Here is an updated list of my components.

I thought I would sleep on my decision before I bought it all, and I got busy for a few days. I guess they sold out of the radeon X1900 GT graphics card. Is there a similiar performing graphics card that is compatible with these compatible with these components at a similiar price that I could get?

Alright I have been browsing NewEgg and I put the following configuration together.

I'm a newbie to building pcs and there are a few questions in my mind:

1. Do I need to install a fan on my cpu anddoes it come with one?

2. I have Windows XP on that came with this computer. So it must be OEM. Will I need to buy windows again for my next computer?

3. Do I need a sound card?

4. Does this motherboard work with all the components?

5. How does installing RAM work - do you need exactly 2 sticks in there, no more, no less?

Here is what I have so far:

$70 Processor - AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ Brisbane 2.1GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor - Retail

$60 Memory -CORSAIR ValueSelect 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Desktop Memory - Retail

$65 Hard Drive - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250310AS 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

$75 Video Card- EVGA 256-P2-N615-TX GeForce 7600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

$50 Motherboard - GIGABYTE GA-M61SME-S2 AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

$20 Computer Case - RAIDMAX xB ATX-528B Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

$20 Power Supply - DYNAPOWER USA EP-50X.C563-BX ATX12V 500W Power Supply 115/230 V UL/cUL E222785, TUV and CB EN 60950 certified - Retail

$31 DVD Burner - LG Electronics Black 18X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 10X DVD+R DL 18X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 18X DVD±R DVD Burner with 12X DVD-RAM Write - OEM

$111 Windows Vista Home Premium if I can't use my Windows XP

I will use my current keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, and subwoofer for now.

Grand Total: $502

I would also like to know what you think of it. To tell you the truth I don't really what I am doing :)

Anyone try hooking up their computer to a tv instead of a monitor? What did you think of it? I"m building a new computer and I am considering usinga television to display rather than a monitor. I think it might be cool to sit back with your keyboard and mouse and view it like normal television distance.

Wow guys, thanks for putting so much thought into it. I think I will try to buy from newegg and have some assemble it for me.

It would be my personal opinion that there would only be one single way to have anything truly useful for games on $350, and that would be a do it yourself upgrade. I don't believe you can find a "Name Branded" PC, such as the Dell or HP that your ISP's man expected you to name to him, that would be worth considering as a gaming platform (even a part-time, occasional gaming type of PC), for less than about $1000, USD.

Readymade, here's a good one as an example (same company is the owner of Newegg):

http://www.abs.com/app/m5v_compare.asp

Kiwi_1

Very interesting link. Looks like great pcs for gamers to me.

What does everyone think about this setup that dell sells for $1000:

Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Processor E4400 (2MB L2 Cache,2.0GHz,800FSB)

Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3000

2GB4 Dual Channel5 DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs

250GB6 Serial ATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst CacheTM

19 inch SE198WFP Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor

24X CD-RW/ DVD Combo Drive

Is it good value, or is it overpriced? It seems like an easy route since it comes with a monitor (my current one will not last forever) and everything in one complete package. And it barely fits my price range.

What sort of budget are we talking about here?RayvinAzn

Cheaper the better. If I can get away with a $350 computer and keep my monitor that would be superb. But I could spend upwards of $1000.

I am looking at getting a new computer I got my old one about 5 years ago.

Here is my current computer that I bought from Totally Awesome Computers in 2002 (they went out of business):

CasEdge Mid-Tower Case/300 Watt ATX Power Supply

ASUS A7N266-C Motherboard AGP4X/266 MHz bus

1900 PR AMD Athlon XP Processor

256 MB DDR SDRAM (PC2100 266 MHz) 1.5GB Max

40GB IBM 7200 RPM Ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive (Originally, but I had to replace the hard drive because my old one went bad)

128MB GeForce 3 Titanium-200 Video Card

17" NEC FE700+ Digital PnP Monitor

I have to turn off my charter security suite software (anti-virus etc) because it slows my computer down too much. Also if I open to many web browsers it can slow down. Recently I started playing Dofus a tactical mmorpg. It runs in shockwave. I have been having some problems with slowdown in that. So I am considering getting a new computer. I would rather not build my own computer, and I would like to buy a more budget cheaper computer. I just checked out Dell's website for fun, but I am looking for advice about where to buy it and what to get. Also will I need to buy a new monitor? I will be using the new computer for online poker, Dofus, web browsing, and maybe have some options for playing newer computer games. Also something that will have a little longevity. Thanks for the advice.

(A little story: One day a guy from the cable company came over to hook up high speed internet. He asked me what type of computer I had. I asked him what he meant. He said like you know dell, gateway. I said it was a Totally Awesome Computer. He kind of looked at me with a dissaproving stare, and asked "what?". I said "It's a Totally Awesome Computer". Than he was like oooooooookaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy in kind ofa long way. And he wrote totally awesome computer on his clipboard.)

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3163217

Here are a few excerpts:

Some might think it a bit odd to find an agency like the U.S. military camping out for Halo 3, but the Air Force was on hand at a pre-launch party held yesterday down at the local GameStop in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Enter the U.S. Air Force -- who just so happened to be on hand in the parking lot with a humvee bursting with plasma TVs, Mountain Dew and copies of Halo 2.

"I [wonder] if they're warning kids that their actual combat experience may vary. War is not a game."

Check out Civilization: Revolutions.. I don't know exactly what it is, but it's made by the most acclaimed TBS maker ever, using the name of his premier series, Civilization.AfterShafter

Is that on the ps3 or is it on the 360, I can't remember which one?