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General discussion (archive)Buying a new computer - advice appreciated.(26 posts)(26 posts)
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Posted October 15, 2013
Hello all. I'm planning on buying a new desktop soon, mostly for gaming of course.

This is the one I've got my eye on: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883220330

I'm not the kind of person who cares about playing Battlefield 4 on max settings with 120 fps or anything, so I'm really just looking for something that will get the job done. Currently all of my PC gaming is done with a laptop with an Intel HD 4000 graphics card, 4GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i5 processor. This means that my gaming is mostly relegated to classic titles like those available on GOG and indie titles from both GOG and Steam. Any new games I play are either from like the 2001 - 2006 range or end up suffering some framerate problems. I would like to be able to play something like Metro 2033 or Miasmata with a decent framerate (Solid 30+) and without feeling like my keyboard is gonna melt after only an hour of playing. Not much to ask I think.

So, the big questions are these I suppose. First of all, I've done a bit of research and looked at some benchmarks. The system specs of that computer I linked should be able to match my needs yes? Also I do plan to upgrade the RAM to 12 sometime soon down the line, as I hear 8 is basically the minimum and it's advisable to get like 10+. But really I wouldn't know from personal experience or anything.

Second, how would I know if any particular monitor is compatible? I'm sure there are hardware technicalities that make x monitors not get alone well with y computers, but how would I be able to check before buying?

Third, I would be willing to just use my HDTV as a monitor instead. But I've heard that sometimes using a TV as a monitor can cause stretching issues and make reading text harder. My HDTV is only 24" though (Again, I seem to do everything in moderation lol) so I don't think stretching would be too much of an issue maybe? But I'm still worried about the reading text thing, because my current setup isn't very conducive to sitting right in front of the TV to read everything up close.

So yes, that's it. I look forward to hearing your thoughts everyone.
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Posted October 15, 2013
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EckoShy: Hello all. I'm planning on buying a new desktop soon, mostly for gaming of course.

This is the one I've got my eye on: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883220330

I'm not the kind of person who cares about playing Battlefield 4 on max settings with 120 fps or anything, so I'm really just looking for something that will get the job done. Currently all of my PC gaming is done with a laptop with an Intel HD 4000 graphics card, 4GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i5 processor. This means that my gaming is mostly relegated to classic titles like those available on GOG and indie titles from both GOG and Steam. Any new games I play are either from like the 2001 - 2006 range or end up suffering some framerate problems. I would like to be able to play something like Metro 2033 or Miasmata with a decent framerate (Solid 30+) and without feeling like my keyboard is gonna melt after only an hour of playing. Not much to ask I think.

So, the big questions are these I suppose. First of all, I've done a bit of research and looked at some benchmarks. The system specs of that computer I linked should be able to match my needs yes? Also I do plan to upgrade the RAM to 12 sometime soon down the line, as I hear 8 is basically the minimum and it's advisable to get like 10+. But really I wouldn't know from personal experience or anything.

Second, how would I know if any particular monitor is compatible? I'm sure there are hardware technicalities that make x monitors not get alone well with y computers, but how would I be able to check before buying?

Third, I would be willing to just use my HDTV as a monitor instead. But I've heard that sometimes using a TV as a monitor can cause stretching issues and make reading text harder. My HDTV is only 24" though (Again, I seem to do everything in moderation lol) so I don't think stretching would be too much of an issue maybe? But I'm still worried about the reading text thing, because my current setup isn't very conducive to sitting right in front of the TV to read everything up close.

So yes, that's it. I look forward to hearing your thoughts everyone.
Hi there.

The biggest weakness I see in that build is the video card unfortunately - I would advise something with GDDR5 at least 1GB, like a GTX650 or better - that one will be okay, but if your gonna buy a new machine might as well get new parts eh? :)

8GB should be fine for all current games, and as long as you match it you should be able to add at least another 8GB later if you want.

Really any monitor should work unless its REALLY ancient mate. :) Just word of advice - if you get something with a below 1080p resolution it taxes the GPU less so you can ramp up other settings. ;P I game on a 1600x900 monitor that suits my needs perfectly well.

As for TV's, the biggest thing I find is just the strain on your eyes - depending what you plan on doing, if its only gaming from 3 or more feet you should be fine.

Hope this helps bro. :)

EDIT: Also thought I'd mention - Metro 2033 is VERY demanding game. :P Due to the excessive use of PhysX, an nVidia GPU would be advisable. :)
Post edited October 15, 2013 by sloganvirst
Posted October 15, 2013
Yeah. Graphics card seems to be on the bad side, also if you would change it on that machine for a more powerful, I guess that 300W power supply would be a problem.
Posted October 15, 2013
I'd recommend against that one- a lot of the hardware is is budget level stuff, and even given that I'd consider it overpriced. To be more specific, the GT 545 is a very weak card, and would be a performance bottleneck for quite a few games. Additionally, the PSU is a measly 300W, which means you'd also need to replace that if you wanted to upgrade your GPU (I also wouldn't count on it being from a good manufacturer either). The HDD is also of the slower 5400 rpm variety, so that will give you a bit of a performance hit as well (and I'm guessing the other aspects of the HDD, such as cache size, aren't particularly good either). The motherboard also uses the H77 chipset, which while not bad, per se, is pretty bare bones, and such boards more often have build quality issues than the enthusiast boards (such as those with the Z chipsets). The CPU, on the other hand, is much stronger relative to the rest of the system, so much so that many of the other components will prevent you from getting nearly the performance that that CPU is capable of (but that doesn't stop that CPU from jacking up the overall price of the system). And on top of all of that the whole thing is refurbished, which usually comes with a significantly higher chance of failure down the line.

Ultimately for that amount of money you could do considerably better.
Posted October 15, 2013
Ah, I was worried about that. I really don't know anything about graphics cards and just sorta assume that the higher the number the better. Also I've heard from several people that nVidia is all around the best for graphics cards.

So with that in mind I basically tried to go for a computer with the highest number nVidia card that was under my price limit. Hence the one I linked to.

My budget is ~$700. I could stretch it to $800 if it's really that big of a problem, but I'd prefer not to.
Posted October 15, 2013
If you don't need a monitor (or consider a monitor a separate budget item) you can put together quite a good system for $700. Are you willing to put it together yourself, or do you need it pre-built?
Posted October 15, 2013
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DarrkPhoenix: If you don't need a monitor (or consider a monitor a separate budget item) you can put together quite a good system for $700. Are you willing to put it together yourself, or do you need it pre-built?
Pre-built for sure. I know everyone says that building your own computer is both better and cheaper, and that it's not as hard as it sounds, but I honestly don't have the time and patience to learn how to do it.


And the reason I'd rather keep the computer itself under $700 is because the other $100 or so will likely be used to buy a monitor. Unless I go the route of using my HDTV, which I've still not decided yet.
Post edited October 15, 2013 by EckoShy
Posted October 15, 2013
Some sparse advices:

- Buy a NVIDIA GPU. AMD is shitty in many regards.
- Get an Intel CPU, I'd go for a Core i7. Quad-core, it must be. (Haswell)
- 8 GB of RAM, at least.
- Get an SSD for the OS, or an SSHD (hybrid HDD with an SSD cache) if you can only afford a single-disk setup.
- Get a fucking Blu-ray burner. I really don't understand why publishers still don't sell their multi-tens-of-gigabyte games on a damn BD-ROM when the format has been available since 2006.....
- As for cooling: liquid cooling is stupid. Get a massive metal cooling device, instead, some fans and a decent case. You will be able to overclock as much as you please.
Posted October 15, 2013
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KingofGnG: Some sparse advices:

- Buy a NVIDIA GPU. AMD is shitty in many regards.
- Get an Intel CPU, I'd go for a Core i7. Quad-core, it must be. (Haswell)
- 8 GB of RAM, at least.
- Get an SSD for the OS, or an SSHD (hybrid HDD with an SSD cache) if you can only afford a single-disk setup.
- Get a fucking Blu-ray burner. I really don't understand why publishers still don't sell their multi-tens-of-gigabyte games on a damn BD-ROM when the format has been available since 2006.....
- As for cooling: liquid cooling is stupid. Get a massive metal cooling device, instead, some fans and a decent case. You will be able to overclock as much as you please.
If you get all of your games from online services then there is no need for a DVD/Bluray drive. Still it can be useful though.
You also don't need a an i7 for gaming. An i5 should suffice. The money saved can be invested in a better GPU. Because the GPU matters more than the CPU. With the rest I agree.
Posted October 15, 2013
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blotunga: If you get all of your games from online services then there is no need for a DVD/Bluray drive. Still it can be useful though.
If you use the "magic power of the clouds" there is no need for a hard disk. Or an OS. C'mon, let's put this ridiculous "on-line only always and forever" propaganda at rest. The users lose, if they get their games only from on-line services. And on-line services are mostly a giant pile of shit. I know it, because I can experience it every fucking time I play the lag-fest cloud-powered fraud known as Diablo III...
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blotunga: You also don't need a an i7 for gaming. An i5 should suffice. The money saved can be invested in a better GPU. Because the GPU matters more than the CPU. With the rest I agree.
Disagree: the next-generation of home consoles is almost here, you WILL need a powerful CPU to get the job done. And the CPU matters, always, especially when hybrid solutions for in-game computing (CPU+GPU) will become norm.
Posted October 15, 2013
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EckoShy: Ah, I was worried about that. I really don't know anything about graphics cards and just sorta assume that the higher the number the better. Also I've heard from several people that nVidia is all around the best for graphics cards.
Not universally. I'm going to explain the system to the best of my knowledge, so if you're not interested, stop reading now.

The format goes so that the first number represents the generation of the GPU, which doesn't really mean much. The second digit is an important one: 1, 4 and anything in between indicates a kind of general-purpose or budget ("media" in marketing language) card, so they provide modest performance at best. They are not necessarily entirely unsuited for gaming, but you should seek out cards that have at least a 5 as the middle number. The last digit - a 0 or a 5 - is pretty much redundant. As far as I can tell, AMD uses a similar system, just with an extra redundant digit in the end.

With what I've just said in mind, it might become clear that higher numbers do not always translate to higher performance: a GTX 690 will kick the living shit out of a GT 730. Although the latter does have the benefit of being of a newer generation, it was never made with gaming in mind, which the 690 was.

The NVidia vs. AMD debate is quite meaningless to me, since both seem to cock up their drivers every now and then, causing a variety of problems to gamers far and wide.
Posted October 15, 2013
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KingofGnG: If you use the "magic power of the clouds" there is no need for a hard disk. Or an OS. C'mon, let's put this ridiculous "on-line only always and forever" propaganda at rest. The users lose, if they get their games only from on-line services. And on-line services are mostly a giant pile of shit. I know it, because I can experience it every fucking time I play the lag-fest cloud-powered fraud known as Diablo III... Disagree: the next-generation of home consoles is almost here, you WILL need a powerful CPU to get the job done. And the CPU matters, always, especially when hybrid solutions for in-game computing (CPU+GPU) will become norm.
Still discs are too much of a hassle, I rather keep a nas with Raid 1 around then to hassle with discs. Take this from someone who in his old pirating days had like 500 DVDs, 200 with games. But I haven't used a DVD/Bluray/whatever drive for the last 4 years.
As for the CPU, If you have infinite money you can get a core i7, but in general an i5 is not a bottleneck for gaming. And it costs about 50% less.
Post edited October 15, 2013 by blotunga
Posted October 15, 2013
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blotunga: Still discs are too much of a hassle
The hassle is worth your time when you finally understand that "on-line" services won't last.

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blotunga: As for the CPU, If you have infinite money you can get a core i7, but in general an i5 is not a bottleneck for gaming. And it costs about 50% less.
Heh, I never said you have to go for the "most" expensive Core i7 out there...
Posted October 15, 2013
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AlKim: The format goes so that the first number represents the generation of the GPU, which doesn't really mean much. The second digit is an important one: 1, 4 and anything in between indicates a kind of general-purpose or budget ("media" in marketing language) card, so they provide modest performance at best. They are not necessarily entirely unsuited for gaming, but you should seek out cards that have at least a 5 as the middle number. The last digit - a 0 or a 5 - is pretty much redundant. As far as I can tell, AMD uses a similar system, just with an extra redundant digit in the end.
Ah, okay. That's actually pretty simple. With that in mind I looked around a bit more and came up with these two possibilities:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227474

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883103855

I'm not sure about the processor though. I don't know if getting another computer with an i5 is a good idea. I feel like it would just cause problems a couple years down the road. And I don't know anything about the AMD CPU's, so I cant say if that's a good one on the first computer.
Posted October 15, 2013
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KingofGnG: The hassle is worth your time when you finally understand that "on-line" services won't last.
And discs do? I had CDs kept in almost optimal circumstances, used about 3 times being un-readable after a couple of years. I have no clue about my old DVDs though, since I haven't touched them for years. But I still say a RAID 1 is the best solution there is. And cheaper than discs nowdays.
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General discussion (archive)Buying a new computer - advice appreciated.(26 posts)(26 posts)
(26 posts)