Need a Knew Desktop

I'm wondering why you can't just get a large monitor and a docking station for your laptop? If you need more memory on the laptop, you could either have more memory added to it, or if it doesn't have room, you can always get an external hard drive. You could easily do that for your $350 budget. Just a thought.

In terms of reviews, we have always owned Macs, and I would recommend them without hesitation. Currently we have a 27" iMac and a 15" MacBook Pro. They are both well above your budget, but you could probably pick up a used iMac for a good price if you definitely want a new computer. Our last iMac was 9 years old when we purchased a new one, and the old one is still in use (it's the kids' computer now ;).

So you want a silver unicorn...

I say that because I can't see you getting everything you want with such a small budget. A decent wireless printer is going to cost you 80 to 100, 250 for a desktop you are giving up something. It won't be the hard drive, storage is cheap but the processor will probably drive you nuts.

You can look for refurbished on buy.com. We picked up a really good desktop for 400 there. Granted no monitor.

One idea that may save you some money is most new wired printers allow you to wire them to your router. So any computer on your network can print to them but it must be next to the router. For that matter if your current printer is connected through a lan cable you should be able to plug it into your router.

Scratch the new computer.

Here's what I understand your question to be: Have a laptop, use a desktop to save pics/vids.

Skip the new desktop, and buy an external harddrive. Imagine all the memory of a desktop, but none of the expense and problems.

You plug in the external harddrive, save your pics and put the hard drive back in the fireproof safe to protect all your memories. For about $100 you can get a really good one, brand new with more memory than you'd get for $350 on a new desktop.

You might want to check out the factory reconditioned machines they sell at the Dell and HP sites. THey have a full warranty and are often substantially discounted.

The printer could be a little tough, but I know right now my local staples just had the HP4500wireless on clearance. So you might want to check clearance sections. The HP wasaround $60. Also if money is that tight, you could send yourself what ever you want to print from the printerless computer to the computer wired to the printer.

Good luck

Spend a $100 on an external hard drive for storage.