Would be interested in your thoughts

[Sprooty]

$2500 is a great budget and you will be able to run any game on max setting with it.

You may want to wait until the release of the M2 socket CPUs but if not heres what I would buy


CPU
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Dual Core Processor - Retail
$787.00



Total $2395

He dose have $2500 to spend.. but lets not forget if he buys a X2 4400+ and Overclocks it 200mhz (nothing..) he saves himself $290.

He does have the money to get a X2 4800.. but $290 is still alot of money.

M2 is AMDs upcomming socket.. it is meant to be release later this year.. its not actually called M2 anymore its AM2

 

[HAVOC]

If you're into MMORPG's, I'd suggest going with a $1000 to $1200 PC, with a AMD 3700+ & 7800GT.

Then spend a few hundred on a nice set of Logitech z5500 speakers, then spend $1000 on a huge LCD Monitor, like the 30" Apple Cinema

 

[reggie_da_man]

Raid configurations do boost loading times, quite a bit especially if your getting 2 WD Raptor drives. All the instrustions on how to do that should be in the manual. Personally I wouldn't go with the ASUS board. ASUS tends to be a bit buggy when it comes to AMD. And I do also suggest getting a 4400+ and save yourself a bit of cash.

 

[Scampi]

So far, this looks like the build as it is coming together, Many thanks to Weringo for the idea's / components and everyone else that has provided input......Comments, suggestions, concerns, improvements?

CPU
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Dual Core Processor - Retail
$787.00

Video Card
BFG Tech Geforce 7800GTX BFGR78512GTXOC Video Card - Retail
$749.00

Mobo
ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
$245.00

Memory
G.SKILL Extreme Series 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail
$200

Case Thermaltake Tsunami VA3000BWA Black Computer Case With Side Panel Window - Retail
$99

PSU
Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-550 550W Power Supply - Retail
$89.99

Hard Drive
Western Digital Raptor 74GB 3.5" Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM
$135

2nd Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 SATA NCQ 3Gb/s 160GB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$89.99

Total $2395

Are two HD's that much better than one and why would you not use two of the Raptors?

Any info on case fans / cooling ?

Is this case decent or are there some that you all would recommend instead of it. ? ( Hard to tell from the pictures )

PSU...Good enough or could be better, brand name ok ?

CPU cooler / fan ?

Anything else being overlooked here ?

Really appreciate all the assistance / idea's being offered here...

 

[003]

$2500 is a great budget and you will be able to run any game on max setting with it.

You may want to wait until the release of the M2 socket CPUs but if not heres what I would buy


CPU
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Dual Core Processor - Retail
$787.00

Video Card
BFG Tech Geforce 7800GTX BFGR78512GTXOC Video Card - Retail
$749.00

Mobo
ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
$245.00

Memory
G.SKILL Extreme Series 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail
$200

Case Thermaltake Tsunami VA3000BWA Black Computer Case With Side Panel Window - Retail
$99

PSU
Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-550 550W Power Supply - Retail
$89.99

Hard Drive
Western Digital Raptor 74GB 3.5" Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM
$135

2nd Hard Drive
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 SATA NCQ 3Gb/s 160GB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$89.99

Total $2395

You're kidding, right? You don't get an Antec TPII power supply with a $2500 budget, you get the PC Power and Cooling Turbo-Cool 510 Express/Sli or the Turbo-Cool 850 SSI.