Computer advice for a gamer?

I'm interested in buying a desktop and I want to know if it's better to get:


-A cheaper comp. with a good processor and then buy an external hard drive.


-A more expensive comp. with both.





Any brand suggestions would be helpful, I'm looking for something that can run high end games without lag. :)Computer advice for a gamer?
I would need to know what games you are wanting to play. I personally as a hardcore gamer and graphic artist wouldn't settle for anything less than a Dual Core 2.8 or so, and if possible I would spring for a quad 3.0. You will need a decent amount of ram... I would say at least 4 gigs for a 32 bit system, or 6 gigs for a 64 bit system. Ram is cheap, so don't skimp on it. As for gaming or graphics, you are going to need a graphics card. I would plan on spending at least 200 dollars on a graphics card.... You want something that can handle anything you throw at it.Computer advice for a gamer?
External hard drives can be slow in terms of data transfer. If you're buying a prebuilt computer (e.g. Dell, HP, Gateway), get one that has everything you want already in it. Be forewarned that they aren't very upgradable.





I would recommend getting a current book on building computers, and buy the components and put one together yourself. It's easier than it sounds and you can usually get a better machine for less money.
If you want to play games look for the best graphics card possible and more RAM.





You can upgrade hard disk drives later.With a desktop you should have plenty of available space to install an additional HDD inside the computer. They are faster than external drives.