Hi, I would like a new gaming rig, and I have about $500 to spend before tax and shipping. I have some equipment that I will use from my old rig. I am interested in overclocking. After doing research over the past month, and still being completely confused, here is what I have come up with.

Cpu - AMD Athlon 64 3000+ ----------
|--------- $230
Mobo - Gigabyte K8N51GMF-9 -----------

Ram - CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model ---------- $ 75.50


Gpu eVGA GeForce 6600 256MB PCIE (Want to have some Eye candy, Suggestions please.) ------------- $105


Psu (Not really sure what to get, I am all to confused) $$$?

Optical is Lite-on 16x16 DVD+/- R/W (Already have it)

Case (older Midtower from a Previos system. has 3 Fans)

Monitor (Still not sure.)

Keyboard/mouse Existing KeyboardLogitec Optical

Operating system XP Pro SP2

Again, $500, can’t reuse anything, no overclocking.
Thanks.

Any suggestions or input is greatly appreciated.

save a little bit more $$$$$ 500 buck isn't much to go off of for a gaming rig.
you have choosen some good parts. but you may want to look at some different mobos. Asus, Abit, DFI make good ones.

a PSU should cost you $80 and up, for a good one anyway. enermax makes a nice 500W modular PSU. its the liberty series.

NEC makes good gaming monitors. buy a 19" 8ms they arn't too horably expencive.

put your money onto the main components like your CPU, MOBO, PSU, And video card. those are key when building a good gaming rig.

If you need a monitor too you really need more than $500 for a new rig.

Not bad bundle for mobo/CPU. Good choice.
Good RAM for your budget.
Don't get 256MB. You want a faster Graphics Processor (not necessarily a faster clock rate but more processing power), not more RAM. Pull together $30 and get a 6600GT 128MB. It'll give you better performance. Once you graduate to an X800 or 6800 class or better 256MB of RAM becomes worthwhile.
Get this Fortron 450w for $40 - good enough to handle your current system and upgrades.
Monitor: You don't have much $ left...

mobo/cpu $230
PSU $40
Video $135
RAM $75
Total: $480.

Find a used 17" CRT for under $50 and get a nice LCD when you've saved some.

Unless you drop back to a Sempron-based system or 512MB RAM - and that won't buy you much. To go below this level of CPU & RAM means newer games will be limited, and to drop below a 6600gt means the same thing.

Mike.

Get an ASUS, Abit or DFI board and a 6600GT.

The 6600GT is way better than the 6600 and sells for about $120.

Antec, Enermax, Thermaltake, etc make good PSUs. You do not need anything super expensive something in the 420W range should work fine.

Good luck.

Ok, I just got the go ahead to spend $200 on the GFX card. Any suggestions?

This added $100 to the total on my Gaming PC, I would like to spend most of the extra money on the video card. I don't really need the Monitor just yet, I still have my trusty 19" CRT that still runs ok.

Even though it kicks out black dust from the vent's, apparently from the Tube doubling as a Bug Zapper for Dust Mites. The CRT will work for now, so it is not part of my budget.

I am just looking at the internals for now. I already own Optical Drives, and Key/Mouse.

So the $600 will be exclusivly for the following Parts.

GPU ---------- $200
Mobo------|
CPU |------- $400
RAM-------|

Should I adjust the amount I spend on the GPU and towards the CPU and Mobo? For example should I go with an Evga - 6600GT for $135 and put the other $65 into Mobo/CPU?

Forgot the power supply so the $40 can go to PSU and the rest to Mobo/CPU.

the connect3d x800gto is better value after overclocking if you can stand to spend ~ $180 on the video card

I would leave the mobo/cpu the same, and put the extra money into the video card - $215 or maybe less will get you a 6800GS - much faster than the 6600GT and you'll get more gaming happiness out of that than a faster CPU.

Mike.