$2k for gaming rig- details inside-----

[firebirdude]

Looking to build a gaming rig for $2k before any shipping charges. I will need everything.(Keyboard, mouse, monitor) Biggest thing to look for is upgrade ability. 3 years from now, I want to be able to just swap out or add any one part and be good to go. That being said, PCI-E w/SLI and DDR2 is probably a must. (Planning for the future with DDR2) I am 100% set on having a 19" LCD monitor. Ok guys..... have at it!!!

 

[jdogg707]

Well, if DDR2 is your thing, welcome to Intel land. If you want future proof yourself the most, wait until you can buy one of the Dual Core Pentium D chips. This should give you some added value for the future, as more and more apps will become multithreaded due to the increased popularity of Dual Core processors. As for memory, if you want to go all out, memory is cheap, so get 2GB. You might also want to check the Hot Deals Forum, they have a Dell 2005FPW for $384, which is an awesome deal for the monitor! So I would go Pentium D, nForce 4 SLI for Intel, 2GB of DDR2-533, and 2 x 6800GT PCIe cards, along with a strong PSU, like enermax or PC Power and Cooling.

 

[Green84061]

do you need to buy now or could you wait a bit for dual cores?

 

[BrokenVisage]

In honor of ribbon to the many build questions he gave this same response to..

Originally posted by: ribbon13
$146 Seasonic S12-500

$190 AMD ADA3200BIBOX
$147 DFI Ultra-D
2x$190 Patriot PEP1G3200LL
$455 Sapphire X850 XT

$179 Western Digital WD740GD
$145 Seagate ST3250823AS

$1642

 

[hippotautamus]

If you really are set on DDR2, then go with the Intel rig. However, if you want a good gaming rig, skip DDR2 and buy an AMD rig. You can get better performance out of an athlon 3500+ ($344 Canadian) than you will out of a p4EE (last time I saw the 3.4, it was...$1300ish canadian), and without spending the money on DDR2 (which will actually slow you down in many cases).

s939 will be AMD's standard for a couple years, including if you wish to buy a dual core down the line (which will require a simple bios flash, not a new board. Intel dual cores require a whole new chipset)

DDR IS on it's way out. HOWEVER, at present, there are modules that can hit DDR600 on a DFI board, which is more than any current game can flood, so a gig or two of DDR will tide you over quite nicely for some time.

If you really want the DDR2, and I do realize you will be able to upgrade longer with it...then Intel is your path. However, AMD is the uncontested king of gaming right now.

Your choice

 

[l Xes l]

yea... i'd say just take the AMD road....

 

[aatf510]

DDR2 is not necessary to have for great upgradbility. I am sure you will be able to find decent DDR1 memory 3 years from now.
However, by that time, you will probably see Video Card that uses PCI-E x32, new type of CPU Socket, SATA-II.

 

[Ike0069]

Gaming rig = AMD 64. No way around that. Therfore, you don't want DDR2.
SLI is definitley not a must either. You can buy an SLI ready MB if you want, but IMO that's a waste.
I suggest you first pick a case you like and the monitor you want. Cases can range for $30 to $200+. After you know the total price of those 2 items, that will help determine the rest of the specs.

But basically:
3500+ - 4000+ (whether or not you OC makes a big difference on which processor you should choose).
MSI or DFI NF4U chipset MB (SLI or not)
2x1 GB RAM (still allows for additional RAM in the future, while assuring you have plenty for awhile).
6800 GT or Ultra(SLI ready if needed)
PSU: Many choices available. Do you want quiet, modular, SLI ready, etc.?
For the mouse, if you play on-line FPS games alot, I suggest a corded mouse. The MX-510 is awesome, but the MX-518 is coming soon.
Don't know if you speakers or sound card. If you're an audiophile, better leave some money for this. If not, on-board sound is fine with inexpensive speakers.