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September 12th, 2008

The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 3:27 am

Categories: DIY PC, Components

Tags: Game, PC, Video, Power Supply, Price, CPU, RAM, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

OK, so what kind of PC can you build yourself for a budget of $2,000 (plus change)? Well, as it turns out, you can get yourself one heck of a system!

This PC will be ideally suited to high end gaming, but if you’re not into gaming then this system will also be able to chew through any photo of video editing jobs that you might have, as well as effortlessly convert your CD and DVD library into a digital library.

Check out the full parts gallery here!

Note: As always I start these builds with a disclaimer. The prices I list here do not take into account the ups (discounts, offers, rebates, bundles …) or downs (taxes, shipping …) of life. I’m also not including a monitor, peripherals or OS in the price list.

Also, I’ve chosen Newegg.com as the price benchmark, but that should not be taken as meaning that I endorse any one outlet over another. You should shop around and find the best deals you can yourself.

Let’s get going!

Next –>

Pages: 1 2 3 4

Want to get in touch? Feel free to drop me a note!

Right to Reply: Should any industry representatives wish to comment on any posts on Hardware 2.0, I will be happy to publish their reply verbatim on this blog.

Adrian is a technology journalist and author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. He also also runs a popular blog called The PC Doctor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.

  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 122 Talkback(s)
You and your PC
need to get a room.

Oh, wait.

;-)... (Read the rest)
Posted by: rtk Posted on: 09/12/08 You are currently: Logged In | Log out
Why such an expensive processor? *NEW* KeeBaud   | 09/12/08
Future proof? *NEW* Caggles   | 09/12/08
E8400 is cheaper horse, but still a horse *NEW* smilajkov   | 09/12/08
Q6600 is faster and cheaper than E8400 *NEW* __Mike__   | 09/12/08
meh *NEW* CletusJones   | 09/12/08
Total Agreement *NEW* support@...   | 09/12/08
I've kinda gone off the Q6600 ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
regardless.... *NEW* CletusJones   | 09/12/08
is E8400 a 45nm cpu? *NEW* pikeman666   | 09/12/08
Yep ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
CPU does not match *NEW* tinob   | 09/12/08
Expensive components... *NEW* vulpine@...   | 09/12/08
The Mac Pro is... *NEW* arminw   | 09/12/08
Problem with Mac Pro *NEW* smilajkov   | 09/12/08
Mac Pro isnt an all around computer *NEW* thjoey@...   | 09/12/08
Mac Pro is very capable *NEW* Michael Fournier   | 09/12/08
Agreed *NEW* Stoshie   | 09/12/08
Video card sound levels *NEW* Xtomik   | 09/12/08
Video card sound levels *NEW* jet1959mo@...   | 09/12/08
Not that noisy ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
Missing Options *NEW* nucrash   | 09/12/08
Yeah ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
While it's not quite the monster you speced... *NEW* wolf_z   | 09/12/08
Video Editing ?? *NEW* mrlinux   | 09/12/08
Good point! *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
How about an Intel Q9450 *NEW* mlbolton123@...   | 09/12/08
Video Editing... *NEW* vulpine@...   | 09/12/08
Newer Camcorders *NEW* mrlinux   | 09/12/08
Yup... *NEW* Stuka   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* bobkn@...   | 09/12/08
My build from Newegg but, over the $2000 budget *NEW* jet1959mo@...   | 09/12/08
Memory *NEW* Aragorn@...   | 09/12/08
Memory *NEW* jet1959mo@...   | 09/12/08
8GB is not overkill ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
Memory? Actually, no. *NEW* vulpine@...   | 09/12/08
XP x64, Vista x64 *NEW* WarhavenSC   | 09/12/08
XP x64, Vista x64 *NEW* jet1959mo@...   | 09/12/08
Vista x64 gaming *NEW* CletusJones   | 09/12/08
Rubbish. *NEW* Sleeper Service   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* Aragorn@...   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* craig@...   | 09/12/08
Rather than the q6600 ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* vscotta@...   | 09/12/08
Terrible build *NEW* __Mike__   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* corrnd@...   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* professordnm   | 09/12/08
Yur machine is ridiculous ... Check out mine. *NEW* smilajkov   | 09/12/08
I bought a handful of 300GB VelociRaptor drives ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
Woot? *NEW* smilajkov   | 09/12/08
Don't get me wrong ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
Nice build!! *NEW* bigbaddms   | 09/12/08
Thanks *NEW* smilajkov   | 09/12/08
You and your PC *NEW* rtk   | 09/12/08
I Had a Feeling... *NEW* Stoshie   | 09/12/08
Very Nice! *NEW* mlbolton123@...   | 09/12/08
Alternative: Under $1000 *NEW* startx.jeff   | 09/12/08
Waste of money.. *NEW* jaredo   | 09/12/08
Um...Check the QVL *NEW* stevets32   | 09/12/08
I was going to say the same thing ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
Amen... *NEW* stevets32   | 09/12/08
Don't get me wrong ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
QVL *NEW* jaredo   | 09/12/08
My Less than $2000 Power Gaming PC *NEW* pcwizkid.tech.talk@...   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* jaredo   | 09/12/08
No, no, just, no... *NEW* Spiritusindomit@...   | 09/12/08
^5 *NEW* jaredo   | 09/12/08
Some thoughts ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
Chaos in the hardware market.... *NEW* JCitizen   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* dreamjhoo@...   | 09/12/08
Couple of ideas *NEW* johnfenjackson@...   | 09/12/08
Don't go Q6600 ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* czhu01   | 09/12/08
About $250 ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
To sum up all the complaints *NEW* homant@...   | 09/12/08
I agree ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
Pretty much what I'm concluding... *NEW* JCitizen   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* wraithe   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* wargammer2005   | 09/12/08
Or quad core dual Xeon ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* pratul.chandra@...   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* robtjr30   | 09/12/08
Going AMD ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
A multi-purpose $2000 PC *NEW* Grayson Peddie   | 09/12/08
For an extra $35 ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
No Peripherals? try $3,000 *NEW* tommyboyazn   | 09/12/08
Re-read the article!!!!!! *NEW* LStewart   | 09/12/08
And NO PSU *NEW* smilajkov   | 09/12/08
900 watts? Eh, okay... *NEW* Grayson Peddie   | 09/12/08
DUUUH P.S. on page 4 *NEW* gourddancer1@...   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* LStewart   | 09/12/08
Save $150 and get yourself a Radeon 4870! *NEW* Grayson Peddie   | 09/12/08
$2K seems to ALWAYS be the ceiling. *NEW* arthurhaglund@...   | 09/12/08
Better for Even Less *NEW* mustangcelli   | 09/12/08
What about sound? I need to be able use my DAW for the sound on movies. *NEW* kulddy@...   | 09/12/08
Unbalanced system, in my opinion *NEW* davetracer@...   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* heraclitobrito@...   | 09/12/08
Benchmarks *NEW* kevinr@...   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* ceh4702   | 09/12/08
Newegg.com Is Your Friend *NEW* WarhavenSC   | 09/12/08
Forgot the motherboard! *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
re: Forgot the motherboard! *NEW* WarhavenSC   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* RandyLyon   | 09/12/08
Yes ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
...No *NEW* __Mike__   | 09/12/08
Yes, NewEgg Is Your Friend - But... *NEW* Stoshie   | 09/12/08
Absolutely ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
re: Yes... *NEW* WarhavenSC   | 09/12/08
$500 maximum on PCs *NEW* rtot   | 09/12/08
RE: mac LOL *NEW* boomelectronics@...   | 09/12/08
RE: Vista x64 *NEW* WarhavenSC   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* lmenningen   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* urbsdad6@...   | 09/12/08
$1000 for a cpu that will be cut in half in 3 months? *NEW* Randalllind   | 09/12/08
Why so serious? *NEW* rileinc   | 09/12/08
Recession ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
My humble build *NEW* rileinc   | 09/12/08
Aren't those ... *NEW* Adrian Kingsley-Hughes  ZDNet | 09/12/08
Indeed *NEW* rileinc   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* westfw@...   | 09/12/08
dummy question *NEW* MrSinatra   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* reveurdeesprit   | 09/12/08
RE: The $2,000 build-it-yourself gaming/video editing/photo editing PC *NEW* ethyrdude   | 09/12/08

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