This article was written on February 16th 2007. I’ve written an updated version of this article, which you can view by clicking here, it contains newer parts and better instructions on how to build your new PC. Please update your bookmarks accordingly and don’t forget to subscribe to my RSS feed.

[Edit 2/28/07] WOW…the digg effect, over 1000 diggs. Thanks for visiting my site. By the way, Dreamhost, my hosting provider has been keeping up…]. Also, thanks for all your comments and suggestions.

[Edit #2] Wow…made it to the front page of Gizmodo (click here to view it).

So with so many people out there saying that you need a very high end PC to run Windows Vista with Aero enabled (and so many misconceptions around Vista, I want to prove that you can build at around $500. At my office, I am running Vista with Aero Glass enabled on an old (4 year) system, I just installed a $58 video card PNY nVidia FX5200 256MB on my P4 2.66, 1Gb of RAM system.

I went out there and priced out a system (from Mwave.com, my favorite supplier), very decent in my opinion. Now you won’t be able to run the latest games out More >