[PC Buying Guides]

[NoPeace]

This is a guide for sugestions on what to get for the best bang for your buck. These are guidelines for a full PC without monitors, speakers, etc. Latter on in the guide I'll list some good accessories. All prices will be done in US dollars but can be easily converted into your own currency. Typically UK users will pay 10% more then half the cost in USD and EU users will pay the same ammount but in Euros instead of USD.


Mainstream Gamer - $1000-1100
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo e6400 - $230 - Here
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-695P-S3 - $120 - Here
RAM: G.Skil 1GB (2x512mb) DDR2-800 (PC2 6400) - $130 - Here
Video Card: ATi x1900XT - $300 - Here
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 250gb - $80 - Here
PSU: Rosewill 500w PSU - $50 - Here
Case: Antec Performance I P180 - $130 - Here
Burner: Anybrand DVD+-RW - $30

This is a powerful single GPU system. Dual core support, large amout of storage, powerful processor, powerful grapics, etc. What more could you want?


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Mainstream Gamer - $1100-1200
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo e6600 - $330 - Here
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-695P-S3 - $120 - Here
RAM: G.Skil 1GB (2x512mb) DDR2-800 (PC2 6400) - $130 - Here
Video Card: ATi x1900XT - $300 - Here
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 250gb - $80 - Here
PSU: Rosewill 500w PSU - $50 - Here
Case: Antec Performance I P180 - $130 - Here
Burner: Anybrand DVD+-RW - $30

This is an extreamly powerful single GPU system. Not only do you have an insainly fast CPU but you also have an high end grapics card. This type of computer would used to cost you over $2k but now they are becomming cheaper and cheaper. This will handle any game you throw at it with great performance. It has a large hard drive for tons of storrage and a durable case with good cooling. The RAM also comes in many colours (baby blue, silver, baby pink, baby gree, black, orange) and is very reliable. The PSU may also be cheap but it's a realiable one that'll handel this system just fine.


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Mainstream/Performance Gamer - $1300
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo e6600 - $330 - Here
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-695P-S3 - $120 - Here
RAM: G.Skil 1GB (2x512mb) DDR2-800 (PC2 6400) - $130 - Here
Video Card: ATi x1950XTX - $450 - Here
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 250gb - $80 - Here
PSU: Rosewill 500w PSU - $50 - Here
Case: Antec Performance I P180 - $130 - Here
Burner: Anybrand DVD+-RW - $30

Same as the Mainstream Gamer but with a little more graphical power. Unlike the Mainstream gamer this can power high resolution games with ease where as the mainstream will start to lag at 1600x1200 and higher settings.


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High-End Gamer - $2550
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad QX6700 - $1000
Motherboard: DFI Lanparty UT nF 680 Intel Edition - $250
RAM: G.Skil 2GB (2x1024mb) DDR2-800 (PC2 6400) - $230
Video Card: EVGA nVidia 8800GTX - $700
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 250gb - $80
PSU: OCZ GamerXtreme 600w - $130
Case: Antec Performance I P180 - $130
Burner: Anybrand DVD+-RW - $30

This computer will be lasting you for years. There's only one upgrade you'll ever need to do and that is add more RAM. Dual e6700 CPU's will tear away at anything you though at it and the 8800GTX will laugh at any game as it pours out a constant 100fps. With DX10 support and fully Vista ready, this computer is set for a very long time.


Please post what the next price range you people want so I can do it latter.

NoPeace - out

[MentaL]

[NoPeace]

*reserved for future useage*

NoPeace - out

[NoPeace]

*reserved for future useage*

NOpeace - out

[LightWarrior]

ok so the 1.3k computer is the ultimate gaming pwnage computer to build. if it is I already have 900$ Saved. if nothing go wrong in future mind helping me order these parts??

[NoPeace]

ok so the 1.3k computer is the ultimate gaming pwnage computer to build. if it is I already have 900$ Saved. if nothing go wrong in future mind helping me order these parts??

No it's not. The ultimate gaming pwnage computer will cost you well over $4k. My computer it self is about $3k and it's still not the best. ;)

If you want the best posted I'll post it but doubt anyone could afford it.

The $1200 one I posted is the best bang for you buck.

NoPeace - out

[LightWarrior]

ooh ok good to know, one question though, i see you picked ATI card instead of Nvidia...any reason why?

[NoPeace]

ooh ok good to know, one question though, i see you picked ATI card instead of Nvidia...any reason why?

Cheaper, more features, better image quality. Need to say more? =P

NoPeace - out

[LightWarrior]

Ooh I see, in other words their better? Because I always thought Nvidia were the best. sorry for going offtopic btw.

[Josh]

Ooh I see, in other words their better? Because I always thought Nvidia were the best. sorry for going offtopic btw.

Actually the more you are willing to pay for a graphics card, the better ATI seems to score. It really just depends what you want to use it for i guess.

[jello]

nvidia has so much publicity easy to fall in and think they are the best :P and because a lot of people still say ati drivers are messed up...which is not true.

[GohanSSJ]

Nvidia offers better midrange cards.

Anyway don't you think you should advice 2 gig in that last system?

[Rayna]

great job nopeace

Anyway don't you think you should advice 2 gig in that last system?

2de that

[GohanSSJ]

Although in all honesty, all 3 could use 2 gig, there is no such thing as to much memory, and any person who is planning to use Vista someday will need 2 gig to properly run it.

[DaCheat]

I bought a top end Gaming laptop for $2,000 last year. Now it’s in the high mid range, or a low high end at best...

What I'm basically saying is remember when you're spending all your money on high end computers; because the next day something bigger and better will come out. So spending all the money might not be worth it. Unless you want a top notch pc for gamming, you might as well stick to the mid range.

[Forcystos]

What about other kinds of computers? It's not just about gaming, honestly. You should include developer PCs (for those running applications like CS2, which takes ages to load if you don't have enough ram), standard PCs (for those that only use their PC for browsing, making documents, etc.), or others :D