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Need help choosing a gaming (preferably MMO) rig!
Ludichris1
Member Posts: 41
I'm searching for a gaming (preferably MMOs) PC that will last me 2-3 years (starting from Dec. 2009) and is $500-. I plan it to run MMOs on High to Very High settings, and other games from at least Medium to High settings. Like I said, these types of settings for 2-3 years before I upgrade. MMOs may include i.e. FFXIV, KOTOR, SGW, WoW, etc. (not limited to).
The WHOLE PC. That means the console, monitor, speakers, keyboard & mouse... and even a power surge suppresor! Anyways I'm going to show you a list of my choices for certain part and/or some questions, and you will (please!) tell me which one to choose and/or how each will compare when playing MMOs(and/or answer the questions). Thanks in advance! 
P.S. Build machine from scratch, built-to-order, or store-shelf, but upgraded?
CPU: AMD Athlon X2 7750, AMD Athlon II 240 (or maybe 245), AMD Athlon II 250, AMD Athlon II 550 BE
GPU: GeForce 9600GT, GeForce 9800GT, GeForce 9800GTX, GeForce 9800GTX+ (ALL GPU: or should I use ATI substitutes?)
RAM: 2GB RAM, 3GB RAM, 4GB RAM (ALL RAM: DDR2 or DDR3, and what speed?)
PSU: 400 (or 420), 450, 500
HDD: 250GB, 320GB, 500GB
OS: Windows XP Pro/Home, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows 7 (wait till come out?) (what version: 32x or 64x bit?)
Monitor: LCD Monitor, CRT Monitor (cheap-wise) (I was planning only resolution up to 1440x1280. How much should I pay?)
Speakers: Wired Speakers (How cheap should I go? $15 dollars? $25 dollars? $30 dollars?)
CD/DVD: CD/DVD Burner w/ LightScribe (Please answer this: Can a CD/DVD Burner (a.k.a Writer) also read CDs and DVDs? Like playing games and stuff too?)
Comments
A gaming computer that includes everything (monitor, OS, shipping, tax, surge protector, etc.) for under $500 isn't going to happen for you unless you can pick up some cheap parts used. If your budget is really that tight, your best bet is probably to buy parts and build your own to avoid the markup that any OEM would charge. Note that this leaves you no tech support, so you're on your own to fix whatever goes wrong. You'll almost certainly have to rely on some used parts that are cheaper than anything you could get new if the $500 is a hard cap.
Alternatively, you might want to try to find an old computer that someone is trying to get rid of to replace it for that budget. If the motherboard has an LGA 775 processor socket and a PCI Express x16 slot, you could perhaps upgrade the processor (to a pentium dual core based on the Core 2 architecture) and video card (as described below) to get something that works.
The cheap prices for computers that you may sometimes see cited almost invariably mean without a monitor, tax. or shipping, and often mean without an operating system, either. For comparison, the very cheapest monitor on New Egg is $105. The OEM version of Windows XP is $90 (for comparison, Vista is $110), and a computer with Linux only won't properly run most games.
You might be able to fit everything else in about $300 if you go with a really slow single-core processor, integrated graphics (and not even relatively fast integrated graphics, at that), a cheap power supply that will probably explode if you try to draw 3/4 of its rated power, no speakers at all, and various other ways to cut corners, but even that's not certain, and that wouldn't run a lot of modern games, let alone future ones.
If you can spend a little more and just want to get the cheapest computer you can that could plausibly be called a gaming computer, you're probably better off going with AMD, both because their processors are cheaper than Intel's at a given level of performance and because the motherboards to take AMD processors are cheaper than those for Intel (which I think is because they charge less for chipsets). The cheapest Athlon II will at least be a serviceable processor for $60.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103688
Here's the cheapest motherboard I could find that will take that processor: $50 before a $20 mail in rebate. Note that it only has two memory slots, not four as most motherboards would have:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135246
For a video card, this chart gives you a basic idea of how good various video cards are:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2404-7.html
Nvidia still hasn't released any <$100 cards in their latest generation--for which the high end cards released more than a year ago. The Radeon HD 4650 is probably the cheapest card that is substantially better than integrated graphics. While it's not a terribly fast card, you can't afford a fast card in your budget. Here's one that you can get at $55 before a $20 mail in rebate.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121338
If you get Windows XP, 2 GB of memory will be enough for a while--but XP doesn't support DirectX 10 or 11, so it may not be able to play some future games at all. On Vista or the forthcoming Windows 7, 2 GB of memory would probably be enough for most games right now provided that you close everything else when playing a game (no switching windows to a browser, etc.), but may not be enough for future games. DDR3 isn't a lot more expensive than DDR2, but it is more expensive, and a motherboard can only use one or the other. You can get 2 GB of DDR2 for around $30.
You can get a case for the computer for $25, but it won't be a very good case, and there's no guarantee that it will hold together.
The cheapest hard drives on New Egg are $35, but at only 80 GB, that will be tight on space. You can double the capacity for a few dollars more, which will be enough if you don't have much music, videos, pictures, etc. to store.
The cheapest 80 plus certified power supplies (that is, decent quality ones) are around $40. If you get one of those, you can ignore the rated power, as they'll all be adequate for your needs in a low end computer. If you try to get one that isn't 80 plus certified, don't be too shocked if it fries--or if you get unlucky, fries the rest of the computer, too. Here's a good one that's on sale at the moment:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371005
I don't think they make CD/DVD burners that can write but not read. Regardless, if you want to be able to write, that's about $30 to get one. You can get a read-only one for around $20.
You can get a $5 mouse if you don't mind fussing with it when it doesn't quite do what you want. Here's a really great mouse (it's what I'm using right now) for $12:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826623004
For a keyboard and speakers, you're basically going to have to get about as cheap as they come to fit your budget. We're probably over $500 already, and haven't accounted for shipping. If you buy parts online, you can avoid sales tax in most states, though that depends on where you live.
You'll still need a surge protector. I don't have any particular advice for you there. You don't get a printer, as it doesn't fit your budget. You don't get a floppy drive, either. Onboard sound and networking will work fine, rather than needing discrete cards. I think that might be everything you need to make a functional gaming computer for somewhere in the neighborhood of $600, though I might be leaving some parts out.
Hmm all for $500- that's a tall order..
Here's what I got:
CPU: AMD Athlon X2 240 $60
GPU: Radeon 4850 $97 (This is the main component.. you can get by on a 9600GT if you MUST save $25 but this 4850 will get a lot done for you.)
Mobo: ECS 770GX $60
RAM: 2GB DDR2 800 (any brand, but 2GB is gonna be your weak spot.. gotta stay on budget though!) $34
PSU: OCZ StealthXStream 400W (Yes I know the 4850 asks for a 450W but they're taking into account cheap brand terrible PSUs) $40
HD: Seagate Barracuda 320GB $50 (250GB is $47..)
Monitor: Acer 19" 1680x1050 $120
Speakers: $15.. don't think you'll hear a difference till you hit $70+, and MMO's don't have great sound anyway
DVD Burner: Samsung 22x $32 (One of the fastest, and cheapest to boot)
Case: Cheapest you can find w/free shipping.. Apex PC-389-C $30
Keyboard + Mouse: Microsoft or Logitech basic K+M combo ~$22 I suppose, gotta stay cheap here
Power Strip/surge protector: $7 (hey it still says surge protector on the box)
OS: Windows 7, $0 until March get your key here before end of October. Microsoft doesn't offer the RC ISO download anymore but it shouldn't be hard to find, but be careful to get a legit version of it (even if it is from a torrent site just be careful). Use the x86 32bit unless you plan on upgrading to 4GB ram later (I would), in which case you may want to just start with x64 version.
Total..$566 + $25 shipping ($591), missed by $91
And that's without an operating system, which illustrates how hard it is to fit everything under $500.
Yep, almost impossible, due to monitor/os/case, which can total $300 easily themselves leaving only $200 for the actual components. A lot of these parts are long term - You should rarely have to replace your monitor, case, dvd drive, OS, keyboard/mouse, speakers. Your hard drive and PSU should last at least a few upgrade cycles.
Once you have those reusable parts then it actually is possible to build an awesome $500 system every few years since you only need a few key components.
Buy Aion this is nice game
Hmm, lets see now.
Memory: You need 4gb now. Since your on a tight budget get DDR2 and use the extra money on the GFX card instead.
PSU: 650W Corsair. If you get less you will get problem with any half modern GFX card. 420W is really a joke. And even if you get a real crappy old GFX card now you must think about upgrades, it is a lot of work and wasted money to throw out the old PSU and get another. I reccomend Corsair since it is good, rather cheap and saves energy.
MB: MSI or Gigabyte have a good range of cards for a low pricethat is as good as any ASUS card.
HD: They are cheap. I reccomend a 750GB Seagate Barracuda. you could get a 500 instead but they almost cost the same.
Speakers: Just get one of those cables to plug it into your stereo. Good computer speakers are expensive, the cable is like $5.
PSU: 2.66 Ghz Intel Core2Duo. Cheap, reliable and easy to clock up. Runs at half the temperature compared to a AMD.
OS: Do you have XP in your old computer? Then use it, buying a new OS is really expensive. If you plan to use an illegal version it is W7 that is the choice.
Monitor: This Acer 18.5" LCD screen. $109.
As for the GFX card you will be forced to settle for something rather cheap to get it into the $500 range with the screen also. I would say that the Nvidia GTX 250 is the best card in the right price range.
But as I said about the OS, if you actually plans to buy a new OS instead of just installing one you use in a old computer you will have problem with getting those $500 bucks to last. A MS OS cost at least $100.
You shouldnt get a CRT monitor, it uses a lot of electricity and are harder for the eyes. 18,5" is the minimum size youll need to truly enjoy MMOs, particulary if you PvE. I use 24" myself.
Anyways, this computer will run any MMO in existance with good settings. Not maxed out but you would have to spend half your budget just on the GFX card then, but still with nice settings. The 4gb ram makes the difference.
The processor is rather cheap but it is easy to clock it up to at least 3,0 ghz without buying another fan. Send me a PM or google it. The GFX is also possible to clock as long as you buy one with a fan. And I don't reccomend you clocking a AMD processor without a really good fan, they get a lot hotter than Intels.
Good luck with it anyways
Edit: Forgot the CD burner. Just get the absolutly cheapest no name DVD burner you can find (around $20 or so). It can also play any game and you can watch DVD movies on it as you asked. The difference between different burners is not worth buying a more expensive one (as long as it can burn 8 times DVD + and -). As I said, we are on a tight budget here and every extra buck on small stuff is a waste since they are a lot more useful on other parts of the computer.
That psu claim is absolute bullcrap. A modern 400 watt easily runs all single gpu systems and sli systems up to mid price class. You could read something about it before making such statements.
Avoid Seagate hdd's, they have just had way too many problems lately, like the faulty firmware which makes the whole disk unusable.
The temperature claim is absolutely ridiculous, not true at all. Dual cores are history, I wouldn't get one to a new gaming computer. Amd's phenom II's do the same than intel and there is a possibility to unlock more cores.
Gtx 250 is definitely not the best card at its range, the title belongs to radeon 4770/4850.
Loke, there's no way you can bring it in at sub-$500 using a 650W Corsair, 750gb, GTX250 and Core2Duo.. the cheapest Core2Duo they sell anymore is $120, $100 PSU, $80 HD, $125 GPU.. that's $425 and you just gettin started.
Edit: also burners went up in price, $30 lowest now, if the Samsung was $12 premium I wouldn't have bothered mentioning it but $2 to get something you know will work well, and is the fastest, why not
So you're getting him a $120 processor, a $110 video card, a $100 power supply, a $110 monitor, and a $75 hard drive? You're already over budget, and that's with no memory, motherboard, case, operating system, keyboard, mouse, or various other parts.
If he's getting a low end processor and video card, he's never going to draw 300 W at load, so a 650 W power supply is crazy.
If you know how, always always always build your own computer, you can easily save 30-50% off 'sticker' prices of computers in stores with the exact same performance.
I can personally attest to the AMD Phenom X2 550 processor. If you get a decent motherboard, you can try unlocking the CPU and have it perform similar to the AMD X4 940, which is almost twice as expensive. Unfortunately mine wasn't able to unlock, but you may have better luck. If you are willing to spend only 10-20$ you can go for the X3 720 which has an even better chance. If I could go back and buy my parts again I'd have gone with the X3 720 instead, but the 550 is still an amazing processor.
The price differential between DDR2 and DDR3 has falling drastically in the past months. I went with DDR3 due to the fact that I wanted to not worry about upgrading my motherboard in the future. DDR2 will slowly fall out of favor as more DDR3 modules become cheaper and cheaper. You can just get 2GB now and upgrade in the future as you get more money. If you want anything more than 4GB of RAM, you'll need the 64-bit version of Vista or 7.
My motherboard (790GX chipset) has a built in HD3300 graphics adapter, so I'm holding off on buying a new card until the new 5870 drops in price. It's actually a fantastic card considering it's an IGP and plays most games on medium-ish settings fine. Once the 5870 drops a bit in price and all those new games I'm really looking forward to are coming out, I'm going to get the card.
If you're unwilling to settle for a cheap IGP adapter now, you can go for the HD4870, which is like 125$ and is by far the greatest bang for your buck.
You can get a relatively cheap LCD monitor with built in speakers if you want to cut down on costs as well. Not the best sound quality but you're asking for a relatively low-budget computer.
As for HDD, I currently have a 250GB internal and a 1TB external that I share amongst my other computers. While it's enough space for me now, I have a feeling I'm going to run out eventually, hahah.
If you want to play games on high to very high settings however, you're going to have to spend like 6-700$ however. at 500$, you'll be skimping on some parts that you're going to have to upgrade in the near future to keep up with the new MMOs coming out.
The reason I can cut a lot of costs down when building a new rig is because I hijack a lot of parts from my old computers. I reuse DVD drives, HDD's, monitors and other random things that can add up to quite a bit. However since you're looking for a complete build, your price range is going to have to shoot up a bit from 500$.
cyberpowerpc.com look for the mega special deals can get decent rig that goes for like 500-700 i mean decent not going to be able to run every mmo on very high
EVGA FTW-3 MOBO X58
EVGA GTX 580
G.SKILL RIPJAW 12GB
INTEL I7 950
CORSAIR H70 CPU COOLER
CORSAIR 1200W 80+GOLD
If you wait just a short time black friday cometh. I would watch www.dealnews.com and wait for the price drop on DDR3 ram machines its allready started.
mm i ll up my processor before lol 7850 fit on am2 socket ,only thing i could need is 4 more gig of ram to up my ramdrive from 500 to 4 gig and trade vista 32 for w7 64 bit.
but for now i have yet to see enough game to be worth it .aion run at max setting (gcard replaced)might need to be a step down when klot of player around we ll see
7850 pro from amd replace my x2 4600+ cost 80 dollars or so and its the top for this
its a quad or triple with some core deactivated (faulty)
for now everything is faster then what i need it for
you can gain 50% boost just by tweaking vista or xp if you havent done so
thats what tic me off of ms gees they are way to conservative oh tweak are avail but all in registery
dont suggest you play with those but if you know what to do hell lot of hidden potential
snag a ATI 5850 and that card will last you a few years get a much better video card and your set to go my friend
EVGA FTW-3 MOBO X58
EVGA GTX 580
G.SKILL RIPJAW 12GB
INTEL I7 950
CORSAIR H70 CPU COOLER
CORSAIR 1200W 80+GOLD