yeah probably would have. Didn’t look too hard ![Smiley :)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)
I don’t buy parts second hand. I usually buy refurb ex corporate business laptop, desktop and workstation class machines and monitors only. New RAM goes in and a new disk, a Samsung SSD, gets chucked in it and bob’s your uncle. Amazing what you can get for bugger all if you can stay slightly behind the curve.
Killers: anything already custom built, no brand shit, consumer grade junk, anything that isn’t HP/Lenovo usually ![Smiley :)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)
Less I spend on this the more I can spend on things I give a crap about, like knackered old scopes ![Smiley :)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/123002587449I just picked up one of these for my son's upcoming birthday; Ex-corporate, US$105 delivered in an original Lenovo carton. Aside from a few shiny spots on the touchpad, it looks like new; nicer than the photo. Got a second 4GB RAM on the way for $28. I figured it was time for a real laptop to replace his aging Aspire netbook; he's proven himself reasonably responsible with it, and has lately been pretty frustrated by its utter weaksauce in today's e-world.
I'll keep that netbook for nuking CISCOs and
wardriving site surveys as it's Win7 32-bit. I keep an archive of old-school utilities and hackery tools/hardware that are still useful but really dislike Micro$uck's idiotic Jihad against open-channel serial comms.
![Banging Head |O](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/bangheadonwall.gif)
Monitors though... they're one thing I prefer to not buy used, at least the cheapies like Acer and Lenovo. They're built to a price point, and reasonable life expectancy is 3-5 years, with the latter half of life typically being barely tolerable brightness and contrast. I don't game, so don't need to get high dynamic contrast or fast refresh; the cheapest on sale from NewEgg or Fry's around the holidays is right for me, which is usually some Acer last-year's model for $79-99.
I usually get one for myself and on for my wife at the same time. The better part of that for me, aside from getting the nice bright crispy screen, is always being somewhat in step with current monitor size at least on my primary display. We've been at 24" for two monitors now; I expect the next replacements to be 27". Of course my "Extended desktop" is always the living room flat-screen for when I want to couch-potato or play my flight sims.
![ThumbsUp :-+](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/icon_smile_thumbsup.gif)
[EDIT]
So what happened to your Apple Cinema display project? Still no joy on the T-con?
NM; Brain-fart, that was Specmaster.
[/EDIT]
mnem
*Currently installing build 1803*