ASUS Av8X Mobo: $125
Kingston 512Mb DDR 2700: $55
AMD 2400XP: $87
Radeon 9700 Pro: $265
Case: $100
CD-Rom: $35
CD-RW: $60
Win XP: $90
19" Monitor: $240

$1057.oo = 1 smokin system

e bay. Was a return. Open box. Was just surfing around not even looking for it. Full warranty

I don't think that animated canopies and moving shelter doors will be the frame rate killers. The FM and terrain will be .

At the UBI forum, someone wrote that the computer used for the E3 presentation was an AMD 2800XP and a GF4 TI4600. The game run smooth with an fps rate somewhere in the 30-40. I guess it will run at the same fps rate as SF. You can still turn some useless stuff off, like the water(still hope it will be a seperate option and not linked to the terrain).

Having LOMAC run poorly and crash in the middle of a heated dogfight: Priceless


The Jedi Master

I like to buy the components myself and build my own system.

A helpful site is http://www.pricewatch.com. Do your research and find out what you want and then price it out at the pricewatch.com site. There are lots of sites that rate hardware and post reviews about every component.

I built a P4 2.4Ghz system using an Asus P4S8X motherboard, 512Mb RAM, a new Antec case, and a 100GB drive. I used my existing GeForce 3 video card and my old Sony monitor. I spent about $650 total and I am very pleased with the system. The mobo is outstanding and has tons of cool features including plenty of USB 2.0 and Firewire ports.

Building your own machine is not without risks, but when it finally works you feel a sense of accomplishment and you learn lots about computers.

Cheers,
Carl

I might get laughed at, but I've had tremendous success with many of Shuttle's new micro boxes. I've built seven of them so far (some for work, some for friends, some for me), and they've all been rock-solid. Very fast systems, quiet, and they take up very little room. Also, the build quality is top-notch. They actually look nice sitting on a desk.

I fought the idea of using them for a long time, being a die-hard 'bigger-is-better' computer builder. My thinking was, 'You should always have lots of room for upgrades!' But, after I considered what else I could possibly want to cram into one, I realized that I couldn't come up with anything that wasn't already included. There's also one PCI slot and an AGP 4X or 8X (depending on the model) should you want to add a faster video card.

Another nice thing about them is the ease of assembly. Great documentation answers any questions, so it's a good choice for a first-time builder. I'm putting these things together in less than half an hour.

They might seem a bit pricey at $220-$320 for a case, but that also includes motherboard and power supply. Not too bad, especially for this quality.

Check this link to Newegg to see some:

Shuttle Micro Computers

I'm not laughing; from what I've read Shuttle's are great - small and quiet.

I'v never built one, but they'd make great internet/word processing machines, or even a good LAN gaming system if you do it right. Things can get awfully hot, though. They're not so good for overclocking unless you like setting things on fire.

They're also a great solution to a home-theater system (HTPC).

HI I spent just under $500 on my new comp upgrade I figure if it can handle F4, LO:MAC shouldnt be too much trouble but ill probally get a Better vid card!!maybe a new OS LOL on and on!!!!

Hi! I drive a truck and carry my "desktop" around with me-set it up once a week or so for a few hours flying fun, but it's quite a pain in the arse, to be honest.

I've looked at the Shuttle many times, but the small (as far as I know-230 watts) PS was what has kept me from going that route.

As it stands now, I want a 9800 Pro, nForce board, XP3000+, 1 Gig RAM, BIG HD, 4-8 USB2.0 ports and a CD-ROM. Will 230 watts handle that? (I'd use a USB solid state device for backup.)

Also, do they, the Shuttles, have PS/2 support for keyboards?

The size difference would sure help, if they can handle the load.

Hello everybody

Some very good info here but I'm not really computer literate and I'm scared that I might make a mistake putting together my own computer. Is there a kit that is available with all the parts and instructions? If there isn't I think it will be a hot seller. Just have all the parts together with instructions plus a little profit for someone who does this. I would be game for buying something like this.