Help me buy a computer!

[ringthree]

Hi, I don't know if this is an appropriate thread for this forum, but I figure I would give it a shot.

Preface: I am a computer fucktwit, and not only that I am also indecisive when there are so many different options for so many different components. So, I don't know anything and I can't decide anything. I started making this request in the laptop thread then decided that I wanted a desktop, and didn't want to derail the laptop thread.

I am planning on using my tax return on a new computer. I am willing to spend absolute tops $1300. I would like it to play FFXIV as best it can. If I can save money I will be incredibly happy, but I am willing to spend all of it if I am getting a great deal (the problem is I would know a great deal if it slapped me in the face with it's ginormous cock).

Not to just make this a plea without doing work myself, I was looking at this computer (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883113122) as something I would really want but the reviews on both newegg and Tigerdirect indicate that a large number of these are DOA. Being a computer fucktwit, it is probably better that I get a working computer to start. newegg offers a full return policy if there are problems, so is it worth the risk? I was told that the deal is good on that computer, and it would be hard to piece one together for cheaper.

Also if anyone could give me a quick Nvidia vs. ATI run down, and tell me if I really need an i7 chip, or if I should wait for an i9 (I don't even know if there are i9s coming)? Or like any information at all to make a sound decision on a computer to pick.

tl;dr: Direct me to a computer under $1300 that will play FFXIV.

[Isiolia]

First, if your sole concern is running FFXIV, then unless you're in the alpha, just wait. Outside of things like RAM price hikes, PC hardware just gets cheaper for more power as time goes on. Even the specs given are likely tentative - possibly the game will be able to take advantage of more.

The PC you linked to isn't a terrible deal. Ballpark, figure the video card is around a $300 model, the CPU is $280, and you'd probably pay around $200 for 8 GB of RAM, if not a little more. If you were building, that'd leave another $500 or so for case/PSU, hard drive, optical drive, motherboard, and Windows license (fair to include, IMO). Given that, the price is about right for what you get, though that's assuming buying decent components to build with. I couldn't speak for what's in the Gateway. I've had...bad experiences with the brand, but not everyone has.

Also if anyone could give me a quick Nvidia vs. ATI run down, and tell me if I really need an i7 chip, or if I should wait for an i9 (I don't even know if there are i9s coming)? Or like any information at all to make a sound decision on a computer to pick.

ATI vs nVidia:
Both companies offer solid products right now. Across most of the range, ATI's offerings are more modern/feature packed, as nVidia has pretty much ridden the same chips for the past what, couple years or so? Their new offering, Fermi/NV100/etc is/will be top dog for single-card performance, but is also well above the price point you're looking at.
The chip design is much better for DX11 performance, but not much actually uses it yet, and by the time the software is here ATI may have something else.

The 5850 in that system is a good choice for the price point.

i7... the first, bigger thing to note is that there are basically two Intel platforms out right now. Socket LGA1366 and LGA1156. The former is the enthusiast/performance platform, the latter is more the mainstream. LGA1366 is only i7 right now, though that's the platform slated to get higher end processors down the line. 'course, they'll be very expensive, so that may be a moot point. LGA1156 hosts i3, i5, and i7 processors. The Gateway you linked to uses the i7 860, which is an LGA 1156 model.

As you are not looking at things from a build/tweak/etc standpoint, that's fine to go with. If you were building, chances are you'd save yourself $80 and go with an i5 750, which will give very similar performance. Or, if you were looking to overclock n' all that, for the same money an i7 920 in an LGA1366 platform would do better. The 860 is a solid CPU, just one that's slightly awkwardly priced.

[Seanr]

I have a Gateway 825GM, Never given me any trouble. Came with a ATi Radeon X300 Card in it, but I think we got this in like 2004/2005ish. So I need a new PC eventually, although we have like 3/4 Laptops in the house that are like less than 6 months old. It's still nice to have a desktop to sit down to.

[Furtwangler]

For your level of tech knowledge, that computer may be your best bet. You certainly wouldnt get too much more than that if you built on your own, especially if you need a windows license.

[Jurgen]

I'd hold out on buying a new computer right now, and wait until closer to release. By that time, Nvidia and ATI should have better price/performance GPUs, and with the (potential) mainstream release of 6-core CPUs, the older i7 and i5 platforms could drop in price.

[SaviorSelf]

This one has the same specs as the one you linked, minus graphics card. It is $150 cheaper than the one you linked, so hell, maybe you could sell the 5770 it comes with for a better card. I'm sure the 5770 will run 14 fine, but there is room for improvements there.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dell+-+S...&skuId=9697488

There is also this one, which is the LGA 1366 socket. 1 GB more RAM, card that is slightly better than the 5770. This would be a more future proof computer if you did want to upgrade you CPU down the line.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pav...&skuId=9695866

They will both play most games out decently. Given the specs of FFXIV, the cards in either machines won't have a problem with it, and if you want to just upgrade it down the road, that option is there too. If anything is wrong with the computer when you get it too, you can always just bring it back to the store instead of having to worry about shipping it back with NewEgg.

[CoronA1979]

I see ATI prices on the new big boy 5970's and such coming down ALOT when Fermi hits.. Just my $.02

[ClassicRed]

I'm not top notch computer tekkie ~ but a friend of mine just bought this one

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...&Tpk=ibuypower

Seriously soon as he got accepted to FFXIV testing he ordered this a hour later and it seems fairly close maybe better for same cost :3 Of course its AMD vs Intel it looks

[Celeras]

What you linked would basically be the specs I would recommend for you, outside of a 470 instead of a 5850. Same bang/buck, better overall performance, but runs hot and uses more power. Some don't think its worth it, I do.

@nVidia vs ATI: It doesn't really matter. Using the above example, the difference between a 5850 and 470 isn't that big a deal. Personally, I always buy nVidia for three reasons: They have better a technical upside with the possibility of CUDA/Physx being a factor; TWIMTBP(google it if unaware) campaigns pretty much assuring that some titles favor their GPUS; and better drivers on average.

@i7: You have the money to spend, and its in the form of the refund check. While its true that an i7 gives next to no gaming performance benefits over much older CPUs when settings are maxed on single GPU systems, you still don't want to buy outdated tech for the purpose of saving money as it will limit your upgrade options later. So while FFXIV may run exactly the same maxed out on an i7 as it does on a similarly clocked Q6600, you'll be glad you spent the extra coin down the road if you want to upgrade to a hexacore/12 core CPU. Yes, both already exist. [AMD is actually coming out with an <$300 hexacore sometime soon (the i7 hexacore is over 1000), but nobody knows when or how it will match up... so hard to recommend or say 'wait']

@Above comment: ATI already said they won't be lowering prices, you're good to purchase now.

@General knowledge: It will always be cheaper/better to build it yourself rather than buy prebuilt, if you're capable. Your link doesnt seem like a bad deal, and nothing really stands out as bad aside from the case probably being terrible for airflow... but I can't tell if it has a second PCI Express 2.0 slot on the mobo(which means its probably doesn't have one). Often times, the best upgrade you can do down the road isn't buying a new video card and ditching your old one.. but buying a second of your old (and now cheap) one and running them in SLI/Crossfire. 2 last generation GPUs can almost always equal 1 of the newest, and will be a much cheaper option.


@Recommendation if you build: i7 (920 imo), 5850/470, Windows 7 64bit, 8+ DDR3 gb ram, HAF 932 Case.

[shidobu]

@Recommendation if you build: i7 (920 imo), 5850/470, Windows 7 64bit, 8+ DDR3 gb ram, HAF 932 Case.

Agree with everything u just said, but the 930 i7s are already out and cost the same. Fuck a haf 932. Get a CM 690 II advanced or Basic. Hafs are friggin uggly =\ and huge.

Haf
http://www.casingreviews.com/wp-cont...ter-HAF932.jpg

CM 690 II
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/4...871277x958.jpg

[ringthree]

I love you guys and I want to have your babies!

[CoronA1979]

Huge can be good depending on what you're doing with the PC >.>