My old custom gaming computer has dies. The computer geek said that my mother board is fried and he has proposed a replacement, Lenovo that he states is far superior than my old system. I have never heard of this company and don't know what questions to ask before I give him the go ahead. It has Windows7 which I am not crazy about, love my WXP. What are the basic questions I should ask before I tell him to start rebuilding. This msy seem starnge for someone like me who has playd games since 1995 and have had several computers but this gaming computer hs dsigned by a friend of mine who knew what was needed for the long haul.

Lenovo is a Chinese company which bought out parts of IBM. Their laptops are said to be great business machines. I don't know anything about them as far as building gaming computers.

Are you talking about a laptop? All of the Lenovos I've worked on have been laptops.

If you are looking for a gaming desktop, then a lot of people here have had great luck with eCollegePC which will build a computer for you from scratch. They also provide a 3 year parts and labor warranty at no extra charge.

Do not be afraid of Windows 7 - especially for gaming. Check out the Windows 7 and Games thread stickied in the Glitches forum to get a feeling for how games are working on Windows 7. Keep in mind that XP is an ancient operating system by technology standards and is being phased out. In less than 2 years, Microsoft will no longer provide support for it.

I'm sure if you post your preferences for laptop or desktop, what kind of games you play and your budget, you will get a lot of good recommendations. The critical thing for gaming is to get a good stand-alone video card, not a video chip integrated into the motherboard.

Thanks for the response. This guy knows that I want a desktop and not a lap top. After zi posted here I did some research and found that they do make desktops but was unable to find any reviews from folk who own one. I have asked about the video card and I am waiting for a response from him. All I know right now is that it runs Windows 7, has 4GB of ram and has 500 GB hard drive...I will keep you posted on my decision.

Lexxy you can find Lenovo desktop computers at Staples and BestBuy. If you go to Staples on line you can read reviews on them. From what I've read there are lots of positive comments.

There is a Best Buy and Staples just minutes from my house. I will check them out this week end before I give my tech the go ahead.

However, do not buy one of those from Best Buy or Staples. Neither store carries computers with stand-alone video cards. They only carry computers with integrated graphics which you will not be happy with for gaming.

Besides asking about the video card, ask about the power supply's wattage.

Also ask whether the RAM can be upgraded. 4GB may be OK for now, but in a couple of years, who knows?

Find out if it's a 64-bit Windows 7. It probably is, since most pre-installed Windows 7 being sold is 64-bit. But if it's 32-bit, that limits the usefulness of upgrading RAM.

Don't let anyone tell you a brand name computer is better than a homemade. Some name brands are reliable, but that doesn't equate to a good gaming machine if the computer is designed only for business apps.

Thanks all for the input and advice. I checked back with him and it was an intergrated sound and video card that he was prepared to sell me. The good thing is that he can customize it to my specs and I will insist on a good video card and the ram can be up graded to 8GB. Speaking of a solid video card any suggestions. I feel so lost and totally uninformed when I talk to him and I don't like feeling dumb.

If you upgrade the video card, make sure the power supply has enough wattage to accommodate it.

Be SURE to also ask about the power supply as Jenny suggested. These OEM computers tend to put in vastly underpowered power supplies. What video card to ask for is very much dependent on the power supply. I would also get a firm price from him and then compare what that same computer would cost if a company like eCollegePC built it. Also ask what kind of warranty he provides on parts and labor.

An integrated sound card is not as big of a deal as the majority of integrated sound is pretty decent. If great sound is a priority for you, then you should ask for a sound card.

Ask him what brand and model the motherboard is. How many USB ports does it have? Does it support USB 3.0? I'm not saying you need USB 3.0, but it's good information to have. Some of the low end motherboards only have 2 or maybe 4 USB ports - which may or may not be enough. Again, it's just good information to have.

Also ask what the CPU or processor is. Is it a current generation AMD or Intel processor?

Ask how many fans there are in the case. If you start adding more demanding components such as a good video card, cooling will be important. A lot of the cases I open up to work on a computer only have a little 80 mm fan on the back which would not begin to properly ventilate a higher end computer.

What Draclvr has stated is very sound advice ! What I would advise against , is onboard video . Run from onboard video ! Run far and fast ! Having 8 GB of ram would be wise as well . Depending on the motherboard , up to 32Gb of ram can be utilized . Insist on a quality video card and psu . The psu is the heart of a computer ! Just one last bit of information . For example , if a video card recommends a psu rated at 450 watts , it is highly advisable to have some leeway , meaning , instead of a 450 watt psu , utilize a 550 watt or 600 watt psu . Working a psu too hard will shorten it's life , & quite possibly cause the failure of other system components .

I want to thank everyone for the advice and help you have offered so far. I talked to my tech guy last night and I am almost ready to give him the go ahead but I m confused about his wanting me to go with intel HD Graphics 2000. I know little about it but he said that it will save me a lot of money using this intergrated card as opposed to a stand alone grapgic card which could cost me any where to $120.00 and up. The specs so far is a Lenova intel core i5-2310,3.0GHz, 8GB DDR3,1.5TB HDD DVDRW, windows 7 64bit running Windows 7 Home Premium. Everything seems acceptable except for the video card. I will ask if one can disable the intergrated card and insert a stand alone card. Do I need to ask if there is an expansion slot? I am more knowledgable now that I have talked to you sll but I still feel there are a lot of questions I should ask. I will double check but I think the power is 280 watts, but that too could be increased couldn't it?

Here's the thing about onboard video . For starters , what your "tech guy" is attempting to convince you to go with , how do I put this politely , stinks ! What onboard video does , is utilize memory from the system's memory . Depending on how much the onboard video utilizes , it could be 1gb or more . So , instead of 8GB or ram , you will have less , maybe 7GB of ram . That's just an example .

All modern motherboards have at least one pci-e slot for a dedicated video card , so requesting a video card will be just a question of what you are looking for , and what you can afford to pay . A dedicated video card will automatically require an upgraded psu . That puny 280 watt would , in all probability , fry as son as you tried to power on your computer if you get any decent video card . I would definitely suggest a good video card & psu ! What psu you decide on , mostly depends on the video card you choose . Expect to pay at least $75 for a decent psu .Your quote of $120 and up for a decent video card is pretty accurate though .

It almost seems like your tech guy is wanting to do things his way , instead of yours . If you are going to pay him to build a computer , you are the boss . He builds a computer to your specifications , or go to someone who will build a computer to your specifications !

lexxie, this is not a video card. It is video which is integrated into the CPU itself, in this case the 2nd Generation (or Sandy Bridge) Core i5. It's not the same as graphics that are integrated into the motherboard. I'm not sure how it utilizes memory - from the CPU or from the motherboard.

To be honest, I've been asking the question about these new generation Sandy Bridge CPU integrated graphics and gaming and have found no consensus around the internet.

To know what type of expansion slots are available, you need to ask about that motherboard. My main concern with this PC is that it is a small form factor which may limit your expansion options even if you wanted to get a separate video card. Plus, most of these small form factor cases have extremely limited cooling options.

Then there is that power supply - 280 watts is not enough for any upgrades at all. Then if you want to upgrade the power supply, you will be very limited in your choices because of the small form factor of the case.

If you are set on buying something from this tech guy, and can live with these limits and the unknown about the integrated CPU graphics, then it's not a bad general purpose computer. I'd be concerned it might not be the best choice for a gaming PC - even casual games which are having higher computer specs all the time.

Hopefully Jenny, Inland, Creeping Doom and some others can weigh in here too. This is a link to what I was able to find on a Lenovo desktop with these specs.

Lenovo Essential Desktops - H Series

EDIT: I was trying to be polite about what my impression is of this tech guy. But Creeping Doom said what I was REALLY thinking!

I followed the link you posted Draclvr . That particular computer appears as something that is used in shopping centers for cash registers .

Tell him you'll have lost the entire price of the computer if it doesn't play the games you want. Ask him if he thinks all you play is solitaire. Better yet, find a new tech guy. Do not trust salesmen who keep insisting on trying to sell you something other than what you asked for.

You don't have to buy a computer from this "tech guy." You can get one from eCollegePC or some other source where they won't be trying to tell you to what to buy.


I don't think there's any "almost" about it. And if the computer is a Lenovo brand, he probably wouldn't have to do any "building" at all if he sold Lexxy one with Intel graphics -- just stick in a couple of sticks of RAM and it's done. If he installed a decent video card for gaming, he'd also have to replace the power supply, test all the powered connections, and install and test the video drivers -- a lot more work for him -- but necessary if Lexxy is to have a decent gaming computer. Not to mention adding fans. And a lot of this may not even be possible with the computer he's chosen to sell you.


There's another thing. Stay far away from "small form factor cases" if you want to do any upgrading.


I'm not going to bother being polite.
Lexxy, I think he's trying to rip you off, plain and simple. He's trying to take advantage of you. He sees you as a "soft touch."

We've seen several posts in Glitches from people with new computers who swore up and down that their computer was brand new and powerful enough to play anything. But when we actually found out what video card they had, it was Intel graphics. They'd been lied to by salesmen and had thrown their money away on something that usually couldn't be upgraded.

Lexxy,
I guess you have to ask yourself if you want a "cute" small form factor computer that will play a few casual games -- or whether you want a computer that is powerful enough to play whatever you want without having to turn off all the graphics enhancements for every game you play (still get "sticky cursor" on some of them).

Yes, yes, and another yes to what Jenny said...

Now that she has put it out there as a moderator, I'll add my real opinion. This so-called "tech guy" is trying to foist a general purpose computer on you which happens to be in his store. He's not "building" one by any stretch of the imagination. If it's a Lenovo brand, then he's not doing anything at all - just making another sale. And I'm all about him making a sale - as long as it's what you want and need. Although you've stated that you play games and have asked about the video card, he's STILL trying to sell you something that probably won't work for you. So, your interests and needs are not even entering into this sale. I'll bet he couldn't even answer all the questions I mentioned in my earlier post.

And I might be wrong about the small form factor, but that's what I was able to find on the Lenovo website. A place like Best Buy might have some Lenovo desktops that are not small form factor. Even if it isn't a small form factor, the fact remains that this guy is trying to sell you something that you really don't want.

Like Jenny says, how many times have we heard, "But I've got a brand new computer, so it SHOULD be able to play my games." Brand new computer means nothing if it doesn't have the hardware to do anything more than email and surf the internet with a few Facebook games thrown in.

My one word of advice here? RUN.

Creeping Doom, not sure where my link took you, but it should be right to this desktop - at least that's where it takes me. It had nothing to do with sales stuff - it is being sold as a home computer. The model is an H330 which is the closest Lenovo desktop I could find with the specs being quoted to lexxie. I checked at Best Buy and they do have a regular form factor Lenovo with some of lexxie's specs.

Lexxy,

Listen to them. When my last computer fried (one that Best Buy assured me would play computer games jest fine), Jenny, Draclvr and Inland helped me put together a computer that I had built by eCollegePC and I love it. It does everything I ask of it and I was honestly a little surprised at how much I got for what I paid. I knew this computer would have to last and I wanted one I can upgrade when the time comes, unlike the HP I had before. Really, do yourself a favor and boot this tech guy then come back here and let these terrific people help you get what you really want.

Gil.

Thank you all for your advice and support. I am so glad that I have a second family who loks out for each other. I will say my good byes to this guy and look else where. Are there any other sites bsides eCollegepc that I should look at?

eCollege is the best we've found.
I remember someone saying they had a good computer from CyberpowerPC.com but I don't know much about them.
They have an 8.5 out of rating at resellerratings.com

But eCollegePC has a 10 out of 10 rating.

There are several other builders out there, but they are mostly "boutique" builders and you should be prepared to part with multiples of $1,000!

I don't know a lot about Cyberpower either, but you might try putting something together at both places and compare the prices.

If you can give us a budget, we can help you decide what to get.

A couple of those "boutique" builders would be Digital Storm , and Ballistic Gaming . I've often put together a computer on each site , & have almost always went over $2000 . Then again , those computers were gaming monsters , overclocked to the teeth , & with liquid cooling for the cpu . CyberPower has a very good selection of available parts to choose from , as well as eCollege . An idea about a budget would be nice before we start spending lexxy's money !

Add Voodoo and Sager in there too.

Oh, it's always waaay more fun to spend someone else's money!

Thanks everyone and a budget is always a good starting point. I can't afford over $1,000. I have checked both sites and I had so many pull down options that I got totally confused. If someone who has a good gaming computer could give me the specs that is on their system maybe I could try to match them and stay within my budget. I know what motherboard is best, what video card would be best for me and lastly I guess I just want to get a system that will allow me to play the latest games with the max upgrades possible for the next two or three years. All I know for sure right now is that I don't want an intergrated video card and the power sipply should be around 700-800 watts.

I agree that it's pretty mind boggling when you try to figure you what you need. Both these configurations use the Cooler Master 690 II case, which is an excellent one which I used in my last build. They both also have Asus Z68 motherboards which allow for lots of upgrade and expansion options. Z68 means you can switch between the graphics in the CPU and a discrete card if you are so inclined. They also allow for a SSD (solid state drive) which can be used as a cache drive if you want. That means you can get a small, less expensive - but very fast - SSD (in addition to your regular hard drive) and use it as a cache drive to speed things up. I can explain that more if you are interested. Someone who knows more about AMD can probably put together one that might be a bit less expensive. Get more opinions from Jenny and Inland and anyone else who might be able to help you out!!

Here is what Cyberpower will put together for you in a Cooler Master 690 II case for $789 (shipping extra which appears to be about $75 depending on where you live). Power supplies on both these can be upgraded. 700-800 watts is probably overkill, but I'm with Creeping Doom in that more can't hurt.

CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-2400 3.10 GHz
HDD: 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD
MEMORY: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (Kingston HyperX)
MOTHERBOARD: Asus P8Z68-V LX
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GT 520 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
24X Double Layer Dual Format Optical Drive
POWER SUPPLY: 500 watt
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
WARRANTY: 3 years parts and labor

Here is as close as I can get to the same thing with what eCollegePC will put together for you in the same Cooler Master 690 II case for $900. Shipping is free at eCollegePC.

3.1Ghz Intel Core i5-2400
ASUS P8Z68-V LE
8GB (4GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty
1TB 7200RPM 32MB Cache Serial ATA300
24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD /-RW/CDRW w/Nero
1GB GeForce GT 520 GDDR3 PCI-E DVI/HDMI
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
CoolerMaster Black CM690 II Advanced
500watt Cooler Master Extreme Power Plus
Onboard LAN included
Onboard Sound included
Wires and Cables neatly tied up away from fans
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty

So that's somewhere to start. If I would upgrade anything it would be the power supply. You can also go down on the case to save some money too. I just tried to make the comparisons as equal as I could. I think the GTX 520 video card would be good enough, but Jenny and Inland will know more about that.

It can be a bit mind boggling at first , Draclvr ! I was in that mind set before I built my first custom computer . However , after that first build , it all became very interesting , almost like I was a 7 year old child that had been locked in a toy store overnight !

Since you have covered some Intel based solutions , I will throw my hat in this ring , so to speak , and offer up a couple of AMD based solutions :

From eCollege :

CPU : AMD FX 4100 Zambezi quad core (3.6ghz)
CPU Fan : Arctic Cooling ACALP64 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
Ram : 8GB ddr3 1333 (2 4GB ram sticks)
Motherboard : Asus M5A88-V EVO
HDD : 1TB SATA-III 7200 RPM 32MB cache
Video : Geforce GTX 550ti 1GB
Case : Antec 600 (4 fans)
PSU : Corsair CMPSU 650TX-V2 (650 watt)
DVD : 24x LG Sata with Nero
Onboard LAN
Onboard sound
OS : Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
Wires tied up for maximum air flow
3 year parts and labor warranty

Cost $ 976



From Cyberpower :

CPU : AMD FX 4170 quad core 4.2 ghz
CPU FAN : EVGA Superclock
PSU : Thermaltake TR2 RX 750 watt Modular
HDD : 1TB Sata III 7200 RPM 32MB cache
Motherboard : Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3
Case : Azza Toledo (3 fans : 2x 120 mm fans 1x 250 mm fan)
Case Fans : 2x 120 mm fans for top of case
Video : Geforce GTX 550 TI
Ram : 8GB Kingtston HyperX ddr3 1333
OS : Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
DVD Drive : Dual Layer 24x
Professional wiring for maximum air flow
Onboard LAN
Onboard sound


Cost : $ 974


I never was a fan (no pun intended) of using stock cpu fans, so that is why I recommended aftermarket cpu fans . I have found that an aftermarket cpu cooler provides better cooling . I also realize that the cost of what I have recommended pushes the limits of the stated budget .

Good - I was hoping for an AMD option from someone. I can relate to the kid in a toy store reference too!

I've only built one computer where I used an after-market cooler and that was one that was going to be used for some serious gaming and was potentially going to be overclocked. I've just never found that casual gaming and uses push the temperatures up very much and the stock coolers are more than adequate for the job.

And that $75 shipping will definitely put lexxie over budget at Cyberpower.

Hi Drac and all,

I got my new system from eCollege and am very satisfied with it. I'm quite pleased with my purchase and the only thing I would like to adjust is the period of time the system is set to to go to sleep after a time of idleness. It's too short for me and I'm constantly having to wake it up again and again.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for all the help with the choices of parts and such. I had no clue.
Andrea

As you have Windows 7, just go in to your power settings and make the changes you want. Start/Control Panel/System and Security/Power Options. Change it to something that works better for you.

Hi Luv2travel

To set a different timer for when the system goes to sleep after a period of idleness please do this:

Rightclick on your desktop - then select properties (the the option all the way down).
You will now see some different tabs. Please click on the third option from left - at the next screen you'll see a two way split screen. Click at the bottom of this where it says something like power maintenance or something like that.
Now you can decide when the system needs to go sleep etc. Btw, this is for Windows XP. As you might have windows 7, it could be a bit different.

As for the PC, I agree that eCollege seems the way to go.

Thanks so much! It worked!
Sorry to have sidetracked the thread.
I do want to give a solid recommendation to eCollegePC. It was an easy process and also fast and they are so helpful.
Andrea

Whoa ! A $75 shipping fee ? Yikes !! Do they give fries with that shake ? As to the setup I listed from Cyberpower , the initial configuration came with a water cooler for the cpu . The aftermarket cooler I recommended was , unless I'm in error , a $20 price difference between a stock cooler . A small amount . For casual and adventure gaming , maybe a stock cooler would perform well enough . Then again , I would not take the time to find out . It has been my experience , when I've built an AMD based computer (20 if I remember correctly) , the stock cpu fans have been woefully inadequate , largely due to the size of the cpu fan (often , the cpu fan is just a 60 mm solution . Not nearly enough . Some fans were 80 mm . Fair enough size , mostly) . On the Intel side of the computers I have built (about the same amount as AMD computers I've built) , a stock cpu cooler performed well enough (I believe the fan size was 80 or 92 mm . I may be incorrect on that though) . I only recommended an aftermarket cpu cooler , based on my experiences .

That's what I thought when I checked into the shipping charges! A friend who builds AMD computers agrees with your assessment of their stock cooling solutions. My experience with the new 2nd Generation Intel CPUs is that for web surfing, email and casual gaming, the stock coolers perform more than adequately. But then, adding an after-market CPU cooler is sort of like doing overkill on a power supply - can't hurt!

Hi All,

I feel so much better now than I did a couple of days ago. I will compare Intel and AMD and make a decision and start saving my pennies. I've got a room full of unplayed games waiting on me with newer ones being released soon so I had better get busy and make a choice...I will keep you posted.

Have fun, lexxy - half the fun is the shopping!

Phenom II Quad Core Gaming PC Computer Win 7 HDMI 8GB RAM DVDRW WIFI 1TB HDD
I found this at Ebay, what do you think. I have not decided to buy from Ebay as it is risky and the return policy is not what it should be. I am checking both of the sites you gave me but a friend bought one at Ebay at a decent price so I decided to stroll over and see what they had to offer.

Great Looking Gaming Computer complete with:


CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 850 3.3GHz 4x512KB Socket AM3 Quad-Core CPU



Graphics Card:



GeForce GT 430 2GB DDR3 PCI Express (PCIe) DVI/VGA Video Card w/HDMI & HDCP Support

8gb DDR 3 1600 MHZ Memory

1tb SATA Hard Drive 7200 RPM
6 USB Ports
DVD RW Drive

WIFI Card

550 Watt PSU

Please allow 4 Business days for Assembly and testing prior to shipping. Thank you Riodeels.


Raid Max XB Case with 10 inch monster system fan with blue LED lights!



Includes:

Motherboard:



Foxconn A74GA AMD 740G Socket AM3 ATX Motherboard



General Features:

ATX form factor

AMD 740G + SB710 chipset

Socket AM3 architecture

Dual-channel DDR3 memory architecture

Supports up to 16 GB DDR3 1333/1066 MHz memory

Integrated ATI Radeon 2100 graphics

Integrated Realtek ALC662 5.1-channel HD audio

Integrated Realtek RTL8111D Gigabit Ethernet LAN

Six (6) Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s ports (support RAID 0, 1, 10)

One (1) IDE port

24-pin ATX power connector

4-pin ATX12V power connector

Lead-free components (RoHS compliant)



Expansion Slots:
One (1) PCI Express x16 slot
One (1) PCI Express x1 slot
Three (3) PCI slots
Four (4) 240-pin DDR3 DIMM slots


Rear I/O Ports:
Two (2) PS/2 ports
One (1) 9-pin Serial/COM port
One (1) 15-pin VGA port
Six (6) USB 2.0 ports
One (1) RJ-45 jack
Line in, line out, microphone 3.5 mm audio jacks


Internal Headers:
One (1) front panel header
One (1) front panel audio header
One (1) 9-pin Serial/COM header
One (1) 25-pin Parallel/LPT header
One (1) 4-pin CD-in
Three (3) USB 2.0 headers (six ports total)
Two (2) 4-pin chassis fan headers
One (1) 4-pin CPU fan header





*Please allow up to 4 Business days to assemble and test prior to shipping. Thank you, Riodeels

**

What's Covered


Riodeels Ebay Store Warranty Coverage


-There are no hidden fees, co-pays or deductibles. Buyer does pay shipping to seller. Seller pays shipping to buyer through Ground shipping service.

-All existing hardware is covered. This includes, Hard drive, Case, RAM, Motherboard, Any cables, Power Supply, Video cards, PCI cards, and any other hardware add-ons purchased from Riodeels Ebay Store.

-Repair or Replace Guarantee
If your product cannot be repaired, it will be replaced with a product of equivalent or greater value.

-Cosmetic Damage caused by shipping is covered.

-Power Surge
This feature protects your covered product against damage or defects caused by a power surge up to a maximum of the replacement cost of the product over the life of the contract while your covered product is properly connected to a UL approved surge protector.

-Duration
3 years warranty from shipping date.

-Exclusions

1. The Warranty coverage does not include unauthorized repairs or modifications, theft, abuse, misuse, neglect, vandalism; any 3rd party repair

2. Any existing or added software is not covered.

3. Viruses are not covered.

　

For Any additional questions you can send messages to my riodeels ebay store.


Thank You Riodeels






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Every buyer gets a MyStoreRewards invitation for cash back



Here are the specs on this system, I forgot to add it to the above post, please feel free to combine it if necessaart.

Buying electronics from ebay is dangerous , largely due to return options or warranty shortfalls . Based on the information you provided for the computer case , I was able to find the ebay seller for what you have listed . Has the auction for this particular computer expired , or is this computer you listed available as a custom option ? I did not see it listed anywhere in this seller's store . Perhaps I overlooked .

In any event , The video card listed would be ok as an htpc option , but low end as a gaming card . With no concrete information for the power supply , one can only presume it is also low end , and in need of an upgrade in the near future .

I was able to locate the case for the listing you provided : Here

One fan , no matter how large , is inadequate for cooling , especially in a gaming computer . I do not mean to sound negative in any way , and realize that you are likely trying to get some "bang for your bucks" . However , I would strenuously recommend to spend some extra money , and invest in a quality setup from a reputable company with reliable warranty and service terms .

That three-year warranty is kind of iffy. I might have missed it, but I don't see any mention of an Operating System.

Actually, I find a different case than Creeping Doom did and it's even lower end than the one he found. It mentions coming with a 380 watt power supply, so that makes me wonder about the power supply.

Raidmax XB Case

All-in-all, not a good buy in my opinion for several reasons.

I saw that case myself , Draclvr . Low end , all the way around !

Don't most cases have places where you can add fans?
The cases I've used have a place in the lower front near the bottom where you can add a couple of fans.

More often than not Jenny100 , yes they do . At the same time , however , by the time extra fans are purchased , the final cost could be more than purchasing a case with adequate fans already installed . By adequate , I mean enough fans , more than one , and fans that move enough air , measured in cfm (Cubic Feet per Minute). Fans with led lighting , depending on size , can cost up to $10 or more each .

Some definitely do come with options to add more fans. This particular one does not. It comes with two tiny little 80 mm fans - one on the side and one on the back, which is actually one more than many OEM computers. I'm fine with using low end cases and have used several for builds meant for web surfing and a little email. They used integrated graphics and a low-end CPU. A couple of 80 mm fans is fine for that kind of use.

EDIT: Just to add now that I have a bit more time to look... that motherboard only has SATA 3.0. SATA 3.0 is fine (that's what mine has), but it is older technology. SATA 6.0 is the current standard. If I were buying a new computer I would want it to be as close to new technology as I could get it since I use my computers for a very long time.

Thanks all for your input. I just wantd opinions from those in the know. I will more than likely have one of the two sites you supplied build one for me but before I spend my money I will return here with the specs and see if I've made an educated purchase...thanks again for taking the time to help me.

Not a problem at all lexxy !

Anyway, back to the K series.

2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-2320 3.0GHz Processor; performs fast computing
operations
8GB 1333MHz DDR3 Memory; efficiently delivers data within the PC system
1.5TB 7200RPM Hard drive; provides a very large storage capacity for handling
high-performance applications
Intel® HD Graphics 2000 GPU; generates seamless, high-quality images, videos,
and graphic effects
Wi-Fi capability; grants convenient mobile access to the Internet
16-in-1 Media reader; reads information from various external media cards
DVD±RW; allows writing and rewriting of digital data on DVDs
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit OS; runs programs and applications smoothly

I would recommend that you try the onboard graphics, as it's actually well
thought out in this machine. If you got it home, and were not pleased, we could
always add a 1 GB card for like $120. I "think" you would be pleased with this.

The cost on just the tower is $779.99
BTW this is the email I got from my computer guy when I told him I would be looking else where to have a system made for me and check the price he quoted and the fact that he is stll pushing for the onboad video card. I don't understand his last statement" The cost of just the tower is $779". Doesn't almost $800.00 for those specs seem excessive?

Considering you can get a computer with a decent video card and a power supply that will support it for less than that, yes that's too much. Note that he only talks about putting in a video card and doesn't mention upgrading the power supply. Nor does he talk about adding fans to the case. He doesn't even mention which video card he'd add. A low end card could have one GB of VRAM and still be slow as molasses.

It's very excessive for that price ! There is no way earth that onboard graphics are equal to a dedicated graphics card . I may be wrong in saying this , but I think it rather obvious that this "tech guy" is plain lazy , and has no real interest in helping anyone but himself to your money . You would be much better off going with eCollege or cyberpower (as an example) .

lexxy,

Here's what I got from eCollegePC, prices and all. Draclvr (I think it was) said I might have gone overboard on the power supply and the 8 gigabytes of RAM, but I thought, what the heck, this is the last computer I'll be able to buy for a long time. <g>

I definitely wanted and got the best video card I could afford. You'll see at the bottom that I got two extra case fans. It all came out to just a little over the most you want to pay.
========================================================

PU: 2.8Ghz Intel Core i5-760 8MB Cache Quad-Core -- add: $99

Heatsink/Fan: Stock Intel LGA1156 Heatsink and Fan -- add: $0

Motherboards: GIGABYTE GA-P55-USB3 (Intel P55, 2xPCI-E, 8xSATA2, 4xDDR3, 1394): add $48

Memory: 8GB (4GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty --add $96

Hard Drive: 1TB 7200RPM 32MB Cache Serial ATA300 (Major Brand) -- add: $59

CD/DVD/CDRW1: 22x LG SATA Dual Layer DVD+/-RW/CDRW w/Nero -- add: $23

Video Card: 1GB GeForce GTX 460 GDDR5 PCI-E Dual DVI (Major Brand) -- add: $209

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit -- add: $109

Case: CoolerMaster Black Elite 430 (3 5.25, 6 3.5) Fan, Audio/USB --add: $29

Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts EA-650 GREEN 650W -- add: $79

Networking: Onboard LAN included -- add: $0

Sound Card: Onboard Sound included --add: $0

Case Fans: 2x 120mm Case Fan --add: $15

Total: $1028

Hope that helps you figure this out.

I should add this was last year so the prices might be a little different now.

Gil.

Everyone should keep in mind that the Intel HD 2000 graphics is not "on board" as we are used to thinking about it being integrated into the motherboard. The Intel HD 2000 is the graphics that is integrated into the 2nd Generation CPUs (or Sandy Bridge processors). Although it's supposed to be far superior than motherboard graphics, I am not convinced of its usefulness in gaming. Look at what it touts in the specs... seamless images, videos, and graphic effects. Not exactly what we want to see in gaming.

Here is what I do not see in the specs this guy is giving you. What is this motherboard? Is it SATA 2 or SATA 3? Where is the wattage of the power supply? Does it support USB 3.0? What is the integrated sound? As I said before, more information is good.

Look at the two builds using the 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 on the previous pages. If you check the motherboard and component specs, what you know about them is the wattage of the power supply, the support for USB 3.0, a great video card, they are SATA 3 etc., etc.

So, he's going to pop in a $120 video card, eh? Like Jenny said, where is the power supply upgrade if needed? For $120 I wouldn't be expecting much of a video card except something very low end. Maybe ask him exactly what video card he would put in for you for $120... I'd be curious to know what it would be.

And like traveler says, you get as much as you can up front. If you need to save a few bucks, you can start with 4 GB of RAM and then always upgrade to 8 GB later. If I said anything about going overboard on a power supply, it would have been to say it was overkill, but when it comes to overkill on a power supply, I'm all in favor of it. I put an 800 watt power supply in the build we did for my grandson last month - definitely overkill, but if he needs it, it's there. And, yes she got in before the prices of hard drives went nuts after the flooding in Thailand!

My opinion of this so-called tech guy hasn't changed.

I have decided NOT to deal with him but he seemed so nice in the begining and get this he said I could pay on it like a lay-a-way. I will admit that I am a novice but I am not a fool. I knew if I came here to my friends you would steer me in the right direction. At this point I am leaning toward to eCollege for my build but I will have to start now laying away some cash in order to get it for a Christmas present. You guys are wonderful and I can't thank you enough for your help and support.

No need to say thank you lexxy !

I'm sure this tech guy IS a very nice guy. But he keeps trying to push something on you that is not going to be a good computer for YOU since you're a gamer. Maybe one of these days I'll get some good information on how those CPU graphics are for gaming, but so far I haven't found anything definitive.

To be honest, I'd be asking more questions about the motherboard specs and the power supply than anything. And I'm still curious to know what he planned on putting in for a $120 video card. If he can put in a comparable video card and a 550 or 600 watt power supply and still stay in the range of eCollege or Cyber Power, then maybe it's not a bad way to go. But questions about the motherboard specs still remain unanswered.

He's still got the problem of whether the case can accommodate extra fans to help cool the video card. If it can't, the case will get hotter than it is meant to, which will lead to shorter computer life.

Good point, Jenny. I can't figure out what case this is, but of the two choices I've found with Lenovo, the cases don't offer much in the line of cooling options.

Draclvr,
I have question concerning the cyberpower system for $789 and the one by ecollege for $900. I may be missing something but the systems seem to be prety much the same, what makes the one at ecollege about $100 more. BTW I have almost decided on the one at cyberpower even with the $75 shipping fee. I said almost because ut will probably be much more by Christmas.

I see virtually no difference either. I suspect that it is because Cyberpower is a very large company while eCollegePC is a small business located in a shopping center in South St. Louis County - which happens to only be about 50 miles from me. Cyberpower may be able to get huge discounts on their components due to the large volume.

When you add the $75 shipping charge to the Cyberpower computer, there is only about $36 difference in the costs of the two PCs. Another point is one Jenny made that Cyberpower gets an 8.5 out of 10 customer satisfaction rating at resellerratings.com and eCollegePC has a 10 out of 10 customer service rating. So, you might want to weigh that into your final decision.

It's hard to say what prices will be 10 months from now, but hopefully at least the prices of hard drives will be back down to earth.

Hi all,
It's been a while since I was here, due to the fact that I am using my siste's low tech machine and it's not fast enough to play any of my games. Good news I have finally found a tech who is building a computer for me and it's only $16 over my $1000.00 budget and the overage was due to labor. The specs are as follows, he is using the Cooler Maste 690II case and the parts are: Intel Corr i5-2400 Sandy Bridge Quad Core Processor,Western Digital Caviar Blue 1 TB Hard Drive,USUS P8Z68 Mother Board, Galaxy Geforce GT520 1 GB Video Card.Kingston 8GB Ram, 700 Watt PS W7Hp. As I stated before the labor @ $35 an hour was what took me off budget but I am not complaining. Well what do you think, did I do good or what. I am so excited I could scream. I can pick it up shortly and get back to some serious gaming. I may have missed the mark on a couple of components but I am happy. This will probably be the last computer I will buy so I wanted to make it as complete as I could afford.

Lexxy if it will make you feel any better,I have purchased around 6 Cyberpower computers and have had no problems.

It sounds fine for an adventure game computer. The GT520 video card would be a bit slow for some Darkside games.
Let us know when you get it.

I agree with Jenny. Sounds like a good one for adventure gaming. Can't wait to hear how you like it!

"Everyone should keep in mind that the Intel HD 2000 graphics is not "on board" as we are used to thinking about it being integrated into the motherboard. The Intel HD 2000 is the graphics that is integrated into the 2nd Generation CPUs (or Sandy Bridge processors). Although it's supposed to be far superior than motherboard graphics, I am not convinced of its usefulness in gaming. Look at what it touts in the specs... seamless images, videos, and graphic effects. Not exactly what we want to see in gaming. "

I think I said this before Drac, as far as graphics go it's pretty lame.

Did I tell you my story of the flooded out town in Sims 2 with Sandy Bridge graphics?

Don't expect great gaming results with it.

I bought an E-College PC with sandy bridge graphics and no video card. The reasoning is because my I had ordered a video card for my older pc from New Egg. The PC died and I was waiting delivery of the the card when I ordered the E-College PC.

I checked the graphics without putting the card in. Absolutely horrible for gaming. Like I said above a town in Sims2 was underwater because the Sandy Bridge graphics could not render the demanding Sims 2. (Demanding Sims 2 is a sarcasm) If it cannot handle sims2 it can't handle much.

I threw in the video card (less than an hour after the pc arrived) Suddenly my town looked perfect almost as if FEMA did something right.

Thanks Drac for the recommendation of E-College. since then I bought a system for my better half and another for my daughter. The next question is does Ecollege give frequent buyer awards?

I'm finally getting more and more feedback on those Sandy Bridge graphics and if you do more than email, web surfing and a bit of casual gaming, they are pretty awful.

Sounds like eCollegePc SHOULD give you a frequent buyer award! I think as long as they keep up with their excellent customer service, they will be quite successful.

Draclvr,

What would suggest instead of Sandy Bridge? The components are ready to assemble but I can always ask for a change.

Oh, you should definitely get the Sandy Bridge processor - they are excellent. Just be sure to get a good stand alone video card. We're talking about the graphics integrated into the processor, not the processor itself.

Here's what Jenny said about your video card.

Thanks for the clearification I was a little scared for a minute. I can always up grade my viddeo card but I only play adventure games not RPG. Since we are on the subject of a video card what would you suggest instead of the GT520, how about a GTX 550 ti?

The GTX 550 TI is certainly a more capable card than the GT 520.
You can see a comparison here
http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=647&card2=650

Are you wanting to stick with Nvidia or would ATI be OK?

At this point I am planning to stick with Nvidia. Thanks for the comparison chart it really helped. I priced both cards and it appears that the GTX 550ti is almost twice as expensive as the GT520 and I can see the reason. In your opinion should I be able to play my adventure games w/o an up grade to the GTX 550 ti at this point.

Yes, though there may be some upcoming adventure games that have higher video card requirements than current games. For those, you'd need you to reduce graphics enhancements in the game menu in order for the game to play smoothly. The upcoming Sherlock Holmes game may be one of these. The question is whether you want to pay more not to have to turn down the graphics enhancements in some (not all) games.

Thanks Jenny100,

I think I will pay more now than later...the GTX550ti it is.

I think you'll be happy with it, Lexxy.
For myself, I prefer getting a little more power than I think I need, and I've never regretted it.

Good move, lexxy!