Web buddy, it seems you are making opinions without actually seeing any of what you mentioned.
Ok, for games the most important thing is the graphics card. Thats the truth and I cant be persuaded otherwise.
Of course memory, processor etc are all important, but not as much so.
I say also you need 512mb at least for new games. I have only 512 (though I am due a delivery today with an extra 512mb and some more nice stuff

) and playing farcry is fine. However after playing trying to do anything after takes ages, as all the RAM has been used up. I'd hate to try it with 256.
I build computers for people, and for windows XP I wouldnt put less than 256 in, even if it was just for general use.
Anyway, back onto the crux of the discussion. Graphics cards.
Stay one behind if you have the money. When the 9800pros were the big thing, I was using a 9600pro for a while, which could cope with everything I threw at it. Now I have a 9800, and I can do things with it I couldnt with the 9600. All the pretty stuff and higher res's on the newest games.
No I cant see any point in having the very latest card, not the £300 jobs anyway. However if your a gamer and like the pretty stuff, then you do have to keep up.
Web buddy, you seem to go on the assumption that all gamers dont know what they are doing.
