New Build: gaming rig for Age of Conan for my bro!

Hi

start with a CPU/motherboard/PSU

decide if you need SLI/Crossfire
decide if you would like to OC your system

maybe CPU: E8400 or a q6600
if you go for nvidia take the evga8800GT
i never owned a ATI card so wait for others to reply...

CPU - Q9300 minimum!

Graphics card you're going to want something like an 8800GT at least, however if i were you i'd wait until the next gen of cards are out which will be late june at the latest!

For motherboard i'd go with a Gigabyte board (Probably a P35 DS3).

My system plays just fine with AoC, but I know in less than a year I'll be itching to drop in a faster processor.

Intel C2Q 6600
Evga 680i MB
4 GB Corsair Dominator 1066
EVGA 8800 GTS 640mb
SB X-Fi Gamer


When it plays I get about 25+ fps pretty much everywhere, but it kind feels like I'm at the lower end of min spec to keep the game "playable" without starting to stretch the definition to "technically its playable"

For motherboard I'd recommend going with a P35.

4GB RAM mandatory (definitely go for faster clocked ram, there is a big difference in the speed ,especially if you're going with a faster processor). Turn off pagefile with 4gb of RAM and zoning will be ultra fast.

Dual core is fine for this game, but it always burns one CPU at or near 100% once the game gets started, so go with the fastest processor you can afford.

i upgraded for AoC also..this is what I did/planned:

Case: Antec Twelve Hundred
RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 4-4-4-12
CPU: Q6600 G0 (OC to 3.2)
Heatsink: XIGMATEK HDT-S1283
MOBO: GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3L
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1
Speakers: Logitech X-540
Graphic Card: 8800GTS 512 MB
HD: Western Digital Raptor (if you can afford it) + 500gb Seagate
PSU: Corsair 550VX (or whatever its called)
Monitor: SAMSUNG 2253BW/SAMSUNG 2253LW

^Looks good  .

If OCing:
GUIDE: Overclocking On P35-DS3L