CPU/GPU balance in a gaming rig

[jimbouk]

A friend was building a budget gaming rig and was spending about £200 on the CPU and GPU together. Remembering an old article (tomshardware I think) about a building gaming rigs where a budget CPU and top GPU provided very close performance to a top of the range system I was wondering what people thought was the best balance in expenditure. My friend was going for a ~£120 CPU and ~£80 gpu and I suggested he spend more on the graphics card and get a lower spec cpu.

So, to the poll; if you had £200 to spend on the pair what would you spend on each? Not to fussed about exact models as times will change, but just the general ratio to get best 'bang-for-buck'.

[shadowmaster]

If you are gaming- more on the gpu, less on the cpu.

[kungpo]

As above - more on GPU over CPU. Will give much better bang-for-buck. Eg E4400 and 8800GT. Plus you can OC the lower CPUs happily to match the speeds of the higher CPUs.

[hse180]

yes.............defiantly more on the GPU and less on CPU

[SiM]

Get the 256mb 8800gt... and a e4600/4500

[JIM_BOB7813]

£75/£125 is the sweet spot at the moment if you are getting a C2D since they appear to all clock to about the same speed. Quad is ruled out since they are £150. Best bang-for-buck for GFX is normally around £100, bump to £120 and you can get an 8800gt (is Scan ever get them in)