$3000 to spend on a gaming rig. Any suggestions?

[mgoldb2]

This what I would do

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Toledo 1GHz $1109
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103558
MSI "K8N Neo4 Platinum SLI" NVIDIA nForce4 SLI $178
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-487&depa=1
OCZ 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM $265
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227210
VGA 256-P2-N528-AX Geforce 7800GTX 256MB $545
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130234
Seagate 200GB 7200RPMX2 $100
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=22-148-032&DEPA=1
Antec NeoPower ATX 480W $99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=17-103-924&depa=0
NEC 16X Double Layer DVD±RW Drive, Black, Model ND-3540A $42
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827152047
Nec floppy $11
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=21-152-005&depa=0
CASE $100
Shipping $50

Total: $2499

Gaming rig screams AMD. Even the things that intel use to be better at is no longer as big when you put the athlon x2 4800 into the piciture. Gaming amd has always been better and still is. If you wanted to make is a more pure gaming rig you could get the fx-57 instead but I think the 4800+ more then good enough for gaming and it will also give you awsome performance mutitasking.

 

[Spartan]

will stick with the 4800, no need to get the fx-57, mgoldb2, forgot sound card lol

 

[mgoldb2]

will stick with the 4800, no need to get the fx-57, mgoldb2, forgot sound card lol

I did the research about a week ago I relize that all my prices had gone down since then. Go back to my orginal post for edited prices.

TOTAL WITH PARTS LISTED IN PREVIOUS POST: 2499

Optional parts you could add

Sound card not needed since the motherboard comes with intergrated sound but if you really picky about having good sound then get a
CREATIVE Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS $93
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102162

good Heatsink
thermaltake xp-90C $53
http://www.frozencpu.com/cpu-tri-22.html
SOme people fine with stock I have a fx-55 that was running hot so I bought this and it completly fixed all my problems.

UPS
Finally the most underated item. A UPS(uniterupted power supply). You might think you might not need this. the truth is 90% gets no benfit for it. I think EVERYONE with a expensive computer should have one. Think of it as buying insurance for your computer. When buying one MAKE sure you get one with AVR to regulate the voltage going into your PSU. A good PSU will protect you from anytype of power problems your house will ever have. I had a thunder storm in my house my computer the only one that survive because I had a good UPS.

The one that I used that seems to do a great job is a
OPTI-UPS Enhanced Series ES1000C 1000VA 700W 8 Outlets UPS $117
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=42-107-113&depa=0

If you get all 3 optional items the total become $2762

 

[Hacp]

I would seriously suggest a dell 24 inch lcd monitor. There only going for around 800 dollars after shipping/tax. Bluetooth keyboard/mouse are musts too. A nice 7.1 system is also a very eticing option. The computer should only cost around 1500. Spend the rest on perks, as you'll enjoy them more.

 

[Dark_Sniper*]

somone is selling a gaming computer for i think 300 in the buy/sell thread check thre if you dont want to build it. IMO thats the funnest part is to build you monster lol.

 

[timmer]

spartan i know people who have returned that x2 chip cause of bugginess i recomend no one get a dual core chip right now that i think would be stupid cause there is going to be a huge break throught here pretty soon and intel is revising all of there dual core chips and they are going to be supper i think u will be dissapointed to get a dual core chip right now but ill leave it up to u and with my setup u can get 7800gtx in sli mode!!!

 

[Counter-Strike]

Timmer everyone has their opinions, but your usually wrong about yours...

Erm...anyways.....

Here is what I recommend:

Aspire X-Navigator ATX Case
DFI LanParty Ultra nf4 SLI-DR 939
1GB OCZ Platium (2x 512) PC3200
AMD Athlon 4000+ Venice Sckt 939
2x eVGA 6800GT's SLI

That leaves you plenty of cash for fans and maybe watercooling, to overclock the hell out of that system.

 

[Hacp]

I have an x2 right now and it is not buggy at all. I have no idea what you mean timmer. Can you point me to a few links that point out the massive returns on these chips? These chips were designed just like the opetron chips. I doubt that AMD has had many problems with their Opetron dual core line.

 

[timmer]

ok 1 sec i will find the thread and counter strike stfu

 

[timmer]

http://www.techist.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63155&highlight=x2+4800+buggy
ha burned burned burned burned all u guyz burned stfu counterstrike burned!!!!!!!!!!!!! X2 buggy in all ur faces!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!