save up a bit longer and build the pc yourself.  its a lot easier to build a pc than you think and if you ask for help myself or many others on the forum will help you.  its also a lot more affordable, get 800 bucks together and you can have a decent gaming rig.  if this isnt an option for you, you arent going to have a good gaming pc...unless you want to play older games.   

Sweet!

I'm gonna go ahead and build me one myself then.

Let's hope it all turn out well! *crosses fingers*

Kloney

post your final concept build on here before you purchase the parts, everyone will give you input on what you put together and if it will work (even save you money to spend elsewhere on certain parts).  you're going to have a bomb ass system.  good luck.

if you can find it in laying around in any stores still, check out:

PC GAMER Ultimate How-to's for gamers!

it gives a step-by-step photo guide thats really nice.  But yeah, like he said above there are a ton on the internet just google them, heres a decent one:

PC WORLD

When are the Intel C2D price drops coming?  Im getting very impatient because im itching to order the parts for my new pc...but im just going to play it cool until they drop their prices because im still undecided about AMD or Intel (im 90% sure that if the C2D's prices drop ill go Intel for the first time).  Good or bad decision to wait?  Since my video card died i havent played PC games in like 5 months...i think im going to die.  Im so excited to go from agp to pci-e.  Waiting for these price drops is killing me.

Also, what are the upcoming DX10 budget cards coming out...is the 8600 a myth?   

Thanks in advance.