Cheapest Gaming PC?

Question

Well I love the new graphics from Crysis (coming this year hopefully) but my laptop couldn't even possibly run it. One of the bad things as I bought it just before the dual cores hit laptops so heres my current specs:
Windows XP Home SP2
Intel Celeron M 410 @ 1.46GHz
512 MB RAM
128 MB ATI Radeon Xpress 200M
SuperMulti Optical Drive
55 GB Hard Drive
Now that makes my laptop pretty crap but Ive never been into pc gaming much I play the Sims 2 fine and some others but Im thinking of getting a power Desktop PC as I like doing video converstion and heavy tasks like that.
So lets just go on the minimum specs (estimated) for Crysis:
CPU: Athlon 64 3000+/Intel 2.8ghz
Graphics: Nvidia 6200 or ATI X1300 - Shader Model 2.0
RAM: 768MB on Windows XP or 1GB on Windows Vista
HDD: 6GB
Internet: 256k+

So can anyone tell me where I could get a PC that could cope or meet the reccommened specs for the cheapest price?

http://www.crysis-online.com/Information/System%20Requirements/

Answer 1

If you aren't completely up to building the system from scratch, take a look at some of the "bare bones" systems offered at sites like TigerDirect, PriceWatch, or any of the other online computer retailers.

The link below for TigerDirect is for:

"This dual core-ready barebone kit includes an AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ 2.0GHz OEM processor with a 1MB cache, an Asus A8S-X Socket 939 motherboard, Ultra’s 512MB PC3200 DDR memory, an 80GB Western Digital 7200 RPM hard drive, and PowerUp’s best-selling Gamer ATX Mid-Tower case with a 450-watt power supply. The Asus A8S-X SiS Socket 939 motherboard is designed for Athlon X2 processors up to 2000 MT/s HyperTransport FSB, and supports SATA 1 with RAID 0 or RAID 1, up to 4GB dual-channel unbuffered DDR400 memory, PCI Express, USB 2.0, Intel Gigabit LAN, 6-channel audio, and S/PDIF."

This was listed at $249 (USD) and you could purchase and pretty easily add the additional components you need as you find them. Search around and don't be afraid to buy from multiple vendors if you can wait to put them together (they won't all show up the same day unless you are pretty lucky).

Answer 2

Build it yourself or get a pre-fab computer and upgrade the graphics card (and possibly the power supply). I wouldn't put much stock in those estimated minimum requirements, though, since the game is far from optimized. Maybe that will play it on medium and 800x600, but maybe it won't. We won't know until the game is closer to release. And by then, there will be more DirectX 10 graphics cards to choose from at lower prices.

Answer 3

For this I'm assuming that currency has a conversion rate of 1=1 dollars on Steam: KOTOR 1(RPG) KOTOR 2(RPG) Star Wars:Republic Commando(FPS) On Origin: Mass Effect 1(Action RPG. Shooter combat, and all the RPG goodness of KOTOR/Dragon Age) All of these are good games and sell for 10 dollars each. Personally I would go for Mass Effect 1, but I enjoy sci-fi more and like the whole third person shooter combat.

Answer 4

I just built a real nice one for $500

I got AMD X2 5000 with motherboard for $150
I got 2gb DDR2 800 1+1 for $150
I got a DVD/CD burner for $30
I got a SATA HD 250GB 16mb cach for $60
Got a real good tower wich included the powersupply 500W for $50 after $50 mail in rebate.

The onlything I need is a good Video Card PCI-E which I can get a pretty decent one for $150 most

so with tax and everything $497 not including video card.

Got it at frys.com (make sure its not refurbished)
try newegg.com

Answer 5

The cheapest way to get a Pc is to build one. I estimate it would cost you about 500-600 dollars for a decent Pc around or above those specs.

Answer 6

mesh computers at www.mesh.co.uk

Answer 7

build your own at tigerdirect.com