Question for all you deal finders..

[LastWish]

I need to find the best system I can get for around $400/$500 for a friend of mine.  All she plays is city of heros, and her brother is going off to college and is taking the computer that she plays on, so she needs a replacement.

Whoever finds the best deal (im talking prebuilt only) gets 10 levels, and if you don't play.. well, you'll get my appreciation, and maybe a little respect

[-eViL-]

any specific specs?

/me goes to dell.com...

w00 h00!!  It may not be running in a few months due to that virus production... I mean virus protection software it comes with....

[LastWish]

Anything at or over 1ghz, 256 megs of ram (512 preferably, but that can be bought later), and a gcard able to run City of Heros (64mb or higher if possible).

*edit* And none of that subscribe to an internet service for 50 years crap either.. o_O

[JayJay]

Heres a great site that has good PC's for like 500 bucks.  You can customize them too.  http://http://www.ibuypower.com

[LastWish]

Wow, that is perfect..  10 levels for bash if it ever gets fixed o_O

[JayJay]

Heh thanks.

[Darwin]

Really depends on what she already has.

Does she already have a monitor, keyboard, speakers, mouse, and other parts that can be recycled (such as CD-Rom and Hard Drive)?

If she already has those, then she can get these:


Intel Pentium 4/ 2.4C GHz 800MHz FSB (Northwood core)  - $169.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 157&depa=0
This processor overclocks to 3.2ghz VERY easily with barely a temperature change


GIGABYTE motherboard - $96.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 231&depa=0


Kingston ValueRAM Dual Kits 184 Pin 512MB (PC3200) - $93.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDe ... 413&depa=0



GIGABYTE ATI RADEON 9600XT Video Card - $149.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 124&depa=0

OR

SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 9800 PRO Video Card OEM - $209.00(dont need all that useless software anyway)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDe ... 268&depa=0


Case w/ 350w power supply and window - $35.95
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 509&depa=0

The highest possible combination comes out over $600, but we're pretty close.

[KoRo]

This one's way outta my league. I only found Particle a good deal on a Hard Drive....

[WolfTones]

she may as well make her own computer, no point in buying!

[LastWish]

Really depends on what she already has.

Does she already have a monitor, keyboard, speakers, mouse, and other parts that can be recycled (such as CD-Rom and Hard Drive)?

If she already has those, then she can get these:


Intel Pentium 4/ 2.4C GHz 800MHz FSB (Northwood core)  - $169.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 157&depa=0
This processor overclocks to 3.2ghz VERY easily with barely a temperature change


GIGABYTE motherboard - $96.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 231&depa=0


Kingston ValueRAM Dual Kits 184 Pin 512MB (PC3200) - $93.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDe ... 413&depa=0



GIGABYTE ATI RADEON 9600XT Video Card - $149.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 124&depa=0

OR

SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 9800 PRO Video Card OEM - $209.00(dont need all that useless software anyway)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDe ... 268&depa=0


Case w/ 350w power supply and window - $35.95
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 509&depa=0

The highest possible combination comes out over $600, but we're pretty close.

She has a monitor, keyboard, and speakers, but everything that would be in the tower of the computer is gone.  Her brother didn't take the monitor because it is a sony trinitron (17") that was bought like 5 years ago.  It's really really heavy, and pretty big, but the quality of the picture is amazing for such an old monitor.

She isn't very hardware literate so she isn't going to build one, which is why it needs to be prebuilt.  I guess I could help her out... the one darwin posted is about the same as jayjay's except the graphics card is much better, but she will have to assemble it herself.  We'll see what she wants to do =)