$2,000 budget

[Noobtastic]

Friend has 2k to spend on a retail gaming computer. He said Alienware, and I told him it was a waste of cash.

Here is the setup he emailed me:

Processor: Intel® Core? 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz 2MB Cache 1066MHz FSB
Memory: 1GB DDR2 Performance SDRAM at 800MHz - 2 x 512MB
Hard Drive: 250GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7,200 RPM w/ 8MB Cache
Video Card: 512MB NVIDIA® GeForce? 7900 GTX
CD ROM: 16x Dual Layer DVD±R/W Drive



What other options does he have? Reliablity is my main concern. I don't want my friend buying a computer from some costumizing online shop and it ends up being a lemon.



Remember, he will not be building.

 

[crspyjohn]

It seems like he is not overclocking so anywhere he goes the system should be the same. I suggest going with dell or alienware.

I strongly suggest he build his own computer... It will come out to around only 1.1k with the same parts he wants a ds3, p5b or s3 motherboard.

 

[amheck]

For $2k, you might as well bump it up to 2gig of RAM, no?

 

[Noobtastic]

bump

 

[Corporate Thug]

try this place:

http://www.abscomputers.com/

 

[mb]

I got a computer from Monarch a few years ago. Built fast and worked great. I've since upgraded every component of it except the case.

http://www.monarchcomputer.com

 

[DaveSimmons]

Dell XPS or Dimension 9200, get Dimension coupons at GottaDeal.com

With $2K he should be able to get 2GB of RAM too. A DVD burner could be handy for large backups (OS image, music collection, savegames) if it is under $50 extra.