[GTALUG] Cheap small computers

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Stewart Russell via talk <talk at gtalug.org>

| I just got one of these, for $100 as recommended. It's rather nice (apart
| from the whole Windows thing), but ... no wifi! I didn't think a computer
| could exist that didn't have wifi! So it's making do with an ancient
| realtek USB dongle I used to use on first-gen Raspberry Pis. I've seen
| faster dialup.
| 
| Anyway, $100 for an 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, 3-ish GHz multi-core 64-bit
| computer is not bad.

There's a wealth of choice, cheap.  But yeah, you can be surprised at
what's missing.

My most recent purchase was of a Lenovo ThinkCentre M75s Gen 2 through
ebay.  This is a Small Form Factor machine.  It was used as some kind
of remote desktoppy thing (the HDD had a little Linux installation
with a proprietary layer on top).  I was surprised that they hadn't
wiped it.

My real surprise came when I tried to add an NVMe drive.  There's a
socket but you need to get a mechanical appliance to support the
darned thing.  They are $13.51 from Lenovo but they don't actually
have any and might never again have them (who can tell).  For more
money I can get them from China (without the heat-sink part).

<https://www.lenovo.com/ca/en/p/accessories-and-software/thinkcentre-and-thinkstation/thinkcentre-and-thinkstation-hard-drives/4xf1c39743>

Other proprietary boxes require optional extra-cost sleds for HDDs.
(the M93p doesn't play this game).

About WiFi cards:

I recently bought, but have not installed, an M.2 WiFi 6e card (plus
antennae) for about $25 from AliExpress.  Based on an Intel ax210.
Funny how that's about a quarter of the price of your whole computer.

<https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003140166366.html>

Currently the following PCI card, containing an AX210 module, is
$25.92.  Apparently you can dis-assemble it and take out an m.2 card:

<https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004959613888.html>

Note: AliExpress listings are terrible for bait-and-switch.  Make sure
to select the right "color".  Less deceptive: do note the shipping
price.