Considering this prebuilt over building my own?

Keep in mind this is just a budget gaming machine, just needed for normal computing with some mid to hopefully high (not maxed) gaming at 1280x1024

CPU-AMD Phenom II X4 840 3.2GHz Quad-Core (Propus)

GPU-AMD 6670 1GB DDR5

HDD-1TB 7200rpm

RAM-4GB DDR3 1333

PSU-420 Watt (assuming middle of the road PSU)

OS-Windows 7 64bit home premium

The system is in a Cooler Master mid tower that has pretty good ratings on sites, it also comes with a new keyboard and mouse which I'm sure are nothing special but what I'm using now are old and certainly nothing special either, it also comes with some 8 watt stereo speakers and a card reader which is always nice to have.

Total cost $600 and has a 1 year parts and labor warranty.

This is not an HP or Gateway, it is custom made by a a smaller computer store franchise in the Toronto area (not a mom and pop shop but not big either, just a few locations) so I'm assuming it shouldn't be filled with bloatware and other crap that major computer makers cram on their desktops?

I know the CPU is a little limited when compared to even middle of the road Sandy Bridges and top flight Phenom's but it is a true quad core and runs at a 3.2ghz which is more than respectable I think? Is this CPU without it's L3 cache going to be something I seriously regret in a year? Keep in mind this is just a stop gap comp for me, I plan to go all out in 18-24 months and get a high end rig that can mow through any game at 1080p when i get a 1080p monitor.

I have been putting together multiple configs for months through Newegg and NCIX and to be honest can't do much better if at all than this in the $600 range after shipping and most times that doesn't include an OS or speakers which I don't have because I'm using an old office comp with built in speakers that blow.

For now I will only be gaming at 1280x1024 (1280x960 sometimes to steal a few extra FPS!) Will this system be able to handle most games released recently (I'm just assuming anything other than Crysis over a couple years old it will tear through) at 1280x1024 with mid to high settings and at 2xAA and 8xAF or am I in for a big surprise when and if I do buy this?

I have never built a computer (I know I could, everything goes where it goes and youtube is my friend for problems) Around here I always here just build your own, is this another one of those situations or is this one of those rare times where even building my own I probably couldn't do much better than what I'm getting in this package?

That would probably serve you well at the resolution you are talking about. I have a HD 4670 and it did just fine at 1280x960 in most games. I can even play supreme commander 2 at 1080p on high settings just fine. The 6670 is quite a bit faster. The CPU is lacking somewhat, but should be fine most of the time.

Most people here will tell you to build it yourself though. I can't really blame them, because I think it's fun. There is a sense of accomplishment when you build your own. However, it seems that when you are talking entry level gaming computers, or even entry level computers in general, buying a prebuilt is just as cheap. When your budget for a whole system is only $600, $100 for an OS kills you. Here is something you could try though:http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/diy-gaming-pc,2970.html. It wll beat the one you posted in pretty much everything. You would just have to buy an OS and speakers like you said. And you'd get the experience of building on your own. :) It might be over your budget though...

I would say still save some money and build yourself. That systme will be very outdated fast. It has a weak GPU/CPU and the PSU doesn't allow for any expansion. Wait a little while. new stuff will release soon and then buy

Also the guy above me is right. I just built my own about 3 months ago and I have such a feeling of pride about it. It was so simple but common folk think its really complicated :P And everytime I look over at my PC and see all the parts inside I think "Wow I put that together" makes you feel really good. Also you learn a LOT by putting it together. Knowledge that helps you asess problems with your system and you do learn wuite a bit about how a computer runs. I wish I did it 5 years ago

heres what i did:

amd phenom II x4 945 $110 :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103809

g skill 4gb ddr3-1866 $50 :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231474

asus cfx am3+ mobo $108 :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131767

segate 1tb hdd $60 :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148697

asus dvd-rom $24 :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135224

cooler master 500 watt psu $40 :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171031

powercolor hd 6790 $138 :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131397

thermaltake v4 BE case $50 :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133179

now your missing a copy of windows which would be about $100

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986

600 before a copy of windows.. will play any game you want on high @ under 1080p so basically max at ur res :P

all for $100 more after a copy of windows

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986

normally folks scream zomg gtx 460 or zomg hd 6850.. but the 1st 6850 is 25 dollars up and the nearest 460 is 30+ it also means you get to play with cfx down the line.

I built my own for the first time like 2 or 3 weeks ago...I named her Alizée and I posted hella pictures of her on my FB. I was that proud about it.

I built my own for the first time like 2 or 3 weeks ago...I named her Alizée and I posted hella pictures of her on my FB. I was that proud about it.

Serial-No_3404

Same GPU as me :D but mine has a phenom II 955 :P and only 4 gigs of RAM. I bet you felt great after putting it together though :)

There's no such thing as a decent prebuilt. The only ones with good all-around specs are heavily overpriced istuffedsunny

If it's not made in a big factory assembly line and loaded with unneeded software, but instead they just take parts they are selling off the shelves (the same ones I would be buying to build it myself) and they are then put together buy an empolyee in the store in the same way I would at home why could it atleast not be a "decent" comp. What would be so much better about me buying essentially the same parts at a higher cost and putting it together myself. As far as a final product what have I lost other than the fun of building it myself?

[QUOTE="istuffedsunny"]There's no such thing as a decent prebuilt. The only ones with good all-around specs are heavily overpriced TellDaddy

If it's not made in a big factory assembly line and loaded with unneeded software, but instead they just take parts they are selling off the shelves (the same ones I would be buying to build it myself) and they are then put together buy an empolyee in the store in the same way I would at home why could it atleast not be a "decent" comp. What would be so much better about me buying essentially the same parts at a higher cost and putting it together myself. As far as a final product what have I lost other than the fun of building it myself?

significant preformance my cpu is slightly better and in my build im a full lightyear ahead of it in terms of gaming power.