Build a decent gaming computer from 400-500 dollars?

Question

So I need to build a decent gaming computer that can run at least WoW smoothly. My budget is from 400-500 dollars, note the budget is 100 percent towards the computer not accessories. Really it needs to be able to hold up running wow smooth until around may when I get a bonus at work and am going to put a couple hundred in upgrades into it.

Answer 1

Its tough building a decent gaming computer on that budget.

You are probably better off buying a $400-$500 laptop, and those laptops should run WoW smoothly.

Here are the minimum system requirements for World of Warcraft:



http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?locale=en_US&articleId=21054



Most new computers should be able to run WoW.

Answer 2

WoW's specs are not too high. That means you can start out with an integrated video solution and upgrade later. Go to Newegg and find a good case with a power supply included. ($175) Last link in the list. You can likely do some searching and save some $ here, but you get the idea.



Then get a motherboard like the first link below. $50 (ASUS is also a very good MB builder.)



Then get the CPU in the second link below. ($160)



Lastly, get two 4GB sticks of RAM like in the third link below. ($42)



This all comes in a little less than $450. If you can scrounge up a DVD drive, keyboard, etc., you can easily stay within your budget and have a rockin system that has room to upgrade as you are able.

Answer 3

I am assuming by build you mean build yourself, if that the case then concentrate your money on the processor RAM, any new dedicated graphics card with 1GB memory should be plenty for WOW. You will also want to get a Ethernet card made for online gaming.



I would start with a Intel i7 processor and 4-8GB RAM with a good motherboard and then get the best things your buget can handle after that. If WOW is the most computer intensive thing you will be doing on the computer, then you wont really need to upgrade. Get a SSD if you plan on doing video/sound/photo editing and a better graphics card or a dual crossfire setup if you want to play modern games like Skyrim.

Answer 4

Wow's really easy to run on ultra graphics basically all you need to do that is a 1gb gpu. Get an AM3+ cpu and motherboard, start with 4gigs of ram, and a 700w psu. Hardrives are really expensive these days because of japan going under water and then thailand going under water a month ago so your gonna end up spending alot on a hard drive that should be alot cheaper. Then when you wanna upgrade get another graphics card and run crossfire, and a bunch of ram (RAM is cheap).



If you really wanna go cheap you can get a amd A-8 apu and a 6450 gpu and that should be able to run wow on decent graphics settings well.

Answer 5

I can build you a pretty good computer for $500:



case: Thermaltake v3 black edition

motherboard: ECS A885GM-A2

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 840 (3.2 GHz)

video card: XFX GT 240

RAM: 4GB Corsair XMS3

PSU: Corsair CX430

HDD: 750GB Seagate 7200RPM

DVD: Samsung DVD burner

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate



If you're interested feel free to email me at [e-mail]

Answer 6

FOr that amount of money I would look towards Crigslist or some other site with used items. To build a "decent" Gaming rig you are going to spend about $800 minimum.



http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.755238 + a decent gaming GFX card like the 560Ti.



http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.752601 if you already have a case and ready to add in a decent gaming card like the 560Ti. 550W PSU http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139032&Tpk=550w%20corsair

Answer 7

WoW sucks.





Get an xbox 360.