Mission Improbable

[Vertigo]

Your mission, create a PC on the cheap. It must be able to play World of Warcraft and weigh in under $300. This is just for a working tower, price does not include operating system or periphereals. (My little sister wants to play WoW with me, but doesn't have a ton to spend).

[Quakken]

Well this shouldn't be hard-

Windows® System 2000/XP OS:

* Intel Pentium® III 800 MHz or AMD Athlon 800 MHz
* 512 MB or more of RAM
* 32 MB 3D graphics card with Hardware Transform and Lighting, such as NVIDIA® GeForce™ 2 class card or above
* DirectX® 9.0c (included) and latest video drivers
* 6.0 GB available HD space
* 4x CD-ROM drive
* A 56k or better Internet connection

Mac® OS X 10.3.9:

* 933 MHz or higher G4, or G5, or Intel processor
* 512 MB RAM or higher; DDR RAM recommended
* ATI or NVIDIA® video hardware with 32 MB VRAM or more
* 6.0 GB available HD space
* 4x CD-Rom drive
* 56k or better Internet connection

But the price might be a problem. Let's see what I can do.

Okay, here's what I got

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee220/quakken/under300.jpg

[crenn]

Motherboard: $46.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130542
Case & PSU Combo: $57.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182075
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147073
Click here to add combo to cart (http://secure.newegg.com/Shopping/AddToCart.aspx?Submit=ADD&ItemList=Combo.91173)
RAM: $35.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145527
CPU & HDD Combo: $97.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103243
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136075
Click here to add combo to cart (http://secure.newegg.com/Shopping/AddToCart.aspx?Submit=ADD&ItemList=Combo.93489)
DVD Burner: $30.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129020
GPU: $38.99 ($23.99 after mail-in rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102724

Total: $308.92 ($293.92 after mail-in rebate)

EDIT: Ok, gone over it, that's about as cheaper as possible that I can get it.
EDIT2:Nope, I was wrong, prepare for update! (Shaved a few dollars off)

[mollick2]

Case+430w PSU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811164104-$24.99+$14.99 shipping
Mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138104-$45.99+$5.99 shipping
CPU:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116036-$69.99+free shipping
Memory:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227078-$35.99+$5.99 shipping
HDD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822135106-$40.99+$6.29 shipping
Optical Drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151153-$29.99+free shipping

Total $281.20

Thats using the onboard gma950 graphic device.

[Vertigo]

Thanks for all of the replies guys. I talked to my wife about it, and to my little sister. We decided as a graduation present we'll match her $300 and set her up good and propper. I'm going to do a lightly modded case and she's going to have something unique to take to her dorm. So the budget is up to 600 now, and I'm going to be using some parts I have laying around anyway. So gives me a lot more elbow room for making her a machine.

[crenn]

Machine only again? Or must it include other things as well?

[Vertigo]

As it stands, I have a 450w and a 650w psu on the shelf for her computer, an assortment of 120mm fans, and 80mm fans. Several cases, and a hard drive + copy of Windows XP and a DVD drive. So $600 should go a long way with those parts. Even $300 should do well with those parts. She has a monitor and all of the other periphereals already. She's been accepted with scholarship to the state university so I want to make sure she's set up properly.

[Fuganater]

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Fuganater987/setup.jpg
Have room for a bit better GPU and Mobo. But not a bad setup.

Oh and you also get 2 free games :D

[Quakken]

Man, I never would have thought that a 300 dollar computer would have blown mine out of the water (well, a 400 dollar computer)

[Fuganater]

Man, I never would have thought that a 300 dollar computer would have blown mine out of the water (well, a 400 dollar computer)

ROFL

[crenn]

My turn!

CPU & RAM Combo: $319.98
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103251
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166
Click here to add combo (http://secure.newegg.com/Shopping/AddToCart.aspx?Submit=ADD&ItemList=Combo.96373)
Motherboard: $99.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128081
GPU: $179.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150252

Total: $599.97

Summary:
Phenom Quad core
4GB G.Skill DDR2-1066
Gigabyte AM2+ motherboard
512MB XFX 8800GT

[Drum Thumper]

Man, I never would have thought that a 300 dollar computer would have blown mine out of the water (well, a 400 dollar computer)

QFT!

[Vertigo]

Alright, looks like we got a pretty scary setup coming along. And definitely enough to keep her respectable amongst the college computer geeks. I'll be posting more as I work on the build, it should be a quick one but thanks for all of your input.

[Fuganater]

We're all just trying to help.

[Vertigo]

Thanks Fug and everybody else, I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to get something decent together for her. Now though with a bigger budget I feel a little more comfortable, especially after seeing what you guys put together. I feel confident she'll be in a Quad Core with decent performance very soon.

[crenn]

So you picked my design? :D

[Fuganater]

Mine was better... just needed the quad to complete it :P

[crenn]

Heh, I have double the cores and RAM ;)

[Fuganater]

boooo :(