Gaming Computer

[Quad08]

Considering my laptop is terrible at running games, I've so far saved up $1,500 to buy a computer that can play games AND make them look nice in terms of graphics.

However, I know nothing about computer specs and such so I'm looking for help on what I should get. I have some friends who are even willing to help me build one from scratch if I buy the parts individually.

I don't care if its mac, pc, or some mutated hybrid.

Also is $1,500 enough or should I keep saving?

 

[j0z]

Hmmm... I suggestion going to Newegg.com, they have really good prices. Don't know if they will be able to server you in Canada (you know anyone in the US that you can have them ship to?).
That is enough to build a really nice gaming PC from scratch.

Will be back soon with a list of parts and links

Here is my list:

CPU:
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition (3.4Ghz)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103692

Mother Board:
MSI 790FX-GD70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130223

HDD:
Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EADS 2TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136344

Memory:
4GB DDR3 RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220436

Power Supply:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371022

Graphics Cards:
If you go ATI:
2 Radeon 5770 1GB cards in crossfire config
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102858
If you go nVidia:
2 GTS 250 cards
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130469

Case:
Find one you like, make sure it is compatible with your mother board though.

I did not factor in a monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc.


ATI machine total:
$1116.93 (US dollars)

nVidia machine total:
$1066.93 (US Dollars)

If I were you, I would go ATI, those cards I linked you to are better than the 250s.

Am I forgetting anything?

 

[Quad08]

Hmmm... I suggestion going to Newegg.com, they have really good prices. Don't know if they will be able to server you in Canada (you know anyone in the US that you can have them ship to?).
That is enough to build a really nice gaming PC from scratch.

Will be back soon with a list of parts and links

Yeah, I have some family that I could ship the parts too

 

[Slayer_2]

$500 CAD dollars was enough for me to get a used, one month old gaming PC that can run any current game on high graphics. I play Crysis with everything maxed out and at a 1280x1024 resolution (no AA or motion blur though, as I don't like them). It has:

Nvidia 8800GT 512MB
Intel dual core at 3.0Ghz
2GB of OCZ RAM
500W power supply
and a few other important bits such as a motherboard and disc drive.

 

[Quad08]

Hmmm... I suggestion going to Newegg.com, they have really good prices. Don't know if they will be able to server you in Canada (you know anyone in the US that you can have them ship to?).
That is enough to build a really nice gaming PC from scratch.

Will be back soon with a list of parts and links

Here is my list:

CPU:
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition (3.4Ghz)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103692

Mother Board:
MSI 790FX-GD70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130223

HDD:
Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EADS 2TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136344

Memory:
4GB DDR3 RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220436

Power Supply:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371022

Graphics Cards:
If you go ATI:
2 Radeon 5770 1GB cards in crossfire config
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102858
If you go nVidia:
2 GTS 250 cards
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130469

Case:
Find one you like, make sure it is compatible with your mother board though.

I did not factor in a monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc.


ATI machine total:
$1116.93 (US dollars)

nVidia machine total:
$1066.93 (US Dollars)

If I were you, I would go ATI, those cards I linked you to are better than the 250s.

Am I forgetting anything?

Holy wow! Thanks allot, I'll forward this to my computer friends and see what there suggestions on case, monitor, etc. are

 

[LeonLethality]

$500 CAD dollars was enough for me to get a used, one month old gaming PC that can run any current game on high graphics. I play Crysis with everything maxed out and at a 1280x1024 resolution (no AA or motion blur though, as I don't like them). It has:

Nvidia 8800GT 512MB
Intel dual core at 3.0Ghz
2GB of OCZ RAM
500W power supply
and a few other important bits such as a motherboard and disc drive.

lucky I had to pay 2000 for my gaming laptop from my cousin then again he did customize it and it runs everything so smoothly (hes a computer nerd and this probably cost him 4000 CAD so I got a bargain)

 

[j0z]

Hmmm... I suggestion going to Newegg.com, they have really good prices. Don't know if they will be able to server you in Canada (you know anyone in the US that you can have them ship to?).
That is enough to build a really nice gaming PC from scratch.

Will be back soon with a list of parts and links

Here is my list:

CPU:
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition (3.4Ghz)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103692

Mother Board:
MSI 790FX-GD70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130223

HDD:
Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EADS 2TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136344

Memory:
4GB DDR3 RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220436

Power Supply:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371022

Graphics Cards:
If you go ATI:
2 Radeon 5770 1GB cards in crossfire config
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102858
If you go nVidia:
2 GTS 250 cards
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130469

Case:
Find one you like, make sure it is compatible with your mother board though.

I did not factor in a monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc.


ATI machine total:
$1116.93 (US dollars)

nVidia machine total:
$1066.93 (US Dollars)

If I were you, I would go ATI, those cards I linked you to are better than the 250s.

Am I forgetting anything?

Holy wow! Thanks allot, I'll forward this to my computer friends and see what there suggestions on case, monitor, etc. are

One second, I forgot the disc drive!

Silly me!

knew I was forgetting something...

Here is one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118030

 

[DazZ.]

-snip-

Might want to add an OS as well.

 

[j0z]

-snip-

Might want to add an OS as well.

Good idea!

May I humbly suggest an Ubuntu release?
NOT!
Actually, I suggest Windows 7 Home Premium, available from newegg for $119

 

[Flames66]

If the prices are similar in the US to the UK then you should be able to get a reasonably good laptop for less than that. Like £500 is enough for one here.

 

[Slayer_2]

lucky I had to pay 2000 for my gaming laptop from my cousin then again he did customize it and it runs everything so smoothly (hes a computer nerd and this probably cost him 4000 CAD so I got a bargain)

Well, it is used and there is always a risk when you buy used. Plus the guy needed money for his schooling. Still, $700 should easily get you a top-of-the-line gaming PC.

 

[Katana314]

You really don't need to go above $1000, unless you especially care about running benchmarks and the like. A good Core 2 Duo and GTS260 or so will easily run any game out there. Just make sure the motherboard you get allows for expandability, so in the unlikely event that what you end up getting doesn't work, you can upgrade one or two components to make it better.

Also, have we been including the monitor in the equation?

 

[j0z]

-snip-

Might want to add an OS as well.

Good idea!

May I humbly suggest an Ubuntu release?
NOT!
Actually, I suggest Windows 7 Home Premium, available from newegg for $119

I'd spend the extra money and get Win7 Professional. There aren't many more features, but if you get an OEM version, it's not really that more expensive, and gives one more flexibility than Home Premium.

Yeah, if you want to go that route and fork over the extra few bucks, go ahead. I just wouldn't use the W7P features enough to warrant spending the extra cash.

 

[Fenring]

ATTN

Best deals I've seen so far.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227183
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227173
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883147045

Buying a pre-made is cheapest at this time, and with BlackFriday, it only gets better.

 

[ctrl-alt-postal]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but you need extra 1G ram and 15G HDD space for windows 7's 32bit compatibility? Just something to consider if going win7, which is 64bit.

Also, you can find parts a lot cheaper at computer markets if willing to go the effort, though the range might not be as great.

 

[auronvi]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but you need extra 1G ram and 15G HDD space for windows 7's 32bit compatibility? Just something to consider if going win7, which is 64bit.

Also, you can find parts a lot cheaper at computer markets if willing to go the effort, though the range might not be as great.

There are non-64 bit versions of windows 7 but I don't see a point in that since most processors now are 64-bit.

 

[Quad08]

You really don't need to go above $1000, unless you especially care about running benchmarks and the like. A good Core 2 Duo and GTS260 or so will easily run any game out there. Just make sure the motherboard you get allows for expandability, so in the unlikely event that what you end up getting doesn't work, you can upgrade one or two components to make it better.

Also, have we been including the monitor in the equation?

My buddy has a monitor he's willing to give me, as he just bought a crazy new one

 

[LoopyDood]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227179
Pretty good deal. Comes with W7 and the KB/M.

 

[ItsAPaul]

Where are you going to, Best Buy? I would have to have a diamond-studded processor to spend 4 digits on a gaming computer, but then again I know what to buy (and don't go to retail stores, they're there for idiots).

EDIT - Apparently yes, if you want technology that is not necessary to play current games on high settings, you need that much money. My graphics card isn't HD and laughs at DAO.

 

[Rachet922]

For the price this computer isnt bad

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5483247&csid=ITD&body=MAIN#detailspecs

and monitor

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5022068&CatId=12