I have this tradition that every 2 years (or so) I buy a new system.

Funny thing is, I bought the computer, paid for it and it's not even send yet.

I had a Athlon XP 2700+, 160gb harddrive, 512MB 333MHZ RAM, Geforce3 (wonderful TV out)
I bought an Athlon 64 3700+ 1MB cache, 400gb harddrive space, 1GB 400MHZ RAM
Geforce3 (again, has wonderful TV out)

I dont play games much

You want to try a ATI Radeon 9800XT

You want to play HL2 btw... really is hella-cool

My comp is getting replaced (this has over a TB of hdd space, so is my server), getting a new one after chrimbo, can't look for prices since I have so many deadlines. You want me to keep you posted on what I'm getting?

nah, you must get some state of the art stuff

By the way, I owned a 9600XT, I was not happy with the tv out compared to the Geforce3
Then I bought an FX6800LE and it had the worst tv out I had ever seen.
ATI go go go, they rule now with their TV out.
I should have a movie computer and a game computer I'm working on that.

And yes I played HL2 on my computer. My mate installed it to show me the game. Frankly, I was amazed how it looked on my pathetic videocard and how it ran.

Well I have a Geforce3 in my Wardrobe (redundant technology draw ) and can safely say that the quality of the 9800xt tv out is so far beyond nvidias its laughable. It just isn't as well... it just isn't as nice looking the XT tv out is really high quality, suitable for a decent tv. They still haven't got decent tvout chips right in the geforces, they've been plagued with problems, well forever. The Geforce4 (barring the awful 440mx) were an improvement, but quality isn't even close.

Can't comment on the 9600XT but I could have sworn blind it was the same circuit since ATIs been getting rave reviews (and rightly so) for their tvout for a long time.

Gfx are just a plus with HL2, it pays really really cool, just wish it was longer. Can't wait for the mods

I'm waiting on seeing what's best with the new PCI-X, I'm almost postivite it will be ATI *again*, but I'll be watching reviews. TV-out isn't that important anymore. I have dual monitor and a very nice monitor as my primary, so tend to just watch movies on that.

64bit for def for the cpu, the expensive models I haven't read enough on yet. With the absense of a real m$ 64bit distro it seems overkill but I'll probably be dual booting with gentoo.

How big?
Are you saying I wasted $100 on my DIVX=compatible DVD player?

Already done this. If you need some help.....ask someone else.

Just kidding.