how long will an 1800+ run new games?

You should be able to run any game with that setup and a nice video card. THe software companies are not gonna make the games just able to run on high end computers. They wont get any profit. They build the games to run on average computers. I have no idea what standards they use for this but you should be fine.

Yeah.

You're gpu locked now. That 1800 can handle the gfx and sound. You'll need a ti4600 to take advantage of that cpu, and even then you'll still have cycles to spare.

P4's @ 3600Mhz ()wNz J00 4LL!!!!!!

It's useless.
Next summer there will surely be something better at lower prices, but you just cnt't wait forever because then there will be something better next summer, and better the other...
But yeah, just get a good board and you'll be fine.

My DVD reader is destroyed! I told you it wasn't an oven!