Need PC advice pls

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21-07-07, 11:43
jini

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apocalypsox

Jini, the problem with buying a built PC from one of those fucktard companies is how much more it cost to get it when you could have built one just as good if not better for about 1/6th the price.

Guys, if she really knew how to built she would have asked us here?
Even I, that know a lot about technology, am not very confident in building something like that on my own. Yes the built one is cheaper like maybe 10-15% but you risk a lot like crashes and other bugs, and also for a premium of this 10% you get 3 years guarantee. You are safe and sound for 10% more ... yes I would choose those machines over any other. Also, if I wanted to do work I would choose to buy a mac as most of you know. She wants to play, therefore she needs a wintendo :p

btw... the nintendo wii is real fun lol :p
21-07-07, 12:02
IceStorm

So for ~500 GBP...

� 56.34 - Intel Pentium Dual Core E2160 - It's Core 2-based
� 52.85 - 2x1GB Elixir DDR2-800 DIMMs - 2GB, minimum
� 33.95 - Gigabyte GZ-X2 Case - no real preference
� 46.87 - 500watt FSP PSU - Fortron Source is a reputable PSU maker
�182.11 - nVidia 8800GTS 320MB video card - 320MB should be enough for up to/around 1600x1200
� 43.82 - 250GB Seagate Baracuda 7200.10 HDD - It's a start, and it has a 5yr warranty
� 66.98 - Abit IP-35E motherboard - It should support the first generation of Penryn 45nm CPUs
� 19.96 - Lite On DVD burner - everyone needs an optical drive

Total is �518.10 with VAT and Carriage from Scan.co.uk, the only UK retailer I'm aware of.

I'm assuming you have an OS and a monitor/speakers/keyboard/mouse. If not, you'll have to add that all in. You can squeeze in the monitor/speakers/keyboard/mouse if you drop the video card and go with an inexpensive nVidia 8600 GT or ATI HD 2600XT.
21-07-07, 12:33
CMaster

Quote:

Originally Posted by jini

Guys, if she really knew how to built she would have asked us here?
Even I, that know a lot about technology, am not very confident in building something like that on my own. Yes the built one is cheaper like maybe 10-15% but you risk a lot like crashes and other bugs, and also for a premium of this 10% you get 3 years guarantee. You are safe and sound for 10% more ... yes I would choose those machines over any other. Also, if I wanted to do work I would choose to buy a mac as most of you know. She wants to play, therefore she needs a wintendo :p

btw... the nintendo wii is real fun lol :p

Acually, my self-built PCs have always crashed a lot less than those others have bought from manufactorers, and 've been rather uunimpressed with Dell over the last few years (although they are better than countless others). However it is strue that you shouldn't try and build your own PC unless you are prepared to deal with fixing the reasons why it doesn't start first time you put all the bits together. If you do want to go for a built gaming PC, I'd suggest you look at the stuff the componetnts vendors offer - Scan definatley do that kind of thing, and MESH used to do some decen gaming rigs, not sure about these days.
21-07-07, 13:01
Nymphette79

Thank you so much for all ur opinions, i understand what your saying Jini but I have had one brought from Tiny and all I had was problems with it.
In answer to ur question Waru, I have always gone AMD and nVidia but am open to change as i've heard Intel is better.
And no I don't know diddly squat about building a PC but I have friends who can build em but just thought i'd get ur opinions on it :D
21-07-07, 13:49
Zeninja

Quote:

Originally Posted by jini

Also, if I wanted to do work I would choose to buy a mac as most of you know.

NC's Apple Fanboy #1 strikes again :rolleyes:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nymphette79

Thank you so much for all ur opinions, i understand what your saying Jini but I have had one brought from Tiny and all I had was problems with it.

There's a lot of local sellers that can build a steady PC for you with compatible components taking your personnal needs into account (assuming you're taken in charge by an honest employee), asking a reasonnable amount of money (let's say, 50 euros), while still offering a decent guaranty.

You'd rather do this instead of buying some expansive "standard" machine (no matter its brand) or even calling for Dell's custom builds.

And finally, I suggest you choose an AMD processor rather than an Intel one for a gaming machine.
21-07-07, 13:58
CMaster

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeninja

And finally, I suggest you choose an AMD processor rather than an Intel one for a gaming machine.

Not seen recent benchmarks? http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts...19%2C646%2C613 and perhaps more clearly: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/cpu-ch...view-2351.html. T
Add to this the fact that the core2 duos are a lot more overclockable than the Athlon 64 X2s at the moment and well, you get the point. I dare say that when AMD break through to a smaller scale process, they may catch up again. And the real choosing point is of course what is faster at your price point, not who has the fastest whizz-bang at the top end.

Also, another article well of use: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/the-be...view-2341.html
21-07-07, 14:00
Zeninja

Performance is one thing, Budget is another one

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMaster

Add to this the fact that the core2 duos are a lot more overclockable

And of course the girl has got all the required knowledge to overclock her cpu, hasn't she ?
21-07-07, 14:07
CMaster

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeninja

Performance is one thing, Budget is another one

And of course the girl has got all the required knowledge to overclock her cpu, hasn't she ?

The way you made your statement suggested that AMD processors were better for gaming generally - the facts don't really support this argument. I would never argue against anything except getting the best performance at your price limit however. I'm no fanboy of any huge electronics conglomerate. I've bought AMD always in the past, the current machine is the first time I have personally bought intel, simply because what they offered was better. I've bought AMD and nVidia, based on whatever suited at the time. Hell, with boot camp I'd even contemplate an Apple is they weren't so ludicrously priced and limited in hardware selection.

Edit: That said, allowing say �70 (including VAT) for a processor, suggests that the X2 5000+ will do far better gaming than a Core2 Duo E4300/E4400.
21-07-07, 14:33
Zeninja

Well I may be a selfish bastard, but I'm not going to browse the latest benchmark results to compare performance and potential performances versus price just to prove Nymphette will save a couple of euros buying an AMD processor.

I'm all relying on my experience : I may be an has-been old cunt as well, but the fact is Intel has been proposing (for YEARS now) expansive but more reliable cpus versus AMD's cheap cpus that save costs by setting higer frequencies at factory exit. Intel is for 24/24 professional servers, geek-powered PCs with awesome flashy water-cooling boxes, and encoding/acquiring, when AMD is clearly more suitable for average joes who just want to browse the internet and have fun playing the newest videogames without tweaking their BIOS parameters for a decent price.

Thus I insist : buy an AMD processor.
21-07-07, 16:20
Torg

Just recently i started putting up a price-performance comparison sheet of actual processors, AMD vs. Intel. After gathering benchmark results from the likes of Tomshardware and Anandtech and combining those to street prices from national retailers, i dropped my venture. Fact: there's no big difference, if within a few percent. I personally use AMD, but just cause it makes me feel good, geek-wise.

So my advice on a CPU would be a midrange AMD Athlon or Intel Core, no cheap Semprons or Celerons). Dual Core only if you really like to own one. Remember: older games like NC will not be able to use the second core, so it's wasted money until you'd play the latest crop.

On Windows XP or Vista either 1 or 2 GByte of Ram are fine.

Graphics: Dont buy the latest Nvidia Geforce 8xxx series or AMD/ATi Radeon 2xxx. New means expensive. Those "Dx10"-Cards are outrun by older models - in older games. Older games in this respect means: evrything you can buy up to the present day. Get a Geforce 7950, 7900 or 7600 (i'm using the latter, as it's not power-hungry and allows for passive cooling), or a Radeon 1900/1950 or 1600.

My rig has an AMD Athlon 3700+ (single core) at 2500MHz, 2 GByte of cheap DDR Ram and the said GF 7600, no overclocking at all. Running Quake 4, Doom 3 etc at highest graphics settings smoothly, and Oblivion at second-highest without probs.

A Dell, HP or else-branded PC with stats like above should be well within your budget.

uhm. just my opinion.
21-07-07, 16:51
jini

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeninja

NC's Apple Fanboy #1 strikes again :rolleyes:

and for a reason :p... did you saw/used the new iphone yet? all I can say is, the guy has the Midas touch.

Nymphette: go with Icestorm's suggestion then.beautiful gaming platform
21-07-07, 16:51
Nymphette79

I have no idea how to overclock in the slightest, the other question i've just thought of is, should I stick my old windows xp on it or buy Vista, the thing that confuse's me with Vista is which one i'd need as there seems loads of choices.
Thanks again all I really appreciate your help
XXX
21-07-07, 16:53
CMaster

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nymphette79

I have no idea how to overclock in the slightest, the other question i've just thought of is, should I stick my old windows xp on it or buy Vista, the thing that confuse's me with Vista is which one i'd need as there seems loads of choices.
Thanks again all I really appreciate your help
XXX

Stick with XP. There's no hugley compelling reason to go with vista yet (not compelling enough to pay for it) and it still suffers compatability issues.
21-07-07, 16:58
jini

what about the home vista cmas? the most inexpensive ones, just for using dx10? DX10 has any use or no use at all yet? For me, Vista is a disappointment
21-07-07, 17:02
CMaster

Quote:

Originally Posted by jini

what about the home vista cmas? the most inexpensive ones, just for using dx10? DX10 has any use or no use at all yet? For me, Vista is a disappointment

I haven't used it myself yet (save in passing). Just going on what a few friends and aquiantances have said - it's better in a few ways, but still too young. In a year or two it might be worth having. (although if you want a media centre PC, the Vista media centre sounds a lot better than XP's). And when the budget is as tight as we are looking at here, splashing �100+ on an unecessary OS seems foolish.
I haven't heard of any DX10 games being released yet.

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