Back to Back Issues Page
The Computer Builder #029 - How To Build A Gaming PC For $1000
April 08, 2006
Issue 29, 7 April 2006

What's Hot
A quick guide to creating a bootable CD-ROM.

Learn about 5 things you can do with an old PC.

How to choose a computer printer that meets your needs.

Here's a great place to buy computer memory.

Upgrade your computer skills with this video tutorial.
 

 

Resources
This computer training package is all you need to upgrade, repair or speed up your computer.

Computer problems? Learn all about basic computer tasks with this e-book.

Here is an excellent tutorial for learning how to build  a computer and troubleshoot PC problems.

Crucial.com offers memory products with  your money back if the upgrades are not compatible.

Verizon Online DSL is offering one month FREE broadband access if you subscribe now.

How To Build A
Gaming PC For $1000

© 2006 Build-Your-Own-Computers.com


Have you always wanted to build a gaming PC to play the latest 3D games or do heavy processing like video editing? Well, a powerful computer is a must.

This article shows you how you can build a gaming PC for just $1000. Please note, however, that the price does not include a monitor, though. This is usually not a problem - you can just salvage your old PC.

One thing you will learn is that we don't have to accept poor components just because our budget is low.

Let's get started. But before you start to build a gaming PC, you need to know where to buy your components. You want a retailer that has a wide variety of computer parts and excellent good customer service.


Step 1: Choose a Processor

The first thing you need to do is to choose a CPU for your gaming PC. Now I reckon that one of the best value-for-money processors out there is the Athlon 64 3500+.


Step 2: Choose a Graphics Card

Right, next we need to look for a graphics card. This is a critical decision when you build a gaming PC. A list of good performance video cards can be found here. However, I personally choose the GeForce 7800 GT card to be our choice in building this rig. This category of cards retails for about $380 in the market.


Step 3: Choose a Motherboard

Alrighty then, the motherboard is next. When you build a gaming PC, remember that the motherboard is one of the most important components. Which one do you choose? Well, the MSI K8N Neo4 SLI motherboard, available for about $123, is a very good choice. It has all the features you need, including a nForce4 SLI chipset. This comes with an extra PCI Express slot should you want to upgrade in future.


Step 4: Choose Memory

For performance, a lot of memory is needed. I’d say that around 1GB of Corsair ValueSelect DDR400 would suffice for our system. This is selling at around $90.


 
Step 5: Choose a Hard Drive

To build a gaming PC, we need lots of hard drive space for storing our games, videos, photos and music files. One of the best deals I’ve found is the Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L300S0 – it gives you a whopping 300 GB. What’s more, its SATA enabled too. This goes for around $135.


 Step 6: Choose a Case

We’re almost there. A good case and a associated power supply is also needed to build a gaming PC. I tend to lean towards a RAIDMAX Cobra case. This sells for about $45 and comes with a powerful 420W power supply unit.


Step 7: Choose a DVD Drive

The last step is to choose a DVD drive. I’d reckon that a good DVD drive is the NEC ND-3520A drive. It’s not a writer – only a DVD-ROM. This unit sells at around $42.


Conclusion

Well, that’s it! Total price of the components above? Just over $1000. I hope this article has shown you the ingredients to build a gaming PC on a budgeticon. Trust me, this system ain’t no pushover. It can perform. Try it out and let me know the results.

 

Articles Of Interest


Learn about some of the best methods to backup hard drives
This article shows you some of the best methods to backup hard drives, so that you can have peace of mind knowing your data is safe.

 Learn how to partition a hard drive using Windows XP
This article teaches you how to partition a hard drive using Windows XP.

 5 essential things to know about buying a computer power supply
This article describes 5 facts you need to know before buying a computer power supply.

A guide to the most common PC external connectors
An in-depth discussion of the most common external connectors coming out of a modern day PC.

Learn how a motherboard works
The third part in a series of articles describing how each component in your computer works. This article describes how a motherboard works.
 

For more articles, be sure to visit Build-Your-Own-Computers.com.
 

Recommended PC Hardware Tools & Services


Upgrade Your Computer Skills With This Video

Do you want to build your own PC, but aren't sure how to get started? Well, then check out How To Build Your Own PC. This e-book teaches you how to assemble a computer using step-by-step instructions and illustrations. Select the computer parts you need and put them together - it's really easy once you know how. Now you can get the exact PC that you want, not what the manufacturer recommends!
 

Put A Stop To Your Computer Headaches
 Do you or someone you know have problems working with a PC? Sounds familiar. You've probably spent hours in front of the PC reading through 'troubleshooting' text.

Well, your problems end here. Tame Your Personal Computer is an excellent e-book for helping computer newbies understand basic computer tasks. Learn about important computer operations like proper computer startup and shutdown, proper handling of files and folders, and how to protect yourself against viruses.
 

Backup Your Hard Disk Easily
Acronis True Image allows you to create an image of your hard disk drive, including the operating system, applications, user settings and user data. You can then use this image to restore your PC to a previous working state without any reinstallation.


Know somebody who'd like to read this?
I really hope that you've enjoyed reading this newsletter. If you think your friends might be interested in taking a look, please feel free to forward it to them.


Haven't subscribed yet?
If you're reading this on the recommendation of a friend and would like to receive all the future editions, you can subscribe for free by clicking on this link.


Contact us:
If you have any comments, opinions, or content ideas I'd love to hear from you. Just click this link to access the newsletter contact form.

 
Back to Back Issues Page