Building a $500 gaming PC

Instead of the newest killer rig from Alienware, Falcon Northwest, Voodoo, etc... how about a system for the rest of us with a realistic budget starting from scratch? We set out to build a reasonable gaming system that will get you through today's game titles without breaking the bank for around $500. That's less than some of the top-of-the-line video cards on the market at any given time. Of course, the normal laws of economics - and even physics for that matter - apply. This system won't allow you to play Half-Life 2 at 1600 x 1200 at 16AF, but you may be surprised what you can do within a reasonable budget.