Need advice on first gaming computer, never built my own, around $2,000 budget.

[DavezFever]

Well ive been interested in buying a new gaming computer for about three years now, and just found this site tonight. I was previously going to just go with the Dell XPS 600, until i realized it was a waste of money and it turned out to be $2,700 for what i wanted to get. I need to get everything, monitor, speakers, etc. but dont need a printer etc. I dont need the top of the line parts, but want this computer to last for a while and be able to play new games in the future. Im not a computer wiz and am still learning all of the abbreviations for certain parts but hopefully you guys can help me, and get me moving in the right direction.

I have the money to buy the parts, but dont want to exceed say $2,250. Im not sure how hard building your own computer is, although ive heard its fairly easy, and all ive looked at in the past were pre built.

What i know i want is for it to be able to handle and run games like WoW with a breeze, and want a flat screen monitor. Either 17" or 19" however i dont plan on running games in very high resolution, probably 1024x768 or 1280x1024 most of the time. I want a nice sound system, preferably surround sound with a sub, and will probably use headphones a lot.

Thats about what im looking at right now, i just want a real nice gaming computer that will be able to handle any game that it faces, and have amazing graphics. I also use Photoshop and run multiple programs at a time, but other than that it will be just for gaming, or surfing the web.

So if you have any opinions on what i should get please let me know, and thank god i found this site or i might have made a mistake with buying a pre built dell.

 

[Mk97]

Haha well a 2,250 budget isn't bad at all. I'd list some things to buy, but I really need to go to sleep.. sorry...

Quick suggestion, get an AMD dual core processor.
Building your own comp isn't hard at all. It's actually kinda fun... only problems are when you have incompatible hardware, but that only happens when you buy crappy stuff, which with your budget isn't a concern.

 

[NosBoost300]

this is a great setup here.. i left you plenty of room for a monitor of your choice

Optical Drive 54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16827106019

Hard Drive Western Digital 250gb 16mb cache 105.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822144701

Mobo DFI Lanparty UT 119.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813136159

Graphics Card(s) 2 eVGA 6800 gs's 398.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814130265

PSU Antec Truepower 2.0 550 watt 94.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817103932

Sounds System Logitech THX Z-5300E 280 watt
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16836121121

Ram 1GB G.Skill 81.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820231046

Processor AMD Athlon x2 4400+ 461.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103546

All that for a total of 1443.97 (before shipping of course... and if your in california.. tax too)

that would be an awesome build... you could replace the 2 6800gs's for 1 7800 gtx ... or if you don't feel like saving the money, then get a 7800gtx 512 or a x1900xt

 

[PZEROFGH]

hmm 2 6800GS waste of money, SLI is a watse of money you can go with the 7800GTX *512MB* or you can go with an X1900XT/X

If your into overclocking look into a dual core opty. You shuold get 2GB's of ram.

But a lot of people will say wait for the G80's or the G71's coming out next week (7900GTX) or for DX10

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130248
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814195002
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231032

 

[NosBoost300]

a 512 is certainly a waste of money considering its not too much better than a 256 mb... and how is 2 6800 gs's a waste of money, its easily competing with a 7800gtx 256 for 50 dollars less

 

[zerodayATK]

dont forget if your in jeresy you have to pay tax ....(ARRRGGGH!!!) but if you could wait till march .... the new top of the line cards will be out and the prices on the lower cards should go down

 

[Ste]

IMO, get the x1900x and the 600 Watt OCZ power supply, And throw in double PLextor DVD Burners and your Set, 2 Raptors in RAID 1 Or 0.

And Ill edit my Post later.

 

[DavezFever]

Thanks a lot for the responses so far, ive got some more researching to do obviously. I do know i want 2GB of ram compare to 1, and i will not be overclocking my system because i want it to last for a long time, without upgrading frequently. Although hey, if i build it myself and get addicted, then who knows what will happen in the future.

As for the video cards, i could wait a week or two or into march to order my setup, espeacially if it will meen that i can get the graphic cards at a lower price. I will put down the money on getting very good parts, i just want this system to be killer.

Ive read getting the SLI is waste if your not going to run in high resolution, which i wont be. Im still new to this but i could be wrong.

Also what monitor would you recommend? And sound card? Thanks.

 

[Alex81388]

Ive read getting the SLI is waste if your not going to run in high resolution, which i wont be. Im still new to this but i could be wrong.

Why is it that he understands this and few others here do?
Well said.

If you arn't hitting a widescreen monitor with intense graphics then forget the SLI.

In your situation, tell us what kind of monitor you want first, what games to be played LCD probably I'm assuming, a size (or brand preference), so that way we can build a system from how you want it to preform and look, instead of the opposite direction.




These new cards are going to be overpriced and im sure overrated, but hopefully in a little time the older cards will go down in price.

Just to throw it out there... maybe get an SLI motherboard, but just one extremely good card, so that later if you need to output better stuff, get another of the same card (7800GTX opossed to 2 6800gs's).

My 2 cents hope it helps.

 

[DavezFever]

Well i want a LCD Flatscreen monitor, but im not sure about the brands, i do want a 17" or 19" depending on what would be better for gaming. I want to play games like WoW or mabye FEAR, and counterstrike etc. Im not really sure what games i will be playing because in the past i havn't had a system that could take the top of the line games.