Desktops forum: New Gaming Computer

This is a tad older:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/build-a-computer.htm

But easily new enough to give you more than the basics, the included videos get a little tacky but demonstrate the general process. The whole build takes between 2 and 4 hours depending on how fast you are with tools, how meticulous you are with wire management, etc (truth be told you can throw it together in about 30 minutes, but I really don't suggest doing that your first time, check and double check everything just to be safe).

Some other links:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/How_To_Assemble_A_Desktop_PC
http://www.xoxide.com/resource-center.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/index.html

I'd look for parts:
www.newegg.com
www.zipzoomfly.com
www.geeks.com

Members here will be more than happy to help you out with advice on specific parts, I'd suggest at least watching through the tutorial on HowStuffWorks and then reading the article from Xoxide on how to choose a power supply, going to newegg or ZZF and picking out some hardware for your new system, posting back, getting some feedback, seeing what goes from there (either changing parts, or going with what you've got).

As a rough list of parts you should consider in that price range:

Processor:
Intel Core 2 Duo
Intel Core 2 Quad (almost everyone on the internet will push you buying this processor, be forewarned, nothing is wrong with the Core 2 Duo or any other suggested processor, the Quad is just the "hot" item of today)
AMD Athlon64 x2 (Socket AM2 only though, avoid Socket 939)

RAM:
2GB in 2x1024MB configuration, no question in my mind about it

Harddrive:
Depends on what you need, I'd suggest going with a 250-400GB disk (about $80 at most), SATA or SATA II (doesn't really matter, to be entirely honest)

Mainboard:
Something compatable with your processor selection (Intel will need LGA 775, AMD will need Socket AM2, look at: Asus, ASRock, DFI, Biostar, MSI, Abit, eVGA, and Gigabyte (brands of mainboards))

Video card:
A point of major contention in a gaming system, most people will tell you to get an 8800GTS because its *only* $300, I'd suggest looking at all of the following, and deciding based on price and performance (Tom's Hardware has a great VGA comparison chart, as well as a monthly article on what they think the best card in a given price range is (usually worth considering at least)).

From nVidia:
GeForce 8600GT, GeForce 8600GTS, GeForce 8800GTS
GeForce 7600GT, GeForce 7900GS

From ATi:
Radeon HD2600Pro, Radeon HD2600XT
Radeon X1650Pro, Radeon X1650XT, Radeon X1950GT, Radeon X1950Pro

The top line of cards (GeForce8/Radeon HD) are DirectX 10 compatable, the second line are DirectX 9.0c compatable, generally DirectX 10 doesn't really matter for a few reasons:

A) nothing uses it
B) nothing that claims to support it can actually run it decently
C) only Windows Vista supports it software wise (and Windows Vista isn't at all reccomended for a gaming computer due to incompatability with most everything on the market, look for XP Professional or XP Home for your new computer)

I'd generally look around, see whats available, etc, get a feel for prices and what you'd like to buy, and remember that many members here are willing to help, we just need something more concrete to work with.

honestly they're going to be about equal, I'd go with the quad core just to give yourself a little more piece of mind, but generally theres no more or no less future proofing offered by the Kentsfield over the 6850

Ive got a quad core 6600 (Q6600) ordered for gaming atm. I did a fair bit of research and in my opinion the quad is definately the one to go for.
this is why:

1) its one of the latest on the market
2) The latest games are beginning to ulitize the power of quad which is why u want one if ur into running ur games as best u can.
3) while its a slightly lower end cpu than that of other quad core cpus (eg. Q6700, Q6850) IMO it is still MORE THAN ENOUGH for people not willing to spend a kings fortune to go all the way on their gaming machine.
4) its supposed to have pretty good over-clocking potential. (so even if it isnt good enough for you, *which i doubt*, you still have the oportunity to make it faster :D)
5) i dont think there will be a game it wont play for quite a while. LOL

look i dont know all the specs, for it im sorry but if ur in the market for a gaming pc, a Q6600 while definately be lovely to play on. JUST MAKE SURE U GET A DECENT GPU TO GO WITH IT!!! (im getting the nvidia XFX 8800gtx which is a bit excessive but i would recommend it. if not in ur price range maybe go for the 8800 gts 320 or 640mb versions.

ITS ALL GOOD

ps. happy gaming

while it may look like a 400% performance increase with new technology and what not, the Q6600 is essentially two Core 2 Duos bolted together, its a multi-core module, which means its tech is IDENTICAL to the Core 2 Duo

furthermore, a guy named Gene Amdahl gave us Amdahl's law which defines scalability of an application mathematically, and shows us that 4 cores WILL NEVER realistically = a 4x performance increase:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amdahl's_law

with that said, the Core 2 Duo is just as good for gaming if money is an issue, although the quad core isn't a bad buy, i just wanted to put some facts straight in the thread if people were using it as a reference

quad core computer when playing game
core 1 game
2 OS
3 half the unimportant stuff
4 the other half
dual core
1 OS and half the junk
2 game and half the junk
single core
1 OS, game, junk
I use a dual core system, Anyone know a way to put the junk + OS on one core and leave the other core to play game