Mid Level Gaming Computers

Mid-level gaming computers will make you a great gaming machine. I stay away from cutting edge components here, and stick with solid proven components that perform well. This build would also work for video rendering and animation, although it won't be quite as fast as the high end machine. The processor is what will drive your video rendering, so you could easily substitute a Quad-Core processor in here.

Note: All prices shown do not reflect mail in rebates or store rebates, as they change so often. When you are looking to purchase, check around for available rebates, discounts, and sales. Note also that I will try to keep these prices up to date, but they may not be 100% accurate.

Let's start with a nice CPU that's great for gaming computers. I'm going with a Core 2 Duo from Intel, just so we have some money to spare a bit later, as you'll see. The Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 at 3.0GHz is a great processor for the price. At 1333MHz on the front side bus, it'll play nicely with your system.

For a motherboard, we just need to make sure to get one that supports that chip. Not hard to do. But we want to make sure we get a few bells and whistles, especially if you plan to overclock your system. The Asus P5K Deluxe will fits nicely into gaming computers. It's a great overclocking board, and has the connections you need.

To keep things speedy, we'll make sure to not skimp on the RAM. I'm recommending the Patriot Viper DDR2 800 RAM. With 4GB, it'll keep gaming computers running smooth. If you are planning to run a 64 bit operating system, then grab yourself 2 of these kits and run 8GB. Can't beat that.

Next up is a graphics card, the heart of all gaming computers. To keep the prices down, I decided not to go with SLI, although if you decided to, the motherboard will support it, so all you'd need to do is pick up another card. For the king of speed, I have to go with the Nvidia 9800GX2 with 1GB GDDR3 Memory by EVGA. Something to keep in mind though, if you are going for SLI, you can save a bit of money and go with the Nvidia 8800 GTX with 768MB, currently they are around $200 or so cheaper.

If you go for the EVGA Nvidia 8800 GTX, here are current deals.

We'll need a couple hard drives for this system. The first one is for current applications, games, and the operating system. The Western Digital Raptor X is top of the line, and at 150GB and 10,000 RPM, it'll give all gaming computers the speed to keep the information flowing.

The second hard drive we'll use for backup and storage, so we don't need a screamer like the Raptor. The Samsung SpinPoint T HD501LF at 500GB and 7,200 RPM will do the job nicely. It's a great price for 500GB as well.

We definitely don't want to skimp on the power supply in this system. Gaming computers need something that'll handle power hungery components, with the possibility of a second graphics card. If you are going for the 9800GX2 in SLI, we'll need something even bigger. So I have two here, the 750W Silverstone DA750, made for dual video cards, and the CoolerMaster Real Power Pro 1000W.

1000W Price Range: 269.99 - $299.99

750W Silverstone DA750

Note: If you are not planning on SLI, then you won't need quite so much power. Check out the Zalman ZM600 600W power supply. It has the modular design which is very nice for gaming computers, and will put out plenty of power for a high end video card.

We'll need a nice case for all this, and I have the perfect one. The Antec P182 is a sweet case. Plenty of room to run cables behind everything, tool-less design, and excellent airflow make this a great case for gaming computers.

Gotta have a DVD drive to burn those movies and install all the software. I like the Samsung 20X DVD +- R SATA model. Nice speed with LightScribe. Enough said.

To view your gaming glory in widescreen, go with the Samsung 2253BW 22" Widescreen monitor. This will give you plenty of desktop space, and games will look great at 1680x1050.

Finally, if you plan to overclock your system, then you'll want a better heat sink than is provided with the CPU. The Scythe Ninja is a monster of a cooler, but it will definitely take your temperatures down when overclocking, and most gaming computers are overclocked to eke out every ounce of power.

Price Range: $64.99 - $74.99
Grab it here: Newegg      FrozenCPU

Here's the summary - I have used approximate prices, you may be able to find better deals:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 - $329.00 Asus P5K Deluxe - $169.99 Patriot Viper DDR2 800 - $109.99 Nvidia 9800GX2 - $529.00 Western Digital Raptor X - $164.00 Samsung SpinPoint T HD501LF - $67.99 750W Silverstone DA750 - $199.99 Antec P182 - $119.99 Samsung 20X DVD - $28.99 Scythe Ninja - $69.99 Samsung 2253BW Monitor - $269.00 Total - $2057.93

 

Mods

• You can bring the cost of gaming computers down some by going with the Nvidia 8800 GTX 768MB instead of the 9800 GX2. You will still have a nice card, and save yourself around $250.00.
• You can save another $100.00 or so if you go with a different hard drive than the Raptor. If you are not worried about the speed, then drop down to a 7200 RPM drive.
• I have the 750W power supply in the totals, but if you are not running SLI, you will spend around $80.00 less.
• You could probably save another $50 or so going with a less expensive motherboard like the DFI Lanparty DK P35 at around $140.00.
• If you drop down to a 19" monitor, you can save around $100.00
• Last, if you are not overclocking your system, then don't worry about getting an aftermarket heat sink, the stock one will work just fine, and save you $70.00

One Final Note: Prices on computer components are changing all the time. Always shop multiple sites to find the best price.

 

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