Budget gamer build ...

[pam123]

ExtremeTech has just updated their $800 gamer build for 2008.
It's worth a look if you're thinking about a new rig : http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...2270998,00.asp

[Dave21]

Good find. That should be useful for most.

[Masaki 7-11]

Looks like a pretty solid build, I made my new computer for about the same, but I spent about $250 on case/power supply, so I have a lower end P5K motherboard, and I'm using a Dual Core Celeron (Overclocked to 3.2GHz, so it's not bad) instead of something better like the E6550. I just got Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts, and the 9600GT flies through it with all the settings maxed out (except for AA/AF) at 1680x1050 resolution with an average of 60fps.

[pam123]

at 1680x1050 resolution with an average of 60fps.

Nice.

My current card is a place holder that's done a better job then I expected, and those free Black Box games that came with it didn't hurt any, it's going to consigned to spare card duty later in the year.

[Masaki 7-11]

Originally Posted by pam123 Nice. My current card is a place holder that's done a better job then I expected, and those free Black Box games that came with it didn't hurt any, it's going to consigned to spare card duty later in the year.

My first "gaming" computer used an X1600XT and worked fine, I put it out of commission in December, 2007, but I didn't have a problem with most of the games I used it with (Catalyst Drivers really help, even a year or more after you buy it, fps went up, and high-definition playback became smoother, and better quality).