I will be building a New Custom Gaming desktop when I return from deployment. Ill be doing alot of researching on the perfect set up. Looking for any input, budget will most likely be 2grand... will spend more if needed. HELP ME OUT

Its been 6 years since I built one, I know a lot has changed and I am a little behind on the changes

I am sorry but your sig is wrong. Its "Mess with the best, Die like the rest"

Two grand? Ha.
Gaming computers can be high end for the sub-$1000 mark. Even cheaper if you don't go all epeen.

Google is your friend.

I know, but thought it would be more appropriate for gaming...

sig's changed

yeah I know I can make a decent one for 1k but I want more than just decent.

Hell, I just broke $500 on my build and I can play EVERYTHING maxed if not close to maxed.

This includes Metro 2033 and BFBC 2.

2.8 Athlon Quad Core
Foxconn Mobo
3 Gigs of RAM
PNY Geforce GTS250
1 TB HD
500W PS

Yep, that's all it takes.

if you're really going to spend that kind of money, make sure you get at least the following specs:

- quad core processor (intel is faster but more expensive, you can still get some great builds on amd for a reasonable price)
- at least 6-8 gigs of ram
- radeon 5870 or nvidia fermi class video card
- 600+ watt powersupply
- 1 TB+ drive for storage
- 128-160 GB SSD drive for OS/games
- Windows 7 64 bit

onboard audio/LAN/sata is more than fine. that build listed above should be pretty easy to piece together for $2000.

everyone's playability level is different. I play Metro on medium-high just so I can get solid frames.

My playability level is this: if it drops below 30 frames, do not want. 90+ frames in BFBC2, 35 lowest average 40-50 on high on Metro 2033. I knew Metro would struggle since I do have an older card.

My whole point is: Contrary to popular belief, to get into gaming at this day and age, you don't need to drop that much. It's all the people who recommend six core and OMG WTF YOU CANT PLAY GAMES WITHOUT 8 GIGS OF RAM. No, you don't.

Quad's pretty much here now, hell even a dual core. keep it above 2.8Ghz and you're g2g. Do you really need over four gigs of ram? What the fuck are you doing, designing huge buildings in auto cad? Do you need a FUCKABYTE in your computer, nah a TB works. OMG MY MOTHERBOARD IS RAWKING HAS BLAHBLAH SUPPORT. Fuck it, I'll get the cheapest mobo. Haven't had to do SLI/Crosfire yet. Haven't had an issue other then having to add another fan because it's hot.

And I play every game fine. Like stated above, Metro is the first game to drop me under 60 on high. Oh, but guess what.

My video card is like $120 now, I found mind on sale at Best Buy over a year ago for $89.95 (was a price issue, marked horribly down, MWAHHAHAHHA).

/rant.

I'm just passionate about budget builds and getting people into gaming.

<3

I love budget builds too. My whole point was though, if he IS going to spend $2000 on a rig, no reason not to get 8 gigs of ram. You can find that for around $150, which isn't bad in the context of a $2000 build. Spending $150 for RAM on a $500 build, yeah no thanks, better ways to spend the cash.

The thing I love about having quad core and 8 gigs - I've had this setup for a year, and I'm probably good in the CPU/Memory department for the next 3 or 4 years. At this point, the only things I have a want to upgrade are video card and going for a solid state drive at some point. Otherwise I'm good.

FYI, Teeter is the absolute LAST person you want to talk to about building a machine.

And this is whyyyy?

If I can say one thing, spend the extra money to get a modular power supply. Sooooo easier to work with. I have the 750W Corsair and love it. And if your budget is more than $1k, then go for the AMD six-cores, otherwise the 955 and 965 black editions are solid. You really cant beat the AMD prices, cpu and gpu, and last I checked, AMD still had the best video cards around...just saying.

Duke is the second to last person to take computer building advise from... just saying. You haven't checked video cards in a while... 480gtx>5870 for straight gaming performance, few will argue otherwise. I do love you though, Duke. Though, there are benefits to the ATI line, such as lower temps, affordability, and 3 monitors with eyefinity. The 5870 (vanilla of sorts) is a good buy, just don't spend more than $420 on one. You'd be better off waiting for a 480GTX to drop in price a bit.

I will say, most what Duke says is correct. With a power supply, something certified and modular is a must. I would not expect you would buy otherwise with that budget. AMD Six-Cores are affordable and perform well (though almost nothing is using those extra 2 cores yet). Intel Core i7 is still a very solid buy if you get a socket 1366 and overclock the piss out of it on air cooling. You can get a 920 to from 2.66ghz to 4.0ghz on air, easy.

Contrary to what Teeter says, buy stuff with warranties and support, EVGA, Corsair, etc, especially if you have the money for it. There's a reason these guys are rated so highly on their products. Once you figure out the kinda market you're in, search for head-to-head comparisons of similar parts from either manufacturer (IE:ATI vs. Nvidia) and make your own decision. Once you get there, compare identical products from different manufacturers (IE:Sapphire 5870 vs. Gigabyte). I can't stress enough how much reading reviews is important, at least for me. I blueprinted my PC for a month or 2 before making the buy, waiting for sales and ensuring everything was compatible. Google is your friend


/fin

modular supplies: cool
certified? like certified for SLI? almost entirely a marketing gimmick

Because you've built MAYBE 2 computers in your time (no, upgrading compaqs, emachines, and dells don't count) and you usually find some way to fuck them up when you do. That and you sell them after 1 month of ownership.

Talking about 80plus certified. Nowadays, it basically means it's not junk.

I have never, ever fucked up any computer that I've own to this day. You have had to help me a lot. Maybe you should remember, oh, say a brief 2 - 3 year period where we never talked. I've had five computer since 2005, and TWO you've helped me build. The rest where Compaqs upgraded, and the most recent I built pretty much ground up.

Maybe remember we hardly saw each other since high school? And btw I wouldn't mind sspending more time with you. Serious. <3

I still love you.

You're still gay.