Good Gaming Computer?

[Smi!ezZ]

Hey guy, I have been looking around for a new gaming computer recently since it is that time of year when everything is on sale for great prices. I think I finally decided on a computer, but I want to run it by some of you who know more about computers than me to tell me if it is worth it for the price. Here it is:

[BuDo]

If its an HP don't even bother....I call them Horse Pile. I'm not saying you will have the same experience as I did but I've had nothing but problems with HP.

Never again will I buy an HP. Even if they came up with the best PC ever I wouldn't buy it because they've stained their reputation with me.

I had 2 HP machines on separate occasions and they both under perform..crashed...had faulty HDD..pure frustration.

[Amarisa]

needs better graphics card. plus you could probably find better/build your own.

Spoiler!

I am not a person to buy prebuilts because they don't allow customizing.

i plan to build my own laptop too

[Stress]

Well, what is your budget? If you're looking at around 600 dollars, I guess you're okay with that computer. The Processor cache size is a bit small, and, indeed, a better graphics card (maybe two cards in SLI) wouldn't hurt. I don't really know too much about gaming computers, though, I'm more up to date with other areas, such as servers, workstations and laptops.

@Amarisa: how do you plan to build your own laptop? Are you going to get a weak laptop for starters and upgrade it to the specs you'd like it to have? Or can you build it from scratch in any way?!

[Amarisa]

Well, what is your budget? If you're looking at around 600 dollars, I guess you're okay with that computer. The Processor cache size is a bit small, and, indeed, a better graphics card (maybe two cards in SLI) wouldn't hurt. I don't really know too much about gaming computers, though, I'm more up to date with other areas, such as servers, workstations and laptops.

@Amarisa: how do you plan to build your own laptop? Are you going to get a weak laptop for starters and upgrade it to the specs you'd like it to have? Or can you build it from scratch in any way?!

first part: I am running a AMD 620 (older that what that computer has) at 2.6 ghz it ran everything perfectly. Overclocked it to 3.2 it got a whole lot better.

in reality cache size does not make a huge difference. It is all about the architecture of the chip.

second part: you buy a shell (case and screen sometimes motherboard) and upgrade from there like CPU, RAM, HDD, GPU (if the board you get has a slot for it). my knowledge is limited for right now. haven't done a lot of research on it because i am waiting for when i have the money.

[dom]

Well, what is your budget? If you're looking at around 600 dollars, I guess you're okay with that computer. The Processor cache size is a bit small, and, indeed, a better graphics card (maybe two cards in SLI) wouldn't hurt. I don't really know too much about gaming computers, though, I'm more up to date with other areas, such as servers, workstations and laptops.

@Amarisa: how do you plan to build your own laptop? Are you going to get a weak laptop for starters and upgrade it to the specs you'd like it to have? Or can you build it from scratch in any way?!

first part: I am running a AMD 620 (older that what that computer has) at 2.6 ghz it ran everything perfectly. Overclocked it to 3.2 it got a whole lot better.

in reality cache size does not make a huge difference. It is all about the architecture of the chip.

second part: you buy a shell (case and screen sometimes motherboard) and upgrade from there like
CPU, RAM, HDD, GPU (if the board you get has a slot for it). my knowledge is limited for right now. haven't done a lot of research on it because i am waiting for when i have the money.

I loled

[Amarisa]

Well, what is your budget? If you're looking at around 600 dollars, I guess you're okay with that computer. The Processor cache size is a bit small, and, indeed, a better graphics card (maybe two cards in SLI) wouldn't hurt. I don't really know too much about gaming computers, though, I'm more up to date with other areas, such as servers, workstations and laptops.

@Amarisa: how do you plan to build your own laptop? Are you going to get a weak laptop for starters and upgrade it to the specs you'd like it to have? Or can you build it from scratch in any way?!

first part: I am running a AMD 620 (older that what that computer has) at 2.6 ghz it ran everything perfectly. Overclocked it to 3.2 it got a whole lot better.

in reality cache size does not make a huge difference. It is all about the architecture of the chip.

second part: you buy a shell (case and screen sometimes motherboard) and upgrade from there like
CPU, RAM, HDD, GPU (if the board you get has a slot for it). my knowledge is limited for right now. haven't done a lot of research on it because i am waiting for when i have the money.

I loled

I'm glad I compelled you to press a total of 7 keys on your keyboard. Then click other buttons.

[BuDo]

wait what? build your own laptop?

[heroo]

If its an HP don't even bother....I call them Horse Pile. I'm not saying you will have the same experience as I did but I've had nothing but problems with HP.

Never again will I buy an HP. Even if they came up with the best PC ever I wouldn't buy it because they've stained their reputation with me.

I had 2 HP machines on separate occasions and they both under perform..crashed...had faulty HDD..pure frustration.

same experience. my HP crashed like 3 three times and each time it crashed and i sent it back to HP, it would take a whole month before they returned it to me. never will I buy a HP again.

[dom]

I'm glad I compelled you to press a total of 7 keys on your keyboard. Then click other buttons.

It was on my ipad - I didn't use a keyboard.

[Amarisa]

I'm glad I compelled you to press a total of 7 keys on your virtual keyboard. Then click other buttons.

It was on my ipad - I didn't use a keyboard.

fixed

[dom]

I'm glad I compelled you to press a total of 7 keys on your virtual keyboard. Then click other buttons.

It was on my ipad - I didn't use a keyboard.

fixed

Well I technically wrote "i lold" which was auto-corrected. The total would be 6.

[Tia]

Dawm, i was so looking forward to saying that you pressed 8, Shift+i, so ye, after reading, my hopes vanished

[Hostage]

I'm glad I compelled you to press a total of 7 keys on your virtual keyboard. Then click other buttons.

It was on my ipad - I didn't use a keyboard.

Well I technically wrote "i lold" which was auto-corrected. The total would be 6.

Now I loled.

[PulseX]

To be honest it'd probably work out cheaper if you bought all the parts and assemble the computer yourself. It isn't that difficult as you might think either.

The CPU and graphics card could defiantly be better, depends on how your willing to spend.

[Dancin]

take a gaming notebook it's great you can even play on the coach and you can go to bed with him!

[Stress]

take a gaming notebook it's great you can even play on the coach and you can go to bed with him!

Gaming notebooks are the greatest waste of money there is, IMO. Notebooks are NOT for gaming, and should, by no means, be used for that purpose. A notebook's purpose is to provide mobility, connectivity, and battery life, when the user is on the move, and really needs to work, communicate, or - in general - get things done.

When you're gaming on a notebook, you're doing two things wrong:
1) You buy a notebook, which you use at home 99% of the time.
2) You game on much lower specs than you would get, if you payed the same money you payed for the gaming notebook, for a gaming PC.

All in all, you're paying a lot for the mobility you almost never use.

[dom]

I I support getting a decent gaming PC, around 600, and a netbook for 300.

This is what I always suggest to people.

[Azilius]

Hey guy, I have been looking around for a new gaming computer recently since it is that time of year when everything is on sale for great prices. I think I finally decided on a computer, but I want to run it by some of you who know more about computers than me to tell me if it is worth it for the price. Here it is:

[img]

The graphics card is a kind of weak. Building your own would give a much better result but if you can't I'd say look for another with a better card. Always google the card and look for reviews, find FPS ratings on games etc. Everything else should be fine, nothing top of the line but you good enough.

[Love]

overpriced sums it up, check this: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4025/holi ... ders-guide

[Majorharper]

I I support getting a decent gaming PC, around 600, and a netbook for 300.

This is what I always suggest to people.

Payed 331$ for my gateway notebook in September

Looking to spend 850$ on my gaming pc (its my self Christmas present)

[Smi!ezZ]

Thanks guys for the great info.

There is a lot of talk about the video card needing improvement. About how many GB would you recommend for a gaming video card?


Side note: The game I will be playing recommends "256 MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600 or ATI Radeon™ HD 2600 or better," but regardless, what would YOU all recommend?

[Azilius]

Cards are not (only) judged by how many GB of RAM they have, but rather a bunch of other things such as clock speed, architecture and some other stuff. Basically the only easy way to compare them is to benchmark them, so people make reviews all the time. Just google 'ati xxx review' or 'ati xxx benchmarks', or things like 'ati xxx VS nvidia yyy' and you'll get nice reviews.


Look for a card like..ATI 5850, ATI 5770, Nvidia gtx 460..depends how good of a card you need really.

[LillDev!l]

Bought a HD 5770 vapor x myself.

It looks cool and it has a blue light with an S (for sapphire) in it! which looks cool in my case, since i can see it through the plastic 'window' part.
Get it, it haz blue lights and a cool name!
(no but seriously, it's a good card, it stays pretty cool, i've only heard people who know a lot more about pc's than me say good things about it [price/performance wise])

[Amarisa]

for graphics cards size of the memory does not matter unless your running a bunch of screens or a big one. I have 512mb on my 9800gtx+ and it runs everything max on my 19 inch screen. with prices going down the 5770 looks like its not so overpriced.

[dom]

for graphics cards size of the memory does not matter unless your running a bunch of screens or a big one. I have 512mb on my 9800gtx+ and it runs everything max on my 19 inch screen. with prices going down the 5770 looks like its not so overpriced.

At 1280X1024 (assuming that is your resolution, since your didn't specify and it is this that is of importance) a 7600GT could run everything on high.

[Amarisa]

for graphics cards size of the memory does not matter unless your running a bunch of screens or a big one. I have 512mb on my 9800gtx+ and it runs everything max on my 19 inch screen. with prices going down the 5770 looks like its not so overpriced.

At 1280X1024 (assuming that is your resolution, since your didn't specify and it is this that is of importance) a 7600GT could run everything on high.

1440x900 and i was running off of a 9400gt for awhile and was playing things on high.

[CrimsonNuker]

HP is not a gaming computer, it's in the same league as Dell.
Rule 1 of buying a "gaming" computer is, DON'T BUY DELL.

[Azilius]

for graphics cards size of the memory does not matter unless your running a bunch of screens or a big one. I have 512mb on my 9800gtx+ and it runs everything max on my 19 inch screen. with prices going down the 5770 looks like its not so overpriced.

you can't play most newer games on high with >30 fps even if your screen is 19 inches (resolution................................)

try crysis, metro2033, fallout new vegas, blah blah blah

[Reise]

At 1280X1024 (assuming that is your resolution, since your didn't specify and it is this that is of importance) a 7600GT could run everything on high.

Hahah no.