I get that he needs the entire new computer, minus all the extremities such as monitor, mouse, speakers, etc.
There are a lot of good deals out there…and unless you are a VERY EXTREME gamer, you can easily find an excellent computer for under $1000. I know Dell’s are priced right but I would steer clear of them. I have had many bottom end Dell’s at work, and they all suck. If you would build up into a bigger system then you should be ok…just make sure you DO NOT get a Celeron, and make sure you get plenty of memory…not only RAM, but video memory as well.
Of all the computers I’ve owned I have to say IBM is the best. They are more expensive…but their warranty and support is 2nd to NONE! I currently have an HP at home which has been excellent for me. I got it last Christmas, and have not had one problem with it.
Again, if you are not a VERY extreme gamer, just make sure you get an actual Pentium 4 processor, and upgrade your RAM and video, you should be fine. I do say VERY extreme gamer because my system at home does great with SIMS and other games that my son plays. I’m sure there will be some extreme gamer that can find one that doesn’t play well, but none so far.
You should have no problem finding a great computer for under $1k….Good luck!