Purchase Advice -- Low End Windows Machine

[buadhai]

I've always been a Mac user, so have never had the task of purchasing a Windows-based PC.

However, my teenage daughter, who lives on Saipan, needs a new machine and wants a PC. (So, as teenagers are wont to do, she can be just like everybody else....)

Anyway, I'm not flush with cash. My limit is about US$500 on the box plus about US$250 for the monitor.

It has to be something I can order on the Internet from a company that will ship a computer to Saipan. (J&R will, Amazon won't).

I've been looking at the eMachines web site. cNet seems to like their low end machines. Based on a few comparisons I've done, they seem to be good value.

I'm very much interested in the views of those more knowledgeable than me.

The main caveat remains that I have to order this over the Internet from a US-based company that will ship to Saipan. (US Zip Code 969501.)

TIA

Edited November 26, 2005 by buadhai

[hereforgood]

I've always been a Mac user, so have never had the task of purchasing a Windows-based PC.

However, my teenage daughter, who lives on Saipan, needs a new machine and wants a PC. (So, as teenagers are wont to do, she can be just like everybody else....)

Anyway, I'm not flush with cash. My limit is about US$500 on the box plus about US$250 for the monitor.

It has to be something I can order on the Internet from a company that will ship a computer to Saipan. (J&R will, Amazon won't).

I've been looking at the eMachines web site. cNet seems to like their low end machines. Based on a few comparisons I've done, they seem to be good value.

I'm very much interested in the views of those more knowledgeable than me.

The main caveat remains that I have to order this over the Internet from a US-based company that will ship to Saipan. (US Zip Code 969501.)

TIA

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I bought a E Machine for the Xwife 2 years ago and it has been fantastic at the same time I bought a HP laptop well 3 weeks after the purchase the HP laptop HD failed I took into Fry's where I had bought them and they of course fixed it but in talking with the head servive tech he confided to me that Emachines are the ones that they almost never get back having problems with so I think you will do fine should you decide to get a E machine.

Edited November 26, 2005 by hereforgood

[lomatopo]

Personally I would just go with Dell .

I do not know if they ship to Saipan, but I'd say there is a good chance given that it is a U.S. Commonwealth?

Not sure on the different bill to/ship t addresses though. You'd have to sort this out with your credit card company and/or Dell.

[buadhai]

Personally I would just go with Dell .

I do not know if they ship to Saipan, but I'd say there is a good chance given that it is a U.S. Commonwealth?

Not sure on the different bill to/ship t addresses though. You'd have to sort this out with your credit card company and/or Dell.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks, but no go. Dell will only ship to the 50 States and they will not ship to a PO Box. Saipan has no home delivery of mail, so there are only PO Boxes, no street address.

Thanks anyway....

[lomatopo]

Personally I would just go with Dell .

I do not know if they ship to Saipan, but I'd say there is a good chance given that it is a U.S. Commonwealth?

Not sure on the different bill to/ship t addresses though. You'd have to sort this out with your credit card company and/or Dell.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks, but no go. Dell will only ship to the 50 States and they will not ship to a PO Box. Saipan has no home delivery of mail, so there are only PO Boxes, no street address.

Thanks anyway....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didn't know about the P.O. Boxes, I;m not sure you mentioned that previously? I don't think any retailer will ship to a P.O. Box? How do people or businesses get stuff delivered? If Dell can't do it I doubt anyone else can? Maybe you need to get a third party (friend or freight forwarder) in the U.S. proper involved? Drop ship to a U.S. address, then the friend or forwarder can re-ship to Saipan?

[buadhai]

Lots of online retailers ship to PO Boxes. I lived on Saipan 26 years so I know the routine. Amazon will. J&R will. In fact, the retailers that refuse to ship to PO Boxes are in the minority. I built much of my first house with hardware and fixtures (even the toilets) that Sears shipped to my PO Box.

What happens is that you get a note in your PO Box and then go up to the counter to pick up the parcel.

In any event, it looks like I will be able to order an eMchines box with a Viewsonic monitor from J&R. The cost to ship airmail to my daughter's PO Box will be about $65. Not too bad.

[lomatopo]

Well you can tell I never had a post office box.

I was confusing retailers with private shippers, like FedEx and UPS. I always recall seeing, "we cannot ship to P.O. Boxes" whenever I order on-line, and of course that refers to the Federal law that mandates that items cannot be delivered to a post office box by any private carrier. So I guess retailers that do not use USPS are the ones that do not ship to post office boxes? Or maybe the just don't like shipping to post office boxes?

Good luck with the PC.

It sounds as though you are no longer an SPN Lifer?

Edited November 27, 2005 by lomatopo