what would you build?

I've been requested to build a machine for a friend. They are not going to be overclocking but want a fast reliable system. She...wants to play online maybe half-life or Q3 and surf the web, that kind of thing. Her boyfriend has a p3-450 on a BH-6 and an ATI Rage-(I think)( to get an idea what she is used to playing on)

What MB CPU combo would you guys get for $300-$400? Also a middle of the road video card (not included in the for mentioned price range), fast but not top of the line. Keep in mind the whole project is band for the buck...

thanks everyone

Why not keep the same system type...get a PIII 550 or 600 (because they are cheep now), and put it on a 440BX board, (Giga-Byte Ga-BX2000+). For a video card, get a TNT2. They have dropped alot in price since the GeForce2 came out. =]

I'd recommend an Asus CUSL2-C board and an OEM PIII 850E. That way if she decides to overclock in the future, the flexibility is there. Of course you need the HSF...and RAM...and...

So you 2 are thinking I should stay with a BX board? Wouldn't a newer chipset leave more options for a later upgrade? The TNT2 sounds like it might be exactly what she needs.
The other accesories(RAM, Fans, etc) are easier to choose from. The MB and CPU are giving me alittle problem choosing.

Any more suggestions?

Edit: I didnt see you have $400 just for the motherboard and processor. Well Ditch the Duron 850 below for the 1.2GHZ Thunderbird for $264 with the abit KT7 raid . She now has top off the line within your stated budget. It's hard to recommend Intel when you can get a 1.2Ghz for $264 from AMD.

Well bang for the buck would be the.

Duron 800MHZ processor $74
Abit or Asus board KT7 or A7V $119
128mb pc150 Kingstom $80
Guillemot GF2 MX $102

$375 Total
All off pricewatch. I would not get the tnt2 it is old technology and bogs down in q3 so its longevity isnt worth the cheap price. Pay the extra $5o get the Geforce2 MX. It will be nice and make her boyfriend jealous and will still be able to play the latest games in a year.

If she wants to go Intel I would get a p3 700. I good bx board and the rest the same. Almost all 700e will do 933 with minimal voltage adjustments and this would give her a screaming system and would be rock stable at 933. You could go with a 815e as it would be more upgradeable in the future but the Intel system would cost a little more.

How about an ABIT VP 6, and a P3 700E. She can most likely OC to 933MHz right out of the box, and if she gets the urge to upgrade, she can add a second cpu!

Thanks for the advise everyone. I'll check back with her and she what she thinks she wants. If there are anymore idea, please add to the list. Thanks