With COD MW2 on the horizon, I am figuring that I will be building a new computer late this summer to be ready for the MW2 beta which will likely start in August or September. I am assuming that MW2 will be even more demanding than WAW, outstripoing the ability of my recent computer patchwork to smoothly run the program.

Many of you know of my epic distaste for Comcast. Given the location of my home (out in the Pine Barrens), the cable in my area runs at 1.5 mkbs (on a good day). I am considering replacing it with Verizon FIOS. What other options might I have? Is there an affordable way to get a higher speed signal to the house?

The reason that I mention the cable speed is that, I am concerned that the speed of the line will always be a limiting factor. True? Will a fast computer compensate for the slow signal?

The other reason I started this thread is to stimulate a discussion of components and sources for buying them. Feel free to post suggestions and your thoughts. In the end, I hope to consolidate all I've learned and build the best machine for the money that I have to spend.

Let me start off with my initial question: "what processors are in the pipeline that would be available by late summer and which is the best of them." Next, since I guess that the entire build starts with a motherboard. What do I need there. Are there certain brands that are better than others? How about specs and features? Finally, air or liquid cooled? Liquid cooling seems to be associated with overclocking - right? So, if I select a processor that does not need to be overclocked, can I stick with an air cooled system? If I decide to overclock in the future, can a system be retrofitted without too much effort or should I just bite the bullet and build it in from teh start.

I think I'll stick with XP for now, until 7 comes out. But I want a system that is compatable with 7 so I can switch over when it is released. I am assuming that I will need to run xp 64 bit - right?

Another preliminary issue is overall budget. In looking at processors and such, some of them are as high as $600 or more. What is a reasonable budget to set for a decent gaming machine?

Enough for now. Let the debate begin.

Sailus

Sail,

I got a gaming pc spec out for $1,226 AFTER $50 IN REBATES. It has the latest and greatest. (oNE Video card only) A 285GTX.

1 - Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
Item #: N82E16822136322
$229.99 $30.00 Mail-in Rebate


1 - CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail
Item #: N82E16817139006
$109.99 $20.00 Mail-in Rebate


1 CORSAIR XMS3 3GB (3 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X3G1333C9 - Retail
$61.00

1 - Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920
Item #: N82E16819115202
$279.99

1 - Intel BOXDX58SO LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard
Intel Gift - PC game
Item #: N82E16813121361
Intel Gift - Far Cry PC game - OEM
Item #: N82E16800995059
$244.99

1 - BFG Tech BFGEGTX2851024OCPE GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
Item #: N82E16814143170
Free Nvidia Gift - COD 5 WAW OEM
Item #: N82E16800999088
$349.99

Subtotal: $1,275.95

Something like this next time around, except black water in hose's:

http://www.hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1033689160&postcount=638

More later....... my brain is tired

Ice -

your specs look to be a good starting point. Am looking at the Gforce 295 (vs. 285) and the i7 940 (vs. 920), toying with the higher specs. Cost is an additonal $500. Not sure its worth it for the 12% greater performance.

Anybody have an opinion on NIVIDA as a graphics card? I have been pleased with my 9500 GT that I got at Circuit City during the melt down. Don't know the other manufacturers. One think i'll say about NVIDIA is that they support their equip with driver updates regularly. I have generally noticed stability when I have updated them.

I'll need a case. Any recommendations? After blind's read on water cooling, I'm sticking with a fan and heat sync. Is there a case that accomidates an oversized fan?

Also, I will be upgrading the monitor. High Def is prolly the way to go - no? Size - I don't need to play on a big screen tv. 22? smaller? Brand?

Sailus

As far as case's go get the biggest one you can accommodate... it makes things SO much easier to work one.

My favorite line of pc case's is by lian li, I think they make the sharpest most well laid out cases. Just make sure the case you get will work with the MOBO you get ATX/BTX...

PC-V2010
[url=http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.silverpcs.com/images/pcv2000_a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://forums.slizone.com/index.php%3Fact%3DPrint%26client%3Dprinter%26f%3D37%26t%3D12591&h=550&w=400&sz=40&tbnid=XxHI54_OIyQ6HM::&tbnh=133&tbnw=97&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlian%2Bli%2Bv2000&hl=en&usg=__s4knEGCBETFOrbTx7138R-0P8yA=&ei=P0zRScXEH53qlQf54IHkCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=9&ct=image&cd=1]v2000

Otherwise Silverstone would be my second choice, then Thermaltake, Kandalf if you want a wilder look.

Tiger direct has a nice selection of cases or if you wanna go cheap check ebay and get a can of spray paint

As far as graphics cards it Nvidia or Radeon and that debate has been going on since the stone age, I would stick with Nvidia personally but google nvidia or radeon and you'll be busy reading all day. When you purchase the MOBO just make sure it's not geared to the card you are NOT buying... it'll work but some are built to support a particular brand graphic's card.

Monitor for me 22 to 24 inch is fine, Benq, Nec, Samsung, something along those lines, I believe kelevra is happy with the Samsung he purchased.

Coolermaster has some ko0l cases as well . i have a Cm Stacker 830 , it has plenty of 120 mm fans for cooling . The Cosmos 1000 case looks pretty co0l .

I forgot about coolermaster, there is a review of that case here:

[url=http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Cosmos+1000&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=gFfRSZOwGNGblAeN_NjMCQ&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=7&ct=title#]Cosmo 1000

I still like the lian li's but this case seems to offer nice cooling and really easy access.

http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/systems-2009/lian-li/p80/permafrost/permafrost.htm <!-- SW33T

Some rig, couple of loops in there I guess.

That's a pretty neat site, these are more along the lines of what I was thinking of:

http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/systems-2008/murderbox/murderbox.htm

http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/systems-2008/lian-li/mcp/lian-li-pc7se3-mcp.htm

http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/systems-2008/aplus/black-pearl/alexandru-mihalache/aplus-black-pearl.htm

I like the black interior, was even thinking about black liquid in the cooling lines, with chrome fittings.

I must admit those rigs look bad ass . I just cringe at the thought of liquid in a 1300 dollar tower i just built . I was wondering if i could buy the fan set up that was at the bottom of some of the cases . I would like to add them to help push the hot air to the top case fan .