you can get pcs for about 300
You can get a reasonably capable (i5, 4GB Ram, W8 or W10) desktop computer for about $100, (off-lease (used) and refurbished) from pretty well-trusted sources like Arrowdirect.com or Dellrefurbished.com
(sometimes you have to wait for a coupon)
"Off-lease" is what happens when a company has something like a 2-year "lifetime" for their computers (keeps everything current and easier to maintain), and the "old" computers get turned back in after 20months or so. (at least, that's how it worked when I was at a company that did that.) So you get a midrange system that was current 2 years ago, and probably spent its first life gently used on some non-technical corporate desktop.
These systems are frequently cheaper than you can buy a legal copy of windows 