I’ve recently checked out Best Buy, Dell, and Gateway, online. All of the computers look great, they’re fast, tons of options, but they’re a little more expensive than I want them to be. Any suggestions for cheaper alternatives? Thanks in advance.
Best,
TGD
Define cheap. I think Dell has them for as low as $350 after rebates.
YOu might want to try pricewatch. A ‘complete’ system is about $140 but it doesn’t come with a monitor or operating system. if you are in college you might be able to buy an operating system at the college library for $10 or so though. A monitor will cost you about $80 after rebates.
Ebay has cheap computers but i personally do not buy electronics on ebay as much of the time i end up with junk.
Keep in mind im not a computer guy so im just making suggestions.
Post just once, please. 
As Wesley said, what’s “cheap” for you? Dell often has some outlandish deals. You just need to watch their site and wait for the free processor upgrades, free shipping, etc. One hint: Have a look at their small business listings as well. Also, don’t forget to look at the refurbished models. Keep in mind that the refurbs won’t necessarily have all the doo-dads that come with the new ones.
Also have a look at http://forums.anandtech.com/categories.cfm?catid=40 for ever-changing news on who’s got deals. At this moment, there’s a deal at Dell for a 2.53 GHz system with free printer or Zire PDA and free shipping for $399. For $599, upgrade to Win XP Professional and a 17" CRT monitor.
I usually build my own machines, but lately I’ve been peaking at Dell’s offerings and I am very impressed. They have a sale on with their Dimension 2400 line (2.2 GHz Celeron) with a free 17" monitor for $399 Canadian. Almost nothing you build yourself can touch that price. If you wait for Dell deals or if you have coupon codes, your savings will be greater.
My next machine will definitely be a Dell.
If you want cheaper, you’ll have to buy used or refurbished.
Dell’s prices these days are absolutely insane, and in my experience their machines are extremely reliable and easier to work with down the road than, say, Compaq or HP machines. I don’t see how you’ll do much better than Dell.