How to get a sub-$1000 high-end gaming rig

Posted by The Technocrat | Filed under Gaming, Geeky, Hardware

So all-in-all, the project was a success.  I couldn't manage to get below $1,045, but with the specials NewEgg puts on, I might be able to knock that down to $15 over or so.

Here is what my stats ended up:

Dual-core Pentium D 805 @ 3.6Ghz @ 720mhz

2GB DDR2 PC2
6400 @ PC2 5760

nVidia GeForce 7800GT @ 510+/1080+

250GB 7200RPM 16MB-cache WD HD

"Sleeper" case – they'll never know what hit 'em!

Final Components:

Link to NewEgg wishlist, now all I need is $1000…

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Comments (11) | May 12th, 2006

11 Responses to “How to get a sub-$1000 high-end gaming rig”

  1. E@zyVG Says:
    May 13, 2006 at 5:13 am

    Aha … so after all you decided to go with 805D for your sub-1000 configuration. Lucky you, the article came just in time while you were looking out for new rig.

    So, is this a PS3 killer – can your 805D @3.6Ghz and 7800GT be a direct killer to CELL 3.2Ghz processor + RSX graphics chip?

    And what about Blue-Ray!!!

    You gonna buy one?

  2. The Technocrat Says:
    May 13, 2006 at 10:37 am

    I think it’s way past the cell – after all, I think it’ll be a while before we see software on blu-ray…look how long it took to get on DVD!

    The main allure of this rig is that it can do much more than a PS3. Being an operating system, and not a console, there are virtually unlimited options! :-)

  3. RyanC Says:
    May 16, 2006 at 8:26 pm

    Unfortunately a PC will never quite be as good as a console for games – on a PC you have the Operating System in the background and other things draining resources, whereas ALL a console has to do is run the game.

    But at the same time, I can agree with you on the stupid price of those new consoles – why pay that much, when for a little bit more you get a whole lot more functionality and still very good quality gaming?

    I don’t even have a console myself – I use my PC for games, and would use my Mac if I put Windows on it, but I’m going to wait until BootCamp is finished first, be that stand alone or part of Leopard.

  4. The Technocrat Says:
    May 17, 2006 at 8:35 am

    Right. I couldn’t agree more that if you’re just going to play games, building a $1K PC is stupid. But if you figure the PS3 will be $600, think of everything else you get for the remaining $400.

    Just agreeing with you here…

  5. The Technocrat Says:
    May 17, 2006 at 8:45 am

    I’d like to point something out here in retrospect – this article is as much about the process in which to build a PC on a budget as it is for a $1000 gaming machine in May 2006. Some things to also consider, that I didn’t write down:

    You may have to pay for shipping if you go with an online component retailer like newegg.

    If you’re replacing a machine, like I would be, you’ll have a copy of Windows XP Pro or something (just wipe the HD before it goes on eBay). If not, add an additional $90 or so.

  6. Michael Says:
    May 17, 2006 at 1:31 pm

    The fact of the matter is a computer will ALWAYS be a better gaming machine than a console. It’s totally upgradable and way more versitile. Not to mention that most games, with the mix of a mouse, keyboard, or gaming pad totally blow away the console’s control mechanics. With the new overclocked chip, this system, especially if you are just upgrading is way better than a PS3…except the blue-ray. Damn you Sony.

  7. GeekLimit » GeekLimit vs. ExtremeTech: $800 Gaming Machine Says:
    May 18, 2006 at 5:02 am

    [...] I love a good challenge.  I wrote up how to shop for a sub-$1000 gaming machine a few days ago, and was pretty happy with the results.  While reading my feeds this morning, an article by ExtremeTech came through on my del.icio.us popular feed that was similar to mine, except with an $800 price tag.  Let's see if we can use some of the methods I talked about with my $1000 rig to beat theirs [...]

  8. Evilhomer Says:
    July 7, 2006 at 8:01 am

    Im a computer gamer myself……But the good thing about consoles is if you buy a game for it, you know it will work. With a PC, it may not run smooth or you may have to turn down the settings, forcing you to upgrade to play the game.

  9. The Technocrat Says:
    July 7, 2006 at 3:08 pm

    I thought the same thing a while ago. What I found out is that a console (in this case, an XBOX) is equal to a machine with the graphics turned down.

    The only advantage was that in some games (like Forza Motorsport and MLB05), the console’s controller was easier to use.

    However, for a FPS fan like myself, I found the XBOX controller unbearable. For me, there isn’t any replacement for a FPS than the AWSD-keys controlling the player, and the mouse controlling the weapon.

  10. Evilhomer Says:
    July 8, 2006 at 3:03 pm

    I know what you mean Techno, I only play FPS. I cannot play FPS with a controller, it sucks!

  11. Lisa Says:
    November 28, 2006 at 6:19 am

    I can agree with you on the stupid price of those new consoles – why pay that much, when for a little bit more you get a whole lot more functionality and still very good quality gaming

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