laptop, Cookware Set, and more
May 16th Daily Deals - Toshiba Laptop Deal, Cheap NOOK Tablet, and more
Today's daily deals include $200 off a top Toshiba laptop, discounts on the NOOK tablet and 4th Generation iPods, baby gifts for new moms and much more.
Weekly Update - Air Conditioner Deals, Cheap London Trips, and more
With summer on the way, you may be hoping to catch the London Olympics or in the process of hunting for a new A/C. As always, we've got your back with all the frugal tips you'll need.
© 2012 Cheapism
We do not accept payment or other gratuities from manufacturers or retailers to recommend or discuss their products on Cheapism.com. Nor do we accept any payment or other gratuity from websites to blog about their news stories or posts.
Made in NYC
