PC Gaming Thread

[nepg]

To buy a box PC, it's really tough to get anything decent at that price. Most of those will have integrated graphics cards which is no bueno.

The very basic things to look for are an i5 Intel processor and an nVidia GeForce graphics card. You're usually in pretty decent shape if you've got those two because everything else should be in place to support them anyway.

[M.O.T.H.]

As far as low end gaming PC's go...I actually like ibuypower a lot.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/iBuypower-...528D3/16775628

Just buy more RAM.

[njx9]

i'm with MOTH, that box should play most stuff on decent settings. i don't think there's even any serious need to up the RAM initially. the only thing to keep in mind is that you'd need a USB adapter for wireless (unless you're comfortable popping open the box). it only has a built in wired connection.

[StripedWalrus]

Originally Posted by M.O.T.H.

As far as low end gaming PC's go...I actually like ibuypower a lot.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/iBuypower-...528D3/16775628

Just buy more RAM.

The one thing I always hated about box systems like that is you never know what brand parts your getting iside. I have always been real particular about the brands of parts I buy. For instance I only purchase ASUS and Biostar MoBo's, XFX and EVGA Brand Nvidia Video Cards, Western Digital and Samsung Hardrives, and OCZ RAM (sometimes Kingston).

The video Card that one comes with is particularly low end. Plus if you want to get more RAM you are going to have to buy 2 x 4 gig sticks and basically scrap your ones that come with it so you will need to add another $60 onto that price.

Take some time, go to newegg. Go in with the amount you want to spend and piece one together. You will come out ahead with a better computer for cheaper. I just put one together to see what it would come out to. You will have similar processor, better ram and more ram, better mobo, better Hardrive, Way better Graphics card, Full tower case and probably a better power supply for $483.94. You could probably drop the price $50 on a mid tower case and another $40 for a cheaper card. A cheaper Mobo could drop ya around 10-20 bucks too.

Putting together a computer is easy.

also just noticed the one at walmarts optimal setting for Black ops was low and its ones for wow are medium. Thats not very good.

[nepg]

Don't ever buy electronics from Wal-Mart (or Radioshack). That is a terrible choice. Also, the specs on that PC aren't good, the parts in it are trash, and you'll have all kinds of problems with it because it's a cheap box (not talking price). Don't buy that computer.

[nepg]

You can get a really good machine for $500. If you don't mind putting it together, Tom's Hardware does the hard work for you...just do what this says:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...g-pc,2970.html

The only thing I'd change is bump the CPU up to an i5 if possible (though they use a really high quality i3).

[njx9]

Originally Posted by nepg

Don't ever buy electronics from Wal-Mart (or Radioshack). That is a terrible choice. Also, the specs on that PC aren't good, the parts in it are trash, and you'll have all kinds of problems with it because it's a cheap box (not talking price). Don't buy that computer.

lolwut.

retailer is irrelevant.

the phenom is a very solid, lower tier processor. yes, it's not an i-series. that's why it's cheaper.the graphics card is similar. no, it isn't top end. but i don't recall WMD saying he wanted to play far cry on full detail.

let's try not to spread ridiculous misinformation due to user bias.

[nepg]

Originally Posted by njx9

lolwut.

retailer is irrelevant.

the phenom is a very solid, lower tier processor. yes, it's not an i-series. that's why it's cheaper.the graphics card is similar. no, it isn't top end. but i don't recall WMD saying he wanted to play far cry on full detail.

let's try not to spread ridiculous misinformation due to user bias.

It's not misinformation. Retailer and Manufacturer are highly relevant.

Telling him to buy something like that doesn't help. He asked the question so he doesn't end up with a hunk of trash like that machine.

I'm steering him towards good quality for the price and reliability. He'll end up spending a lot more money fixing/replacing that Wal-Mart machine.

[WMD]

Yeah, I don't really intend on playing any PC games but I'd like to be able to if I came across one.

I haven't ever build a computer.. I've taken mine apart and replaced RAM and such.. I'm sure building one isn't the most difficult thing in the world and I could find some videos to help out too. I probably wouldn't be against that

[nepg]

I think you'd be fairly happy with a Dell Inspiron with the AMD 6450 GPU.
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...d=inspiron-620

(add the 6450 otherwise it'll be an integrated card - you don't want that.)

For $570...that's a solid deal. If you want to get closer to your $600, you can buy it without a video card and put one in yourself.

If you get a wild hair up your ass, you can replace the video card and you might be able to stick an i5 in there depending on the motherboard.

[njx9]

Originally Posted by nepg

It's not misinformation. Retailer and Manufacturer are highly relevant.

that couldn't be less true. if you're buying a boxed machine, that came from the manufacturer and the parts haven't been swapped out, it *doesn't make any difference*. it's like saying the levi's you bought from the local mall are different than the same levi's you'd get at walmart. brand is brand is brand. the *only* thing to be careful of is that parts weren't swapped to bring down the price. given that you can bloody see the parts, that's not a concern.

Telling him to buy something like that doesn't help. He asked the question so he doesn't end up with a hunk of trash like that machine.

lol, hunk of trash. ok. it's a prefectly reasonable machine at that price point, for someone who doesn't want to build their own. calling it a 'hunk of trash' is utterly worthless when it's based solely on your bias for building your own. some people aren't technical enough to do that, and some people don't want to deal with the inevitability of having to return ram/mbs/vcs/ps's that don't work, or go through the frustration of sorting out why they don't work.

I'm steering him towards good quality for the price and reliability. He'll end up spending a lot more money fixing/replacing that Wal-Mart machine.

except that he, you know, won't, unless he takes a hammer to it. you have utterly no information whatsoever to suggest that the machine itself will break, or that, for what his express purposes are, that it will need replacement. i've gotten by for a decade without issue on 1 gb of ram for instance, and by the sound of it, i'm a far more high-level power user than WMD. you're steering him towards a ludicrous gaming rig it's unlikely he'll ever take full advantage of, that will require a high degree of technical expertise to put together. stop ******** on other options based on misinformation and because they don't fit into *your* user profile.


edit: it's further entertaining that you linked him to a lower end machine, though i still wouldn't disagree with it. i hate dell, but it's a fairly solid tower.

[nepg]

Dude, I am in computers all day long. It absolutely makes a difference where it came from. You have NO idea. You can have a <insert model of great video card>, but the actual model in the machine will be put out by some ****** brand that puts fans that melt on the card. You can open the box and 50 pieces of ****** plastic break.

I have a bias for building my own, but I'm not suggesting he do that. He's never done it before. My bias is against piece of **** electronics made by knock-off brand companies and sold by retailers who don't know **** about electronics (and don't care).

"Ludicrous gaming rig"? No. "Reliable machine that he won't have to worry about"? Yes.

Originally Posted by njx9

edit: it's further entertaining that you linked him to a lower end machine, though i still wouldn't disagree with it. i hate dell, but it's a fairly solid tower.

In what universe is that Dell machine worse than the Wal-Mart machine?

You have no ******* idea what you're talking about, here. I'd really just be lol'ing at you except now I feel the responsibility to look out for WMD's best interests.

[njx9]

Originally Posted by nepg

Dude, I am in computers all day long. It absolutely makes a difference where it came from. You have NO idea. You can have a <insert model of great video card>, but the actual model in the machine will be put out by some ****** brand that puts fans that melt on the card. You can open the box and 50 pieces of ****** plastic break.

i'm sorry, i think i covered *exactly* that in my post. i guess i never realized that the AMD Radeon HD6450 Graphics card in the machine walmart is RESELLING is any different than the one you advised him to add to a dell machine.

Originally Posted by nepg

(add the 6450 otherwise it'll be an integrated card - you don't want that.)

but i guess, since i've never seen a computer, i mean built/rebuilt mine cumulatively 100+ times over roughly 20 years, and you're in them 'all day', there's probably a clear difference.

i mean, walmart basically builds all of their ibuypowers, right? they don't resell them from, i dunno, http://www.ibuypower.com/.

I have a bias for building my own, but I'm not suggesting he do that. He's never done it before. My bias is against piece of **** electronics made by knock-off brand companies and sold by retailers who don't know **** about electronics (and don't care).

yes, that amd. they know nothing about making computers. and the radeon line they manufacture? it's basically 49th tier hardware. you could probably like, solder better parts, or something.

"Ludicrous gaming rig"? No. "Reliable machine that he won't have to worry about"? Yes.

yeah, you know, unless you're part of the large group of people who've ever had to deal with dell support. totally reliable.

In what universe is that Dell machine worse than the Wal-Mart machine?

you can start at the processor, and go from there. the *only* thing it has is more memory, and 4-6 gb is irrelevant for the vast majority of casual users.

You have no ******* idea what you're talking about, here. I'd really just be lol'ing at you except now I feel the responsibility to look out for WMD's best interests.

that's so cute.

[nepg]

Originally Posted by njx9

i'm sorry, i think i covered *exactly* that in my post. i guess i never realized that the AMD Radeon HD6450 Graphics card in the machine walmart is RESELLING is any different than the one you advised him to add to a dell machine.

It's probably not even close to the same card...

Just to show you...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...i+6450&x=0&y=0

I've pulled about 50 nVidia 9800 GT's out of machines because the fans melted and replaced them with 9800 GT's from PNY that are amazingly reliable (I always get EVGA or PNY these days).

but i guess, since i've never seen a computer, i mean built/rebuilt mine cumulatively 100+ times over roughly 20 years, and you're in them 'all day', there's probably a clear difference.

There most certainly is. I've rebuilt my machine far less times in that time period because I do it better.

i mean, walmart basically builds all of their ibuypowers, right? they don't resell them from, i dunno, http://www.ibuypower.com/.

I have just as much a problem with "iBuyPower" as I do with Wal-Mart in this case. It's a Wal-Mart brand, essentially...which are known to make cheap **** that breaks.

And for an example of why I have such a huge issue with Wal-Mart. Buy a Linksys router...it fails constantly. Return it to Wal-Mart get the same model...same thing happens. Get my money back. Go to Best Buy, get the same model again and it works perfectly. Why? Because Wal-Mart doesn't handle their electronics merch with proper care. This is just one example of many I have encountered (I have not been dumb enough to be fooled more than twice - the router being one).

yes, that amd. they know nothing about making computers. and the radeon line they manufacture? it's basically 49th tier hardware. you could probably like, solder better parts, or something.

I was referring to iBuyPower...which was pretty obvious. I didn't specify (because I didn't need to), so you decided to try to twist it. No surprise there.

And AMD and ATI are not on the same level as nVidia. ATI is really solid, but I've had issues where **** just doesn't work right because people program for nVidia chipsets and don't always make sure it works for ATI products. I don't have much of an issue with AMD, they just aren't even close to as good as Intel processors.

yeah, you know, unless you're part of the large group of people who've ever had to deal with dell support. totally reliable.

I deal with them all the time. They're not the best, but have you ever dealt with that other company? Do they even have a warranty?

you can start at the processor, and go from there. the *only* thing it has is more memory, and 4-6 gb is irrelevant for the vast majority of casual users.

The i3 2100 is a Sandy Bridge and is a 2nd Tier CPU. The AMD on the Wal-Mart machine is a 3rd Tier. Everything about the Dell is at least the same or better...

[descendency]

in case someone didn't know, Steam (steampowered.com) is having their summer sale where you can get some massive savings. I've probably already saved $200 and the sales end on the 10th with a new set of games every day. (refreshes at 1 PM EST)

[descendency]

For the love of all that is decent and holy, please don't by pre-fab computers. I could write a book on all of the absolute **** that they do to drive down prices and lock you into what you bought (some of which is illegal and some of which should be). I'm not even talking about the business side of it. I mean the product you buy is second rate. (the one exception is laptops, where you are forced to do so)

If you are unsure about what you need, I can make a list (as well as other posters here probably). Just PM me or post. Granted, I will pull my parts list from an US&Canada store (Newegg). I can't help much outside of that region

If you aren't buying a computer for a facebook user (where they won't care about any of the benefits of having customized hardware) and you know how to follow basic instructions (and use a screw driver), then building a computer is 100000000000000000000000x times better.

They have higher quality parts. You choose how much 'future-proof'ness you want (within certain limitations...).

Pre-builts use trash. Motherboards and Power Supplies are the #1 and #2 (in reverse order) thing they skimp on. A bad power supply can fry a computer and can limit your upgrade path severely. If your power supply can't supply enough power, you can't upgrade a graphics card (for example). Motherboards are also always the cheapest ones they can get. Severely limiting as well. RAM is almost always "value ram".

Every time a smart person buys a pre-fab computer, God kills a kitten. You don't want kittens to die do you?

[DBNYDP]

Curious anyone play Dota here?

[Caddy]

I used to play Dota, but I'm talking years ago. Always had a soft spot for that stealth assassin.

[wogitalia]

Are you guys, who both clearly know a thing or two about computers, really arguing over whether a Dell or a Walmart computer is the less crap option?

I thought better of both of you, building a computer takes the same technical skill as playing with Lego or Mechano and they let 3 year olds play with that crap.

The instructions walk you through it and the parts fit in only the one slot, if as a kid you could put the square peg in the square hole and the round peg in the round hole, and you can click next to install an OS, then you can build a computer and get a vastly superior product list, far greater longevity and a better made computer for less, especially if you are in the USA where you can get everything online, on sale...

[nepg]

Originally Posted by wogitalia

Are you guys, who both clearly know a thing or two about computers, really arguing over whether a Dell or a Walmart computer is the less crap option?

I thought better of both of you, building a computer takes the same technical skill as playing with Lego or Mechano and they let 3 year olds play with that crap.

The instructions walk you through it and the parts fit in only the one slot, if as a kid you could put the square peg in the square hole and the round peg in the round hole, and you can click next to install an OS, then you can build a computer and get a vastly superior product list, far greater longevity and a better made computer for less, especially if you are in the USA where you can get everything online, on sale...

For some reason, yes...we are. I don't know why it's even a debate.

Of course building it yourself is better - always. But it's really just not the best option for a lot of people.

[ImBrotherCain]

Buying a shelf model and upgrading is a way to go... Just make sure you get a newer CPU socket so that you can upgrade if you want to down the road.

[descendency]

Originally Posted by ImBrotherCain

Buying a shelf model and upgrading is a way to go... Just make sure you get a newer CPU socket so that you can upgrade if you want to down the road.

I don't want to write a book on this here and distract from what the topic is actually talking about, but you are entirely wrong about what you just said.

If you want, I can give you 10 reasons why it's hard if not impossible to upgrade a pre-built machine (or any machine) these days.

If you are buying pre-built, expect to use basically what you've bought for the next 5 years (or longer if you use it more).

[nepg]

There are certain things you can upgrade, but you're stuck with the mobo and cpu because those tend to be proprietary (as in the mobo is fitted to the case and you can't stick an aftermarket in there) and they won't give you any information on what the mobo can handle.

[prock]

Anyone play dota?

[njx9]

Originally Posted by nepg

It's probably not even close to the same card...

Just to show you...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...i+6450&x=0&y=0

edit: this got far too personal, and it shouldn't have. i appreciate that you made me look some stuff up, and even if i fundamentally disagree with you, i shouldn't have let it get to that point.

Originally Posted by wogitalia

I thought better of both of you, building a computer takes the same technical skill as playing with Lego or Mechano and they let 3 year olds play with that crap.

for any marginally technical user, i fully agree. for anyone in the 'mac generation' (no offense to mac users) who just wants to plug the thing into the wall, pre-built is a perfectly viable option. especially for someone who doesn't intend to do a ton on it.