When it came to a new computer the plan was to build one. Unfortunately, due to the sudden death of the laptop we had to find a quick and cheap replacement. Between getting my certification and web development work I have, there was no time to build the perfect machine. We had to get a replacement immediately.

To the pawn shops!

I love pawn shopping. I love getting a great deal on expensive things. We perused quite a few pawn shops on the prowl for a new pc and you would be surprised at how many places will actually try to sell 266 MHz units for about $300-400. But that’s not the best part. My favorite part is when the guy will try to sell it to me by telling me it’s the top of the line in the industry right now. Yeah, you know, because I’m a chick and I’m just so clueless about computers, teeheehee. Um. No.

Anyway, we made our way around the pawn shop circuit and arrived at the last one open. They had a decent selection and the computer came over and was trying to help us out. He tried to sell me a complete setup and I told him I wasn’t looking for that and he started asking me questions about what I do and what I’m into, then he realized that I wasn’t some computer illiterate moron looking TO CHATZER IN R3@1 TIM3RS W1F AOLERZ BUDS1!1!11!! So he took me into the back and we were opening up computers and checking out all the goods in the back, turns out he was a computer engineer and we got to be geeky together.

I decided on the Dell Dimension computer because it was really the quickest one there. The only downfall about it is that it doesn’t have any expansion bays, but the way I look at it, is that I got a nice laptop upgrade. Best part is, he let me walk out with it for $400 dollars. I’m very pleased since it lists for about $800.

I have to mention one thing. After being stuck in laptop land for so long, computer gaming wasn’t even an option, so I had to test out the capabilities of the graphics card and downloaded UT2004 demo, and jebus, it works. So check out my $400 laptop upgrade specs:

Overall, I’m pretty pleased right now.