what to build around my 9500PRO card?

[andrewdna]

I want to build a good to great game system around a ATI 9500 pro graphics card. I just built the following:

leadtek 5200 FX 128meg DDR graphics card
2500+ Barton boxed cpu
512 meg 3200DDR ram
Abit K7 mobo 333fsb
130meg Maxtor HD

I find it still hanging while playing with photoshop 7. All components were bought from Newegg and Fry's.

I am thinking to ditch the boxed cpu this time and get a better heatsink and Thermaltake fan and get a cool case, like the Alien I see at bestbuy. I am building this for another friend as well but I am not sure what are the best components to get at this time. I want something resonably priced with added performance by overclocking the GPU and CPU later on if more graphics intensive games come out. I think the budget is around 600-800. Is that enough for a good gaming system? I am pretty sure I want to stick with the 9500 Pro though. What parts would you use for everything else? Also, would performance be better if I buy 2 hard drives, a 40 gig for windows xp, and a 200gig for storing mp3s etc?

[slinky]

hanging in photoshop 7? wierd, my 64MB g4mx doesnt do that.

a good gaming system would be 2.4C /w 512MB PC3200 (Crucial or better), and for hard drive space, look around in the deals forum and u can get a 160 gig for as low as $99 or even that WD hard drive with the $200 rebate (if you're lucky).

[DallasDon]

The FX 5200 is the lagging part of your current system. Good mid range card, but cannot keep up with new games above 600 x 800 resolution.

Couple more thoughts:

Barton 2500, and PC 3200 both capable of 200 FSB, why not looke at a Abit NF7 opr ASUS A7n8 (both rev2) board to realize the full capabilities.

Hard drives over (around) 130 gigs require a seperate controller card. I really like the WD special editon 80 gig with 8 mb buffer, surf around for sales, have found them for as little as $50 after double rebates, usually less thant 80 bucks.

I really like new egg for one stop shopping, usually easier than fighting traffic to shop at the fifteen or so electronics stores around town. While you are looking, look at the Maxtop cases. Many options, designed for airflow, a must for cooling a gaming machine. Search by manufacturer, and take a look at the accessories for that case. I just purchased the no psu model, with the 92 mm fans, wish I had ordered an extra window side panel, just for grins.