I'm a big PC gamer, but I've been doing my gaming on a horrible system for the past several years (it can handle HL2 and WoW, but that's the limit). So, it's time for a new system, and I want to build it myself.
Right now I'm just looking for advice on the parts. I'll probably be coming back for advice on setting it up as well, after going through a ton of guides and stickies on the subject.
My goals for this rig:
Lowish budget, preferably around $700 before OS (I still need to buy XP, which brings it near $800)
Easy for a first-timer to get working, nothing too complicated like overclocking
Upgradability! I don't want to skimp on the PSU/Mobo/Case/etc. If I want to upgrade the CPU/RAM/GPU in the future, I want to be able to just buy it and stick it in and be done.
Here's what I'm thinking so far (open to suggestions on everything). All prices/descriptions from Newegg:
Mobo:
ASUS M2N4-SLI Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
$86.99
Looking for lots of suggestions on this, I don't know much about mobos.
CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+(65W) Windsor 2.0GHz Socket AM2 Processor Model ADO3800CUBOX - Retail
$76.00
I'm thinking this is all I need, but I'd be willing to go a bit overbudget for a better CPU if a 3800+ is going to be a bottleneck in games with my GPU.
GPU:
SAPPHIRE 100186L Radeon X1950XT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 VIVO HDCP Video Card - Retail
$189.99 (before a $20 mail-in rebate)
This is about the performance level I'm looking for. Should I maybe splurge for a 8800GTS? Are there any video cards on the horizon in the 180-280 price range I should wait for? Anything around the price of the X1950 XT that beats it in performance? This is the most important part of my rig so I want to get it right.
RAM:
G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ - Retail
$88.99
Looked like a good deal. I'm also fairly open to just buying 1GB now and leaving the option to go 2GB later, so there's room here to save cash for some other component instead.
HDD:
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
$69.99
250GB is probably more than I need...if there's a much cheaper, good quality HDD in the ~150GB range, I'd love to know.
DVD:
Sony NEC Optiarc 18X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Black E-IDE / ATAPI Model 7170A-0B - OEM
$30.99
THG used this in all three iterations of the computers in that recent building marathon thingy, so I figure it's good quality.
Case:
Completely undecided. Looks are important, but so is ease of installation, noise level, etc. I've been looking at a Cooler Master Centurian 5 and a few others. In the end it'll come down to mainly looks, but for the love of god, if it has a bunch of LEDs, it better have a switch to turn them off when I want to sleep. Looking to spend 50-80 bucks here.
PSU:
This is where I need some major help. I want something that can handle at least one moderate CPU upgrade and one decent graphics upgrade down the road, and is reliable enough to last a few years. Looking to spent 50-80 bucks here as well.
Total of above:
$643-703 depending on Case/PSU. An identical setup on Cyberpowerpc.com would be at least $950.
Like I said, I'm mainly looking for suggestions at this point; nothing is set in stone. Thanks in advance for any advice! Love the forums (I've lurked here forever), so I know I'll get some quality help here.