Thread: Building a Gaming PC Part II

Hey guys, I just read through the last thread about this and I was hoping I could get some pointers as well. I have a pretty specific plan in mind and could use some help on the details (and if my plan makes any sense at all).

The basic idea for this is to buy it in three stages. First, buy enough parts to run and play older games (such as Oblivion), not necessarily on highest settings, but able to run. I am hoping I can do it for around $800, and I already have a monitor and cordless mouse/keyboard. Part of that would be buying a nice mb and processor and spending not very much on a video card (possibly from Craigslist), just one that can run older games.

Then, in November when Skyrim comes out, to spend $600 or so on a nicer video card and bring things up a notch so that I can play it. Again, not necessarily on the high settings, but getting 25 - 30 fps on normal settings.

Then, whenever Diablo comes out (hopefully next year), I get more RAM or whatever else I need to upgrade to be able to play that game. There is nothing after that, because my life will simply drop off the radar completely.

So I know that I have to get a good mb and a good processor so hopefully I won't have to upgrade those in the next year+ for Diablo. I have a decent knowledge of computers and how to put them together, and for the actual assembly I have a friend that is great with computers (though not necessarily gaming computers). I just have no idea what works, what works together, and what is and where to find a good deal.

Even if anyone has some good resources where I can do all the research myself, I just don't want to be blindly searching the internet. Thanks.

If you're willing to go used, I think you can put together a pretty damn good gaming machine right now for $800 that'll run brand new games at settings which will allow for a lot of eyecandy. Just go and post your question on a computer message board instead of here and you'll get a ton of suggestions. HardForum, overclock.net or anandtech. Actually, the question has probably been asked a thousand times on one of those forums, just do a search.

if you did this:
Ars System Guide: March 2011 Edition

and went with a cheapter gfx card, no monitor, no kb\mouse you could prob get it for around 800.

Thanks guys. Like I said, I'm not against doing some research so those links look helpful. Not a computer guy by any means so I didn't really know where to start.

I know this probably wasn't the best place to ask this, but the last thread made it look like there were some folks on here with some experience. I'll make use of these links, thanks again.