Advice on 2nd new computer for gaming (specifics)?

neither gateway nor hp really sell pcs suitable for games like FarCry, FEAR, or DOOM 3. the video cards are wimpy and the power supplies are weak so they'd have to be replaced.

an hp m7300e with 1gb of ram, athlon xp 3800+, 80gb hd, dvd burner, tv tuner, and audigy 4 sound is $890 (after $150) rebate. add a geforce 7600gt ($170 web price) and replace the 300w power supply with an antec smart power 450w ($65 at CC) and you'd have a good gamer for just over $1100.

cUSA offers a similar PC that needs the same upgrades however they may be able to custom configure it in the store:
http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=52162220&pfp=external&tabtype=ts#moreinfo

here's a prebuilt entry-level gamer from monarch systems:
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=90594&Category_Code=AllNemesis

lastly, here's a ibuypower system:
http://www.ibuypower.com/ibp/store/configurator.aspx?mid=160
3800+ x2 (dual core), 1gb ram, 7600gt, 200gb hd, audigy se sound, is about $960.

Anything extreamly expensive. I would go with something cheap and "upgrade friendly" for two reasons 1, concore AKA core duo 2 and 2,diretX 10 video cards are coming out so it is hard to jusify anything like a 7950gx2 monster...!

I probably should wait til Vista comes out in 2007 getting a new computer (with the DX 10, all the new processors coming out, etc.) unless a real emergency happens. I just hope Vista is worth the wait!

Basic things to watch for when buying.

I build, mostly because I then at least know what is there. The OS disk will be complete and the drivers will be the right ones for at least the first time I turn the PC on. Many of the computers I have had to fix using computer companies? restore disks leave me wondering what I have installed. Over the years I have come up with some things to look for when buying/shopping for a main stream PC.

Often my gaming computer of today becomes my workhorse computer 6 months to a year later, so I would buy with that in mind. Look at the next generation operating systems and look at what are the minimum specification to run the newest software that you might be interested in using. Try and find out if the new computer will be up-gradable within your own limits.

It should come with a restore disk system. You need to read carefully to see what is shipped, some companies require you to burn your own restore CDs or charge more for restore disks. Hard drives fail and this restore system is needed if you fail to have a backup system in place that is self installing/bootable (without operating system in place).

The software bundled with the PC should be what you want not OEM (original equipment manufacturer) software that has a poor uninstall track record. I have had to remove OEM anti-virus software at the registry level so watch out for this. I would go with as little as possible installed software and then purchase exactly what you want later. This way when you install after a crash you will have the software on hand and your chance of getting support is more likely if you have a retail copy of the software.

OEM add on cards will work but, watch out, some companies make a point not to support their own OEM products versus their retail products. I once had new drivers to install but because the sound card was OEM the company that built the computer had to supply the drivers. The company that had their name on the card denied me the use of their new driver.

Don?t get fancy OEM optical drives installed. I have found that external USB optical drives are more usable for me because I can move them around and if they don?t work I can take them back to the store without opening the case and voiding the warranty. I have also had OEM optical drives that almost worked, I mean the drive would do just enough that I could not ask for a new one but not as good as I needed.

Keep in mind that specs don't tell all. Check posts of customer's to see if there are problems that you can't work around. Do this by finding the model number of the computer you are interested in and do a search on it. Read the posts that seem to show problem areas. I found complaints about slow remote controls to motherboards being replaced.

The goal of the company selling the computer is to keep cost low and one way they do this is by using small/weak power supplies (and some other components). They select the power supply size by what the power consumption specs of the parts it is sold with use. The computer will usually work until you up garde with a power hungry video card or additional hard drives. This often shows up as failed boot ups, sometimes requiring 3 boots before the computer is stable or artifacts appearing on the screen from nowhere. So keep this in mind when planning to up grade your main stream PC, a new high power video card may require a new bigger power supply.

If the new PC arrives and you don?t like it take it back. I have returned as many as 3 PCs when buying just one. I took one back because it was broken. 2 more because the software I wanted to run would not run, even thou by the specs the software should have run. I went through 2 model upgrades and 2 computer companies before I found what I wanted and that had to be built to order. This was made easer by the computer store I used being next door to where I worked. When returning the PCs I used the supplied restore disks to clean them up.

Given the above comments you can see why the work level is about the same whether built or bought. Buying is just as challenging as building and the perfect PC is just a compromise of what you want and what you can get.