Another Which PC To Buy...;)

I am looking to buy a used mini/micro PC to run my router via a MESA board. 
I've looked through more posts and latency lists than I care to admit and the more I look, the more confused I am getting.  
What stuck with me were mentionings that newer generation PCs can be more trouble in terms of bios settings and killing "features" but I don't know what constitutes "newer" or if there's any hard rules on this. 
On the other hand, since I only have one other computer for my work, private stuff and my Fusion endeavors (a Mac laptop), I thought it would also be nice to go with a slightly newer mini PC in case my Mac dies all of a sudden while I have to CAD/CAM some stuff. So, basically, the machine PC could be a backup for Fusion work. Doesn't have to be a powerhouse, just something that would work in a pinch. 

I've made a list of what I can get my hands on pretty easily from 2014-2019, all mini PCs. All USD 60-80 so not enough difference price wise to worry. I am sticking to Dells and Lenovos for now - enough rabbit holes as it is with this build, haha.
Any of these that you think I should stay away from, any you like more? 

Lenovo Thinkcentre

• M93p, I5-4570T, 1 x 8GB, 128GB SSD, 2014
• M93p, I7-4790T, 2 x 4GB, 120GB SSD, 2014
• M900, I5-6500T, 1 x 8GB, 256GB SSD, 2016
• M910q, i5-7600T, 1x8GB, 256GB M2, 2019

Dell Optiplex (Micro Form Factor)

• Dell 9020M, i5-4590T, 8GB, 240GB SSD, 2014
• Dell 3050MFF, i5-6500T, 8GB, 256GB NVME, 2017
• Dell 5070MFF, i5-6500, 8GB, 256GB NVME, 2019

Kinda depends of whether you want to use a mesa card (then just about anything PC will do), if you want use a parallel port then it's a different kettle of fish.

I'm kinda a fan of Lenovos, have a couple of Thinkpads T61 & T530 (use this everyday and do alot with it), a S20 ThinkStation (this gets a lot of use, builds Mesa firmware when needed), M93 that runs Win10 for Mum and a M72e with a i5 3470 (found this by the side of the road, use this for all sorts, alot of testing various driver board projects for Linuxcnc).
Also have used a Asrock J3355B-ITX which ran the mill fine with a Mesa 7i92, tho I changed the cabinet and use a Odroid H2 Plus (has 2 etherent ports so thats great) which works great with the Mesa card.
Apart from Mums computer, everything runs Linux, the T61, S20 & T530 also dual boot various windows installs which I really try to avoid using.

cornholio wrote:

Kinda depends of whether you want to use a mesa card (then just about anything PC will do), if you want use a parallel port then it's a different kettle of fish.

I'm kinda a fan of Lenovos, have a couple of Thinkpads T61 & T530 (use this everyday and do alot with it), a S20 ThinkStation (this gets a lot of use, builds Mesa firmware when needed), M93 that runs Win10 for Mum and a M72e with a i5 3470 (found this by the side of the road, use this for all sorts, alot of testing various driver board projects for Linuxcnc).
Also have used a Asrock J3355B-ITX which ran the mill fine with a Mesa 7i92, tho I changed the cabinet and use a Odroid H2 Plus (has 2 etherent ports so thats great) which works great with the Mesa card.
Apart from Mums computer, everything runs Linux, the T61, S20 & T530 also dual boot various windows installs which I really try to avoid using.

 

Oh! I left out that important piece of info: Yes, yes, totally yes to a Mesa board:)

I felt that it would be OK, at these used prices, to get a slightly better, less old PC in case my main computer which I design on (a Macbook Pro, sorry;)) craps out all of a sudden and I need to use the 'mill computer' to run Fusion on. Since that Mac is actually my sole other computer, I think this still makes sense for a backup plan.  
(Which reminds me, I guess I'd still need to have a windows partition on that machine computer for that oh, shit scenario lined out above...)

Buy two, one for the router and one as a back up

C’mon you know it makes sense.

Sorry not clicking on to you were going the Mesa route, and the touch screen, so I guess you’ll want hdmi for video as well.

My excuse, uhmmm well anyway, you know the thing.

tommylight wrote:

I have used M93P and 9020, both work perfectly well, but the Del heats a lot.
1 of M93P and 2 of 9020 are in use daily for several years.
Be aware that even getting the exact same model sometimes will not work, something as simple as a dried capacitor can render any of those PC useless for machine control and be perfectly OK for normal use.
If you can test before buying, download the official ISO, write to USB and use that USB to test the PC using one of the included parallel port configurations (does not matter if the PC has the port or not), might not always work, but if it does leave it running the test gcode and play some youtube videos, maximize and minimize the screen several times, let it run for half hour. If you get latency warnings for the base period, it still might be OK, but if you get servo warnings, shut it down, test another.

Gotcha, sadly I can't check them beforehand so I will just go with one that looks "clean", not dropped too often, not looking like it has been running in a dusty office non-stop for 8 years and from a seller with a good rating. 
But good to hear you think both brands will do well. I'll give some thoughts to the Dells running hot though as I am in the tropics. AC is incoming for the workshop, but it will still be on the warm side - the AC is as much for my comfort as it is to keep the humidity and rust down in the workshop. 

So, here's the thing, I can't test anything, at all, ever before buying... Reason being, I am sourcing all of this from China. I used to be based there for work, but now I am on an island in the Phillippines, so I buy everything pretty much sight unseen and most of it from China and it gets here a month or so later. I've bought servos, servo drivers, VFDs and a bunch of smaller bits and bobs all used and was about to buy used (Japanese) linear rails and ball screws for my own build when I came across an almost fully functioning cast iron router in the size I needed so I jumped on that instead to get started cutting as soon as possible. But pretty much every items has been as advertised or better and some of the deals have been sweet.

Anyhow, all this just to say, I have to hope my luck isn't about to run out as the PC and touchscreen will also be secondhand and I can't test them beforehand... But the secondhand apps in China are now like Ebay in the early days, good deals and honest sellers who go out of their way to make sure any flaw is properly depicted. 

I'll probably jinx it just be thinking this but with the money I've saved so far on these buys, I can afford a lemon. But yeah, hoping not to get one, of course:)

cornholio wrote:

Buy two, one for the router and one as a back up

C’mon you know it makes sense.

Well... it does, for that reason alone but also especially because I have a CNC lathe in my mind, too. Of course I do since I haven't even cut air on the router, yet...!

I went on a tangent in the post above explaining how I have had great luck tapping into China's secondhand market and when I see stripped down CNC lathe frames pop up for reasonable money, it's hard not to let the mind wander... Actually, besides my limited funds, the reason I haven't jumped on one yet is because I just need a small one. Mini lathe size but more sturdy and most of the ones for seller are quite a bit bigger. Anyways, I digress, but yes - two mini PCs already now might be a smart move:)

Sometimes, you gotta love getting rushed...

The last week, I have spent more hours online than I care to admit in an effort to help me decide what PC to buy. And, of course, I just ended up with so many more options that it got even more difficult to choose...

But around 4pm today, my GF who lives in China decided to come see me in the Philippines and she booked a flight for this same midnight. So, besides the joy of that sudden news, I thought why not have her bring me a used PC, hehe. 

A bit of a mad, short scramble ensued but as "luck" would have it only one of the many I have shortlisted the last week or two was in the same city as her and could thus be delivered with a courier right away. It was actually number two on my prioritized list, so not a huge compromise at all and a bit cheaper than the first one:)

So, a Lenovo M93p with an I7-gen4 CPU, 120GB SSD and 2x4GB ram is on its way. I'll start with a 24'' non-touch screen that I already have and then I can wait around for a good deal on a touch screen as that was never the most urgent part.

Now, I just need to find someone in the US about to come to the Phillippines so they can bring the Mesa boards:)

A "Mesa Mule" ?

Sometimes you can save a bit of cash using a freight forwarder.
I've had very good service with shipito getting stuff Down Under .