CONTEXT
Prices for desktop systems are continuing to fall, with quad-core Intel based systems now being very affordable (ie, similar to prices of dual-core systems just 3-6 months ago). AMD is due to release quad-core CPUs to consumer retail in the next few months, which will hopefully drive prices further. (In particular "three-core" CPUs will become available from AMD at prices likely only marginally higher than dual-core CPU, for example).
LCD and HDD prices have gone up a tiny bit recently ($20-30 on a $200-300 item)
RAM prices have dropped slowly but surely (from already "low-reasonable" prices) in the past months, presently at $38 per gig of DDR2
Current Rough System prices, for a basic workstation from "Robotnik" which are known to run Linux and/or Windows very well are shown below:
BRIEF:
- Intel Quad-Core 2.4ghz / 4 gigs ram / 320gig HDD = $1145 pre-tax
- AMD Dual-Core 2.4ghz / 4 gigs ram / 320gig HDD = $615 pre-tax
- Windows XP Pro OEM = $165 pre-tax
- CentOS (RHEL) Linux 5.0 64-bit = $FREE :-)
- 19" Widescreen LCD = $230 pre-tax
- 22" Widescreen LCD = $355 pre-tax
DETAILED SPECS:
SYSTEM ONE (Dual-Core AMD)
AMD AM2 X2 4600 CPU RETAIL BOX SEAGATE 320GB IDE 16MB HARD DRIVE ASUS AM2 M2NPV-VM MOTHERBOARD TT MATRIX VC2000BNS CASE TT TR2 500WATT POWER SUPPLY 4X KINGSTON 1024-5300 667MHz DDR2 LG H55NBK 20X DVD+/-RW OEM BLACK NERO FOR DVDRW Logitech OEM BLACK PS/2 KEYBOARD LOGITECH OEM BLACK PS/2/USB MOUSE Net Price: $615.00+TAX Total After Tax: $701.10
SYSTEM TWO (Quad-Core Intel)
INTEL CORE2 QUAD Q6600 CPU RETAIL BOX
SEAGATE 320GB SATA2 16MB HARD DRIVE
ASUS P5W-DH-Deluxe SCK. 775 MOTHERBOARD
TT MATRIX VC2000BNS CASE
TT TR2 500WATT POWER SUPPLY
OCZ Vista Performance Gold XTC 4GB PC2-6400 800MHz DDR2
Dual Channel Memory (2 x 2GB) OCZ2G8004GK
LG H55NBK 18X DVD+/-RW OEM BLACK
NERO FOR DVDRW
BFG GeForce 8500 GT / 256MB DDR2 / VGA & DVI /
HDTV-Out / PCI Express / Video Card (DUAL HEAD CAPABLE VIDEO CARD)
LOGITECH OEM BLACK PS/2 KEYBOARD
LOGITECH OEM BLACK PS/2/USB MOUSE
Net Price: $1145.00+TAX
Total After Tax: $1305.30