New Computer

[balbrain]

I have been saving up for a new computer for some time. A friend suggested that I can get the best value if I build one myself. I have always purchased name brands so far but I am open to the idea of building one if I can get guidance.

Please lemme know what all I should /could get. My budget is around 3500 dollars max. I am an avid gamer, so the video card and sound card are priorities. Please tell me what all i can get with this budget and how to go about building one.

Thanx

[wmansir]

For that kind of money you can really put together a top notch gaming system, but you'll have to do some research. Unfortunately, the more cutting edge you want to be, the more research you have to do. I follow hardware as a hobby, but prices and technology change so quickly that even I go into serious research mode for a week or two when putting together a system.

You can start by reading stuff like the Ars Tech Buying Guide (http://arstechnica.com/guide/system/index.html). Unfortunately, it hasn't been updated in a couple of months so it's a bit behind. But it should give you an idea of everything you need and what to look for and roughly how much each component will cost. After that you might want to check out sites like hardopc.com, anandtech.com, extremetech.com ect that specialize in reviewing the latest hardware. Then check out sites like pricewatch.com and pricegrabber.com to see what the current prices are.

The anandtech.com forums are very busy and should be able to give you a ton of help selecting and putting together your system.

[nFury8]

You got the budget, so go for it. Nothing beats getting your hands dirty
building your own rig. You get so much satisfaction out of it if you just do it right. I agree with wmansir on the research part, spend as much time weighing your options and choices. Drop in on every hardware review sites and compare expert opinions. wmansir has already cited some of the major hardware sites, get your butt down there and just dig as much as you can. Also, you may want to check out MaximumPC magazine if you like. As for the video card, as things stand right now, you only have two choices,nVidia's GeForceFX series and ATI's Radeon series. Up to you which model you pick that would suit your needs best, considering the price. For sound card, since you're into serious gaming, you only have Creative's Audigy 2 as your best bet for now. And I would recommend a good 5.1 speaker setup to go along with it. For example, compare Logitech's Z680 speakers(I've been dreaming about this baby for months now:)) with equivalent 5.1 product range from Creative and Klipsch. Read their features and specs and all the reviews then decide for yourself. And have fun. And keep that beer a safe distance away from the motherboard when you start building your little beast. :)