If it's not too late, I'd like to add some pointers:
- Ensure that the PC has 2Gb of RAM. This is the comfort-point that will keep new, demanding gaming titles comfortable.
- For a serious gaming PC, budget about R3,000 for the gfx card (a 7900GT or equivalent will do). Otherwise, drop that down to R2,000 (along the lines of a 7600GT). Anything less will be frustrating.
- You don't really need much more than 160Gb for purely gaming purposes. If the youngster goes to LAN's or has mates over for gaming, they'll be sharing movies and 'stuff', which will increase the space needs. I recommend starting with a 160Gb though. If that runs out, then 'help' him to buy another drive with his allowance.
Lastly, please ensure that the power-supply is a good unit, to avoid potential headaches. Something like the Antec TruePower-II 380W will be fine for a standard PC without too many added fans and flashy lights.
Right now, I'd recommend the following:
CPU = AMD dual-core, either a 4200+ or 4400+ (if you can still find the latter)
RAM = 2x1Gb (avoid the super-cheap brands like Legend and Transcend)
Motherboard = just about any NForce4, in the range between R1,000 and R1,600
Hard-disk = 160Gb SATA300 (Seagates are the only ones with a 5-yr warranty), for about R700
Gfx = 7900GT, or an ATI X1900GT at the higher end, or a 7600GT for a grand less.
Case = An Antec unit with at least 350W Antec PSU
That lot would work out to about R9,000 excluding k/b, mouse and monitor. Opt for a 7600GT if you still need to factor these items in too.
For a straight gamer, who's not overclocking and running every single benchmark they can find, there's no really perceivable difference between AMD and Intel. Get the right RAM, a reasonable graphics card and match that with either of those chipsets.
