Haha,  I'm from melbourne.. yeap, we've heard of cholesterol.. probably why we don't have awesome things like IHOP

Anywho, my original plan was to build it from scratch, but after reading through your post, I feel it may by much easier for me to just 'pimp' out an already built up system, given my lack of experience in that it'll be the first computer i put together/touchup myself.. that said, i think if given all the parts, i'd be able to peice it all together and make it work... 

So while i don't mind starting from scratch, i think it'd be more convinient to add things to an already made base

This computer looks very nice. Just recently I have ordered bunch of parts from newegg to build my own pc from scratch and in the end it will most likely cost me around 800$ but its stats are slightly better. Dont get me wrong the build you got here is very nice and is awesome reference material for anyone who wants to build a powerful gaming PC for cheap.

Thank you for posting information like this, it is very helpful for newbies in computer building like me. Newegg is a great source for computer parts but the selection is so huge that I need to know where to start.

 Edit: In the future I would love to see some information on actually assembling the parts. This is mostly selfish because I will be assembling my computer in a couple of weeks so all information would be helpful.

This computer looks very nice. Just recently I have ordered bunch of parts from newegg to build my own pc from scratch and in the end it will most likely cost me around 800$ but its stats are slightly better. Dont get me wrong the build you got here is very nice and is awesome reference material for anyone who wants to build a powerful gaming PC for cheap.

Thank you for posting information like this, it is very helpful for newbies in computer building like me. Newegg is a great source for computer parts but the selection is so huge that I need to know where to start.

 Edit: In the future I would love to see some information on actually assembling the parts. This is mostly selfish because I will be assembling my computer in a couple of weeks so all information would be helpful.

Ok, This is the laptop I have... (for the most part)

Mine, is the 'slightly' older version, only diffrence is mine has 3gb memory, and it has 4gb, mine didnt come with SP1, and it does.

I'm not gonna do a sexy picture of the performance...

Processor:4.7
Memory: 4.5
Graphics: 5.9
Gaming Graphics: 5.8
HDD: 5.3

Really that 'full crysis capability' is quite a load of BS, as my desktop, can NOT run crysis at FULL(and it's about 30% faster than my laptop, which is double the speed of yours). The only person I know, (in person) who has a computer that can do that, is my brother, and he has a 4000$ computer. (it's psycho, over-the-top, and I am by no means saying you couldnt build a system for less to do what his can... well actually you couldnt, but you wouldnt need to either)

EDIT: I just want to say, I just noticed your, "Spend 1,000-1,500 on an almost good enough computer." I spent 1.250 on my laptop, and it's WAAY faster than your 'good enough' computer. Just dont buy an alienware, or a high performance DELL. Look up ASUS, they have some custom build laptops/computers, that will just blow your mind, for really decent prices.

The link I provide, is the "ONLY" gameing notebook for under 2000$ that is NEAR as fast as it is. And it's WAY under 2000. It goes cheap on processor, memory, screen. Not the Video card. A true gem.

Also, do yourself a favor, and add 300$ for windows, as you did not include that. So your 'so-so' custom made computer after monitor, has now cost around 1050$, while my laptop only ran me 1250, yet it's faster. Building custom computers are really fun, but it's not that cheap, unless you go 2nd from best. As if you go 'mid tier' you really wont save that much money.

If you build one, go cheap on the CPU, go all out on the memory, and buy the 2nd fastest video card on the market, after *everything* including HDD, you are looking at about 1300-1500$ and that is a seriously moster of a computer. I really dont reccomend you to build your own computer, uness you know what your doing, as when you build your own computer when something breaks, even in the first 20 days. (very common) you have no way of diagnosing what happend, and you end up either not fixing it, or spending WAAY too much to fix it. I just re-built my desktop. (changed the HDD's in it around a little for a fresh install, and minor upgrade with DVD Drive, and add a HDD) One of my SATA wires came out of the end about 1mm, and if I didnt know exactly "where" the problem was, I would have never found that, got a new HDD, then it wouldnt have worked, then probibally a new motherboard thinking my SATA bus was gone, and then I would probibally end up using a new wire from the new one, and when that worked, I just spent about 250$ on a problem that could have been done for under 5$.

I've been building computers for over 10 years, I'm not that old, and I'm always tinkering in, on, or something with one. I honestly cant reccomend the 'average' person to build a computer as it is a very... challenging process.

And dont think you could check the HDD on your 'old' computer, as it would likely not have SATA, and only have IDE, and there's alot of stuff like that in new computers, that is 100% not compatable with old computers. Also if you are buying a computer, you have to make sure you order the right parts, as if you order a SATA drive, and your motherboard does not support SATA, you have a HDD that you can sit and look at, but not use.

EDIT2: Also, something is MAJOR wrong with your rig, you should be pushing at *MINIMUM* a 5 in graphics. Your card is the same as mine. (clock, and pipes) You should be next to identical to what my laptop pushes on graphics. I'm curious do you know what multiplier your PCI-E runs at?

EDIT3: I play Age of Conan at max. ;)

EDIT4:I didnt see the fact your vista score was NOT with that hardware setup. However in that setup be-weary about the on-board video card, as I have encountered some major problems with those, and trying to put on the big ones.

That's fine. I've actually been on assignment to Christchurch twice and only once to Australia. Love them both but if I had to choose, South Island really captured a bit of my heart. Lovely lands and people.

This will crack you up. What really dumb thing do you think I did during my first week in NZ.

Aswer: I went to a zoo no realizing that almost everything there was from Australia or even the states. Duhh

Anyway, your choices looked great. I didn't mean to imply that there was one special way. It's a competitive industry and there are many good options. I chose the setup because I thought it was the best all around deal I saw today. In fact I usually get Intel,, not AMD but AMD does often yield more bang  for the buck. I often take advantage of sales and tend to be fairly agnostic about the established computer makers.

I just wanted to offer my own take on it. I think what you're saying is an exellent way for computer Noobs to get into gaming. OEM companies that are reputable actually test and engineer their systems and often people that build with the cheapest of components forget that they are saving money on quality and it will bite them in the butt in the long term. I am always conservative when I offer advice about building computers, I make sure that the components are good quality and I tend to steer people away from Single slot high power graphics cards if im not sure they know what they are doing. Heat kills fast and it kills slowly, especially an aforementioned cheap motherboard.

The south Island is really nice, im from the North and I haven't had a chance to tour the country much down below. Im glad you liked it. Theres awesome scenery pretty much whereever you choose to base yourself. Just recently I went to the absoltute far north of the country, it was awesome! Sure beat the graphics in Crysis thats for sure.