Curse

Aeilla · Jan 20, 2006, 05:24 AM // 05:24

Hi everyone I just bought guildwars but my PC is too crappy. I can play it I guess but I have to turn down all the settings and I want the game to look amazing.

My current system is a 1.5ghz with an old 9550 radeon card and I think 512 MB of memory. I want to spend around $1500 on a new system.

These are the systems I'm looking at:

http://www.jinglehorse.net/facemelter.php

This system seems pretty good and pretty affordable. AMD 3800+ processor, Geforce 6800, 1GB memory, etc. I think it would run guildwars OK but I'm not sure. What do you guys think?

I'm also looking at:

http://ibuypower.com/ibp/store/confi...r.aspx?mid=132

I really don't like their website though it is so cluttered and confusing.

Can you guys offer me some advice?

Network · Jan 20, 2006, 05:28 AM // 05:28

It will work fine on full graphics. I also have AMD 3800+, 1GB memory. But I even have a crappier card. Wich is Geforce6600. Your new computer will run perfect with guildwars.

Divine Elemental · Jan 20, 2006, 05:29 AM // 05:29

It'll be better if you to Technicians Place i think your on the wrong forum ^^;

Anarkii · Jan 20, 2006, 05:39 AM // 05:39

Rather than buying a prebuilt system, if you could build your own system(or get someone to do it for you) you can have a dream configuration at $1500. 3800+, 1GB DDR400 and a GeForce 7800GT are the three things you should look for if you are spending anywhere near $1500.

burai · Jan 20, 2006, 08:40 AM // 08:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anarkii

Rather than buying a prebuilt system, if you could build your own system(or get someone to do it for you) you can have a dream configuration at $1500. 3800+, 1GB DDR400 and a GeForce 7800GT are the three things you should look for if you are spending anywhere near $1500.

I would agree, and have built my own several times. However, the problem with a home-build is support teams tend to use this as a cheap get-out: "Ah! your problem Mr Customer is incompatible hardware". I am now looking to upgrade, and am considering a high-end lappie:

Dell 9400, dual-core Pentium, 2GB, 7800GTX, 100GB @ 7200 RPM.

Mega expensive, but portable

pegasux · Jan 20, 2006, 07:38 PM // 19:38

I would definately build my own system for that much cash. You can build quite a rig with it. Try to get a AMD 64 bit CPU...they crunch through any data amazingly fast, especially games. If you really want a dream rig get a dual core so you won't have to upgrade later. Also make sure that your Harddrives are SATA and not IDE.

LouAl · Jan 20, 2006, 07:53 PM // 19:53

only get the AMD chip if you are not much of a multi-tasker...they kick the crap out of my intel on running one app, but on multiple tasks they slow waaayyy down.

Alias_X · Jan 20, 2006, 08:00 PM // 20:00

If you build one, and take the cd drievs and hard drive from your current computer, you could have a kickass computer.

AMD 3900 X2 (DUAL CORE)
Nvidia 7800GTX
2 gigs of ram

Definetly build with that kind of money, you can get all of the best equipment pretty much, if you salvage components from your current computer like the drives etc.

I have an ATI Radeon 9550, and I love it. I have 256mb of the oldest crappiest ram there is, and I can still run Guild Wars on max with minimal lag.

With the money you plan on spending, go all the way and build it. Building computers is cheaper than buying, and I mean A LOT CHEAPER.

So you could build the system they are talking about for what, $900 tops? If you used your current Hard Drive, Monitor, and disk drives. Plus, if it is compatable ram, have 512mb more of ram added to the 1 gig. Do yourself a favor and build it.

easyg · Jan 21, 2006, 06:11 PM // 18:11

The truth is, you dont really save much money building your own. In fact, usually it costs more. Someone said $1500 should get you at least Athlon 64 3800+, 7800GT, and 1GB Ram. Fine, lets check it out:

AMD Athlon 64 3800+ Venice $282.00
eVGA 256-P2-N516 Geforce 7800GT $299.00
CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) $89.00

Prices are newegg as of 1/20/06. Note: with shipping, even UPS ground, we have spent nearly half our $1500.00 budget just one these three components.

Which leaves $800.00 for everything else: case, moboard, hard drives, optical devices, psu, sound card, speakers, monitor, and operating system. Let's just price spec a few of these:

DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D Socket 939 ATX AMD Motherboard $129.99
Thermaltake TR2 W0070 ATX 430W Power Supply $39.99
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic Sound Card $115.00
SAMSUNG 940b 19" 8ms LCD Monitor $329.00
Windows XP Professional w/ SP 2 $146.95

Oh my God, we are already at our $1500.00 limit and we still dont have hard drives, optical devises, a case, cooling, or speakers.

Someone suggested recycling these or other components from your old system, but then if you are doing this you really aren't paying $1500.00 since you had to have paid for that stuff at some point.

You can build a pretty decent system for $1500.00, but it's ridiculous to say that you'll save a lot of cash by doing it.

Aeilla · Jan 21, 2006, 07:12 PM // 19:12

Thanks for the info but I'm not interested in building my own.

LiQuId StEeL · Jan 21, 2006, 07:25 PM // 19:25

Antec Sonata II w/ 450w psu - $100

Western Digital 250gb - $105

Crucial Ballistix 512x2 - $115

MSI SLI-F - $100

AMD 3800+ Venice - $280

eVGA 7800GTX - $450

Lite-On DVD+-R/W - $40

This puts you around 1200 + ~80 for overnight shipping. Put the rest into either a monitor if you aren't satisfied with the one you have now, or add in a sound card and some speakers.

Quite a kick-ass system if you build it alone. Feel free to hit me on AIM or PM if you need more help.

EDIT: as I was typing and looking for parts, you added you don't want to build it yourself. I can't obviously change your mind, but look into it. The money ou save is nice, and the performance is even better

Alias_X · Jan 21, 2006, 07:25 PM // 19:25

@easyg

Not really.

OCZ 2GB (2 x 1GB) - $198.50 on sale this weekend.

A good case that comes with cooling, around $80. Thats what mine was. AND it came with a 420 watt power supply.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ - $497.00

Now, lets use some of the parts that you have selected.

eVGA 256-P2-N516 Geforce 7800GT - $299.00

Just last week newegg had a sale on a Rosewell 19 inch LCD, good ratings, and it was on sale for $199.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824021019

DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D Socket 939 ATX AMD Motherboard - $129.99

Total = 1402.99
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now I am going to compare this to one of the computers the origional poster had posted.

1gb of memory. - OCZ memory that I pointed out was 2gigs, and backs up their warranty even when you overclock it. You can overclock up to 2.8 or something.

An AMD 3800. Well, the 4400 Dual Core is equivelent to around 2 AMD 3800 single cores.

200gb Hard Drive, lets assume he already has one from the computer he previously bought.

DVD Burner, again, I am sure the other computer he has has one.

2 Speakers, His other computer probably had speakers, but if not add $75 to the price of the above stuff I listed, and you have 90watt 8 speaker surround sound system.

Operating system he already probably has, along with keyboard and mouse.

Notice: The computer he had that I am comparing to has only a 1 year warranty.

Also, You are paying for shipping on it also, and Newegg ships extremely quickly, so you could choose the slowest shipping, and still get it relatively quickly.

So for around the same price, you could build something substantially better. Of course, the fact remains that he would be using parts from his old computer, and that is one of the main reasons it is cheaper, but why not take advantage of that.

You are correct in saying that it wouldn't save you much, I guses I am used to the prices Dell has, along with Sony, HP, and the rest.

Also, you are getting a computer that boasts superior cooling and crap, but really, are you interested in overclocking at all?

Get it if you want, but it is already out dated. And, you are buying from a website called Jinglehorse, so good luck.

Crunch · Jan 21, 2006, 08:55 PM // 20:55

I have same spec as ur current pc with little better gfx card and it works fine

Alias_X · Jan 21, 2006, 09:33 PM // 21:33

I have the ATI Radeon 9550 and I can run Battlefield 2 on MAX with it.

I don't see a problem with the graphics card, although yes, there are better, but maybe what you want to do is an upgrade, something like buying more ram?

r3dh3adkid · Jan 21, 2006, 10:22 PM // 22:22

Here is the computer I plan to buy over the summer it is a VERY nice computer and less than $1,500

Intel Pentium 4 3.0E 800MHz FSB Socket 478 Processor - $190.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116171

Intel BLKD101GGCL Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - $65.75
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813121309

Kingston HyperX 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM Dual Channel Kit System Memory - $111.94
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820144176

Western Digital Raptor 74GB 3.5" Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - $161.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822144160

ATI Radeon X800XT All-In-Wonder X800 XT 100-714200 Video Card - $299.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102492

Thermaltake W0093RU 500W Power Supply - $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817153028

NEC Display Solutions LCD1770GX-BK Black 17" 8ms LCD Monitor - $349.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824002284

ASPIRE X-Dreamer II ATXB4KLW-BK Black Computer Case With Side Panel Window - $54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811144026

Logitech Black Wired Value Keyboard - $7.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823126170

Logitech Value Black Mouse - $6.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16826104181

Logitech X-530 5.1 Speaker - $49.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16836121118

Total - 1375.65

Old Dood · Jan 21, 2006, 10:30 PM // 22:30

r3dh3adkid

Looks nice...I would check out the UltraSharp Dell monitors. They are very well priced. Yes your 17" is 8ms, however, at 12 or 16ms I have seen no blur what's so ever. The Dell 19" UltraSharps ar at 25ms...I would look at the 20" 2005FPW widescreen or the 20.1" 2001FPW screen ones. they are 12ms-16ms.

r3dh3adkid · Jan 21, 2006, 10:34 PM // 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Dood

r3dh3adkid

Looks nice...I would check out the UltraSharp Dell monitors. They are very well priced. Yes your 17" is 8ms, however, at 12 or 16ms I have seen no blur what's so ever. The Dell 19" UltraSharps ar at 25ms...I would look at the 20" 2005FPW widescreen or the 20.1" 2001FPW screen ones. they are 12ms-16ms.

I havent really looked into much on the monitor my friend just said he highly suggested it

Alias_X · Jan 21, 2006, 10:47 PM // 22:47

@ Red, I wouldn't reccomend Intel for gaming, and I would go with a dual core AMD.

Old Dood · Jan 22, 2006, 12:41 AM // 00:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by r3dh3adkid

I havent really looked into much on the monitor my friend just said he highly suggested it

Well the Dell Widescreens are awesome looking. Guild Wars in widescreen is beautiful. The 2405FPW 24" widescreen UltraSharp is the best one for the money. I have the 2001 20.1" Regular screen. It is beautiful too. The 2405FPW at that time was a little out of my price range. My friend owns it though...I am in awe!

yaos · Jan 22, 2006, 06:42 AM // 06:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alias_X

@ Red, I wouldn't reccomend Intel for gaming, and I would go with a dual core AMD.

I agree, the dual core AMD has also beaten Intel processors in multitasking.