If your up to it, build your own. You'll get more computer for less money that way and you gain valuable computer skills as well. If you want to get a prebuilt, then go for HP or Dell. Personally, I prefer HP to Dell, their computers are slightly cheaper and faster. Don't buy a notebook, they are poor for gaming and can't be upgraded.What PC you should get really depends on how much you want to spend. The HP a1650e is a decent midrange system with a dual core Athlon 64 X2 3800+,1GB of RAM,a Nvidia 256mb 7500LE video card, and a 160GB hard drive all for only $630 after rebate. This should do everything you want. If you want to go all out, then I would get an HP d4650y with a Core 2 Duo E6600, 2GB of RAM, Soundblaster Audigy 4, 250GB hard drive, and then buy your own video card like an X1950Pro or an 8800GTS and put it in (HP doesn't offer very fast chips). Don't buy alienware, they are overpriced trash.