For desktop computers, Dell and Apple are probably the two better pre-built mass market computers you can get. HP is coming back around too. In laptops, there are several other names worth considering, but it sounds like you're going for a desktop machine given your gaming and graphic needs.

If you have more money to spend you can get better Apple stuff or on the PC side go for something more beefy from Voodoo, Falcon Northwest or Alienware.

I would stay away from Sony and Gateway or any company making computers that you previously knew the name by their manufacture of refrigerators or sunglasses.

And of course, for those with more technical skills, you can always build your own computer with twice the capability and 1/3 the price of a mass market model.

I personally don't have any technical skills, but my roommate does. He works on computers for a living. He may be the one who ends up building me what I need, but it is always nice to have advice from others who create art on their computers like I do (since he certainly doesn't ).

Thanks so much for all the input.

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~Dani | ~*DarkMaidenofSorrow | ~~DarkMaiden-Stock

If either of you know how to build one thats always the way to go cheaper and better parts.

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Take the good with the bad, Smile with the sad, Love what I have, And remember what I had. Always forgive, But never forget, Learn from my mistakes, But never regret. People change, Things go wrong, I just remember ..Life Goes On.

[link] is your friend for computer parts. If ya want give me idea of what all you want to be able to do and ill send ya links on what to buy to give you idea of cost. I jsut made mine for less then 500 and its a 2.6 ghz AMD Althon 64 3800+ 500 gig drive dvd and cd-rw burners new case 700 watt power supply 1 gig dual channel ram that lights up and a 7300 GT Nvidia vid card. I do lot of gaming and stuff myself and this ones seems to be pulling pretty good

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Take the good with the bad, Smile with the sad, Love what I have, And remember what I had. Always forgive, But never forget, Learn from my mistakes, But never regret. People change, Things go wrong, I just remember ..Life Goes On.

Build it yourself and and install XP.
Avoid Vista like the plague.
I maintain and build systems for people and have to contend with Micrsoft's latest offering and I can say with all honesty.....it's crap.

To keep the cost down go with an AMD dual core processor and and Nvidia nforce chipset and graphics card. Nvidia's basic colour balance is better than ATI's cards.

For ram I've foung Geil to be a good and cheap reliable brand.

Samsung hard drives have started to eclipse the opposition recently both for reliability and noise level.

LiteOn DVD writer, again reasonable price and cool performance.

HP have a new series of widescreen monitors out that are absolutely stunning with excellent colour balance and very reasonably priced

Case of choice but make sure you have good ventilation.
Antec Nine Hundred is a cracker for the money and if you put a good modular power supply with it like the Coolermaster PSU Real Power M700 700W that will make a good reliable system.

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Machines were mice and men were lions once upon a time, but now that it's the opposite, it's twice upon a time. - Moondog

Thanks for all the advice. I will pass this info onto my computer builder.

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~Dani | ~*DarkMaidenofSorrow | ~~DarkMaiden-Stock

I'd never try and tackle something like that on my own, but I believe my roommate will be up for the challenge. Especially if he gets the spare computer once we're done.

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~Dani | ~*DarkMaidenofSorrow | ~~DarkMaiden-Stock

hehehehe how i do it if i build ya one ya can give me old for the kids as payment how i got one of the kids granted it isnt much of a computer only a 866 mhz but eh does what they want and he got a 900 dollar computer

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Take the good with the bad, Smile with the sad, Love what I have, And remember what I had. Always forgive, But never forget, Learn from my mistakes, But never regret. People change, Things go wrong, I just remember ..Life Goes On.

Wow, I'm glad this is all written down. I'd never remember all that otherwise. Thanks for all the advice. It's great to have recommendations from people I trust.

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~Dani | ~*DarkMaidenofSorrow | ~~DarkMaiden-Stock