I own 2 HP Slimline PCs as I like its form factor. Over the years, I have done various upgrades. From adding RAM and SSD to replacing its entire motherboard. Lately, one of the Slimline using original motherboard seems to be acting up. It could be because my repeat failed attempt to upgrade its CPU. I had 3+ unexpected bluescreen/freeze (stuck in POST) in the last 3 months.
I am now thinking of moving on. I want to keep my existing slimline PC untouched and buy a refurbished desktop and start over. I will likely go with just SSD and RAM upgrade and maybe later the CPU when price get lower. I know this may not be a popular option in this forum but I like the idea of having a working system without worrying about a Windows 10 license. I am wondering if you guys have any suggestion about which name branded SFF model is good? I am not going for 3D gaming and have no plan on adding graphics card. My requirement is it should have room for 1 SSD + 1 HDD (existing) and reasonably quiet. I want something in the $200 range that has a good upgrade path.
I am now thinking of moving on. I want to keep my existing slimline PC untouched and buy a refurbished desktop and start over. I will likely go with just SSD and RAM upgrade and maybe later the CPU when price get lower. I know this may not be a popular option in this forum but I like the idea of having a working system without worrying about a Windows 10 license. I am wondering if you guys have any suggestion about which name branded SFF model is good? I am not going for 3D gaming and have no plan on adding graphics card. My requirement is it should have room for 1 SSD + 1 HDD (existing) and reasonably quiet. I want something in the $200 range that has a good upgrade path.