Looking into getting a new PC

[clockworkjoe]

I wanna play them thar fancypants vidya games. While I have a good macbook pro, I want to update my mainstay PC which is like 6 years old.

I have a monitor and speakers but I want a good gaming rig that is fairly cheap. Soo, where should I look, what features should I look for and so forth?

[Tadanori Oyama]

I'd advise against playing newer PC games. The protection measures some are enacting is more trouble than it's worth.

But if you want a gaming rig than you need video card, RAM, and processor with video card being the most important. Just look at the specs from a big old AlienWare gaming seige weapon system and see what parts it uses. Scale back from there.

I'm upgrading my machine as well. It took is many years old. If I find any good deals I'll be sure to let you know.

[clockworkjoe]

I'd advise against playing newer PC games. The protection measures some are enacting is more trouble than it's worth.

But if you want a gaming rig than you need video card, RAM, and processor with video card being the most important. Just look at the specs from a big old AlienWare gaming seige weapon system and see what parts it uses. Scale back from there.

I'm upgrading my machine as well. It took is many years old. If I find any good deals I'll be sure to let you know.

LEFT 4 DEAD 2

[Maze]

Fuck you Tadanori! Don't pooh-pooh PC gaming!

...

 

...

Try getting it built custom. Newer video cards are not worth the money they cost, the price drops considerably after a few months being on the market so for a few hundred dollars less, you're not going to miss out much.

Tigerdirect.com has great prices for great products.

Regarding DRM and the such, unless you're pirating games, you shouldn't have problem with them. Most of the games I buy are from Steam, they have amazing deals and I have no complaints with them. The only real jerks out there are EA, and even with them, you can always disactivate a game on one computer to install it on another.


Anyway, who on the forums is a PC gamer? And who has Team Fortress 2?

[Tadanori Oyama]

Only allowed to install on a certain number of computers? Have to log into a whole other system to make use of the game? A system that doesn't assist the game in any significant way? No thanks. I play consule, put the disk in the tray -> Game starts -> Play game.

Easy. Done.

[arthwollipot]

Funny - I get a new PC every time my current one is killed by Cthulhu.

[Maze]

Only allowed to install on a certain number of computers? Have to log into a whole other system to make use of the game? A system that doesn't assist the game in any significant way? No thanks. I play consule, put the disk in the tray -> Game starts -> Play game.

Easy. Done.

Brother, I don't even need a cd. Steam starts automatically, double-click on the game -> Play Game.

Also:


PYRO ROCKS!!!
(Drawn today.)

[Tadanori Oyama]

PYRO ROCKS!!![/size]
(Drawn today.)

....

Okay, you win this round.

[Boyos]

I wanna play them thar fancypants vidya games. While I have a good macbook pro, I want to update my mainstay PC which is like 6 years old.

I have a monitor and speakers but I want a good gaming rig that is fairly cheap. Soo, where should I look, what features should I look for and so forth?

I would have to agree with buying a built one, dont waste your money on an alienwear pc any more there no longer hand built like they used to be, they have the same great cases but are now factory built by none other then the evil empire them selfs dell. tiger direct usuly have good quality items and good warrentys you can start with a bare bones kit and upgrade from there. I highly recomend getting a dual core (good gaming) or quad core proccessor (monster gaming) intell makes some of the best amd usuly get hot so you need a good coolent system. go for 4 gigs ram and if posible dual video cards.

I personaly bought a compaq a year and half ago for 400 bucks after upgrading the ram, video card, and power supply it was around 1500, but that included the moniter keys, mouse, speakers, and ally my network shit i needed. the only reason i did that was i wanted it right now. if you have the time to waite wait and build it your self, mine runs wow great TF2, call of duty 4, and AoC when i played verry well. i only wish i had more ram slots i have 2 wish i had 4 so i could upgrade my ram.

if anyone wants to get ahold of me to play video games i usuly allways have my x-fire on you can ass me on there and send me a tell. if you dont know what x-fire is its like aim or yahoo messanger, but bilt for gamers where when somone sends you an im on other things it usuly minimizes your screen and well that gets you killed, x-fire will open i little window in your bottom right of your screen yiu can hit ctl+x and that opens a small reply screen that lets you chat inbetween rounds or whatever.

[Boyos]

Now that im on brake I checked out tirger direct heres a pretty good barebones kit. 499.99

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4786440&csid=ITD&body=MAIN

it dont come with a cpu fan apperntly so heres a page of fans costing from 19.99 cheapy to 94.99 monster of a fan.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=1588

from reading the coments I would pick up another fan too esp running dual video cards anywear from 9.99 to 69.99 for 3

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=494

Put in a cheap DvD burnner 29.99-99.99

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=89

throw in vista 32 bit, you'll want vista for DX 10, sadly XP dont run DX 10. 109.99

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2864281&CatId=3778

So your looking around 700-800 bucks total for a rig that will last you prob another 5 or 6 years.

[Maze]

Hey Boyos, add me on Steam: mazegrap

We should play some TF2 at some point (and Ross along with other RPPR community fellers)

[Boyos]

Hey Boyos, add me on Steam: mazegrap

We should play some TF2 at some point (and Ross along with other RPPR community fellers)

will do next time i play. its been a while, but that game never gets old.

[Zergor]

I'd build it yourself, there are some great guides if your not super savy. Check out www.tomshardware.com they have some guides on custom built systems.

They also do a semi regular article with parts listed from new egg, in 3 price ranges for people to use as a template.

Depending on which games you want to play you can built a pretty nice rig for about $1000 or less these days.

-Zerg

[AmishNinja]

I would advise building your own. If you don't feel comfortable using online guides to do so, get a friend to help. Your first build will seem daunting but overall it's not difficult.

Tigerdirect is a decent source for parts, but I personally like http://www.newegg.com the best. If you want some advice as far as what parts to get, hit me up on AIM (amishninja05). Good luck.

[codered]

I think you should become friends with a cpu guy and have them build you a sweet cpu my buddie built me a cpu from the bones and it is a kick ass cpu. and all i had to pay was parts pizza and beer fair trade. works for my car also and algerbra lol friends are usefull people...