Windows XP machine

[GregI]

My friend wants to build a computer to have better compatibility for games released around 2000-2002. Obviously due to how cheap the parts should be it makes sense to buy hardware that is completely overkill but still retains full compatibility with XP.

Trying to figure out parts has been difficult. The last supported GPU seems to be the 780 ti so that seems like a decent shout but I remember how iconic the 8800 GTX was I kind of want to recommend that lol.

As for CPU it appears that Sandy or Ivy Bridge would be the CPU to get? What motherboard chipset would be worth going for?

Thank you

 

[Rroff]

I believe the Xeon 1650 V1/first gen X79 works with XP just about, not sure about V2 - might not be best for compatibility but laughably overkill but should work.

A used 780ti might be a bit of a gamble - those GPUs don't seem to last the test of time as well as they might - a lot of them after ~3 years start to need more and more voltage to hold stock clocks and/or become unstable at stock needing under-clocking.

It is possible to get newer nVidia GPUs working with XP with a bit of tweaking, results might vary, TBH anything newer than something like a nVidia 660ti is probably a waste.