New Computer Advice

[TacoTaru]

Tried to avoid asking this, but it's embarassing how little I know about computers so I figured I'd might as well get it right.

Basically the computer I have now is pushing 7 years old, I'm damn near capped on space (30g harddrive), and it's loud as fuck now and won't quiet down no matter what I do. I'm looking at getting a decent gaming computer, but have absolutely no idea what to look for brand/components/etc to look for. A lot of people have told me to build it myself but again, I know jack shit when it comes to computers. Right now I only play FFXI on mine, but that's only because it's all it permits; I'd like to be able to get into more computer gaming and have it last me a couple of years at least.

I'm looking to spend under $1000, but I have no idea how reasonable that is; thanks for any advice in advance.

[Kohan]

There are a few highly recommended custom PC builders out there which won't cost you an arm and a leg. These are the sorts you'll see mentioned in reputable communities, such as [H]ardOCP, and the like. I recommended some setups by them to a friend none too long ago, and here they are:

http://www.maingear.com/boutique/pc/config...p?idproduct=400

Set this up with a ATI Radeon 4850 for your graphics card. Then, upgrade the HDD to 350GB since it's only $7 to do so, and change the DVD-ROM to a DVD-RW. For your OS, either pick Vista 64-bit, or pay the extra bucks for XP Professional.

Another option is here:

http://www.mysolidwavepc.com/computers/pc/...oduct=105&qty=1

The default processor is fine. Bump the RAM up to 4GB, and change to the ATI Radeon 4830. Pick 64-bit Vista, and grab the free Logitech keyboard/mouse combo. All set.

Now, if you don't care about getting it custom built with support, you can buy a pre-built machine instead:

Newegg.com - iBUYPOWER Gamer Extreme 538 Phenom II X4 920(2.8GHz) 4GB DDR2 500GB ATI Radeon HD 4850 Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit - Desktop PCs

[solsirt]

I realize plenty of people will never build their own because their just nervous about it... but have you ever played with legos? It really is that simple. There are more step by step guides with pictures then you could ever need.

People think there is a science to it, but there really isn't. If you run into any problems there are plenty of support forums that will be glad to help.

[Olo401]

I don't usually push people towards pre-built computers, and here's why. One of the email ads I got caught my eye this week.. TigerDirect.com - they have a set of Lenovo machines under $800. Okay, Lenovo used to be IBM's consumer PC division, so it's a good reliable brand. The machines are loaded well - a couple of them are the newer low-power quad cores, have good size hard drive & memory, loaded with Vista 64, and a year warranty. There are problems though. The graphics are integrated to the board, which limits your gaming experience. And you can't really put in even a mid-range graphics card because the power supply is only a 280W.

The highest-end machine in that ad is $729 + shipping, so let's see what you can build for that price that fits a similar mold:

Intel Q8200 Processor: $164.99
Gigabyte P43-based Motherboard : $79.99 (Lenovo uses a G31/33-based board. Trust me, the chipset does matter.)
G.Skill 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2-1066 Memory : $49.99 (Lenovo uses DDR3-1066, but it's not much different unless you're using i7 or AM3)
Hitachi 1TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive : $79.99
Sony Blu-Ray Player/DVD Burner Drive : $79.99
Linksys WiFi-G Network Adapter : $39.99
Thermaltake 420W Power Supply : $35.99 (-$10 Rebate)
Sapphire Radeon 4670 Video Card : $69.99 (-$10 Rebate)
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit : $99.99
Coolermaster Elite Case : $34.99

= ~$736 - rebates + shipping

I left off the keyboard, mouse, and internal universal card reader which Lenovo builds into their case. You can get one for like 10 bucks. Also note I didn't include aftermarket cooling, so if you want to do some overclocks you'll need to add that in as well. All in all, you're getting the same machine with a faster motherboard and BIOS that's unlocked for tinkering, with more expandability and better video for gaming for about the same price. If I went to a build using an AMD processor it might even come out less expensive.

And I'd even switch the processor from the Q8200 to the E8400 - 3 gigahertz for 3 bucks more!

[Kohan]

I don't usually push people towards pre-built computers, but one of the email ads I got caught my eye this week..

TigerDirect.com

You'll have to buy a graphics card (e.g., Radeon 4850/4870) for it, but that aside, Lenovo machines are good. Nowadays, they come out of former IBM facilities, and those folks made some tough-as-nails machines. So, they're IBM desktop quality with an affordable price tag.

[Akiyama]

Wouldn't you worry about a power supply issue..? That's only 280W. Isn't that pushing it? And yeah.. you'd still have to shell out 150+ for a 4850, or about 100+ for a 4770.

[Cjskater]

After a quick browse through Newegg... if you decide to go the custom build route:

Case: Antec 300
PSU: CORSAIR 650W
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500GB (Single Platter... so fast quiet and cool)
Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P (AM3/DDR3)
Video Card: XFX HD4850 512MB
RAM: G.SKILL 4GB DDR3
CPU (One of these): Phenom II X3 720, Phenom II X4 945, or Phenom II X4 955

The 720 and 955 are great for overclocking, which is why I included them. The 945 would be fine if you don't plan to overclock also. If you did go the overclock route you will need an extra $50~ to get a decent CPU cooler... probably should add about $15 on top of that for some case fans too even if you aren't overclocking. That should leave you with a lot left over, you could upgrade to a 4890 if you wanted or grab a 23-24" monitor.

[Kohan]

Wouldn't you worry about a power supply issue..? That's only 280W. Isn't that pushing it? And yeah.. you'd still have to shell out 150+ for a 4850, or about 100+ for a 4770.

You'd have to get a new PSU, undeniably. These additions would require the home user to have a lot of confidence in installing these themselves, and while the card wouldn't be difficult, the PSU could be. Any mistakes involving that will fry your machine, or worse.

Though it can be argued that building PCs isn't difficult, it isn't for everyone. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, I wouldn't recommend the Lenovo simply because it won't handle your games.

They definitely are good PCs, but they could certainly use beefier PSUs.

[Akiyama]

Gotcha. I didn't know if you'd want to use all of that stuff without beefing up some things else where.

@Cjskater -- that looks like my machine, except I'm going the AM2+ route. D: Trying to spend around 600-650 max for now. I'm still on a shitty 15.4 inch Dell monitor... upgrading that after the PC upgrade. The crap I'm using now should be outlawed.

[Olo401]

Edited my post above.. and got snagged in the process oops!

[TacoTaru]

Thanks for the information guys. I guess I need to suck it up, get some books from work and figure how to put it together because it definitely seems like the cheapest way to go about it for quality. Someone told me last night it's as simple as getting your parts and screwing them into the case, is that so?

And possibly a stupid question, but I neither Olo nor Cj's recommendations had fans. I know they're fairly cheap and is that just a gimme, or will it not need it if I'm not overclocking?

*EDIT*
When looking at the graphics card Olo suggested someone mentioned in the comments just paying the $30 extra and getting the 4770 was the better deal. Would it be worth it for the $30 more or is it a not an issue really?

[Akiyama]

Edited my post above.. and got snagged in the process oops!

Wow. That's a nice setup, Olo.

@Taco -- I believe Cases generally come with 120mm/140mm fans already with 'em. You could get extra fans to be safe I'm sure.

[Olo401]

Even the most low-end case will usually include at least an exhaust fan, and most these days also have an intake fan. Also Intel's boxed CPUs will include a stock aluminum heatsink with fan, and I do NOT recommend overclocking more than a couple ticks with it.

And yeah, spend the extra 30 bucks and get the 4770. The changes made on this next-generation card are gigantic. I was just trying to stick close to the price of that Lenovo as an example.

[Akiyama]

Only problem I've seen with the 4770 so far is the lack of drivers or something that people have been complaining about. I'm sure it'll be fixed soon.

[TacoTaru]

Don't know if it belongs in this topic, but I'm going to toss it in here since I didn't want to make a new one just for this. My mom gives me a laptop that she picked up cheap from a guy who was selling them that he got from a company that sold them off for new ones. It runs like a charm but the problem I've ran into is the wireless card in this thing if fucking garbage. It's an Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 3b Mini PCI adapter and from all accounts I can find online, Intel did something that fucked up it with XP and then ended the service for updating drivers with it. The problem is it drops the signal non stop. For the most part it's just a blip, but because of it I can't download any sort of large file without it interrupting to the point of not being able to download it at all.

Is there anything I can do to get around this? I've always heard you can't change anything that's inside of a laptop (not that I would know how), but is there anything I can do? I have a Linksys wireless USB for my computer now, but that thing is, for all intents and purposes, pretty much garbage. I'd like to be able to load up most of what I do (websurfing, ffxi, etc) onto this laptop to hold me over until I get my new PC, but I need a way around this wireless card.

[Hosom]

You can change laptop components, and once you get used to working on laptops it is quite easy. A lot of emphasis on "once you get used to working on laptops". Don't be afraid to do it yourself though... that's how a lot of people who are computer people learned.

Honestly, if you're thinking of doing a build I would encourage you to do so...it's pretty hard to mess up, and you can always post here if you have problems..most build problems aren't people screwing up the build, and it isn't like you're going to face criticism, everyone has had a first build. Generally speaking if something goes wrong, either someone forgot something obvious on accident or a component is broken.

Worst thing that happens with a build is you break something, and if you do...excuse the cruel sense of humor...I don't think you'll ever make that mistake again.

If you're not the type of person that is confident to just jump into something though, feel free to look into the aforementioned custom pcs.