Whats a good gaming computer configuration under $1200?

Q. I am building a computer in the summer, and I wanted to know what kind of configuration was good. I want an i7 and the new GTX 680. I am not sure which i7 i should get, and what the other parts should be. I dont care about the case design, and I am planning to overclock. I want it to be preferably under $1200, but its ok if it exceeds my price limit a little bit.

A. There's too much parts out there to choose the best for you. Instead of listing what you should buy, i'll tell you what to look for.

The only thing i'll tell you to buy: Go for an i5 2500k. An i7 2600k does perform a bit better, but also costs quite some more. The i5 2500k is more than fast enough for gaming.

Since you're planning to overclock, you'll need a P67 or Z68 motherboard. Any motherboard with that chipset will do, but perhaps you want some special features on your motherboard.

Something to consider for overclocking: Liquid cooling. There are several easy to install liquid cooling solutions for under 100 dollars. They greatly increase your overclocking potentiol, so definitely worth checking it out. An example of a great liquid cooling set is the corsair H100, but cheaper ones will suffice too.

Just a little bit about RAM: 4GB of RAM is fine for gaming, but since it's so cheap these days a lot of people get 8GB of RAM. Don't bother getting more than that, it's just a waste. Don't bother paying too much for the RAM too, DDR3-1333 really is fine. If you know what you're doing you could get DDR3-1600, don't bother with more than that.
It's recommended to get exactly two sticks of RAM to make full use of dual channel memory. It'll perform a bit better than one or four sticks, not that much but there's a difference.

Last tip: When buying a PSU, don't go over 750W. 650W probably is enough already.

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Gaming computer for about $1200?

Q. Hey I am getting a laptop for college and want to be prepared. I love MMORPGS and am awaiting the arrival of Guild Wars 2. The laptop will need to be able to play games at good quality and run smoothly. I also make hip hop beats and I will need it for schoolwork. $1200 is my maximum price. I also want a safe website where I could purchase the laptop from, it must have a 2nd gen i7 processor and I want a dependable laptop that that is not known to have problems. (for example the Asus gamers republic with its power up button issues).

A. Check ASUS N55SF-EH71 - http://www.amazon.com/N55SF-EH71-15-6-Inch-Versatile-Entertainment-Laptop/dp/B005UUSIKO/ref=sr_1_42?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&tag=basebal-20&ie=UTF8&qid=1329659703&sr=1-42

It's got 2nd generation Intel i7 2.2 Ghz processor, 8GB RAM, 750GB hard drive and Nvidia GT 555M 2GB graphics card.

Nvidia GT 555M 2GB graphics card will all latest games like Skyrim, BF3, MW3, etc. on highest settings.

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What is the best gaming computer for $1200?

Q. I can go a little higher if necessary.

A. With that cash you can easily build a gaming PC that will last years without any issue. I recently built my friend a MONSTER for $740 in parts. The main piece of this is DON'T BUY AN ALIENWARE. They're not bad at all, actually they're pretty damn awesome, but you can easily put a gaming computer together that's just as good for a LOT cheaper. My recommendation is buying a Dell Inspiron 560 from dell.com, and get it with the cheapest specs there are, so that it's around $299. Then buy a good nVidia GeForce video card, as nVidia is usually the more widely supported GPU for video cards. (The one I used was an nVidia GeForce GTS 450 Free Performance Boost 1GB.) Then, buy RAM from Crucial.com, as they have AWESOME prices, and they ship for free! Just make sure that you check the slot size and front serial bus for the motherboard to make sure that you get the right kind. (I'm pretty sure that Crucial has a search via PC model though, so you should just be able to do that.) Finally, with all this stuff needing power, you'll need a bigger power supply to handle it. I recommend a Corsair power supply, they've never failed me, and at most you'll need about a 500 Watt, maybe even 450 Watt. I built my friend's with an Corsair GS800 (800 Watts) because I happened to get it on sale, and it helped add to the flashiness :P. You can get a cheaper one though. Just make sure it's enough. When in doubt, get a bigger power supply. (They all have the correct dimensions to fit in the Inspiron case, so no worries there.) And with that, I have finished my long-winded explanation. But like I said, in the end, that cost just a little over half of what you're putting out for a budget, so you can go even bigger if you please, such as a mind-blowingly amazing video card, or a gaming PC case with extra cooling and whatnot, or whatever you please.

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Gaming computer for under $1200?

Q. Can sum1 create me a good gaming computer with functioning parts for under $1200?
preference: nvidia 9800+, intel quad or core 2 duo, nice case with green or blue neon lights, sumthing good like fans or heatsink so that it wont heat up.
19 inc CHEAP monitor.

A. my buddy made me a nice gaming pc this is his current add, he mostly works locally but i know he was talking about expanding. http://stillwater.craigslist.org/cps/851033357.html

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good gaming computer?

Q. looking for a decent gaming computer that will also support a 3D solid modeling program called inventor. i have about 1200 dollars to spend. Suggestions?

A. Alienware - one of the Top gaming laptop series in world.

Otherwise, choose any brand with minimum of 4GB of RAM and High end graphic card with minimum of 512MB graphic card. Get the OS with 64bit which helps faster performance(check the inventor program for 64 bit support. otherwise go 32bit).

If you have an idea about Desktop, its better. If you planning laptop, check this
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html
before you make decision.

If you plan Hp -> go for Elitebook
Sony - Fseries
Dell - Lattitude

Original Question

What kind of gaming computer can i buy for 1200$(max i would like to spend less than that though)?

Q. I am looking for a fairly cheap gaming computer, and i need to know what company to buy from, and what to buy. i don't really want personal preference i want the facts so i get a good deal for the best price. pleas include what it will cost to ship it with UPS ground to north Dakota.
I am looking for a desktop

A. Complete edit since you said you want a desktop instead...

I can't really say what company to buy from, since that is up to personal preferences. However, I can tell you what you should buy.

First of all will be a good graphics card. You can find the rankings here:
http://www.overclock.net/graphics-cards-general/502403-graphics-card-ranking-5th-time-last.html

If you want to keep the price down, any card in the top 100 overall will be fine. To be more future proof, get a card that's in the top 50 overall. Of course, some of the cards on that list are old, but you should be able to match names with a newer card. Also, go to canyourunit to see the requirements of current games that you would like to run. Pick the recommended settings and try to hit at least that when you pick the graphics card.

Get a good CPU. In terms of gaming, extra cores is not as useful as higher clock speeds, for now. So if you can't decide, pick a CPU with a higher clock speed. I prefer Intel CPUs over AMDs because on the higher end cards, Intel wins.

Get good ram, and lots of it. If you are 32 bit, you want to hit 4gb (some will be wasted, but its worth it). If you are running 64 bit, current sweet spot that is affordable is around 8gb. 6gb is ok as well. The ram should be DDR3 or they are ripping you off.

Get a good harddrive. If you want to reduce load times, you might be interested in a solid state drive. Just so you know, these usually cost a lot and have much more limited read/write cycles before it breaks. You can also get a rotating harddisk that goes up to 10000rpm or above. The only issue with these are mechanical wear, but should be much more affordable than the solid state drives.

This should be a good starting point for you. I've listed the things you should focus on in the order of priority, so if you can't decide what to cut to reduce the price, cut the things lower down on the list.

That said, if you don't want to build your own, let me list some pros and cons of some big name companies:
Dell: Customer support is decent especially if you use their online chat function. Their hardware is usually subpar, so for example, they might try to give you 32bit win 7 or ddr2 ram. You should watch out for this. They also don't update their drivers as much as I would like and I've heard they're not too great. If you pick their gaming brand, Alienware, these problems shouldn't exist.

HP: Horrible customer service. Computers should be relatively cheap for the hardware.

Asus, Acer, Sony: Can't tell you too much about these since I haven't used their desktop, only laptops.

Good Luck!

That all said...this looks very promising:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/15/cyberpower-gets-diminutive-with-lan-party-evo-sff-desktop-family/

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best gaming computer for $1200?

Q. It must come with a monitor, mouse, and keyboard

A. All pre-made desktops will come with a mouse and keyboard, as far as monitor, you've got to be more specific about what you want. I'm guessing an 18-22" widescreen LCD? If so, here you go:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0372245

This bad boy has a lot of what you'll need, and probably more:
-Intel i7 quad core
-Windows 7 Premium (one of the fastest modern boots and it shouldn't have too much crap slowing it down, you can remove a bunch of startup commands and get this guy loaded in about 20-30 secs).
-8GB DDR3 RAM - plenty of speed
-AMD Radeon HD 6670 - Solid 1GB graphics card that also supports 3D and blu ray 3D - good standard card, but for a couple hundred more you can swap out a stronger 400 watt card. Probably one of the best cards you'll get for a pre-built computer and runs many games at standard or optimal res already. Also supports VGA, DVI, and HDMI so you can hook up to any LCD and even TVs, supports res up to 2560x1600.
-7.1 audio for surround sound (if needed)
-2 TB hard drive - you'll never run out of space
-DVD-RW for using/burning DVDs - there's also a few expansion slots if you want to install your own blu ray drive or DVD-ROM so you aren't using two devices for one
-reads all memory cards (8-in-1)
-integrated wired and wireless internet (802.11n) and bluetooth

Decent package for the money. You can upgrade it, of course, and I would probably suggest a better graphics card eventually, a separate DVD or Blu Ray drive (ROM, not writer), and you can upgrade to as much as 32GB of DDR3 RAM and with two available slots, throw in another 8GB of RAM so you have a hefty 16GB total (2x4GB DDR3 RAM chips). Also note that the only PCIe slot (used for the graphics card) is being used by the Radeon, so you'll have to uninstall and remove it before throwing in a different card and you can't use dual graphics processors on this unit. Don't know how much you know about PCs or swapping hardware.

For the monitor, may I suggest:
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0371557

1.) It's under budget (you have $200 left, it's $160)
2.) Samsung has great displays and 23.6" is a big screen
3.) Supports DVI
4.) Max resolution is 1920x1080, but that's pretty standard and is 1080p graphics
5.) Great consumer reviews on multiple web sites
6.) I am loving my samsung 21" display

There you have it - $1160 for a solid gaming PC right out of the box with display and keyboard/mouse. You even have $40 leftover to get some solid surround speakers or something, but a headset will probably run you over that budget. If you don't mind going $10 over, here's a great 5.1 speaker package that will make some noise in a bedroom/dorm room:
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0341944
Only $50

Hope this helps. If you want to (or can) build from scratch, I can make other suggestions, but it will take time, knowledge and effort.

Also, I don't work for Microcenter, but from a nationwide standpoint they are always the best deal, usually by a margin, hands down.

Original Question

What is the best gaming computer for $1200?

Q. I can go a little higher if necessary.

A. With that cash you can easily build a gaming PC that will last years without any issue. I recently built my friend a MONSTER for $740 in parts. The main piece of this is DON'T BUY AN ALIENWARE. They're not bad at all, actually they're pretty damn awesome, but you can easily put a gaming computer together that's just as good for a LOT cheaper. My recommendation is buying a Dell Inspiron 560 from dell.com, and get it with the cheapest specs there are, so that it's around $299. Then buy a good nVidia GeForce video card, as nVidia is usually the more widely supported GPU for video cards. (The one I used was an nVidia GeForce GTS 450 Free Performance Boost 1GB.) Then, buy RAM from Crucial.com, as they have AWESOME prices, and they ship for free! Just make sure that you check the slot size and front serial bus for the motherboard to make sure that you get the right kind. (I'm pretty sure that Crucial has a search via PC model though, so you should just be able to do that.) Finally, with all this stuff needing power, you'll need a bigger power supply to handle it. I recommend a Corsair power supply, they've never failed me, and at most you'll need about a 500 Watt, maybe even 450 Watt. I built my friend's with an Corsair GS800 (800 Watts) because I happened to get it on sale, and it helped add to the flashiness :P. You can get a cheaper one though. Just make sure it's enough. When in doubt, get a bigger power supply. (They all have the correct dimensions to fit in the Inspiron case, so no worries there.) And with that, I have finished my long-winded explanation. But like I said, in the end, that cost just a little over half of what you're putting out for a budget, so you can go even bigger if you please, such as a mind-blowingly amazing video card, or a gaming PC case with extra cooling and whatnot, or whatever you please.

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Should I sell my laptop to save for a gaming computer?

Q. I have a dell vostro v13 and I was planning on selling it to get a 1500 dollar gaming computer by Christmas. I would be able to sell it for 400 on ebay. I travel from my mom to my dads house every week so the laptop was useful but I really need a gaming desktop. My dad doesn't want me to sell it but I think I should. My mom doesn't care if I sell it.

A. Almost every answer here is not relevant to the question :-) If you really want to play games you surely need gaming desktop, and not max or alienware - buy custom built one. You can actually buy cheaper computer that $1500 one and still will be able to play all games on max, today the best price point is around $1000-1200. Get Intel i5 based one, with 4+GB RAM and good video card like at least GTX 460 and it will be a perfect one. Check link below:

Original Question

How much is a decent gaming computer?

Q. I'm planning to get a job in summer so I can buy a decent gaming computer, which can run games like CoD Black Ops, Homefront, up coming Need for Speed games and Crysis 2 in maximum graphics with NO LAG. How much would it cost me to get a computer like that?
And which computer would you recommended?
yeah... what does it mean to built your own computer?

A. Best price is around $900-1000, no need to spend more than $1200 most of the times. Best processors now are Intel Sandy Bridge. They are just awesome - faster than any others. You don't generally need more than 4GB RAM, 8GB is an option. Now video card is very important. For Crysis on max you should look at GTX 460 or GTX 550 at least.
I recommend this machine - great CPU, you can pick GTX 460 or 550 in options, it comes with everything you will ever need. Free shipping and great quality from Centaurus Comptuers

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How Much should I spend on each component of my gaming computer build?

Q. My budget is 1200$ total. I am trying to build a good, well rounded gaming computer that will last. What should my budget be for each component in order to stay within my total budget. Thanks! (I would like a fairly highend GPU) Monitor, keyboard, and mouse not included in budget.

A. Hello

You said $1,200 dollards to spend. With that you can have the following PC.

CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K 3.3Ghz Quad-Core (Turbo 3.7Ghz)
CPU Cooling: Corsair H60 Water Cooler
Motherboard: Asus Maximus IV Gene-Z/Gen 3 LGA 1155 MATX Board
Memory: Corsair Vengence 2x 4Gb=8Gb 1600Mhz
Hard Drive: 1TB SATA III 7200RMP 32MB Cache
Video Card: NEW! RAdeon 7850 Asus 2GB GDDR5 PCI-Express 3.0
Otical Drive: CD/DVD Burner
Power Supply: Corsair GS700 Gaming Series 700watts PSU
Computer Case: Recomment a tower that is Mid-Tower or Full-Tower.
Operating System: Window 7 Home Premium 64Bit

There are the money! Parts are from Newegg.com

I hope this help you. if you wish i can build it for ya!

Original Question

How much should I spend on a gaming computer?

Q. How much should I spend on a gaming computer that could also record videos on youtube and such. I wont need a monitor ir mouse or keyboard. M
But will need operating sysem and such. Im a fast learner so I can prob build it my self or just buy from a company. I have a $1200 max budget. But could go $1400 and buy a desk later.

A. You could probably buy one from 800 - 1400 dollars.

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