Results may vary, of course. I'd most likely go with this refurb from Best Buy: HP-700-214 ; total price for that machine is $469, and it has one PCI Ex x16 3.0 slot, not to mention 12gb of ram, a 2tb hd, a 4th gen i5, and a 460w psu. The integrated gfx card is the obvious weak link here and should be upgraded, but the rest of the system is solid for a non-computer enthusiast trying to play the latest PC game. You could then get this solid vid card: EVGA - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 SC 2GB GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 for $199 - I have the 660 and can play almost all current gen games on Ultra gfx resolution, and it requires a 450w psu, so that psu, while a bit low, fits the bill. Total cost for this would be: $668 without tax and should include free shipping from BestBuy. One kick ass machine for that price that can later be upgraded to an i7 according to the specs.
EDIT: I just checked Costco website; if you don't mind spending a little money, this computer blows that one I listed out of the water x2: HP ENVY Phoenix 810qe . An amazing machine for that price. I didn't check the mobo specs, but based on what it already has in it, it's got to be top-notch current gen.
EDIT: I just checked Costco website; if you don't mind spending a little money, this computer blows that one I listed out of the water x2: HP ENVY Phoenix 810qe . An amazing machine for that price. I didn't check the mobo specs, but based on what it already has in it, it's got to be top-notch current gen.
"The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self." -Albert Einsetin