Well yes, the second PC is better...but it does cost more...

You will be good with gaming with the second PC...hopefully...I'm still not 100% sure about that graphics card, but it sounds like it'll be alright.

Honestly, I don't see any major issue with either computer, apart from the graphics card (or lack thereof). That will be the number-one issue for running games smoothly on either rig.

Core2Duo is the current "best-performing" CPU, but if the first rig features an AMD, they are known to be more "energy-efficient".

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/07/11/energy-efficiency-intel-left-out-in-the-cold/ 

You will notice that unless you want to run games like Crysis in full detail and at HD resolutions, then neither rig may fit the bill anyhow!

However, if you are after just general-purpose gaming (e.g. play Unreal 2K4, Far Cry, Rainbow Six, SimCity4, Civilization4, virtually any RTS), then yeah, you could do worse than these two computers.

For the graphics card, I'd look into a Radeon 1900-range, or a GeForce 7900-range. They will suit your needs fine until those DX10 games come out that you just GOTTA play. That'd be probably sometime during Christmas, when it would be perfect timing to hit up your old man again for that upgrade you want!

Core 2 Duo E6320 - $165.50

MSI P35 Neo2-FR LGA775 - $126.99

G.Skill 2x1GB DDR2800 (DDR21066 are like $140...) - $88.99

Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB SATA 3.0Gb - $64.99

EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 640MB - $379.99

MSI TurboStream 600W BTX - $79.99

Throw in any SoundBlaster card here... - ~$90

Did I miss something?

Don't you have relatives in the US that can give you a hand with importing the stuff to Ecuador?

Because everything is overpriced outside the US regarding PC components.

I'm from Mexico, and I import directly from the US rather than buying from local retailers...

 Though I have to "play" with the import duties here hehehe

Thanks everyone who has contributed to this topic!n_n

I guess I'll just have to wait until we (my family) go to the U.S.A. and buy a brand new computer there...it's great, by then, prices should be lower and I could play many great games at a lower price (than buying it here)! So...I think none of those PCs are worth it...

By the way, Your Mother, I've been meaning to ask you, how do you know so much about Ecuador?O_o Are you from here?

Soy longo viejo - un criollo de cepa!

HAHAHAHA!!! Así que eres serrano, ¿eh? Pues, yo soy de la Costa, pero no soy racista como los demás. Es decir, hay mucho prejuicio entre los costeños y los serranos, yo creo que no importa la situación geográfica en la que naces, sino que importa cómo eres en persona.

¿Qué significa "cepa"? Talvez es una palabra que se utiliza en la Sierra, pero yo nunca la he escuchado aquí en la Costa (nótese, que como mi padre es diputado, voy a Quito bastantes veces y tampoco he escuchado esa palabra allá)...

 If you're smart, you'll build your own compueter. Which will be LIGHTYEARS better, and hundreds of dolars cheaper.

I paid $800 for a laptop from Dell with the same specs as computer #2 august '06.

I just read the first post.

Honestly, if you are living in America, those prices are no where near acceptable. I always recommend to build your own but that would probobly be way to overwhelming for you. Just get a Dell and find a coupon code and you'll get a good deal.

I just got a new laptop from dell for college, and I got $600 off. My laptop cost about as much as the more expensive of the 2 computers you provided, and it has way better specs. And we are talking about a laptop here... those prices are unnacceptable.

Try to get

1.Core 2 Duo
2. 2GB of RAM
3. A good graphics card. An 8600GT would probobly be pretty good and not too expesnive. Of course you could always get an 8800gtx

And in regards to the graphics card, if you get a computer from Dell, like I reccomended, or even anywhere else, I suggest that you get the computer without a videocard, (make sure the motherboard has a PCI Express slot though!) and install the videocard yourself. While you may be a complete noob, installing a video card is very very simple, and you save quite a bit putting it in yourself.

Well that's all I have to say. Good luck.

Seriously, now is a very nice time to build a computer.

Core 2 Duos are cheap as hell for such a fast processor.
Memory prices are bottom pit low. You can easily get 2GB of good brand memory for under $100.
HDDs are cheap too. 500GB for under 90$.
The only category that price hasnt dropped dramatically is the video game market but there are nice options around the 250$-350$ sweet spot.
I would get a ATI 1950XT or GeForce 8800 GTS.

Here's a good guides for picking parts, give it a read

http://techreport.com/etc/2007q3/system-guide-0707/index.x?pg=1