Im looking for a new desktop computer that can handel games like Half Life 2 for around 1300 without a moniter. I would aslo like to know if it would be easier to buy a system or to make my own system.
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Im looking for a new desktop computer that can handel games like Half Life 2 for around 1300 without a moniter. I would aslo like to know if it would be easier to buy a system or to make my own system.
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hmm parts....
amd athlon 64 3000+ or higher
antec, enermax, or thermaltake powersupply
case: up to u but i recommend aspire xdreamer 2
win xp home but if u want u can go pro
nvidia 6600gt cuz the pci express vanilla 6800 is so much more expensive
160gb western digital sata
this mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136152
ram: corsair xms 1gb pc3200
optical drives: any drive u like
keyboard,mouse, speakers, monitor of ur choice
nerdyboy's parts for ur build will make a very powerful pc. get at least a 480w power supply. case, also look at antecs p180 or sonata II. look at diamondback mice. get a creative soundcard. 17inch or higher flat panel monitor with a good response time.
konny
Re:
"I would aslo like to know if it would be easier to buy a system or to make my own system."
Yes, easier to buy a system from local store or internet.
Next questions:
Which way is cheaper?
Both about the same. Storebought have at least 1 year warranty on the system. Homebuilt only factory warranty on parts.
How about quality?
Can select own name brand parts that may be of quality when building. Buying readymade can also have name brand parts, but usually not throughout.
Can anyone build a PC?
Most say so because you are in a "Computer Help" forum where many are old hands at building, or electrically/mechanically inclined. Building is not for everyone, and even experienced people (including Moderators) have needed help while building. Many internet sites can give instructions on how to build, and even CNet has given free courses.
A $1300 computer with a good video card & RAM can be had from Dell, HP, Compaq, Sony, Emachines that will play any game out there including Half-Life 2, Quake III, Battlefield 2, you name it.....maybe not at the extreme highest settings that critical competition gamers desire, but very good IMO.
An alternative is to have someone build it for you. I have been suggesting Monarch for years.
it is easier to just buy it in a box...
one thing, why Quake III?
that's ages old...I know I know, it's still popular and played, but it's still ages old, almost anything with 3D Acceleration can play that (ok, maybe that's a bit too far, but you get what i'm saying right?)
Quake IV is coming out though, and it is going to be as demanding as Doom 3 or more so (it's on the same engine but with a face lift gfx wise)
i'd also suggest getting GeForce 6 this time around
as it supports SM3.0, which is a feature you'll want in the future
not to mention GeForce 6 is doing excellent
if you want to get ATi however just wait for their new R520 product to be launched this fall (launch is projected Q3 '06, which is soon, I believe August is what the word is now, and nVidia is supposedly launching a new product August/September, but maybe as late as December)
I meant to say Doom III ![]()
I do have all the old Quake series and they are still good to play on just about any machine.
Yes, including myself will be getting a GeForce 6600GT as soon as I figure a way to explain the cost to the wife as she doesn't play my action games unless I get stuck then she likes to figure it out. Maybe I can tell her the grandkids want to play Battlefield and my current card will not handle it. I have around $2000 worth of games & she is starting to put her foot down.![]()
yesterday 'Grand Theft Auto - San Andreas'. Been reading in one of the other forums, believe SpeakEasy about the protest against this game...shooting bad cops. Wanted to see what it is about. It is not for my grandkids...very mature...all the 4 letter words + hookers on the street...unless the kids are older. Just played about an hour... it is about the adventures of a Black guy with slang talk and all. So far, interesting, programmers did a good job, I like him riding a bicycle(me trying to control), he has been arrested twice now for fist fighting...
man, $2 grand on games! you must really have a cool wife lol. you should take another look at the 6600gt. omg i love mine to death! it was a massive upgrade from my x300 and let me say $200 spent into a good investment. i read about san andreas, i was remember when it came out for ps2, i was going to wait for it to come out for the pc, but found myself playing a lot of battlefield vietnam with my friends and now that battlefield 2 came out, its even crazier. i would also recomend you getting bf2. i think you will LOVE it. BUT have a good gpu to run it with the eye candy. 6600gt gets it done.
konny
Bought those games over a several years period almost all on sale...them $'s do add up. Used to be that when a new game came out it was discounted the 1st week, then went on to its normal price. Notice trend is now to wait awhile for price to go down, but then they may be hard to find.
I have Battlefield 1942 which plays Ok on my main computer, but the more recent specs of BF2 will require me to get a card like the 6600GT AGP.
We do not play online as I have dialup. Assume BF2 will play offline, as I have gotten burned before buying a game and then finding out in the hidden writeup or readfile that it is for online only. Can't seem to find any info on that with BF2 unless hidden?
I wasn't impressed with BF1942 as it didn't have the 'first person shooter(FPS)' features like in Call of Duty, Far Cry, Halo, Medal of Honor series, Call of Duty series, Brothers in Arms, Men of War, Half-Life, Doom3, etc....
yeah, maybe you shouldnt get battlefield 2 as its based around a multiplayer-only game. but, there is single player but it doesnt offer the larger maps which give access to airplanes and helicoptors.
konny
John, My one suggestion would be while waiting to get your 66gt keep an eye on prices of the 6800nu. Truly a much better card and the prices have been dropping, Newegg had the PNY 6800 for $160 shipped about 2 weeks ago. That is basically the same price of a 66gt. If you haven't already, Do a little research on the agp 6800, It comes with 12 unlocked pixel pipelines and 5 vertex shaders, They have the potential to unlock to 16 pipes and 6 vertex shaders via a softmod with Rivatuner. The softmod is very safe, It can be reversed if you don't get a clean unlock of the extra pipes and shader.
Just a suggestion you might want to research when you have some free time.
in terms of overclocking potential the 6600GT is far the better
it will OC farther and give a better performance increase compared to a 6800
the 6800 with 16 pipes is worthless as it does not have DDR3, which means it can't get the speeds to feed all 16 pipes, so the performance is rather low compared to a 16 pipe GT or Ultra
in addition the 6800 is 12 pipes for a reason, it's failed at 16/6 and it's running 12/5 because of that
it's not produced as 12/5 (i'm sure some might be to keep up with demand, but as a rule a chip is produced as the best it could be, which in the case of NV40 is 400MHZ and 16/6, and as it fails at those speeds, it's knocked down to a lower spec, which would be 350MHZ and 16/6, and then down from that would be 325MHZ and 12/5...and below that is 300MHZ and 8/4)
i'd suggest the 6600GT for a few reasons:
A) I can personally vouch for the 6800GT being too much, and the 6800 isn't far behind (not close, but it's not far behind)
B) you don't haev to hunt for sales
C) the 6600GT is easier to overclock for higher performance, instead of trying to unlock pipes which may result in the requirement to run lower than stock, or to upgrade cooling or volt mod (I know this isn't true of all and that this is worst case scinario, i'm just playing devil's advocate)
D) it's not a "perfectly safe" process, it's a heavy modification to the card, and the final reason has to be
E
which is this:
NEVER BUY A PART WITH THE BELIEF THAT A PERFORMNACE TWEAK IS GURANTEED
don't buy a 6800 expecting 16/6 from 12/5
it might not do it
don't buy a 6600GT expecting an OC either, it might not do it
but time has shown 6600GT's a more viable solution for performance tweaking in the $150-$175 segment
Yes the 66gt has ddr3, However it also only has 8 pixel pipes and 128 bit memory interface, The 4 extra pipes and 256 bit memory interface on the 68 far offset the difference in standard DDR ram vs DDR3. I fully agree the 66gt is the better O.C.ing card, However the 68 is the better gaming card. It has been shown on countless real game benchmarks as well as synthetic benchmarks like 3dmark. If you get the 4 extra pixel pipes and 1 vertex shader to unlock it is just a sweet bonus.
You said the DDR memory was too slow to support the 16/6, Completely untrue. I used the leadtek version of the 68nu, Mine unlocked perfectly with no artifacts, I benched just under 12,000 in 3d03, Most folks are getting bench's of well over 11,000 if their card unlocks succesfully. I have yet to read of one problem from anyone doing the softmod, If you have found one I would like to see it. From everything I have read from numerous 6800 users, If the softmod doesn't work you simply set your card back to 12/5 and go about your business. Many folks choose not to attemt the mod at all. They like the card as it is shipped.
As I said in my first post, Do the research, Their are numerous comparisons online with the 6600gt vs the 6800nu. You or John or anyone need to make the decision that is best for you, I just wanted to point out what I consider is a viable option. If it isn't right for you, Go with what you feel comfortable with.
I honestly do think it is very inaccurate to proclaim the 6600gt the better card, Because I just don't think that is true. And I think it has been proven in numerous comparisons.
Wife says she saw on news that Sen. Hillary Clinton wants an investigation concerning why this game is being released that children can play. Claims porno, but wife says all she saw on the TV news is photo of animated naked female. I've only played about an hour and all I have seen is scanty clad hookers on the street. I would think porno is a little more than a naked gal...isn't that ART..![]()
i'd wait until around September however
ATi has a new product only a month or so away from launch
i'd hold out for it
My suggestion would be build if you feel comfortable doing so. If not, Good buys can be found and you can get an excellent system for the budget you have listed.
I bought an H.P. in March and it works perfectly. The wife needed a solid system to feed her Everquest addiction and it fits the bill perfectly. I am saving now to build my system later this fall. It really all depends on your comfort level in regard to building your own system, Only you have the answer to that question.
''Not recommended or endorsed by the device manufacturers.'' Usually voids any warranty.
My suggestion is to leave overclocking up to those experienced or want to take a chance in destroying their processor, RAM stick or video card.
http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial_s&hl=en&q=What+is+overclocking&btnG=Google+Search