ALDI has one of its periodic Medion PC specials tomorrow — an AMD-powered desktop box with a 1TB hard drive, 4GB of RAM and Windows 7. At $499 it looks keenly priced, but could you do better elsewhere?
The $499 includes Windows 7 Home Premium and the starter edition of Office 2010, though it’s worth noting the latter is the Word-and-Excel only version which you can often download for free anyway. Combined with good basic spec hardware, it’s a solid offering if you need a desktop machine. (If you want a laptop, you can get a netbook-style device for a similar price, but you won’t get this kind of processor or drive capacity.)
While you might not find this kind of deal in many other big brand retailers, you can sniff out similar packages. This model at iiBuy, for instance, is $449 and has the same basic specifications, though you’ll have to up the price to cover a keyboard and mouse if you don’t already have one.
Bottom line? It’s a solid deal if you need a desktop sans monitor, but a cheap laptop could cost about the same and include a screen. If you do miss out in the traditional ALDI opening rush, there are similar models out there that won’t cost you too much more.
Planning to hit ALDI and grab one of these? Tell us (and tell us why) in the comments.
TSH
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 11:03 AMMost of the people looking at this machine would be better served, on balance, by a netbook. Too many reasons to list all of them.
Peter Collinson
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 11:38 AMHow about 1 reason?
TSH
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 3:54 PMPhysical and power footprint.
Sam
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 4:29 PMThere’s this thing called capitalism, where consumers can choose what’s best for them. Private organisations are allowed to complete against each other in the hope to convince consumers that their product is worth purchasing.
Just because you believe a netbook better suits your needs compared with this PC, it doesn’t mean everyone necessarily agrees.
TSH
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 4:50 PMYou’ve identified that I’m expressing an opinion. Well done.
There’s this thing called reading comprehension, where the words a person writes are interpreted as written. “Most” and “on balance” are critical qualifiers which you seem to have missed. plz lrn2read kthxbai
Tim
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 8:54 AMAnd everyone is entitles to their opinion, even if its wrong.
Elyk
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 12:31 PMermmm no they wouldn’t
MotorMouth
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:16 PMWhere can I get a 1Tb netbook? These machines make good sense as family media centres, just hook it up to your TV and away you go.
Sam
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 12:21 PM“…includes … the starter edition of Office 2010, though it’s worth noting … is the Word-and-Excel only version which you can often download for free anyway…”
Actually this is no longer the case, as I found out a few weeks ago. Microsoft have removed one of the key files from their server for the batch set up wizard – so while you can download most of the required files; it won’t install.
Matt Pea
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 1:39 PMThe starter edition of Office 2010 comes on almost all machines with Windows 7. There is no need to download anything from the internet. Although Office Starter does need installing, all the software required is already stored on the machine at the time of purchase. So just to clarify, Word Starter & Excel Starter still comes on all PC/Notebooks that have Windows 7 on as standard.
Sam
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 2:19 PMTry re-reading the article; Gus was referring to the fact that the Medion PC coming with Office 2010 Starter isn’t a big drawcard because it can be downloaded anyway – the guide to which is hyperlinked from this story. This is the part I was referring to when I said it’s no longer able to be downloaded and installed.
As far as Office 2010 Starter coming “on almost all machines with Windows 7″ and “Word Starter & Excel Starter still comes on all PC/Notebooks that have Windows 7 on as standard” – that’s half true
.
Office 2010 Starter is not a part of Windows7 and is loaded by the manufacturer separately where there has been a licencing agreement made between Microsoft and the manufacturer in question. While this includes pretty much every known brand of PC maker; if Windows has been loaded via a stock retail copy of Windows (as you’d get from a non-brand manufacturer) – then there’s no Office with it.
homi12
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 12:50 PMPrice is just right for a quad core desktop. I’d be happy to see a quad core laptop with the same specs at the same price.
Shaunl
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 2:24 PMHome server. This machine would be great.
TSH
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 3:56 PMThis machine will have a POS PSU. I would not recommend relying on it to be up and running 24/7 for long periods. :–]
Taciturn
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 7:35 PMTimely article. Funny coincidence that it should come up the within a few hours of me leaving a question for ‘Ask LH’ on whether the Medion PC coming up at The Aldi sales this weekend was worth looking at as a media center to be connected to TV.
Anyway, I’ve got my answers through separate research.
PS: The PC comes up on specials/sale only this Saturday.
Jb
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 8:57 PMWhy buy a laptop
How can the longevety of these parts in a laptop compare with the sheer size of parts in a decktop
Be realistick go for the desktop unless you have to take it everywhere with you
MotorMouth
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:21 PMIt depends how long you intend to keep it. I have a laptop that is around 3.5 years old and still going strong. Of course, I replaced it after two years and I only use it at work now, so as long as a machine lasts me that long, I don’t really care. They are so cheap these days that you would just throw it away and buy a new one if it breaks, wouldn’t you? In fact, I’ve decided to move to an annual upgrade cycle, laptops are so cheap. Then it will never be out of warranty.
pd
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 4:11 AMHere’s an interesting comparison
http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/dual-blade-3500-dual-graphics-p-54795.html
+ DVD Burner
+ “Dual Graphics”
- APU lower spec
Calvin Lichty
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10:25 AMWhile technically it IS dual graphics, in real terms it’s using the APU’s graphics and an underpowered, not-worth-being-there Radeon 6610 in crossfire mode. If you’re going to get the setup you linked for gaming, I would waste the money. The Aldi special with a ATI Radeon 6770 would be the better deal though an i5 would kill either of them.
AJ
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 7:36 PMGot one for the wife. Running dual 23 Inch screens and so far so good. If it is any help straight out of the box it got the following windows score;
Processor 7.3
Ram 5.9 (Ouch)
Graphics 5.9
Hard disc drive 5.9.
Only has two ram slots. I took the two ram sticks out and stuck two 4 gig sticks in $75. Ram is now 7.3. Wife does lots of photo shop and video editing as a hobby … the improvement was noticeable. New video card in a year or two this machine will last 3 + years! Just like the last few from Aldi.
AJ
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 7:52 PMGaming Graphics is 6.6 …
Mac Daddy
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 9:00 AMAnyone ever tried a hackintosh install on one of these?
Thanks