Am considering upgrading my Media Center so it is capable of playing games.  Thing is ... have not got a clue what is required.

So ... can you let me know of a motherboard, cpu, ram and graphics card capable for running latest games at optimal settings (so they look as good as a 360).  I heard you can use the xbox 360 controllers on the PC, is this true?  The motherboard HAS TO BE mATX.  OS is Vista.

Also, budget is important, so as cheap as poss please.

Some linkies for the kit would be nice too.  

Thanks   :mrgreen:

Am considering upgrading my Media Center so it is capable of playing games.  Thing is ... have not got a clue what is required.

So ... can you let me know of a motherboard, cpu, ram and graphics card capable for running latest games at optimal settings (so they look as good as a 360).  I heard you can use the xbox 360 controllers on the PC, is this true?  The motherboard HAS TO BE mATX.  OS is Vista.

Also, budget is important, so as cheap as poss please.

Some linkies for the kit would be nice too.  

Thanks   :mrgreen:

Do you want us to wipe your arse for you too :D j/k

Personally, I reckon the Intel Pentium Dual Core 2140 can overclock massively and it pretty reasonable. http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/127249

A 775 core 2 board mATX - http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/123837

2 x 1024mb XMS2 - http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/98708

nVidia Geforce 8600GT 256Mb - http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/127276

Seagate SATA2 250gb 16mb - http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/113433

NEC DVDRW 18x SATA - http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/125208/rb/0

And whatever case you want, oh and Vista (why??? as framerates drop compared to XP apparently, unless you want DX10)

Cheers
Tongy

if its going in an mATX case then surely its not being overclocked?  If not then hell probably be better off getting something that is out-of-the box more powerful than an X2 3600+.  

Personally i would wait 3 weeks, thats all.  The Agena/Barcelona release is on the 10th, and whatever way you look at it, the present crop of CPUs will divebomb in price.

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTM4MCwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==
Seems fantastic to me.