Time for a new computer again

The last time I asked for help finding a new computer I was just playing adventure games and casual games. Since then I got into a couple of MMORPGs. The original Guild Wars which runs fine on my current system and Guild Wars 2 which has some problems running on it. There are places in the game where my screen turns black so I can't see what I'm supposed to be fighting.

Here's the current minimum requirements for Guild Wars 2:
Windows® XP Service Pack 2 or better • Intel® Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz, Core i3, AMD Athlon 64 X2, or better • 2 GB RAM • NVIDIA® GeForce® 7800, ATI X1800, Intel HD 3000, or better (256MB of video RAM and shader model 3.0 or better) • 25 GB available HDD space • Broadband Internet connection • Keyboard and mouse

They are subject to change as the game is still in development and has not been optimized yet.


Here's what I currently have:
Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3
Intel Core 2 6600 @ 2.40GHz
3070 RAM (upgraded since I bought system)
NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS
Samsung SyncMaster B2340 1080p 24" monitor

Somebody over at guildwars2guru suggested I build my own system (I have coworkers who would actually do the assembling for me if I bought the parts) and provided this link for one idea: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/b7fC
Does this seem reasonable or are there better ideas?


I don't' see any reference to operating system there and Newegg describes the suggested hard drive as "bare".

I think I'd want more than 4GB of RAM on a new computer. 4GB may seem like plenty now, but in 2 or 3 years, maybe not -- especially if you're playing Darkside games. Of course you can always add more memory later. The motherboard supports up to 16GB, so upgrading shouldn't be a problem, but that memory seems to be a pretty good price at the moment.

You'll probably want Windows 7 64-bit as an operating system. It's going to be hard to find XP for sale. Besides, XP doesn't support DirectX 11, and current Darkside games are using DirectX 11.

The reviews at Newegg seem good for the video card you listed.

Inland, Draclvr, and others may have more to add, but overall it looks like a reasonable configuration to me.

One thing I would add would be at least one or two more fans on that case. There is only one 120 mm fan on the front and I don't think that would be enough cooling. I'd add at least one more 120 mm fan to the back. That motherboard is very low end - unless you are really trying to save some money, I'd consider a board upgrade. If you could swing a few more bucks for a Core i5, that would be a nice little boost to a new system too.

I agree with Jenny about the RAM, but 4 GB will get you started and you can always add more later.

Here is a very similar setup which eCollege PC will build for you. The motherboard is a Z77 Asus and a very nice one with room for upgrades, is ready for the newest Ivy Bridge processors, has Lucid Logix capable of switching between the graphics built in to the the processor and your graphics card, has Intel Smart Response Technology if you ever want to use a small 40 GB SSD (solid state drive) as a cache drive to speed everything up. It's also PCI-e 3.0 ready and has two USB 3.0 ports which the one in your link does not have.

Price $783 with free shipping. They also provide a warranty of 3 years on parts and labor for no extra charge.

Intel Core i3-2120 3.3Ghz 3MB Cache Dual-Core
Stock Intel LGA1155 Heatsink and Fan
ASUS P8H77-V LE (Intel Z77, HDMI, DVI, 2xPCI-E, 6xSATA, 4xDDR3)
4GB (2GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty
500GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps (Major Brand)
24X LG SATA Lightscribe Dual Layer DVD+/-RW DVD-RAM w/Nero
1GB ATI Radeon HD6770 GDDR5 PCI-E DVI/HDMI (Major Brand)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
Cooler Master Black Elite 430 (3 5.25, 6 3.5) Fan, Audio/USB
500watt Cooler Master Extreme Power Plus
Onboard LAN included
Onboard Sound included
120mm Case Fan
Wires and Cables neatly tied up away from fans
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty

EDIT: Just read this in a Tom's Hardware Newsletter I got: AMD's Radeon HD 6770 continues to deliver the best bang for your buck, with Radeon HD 4870-level performance at the $110 price point. It's as fast as the slightly more expensive GeForce GTX 550 Ti, and is a great starting point for a serious gamer on a small budget.

I'm wondering about this too. It seems we're at a hardware junction, the next leap with nothing else in sight. I'm looking at USB 3, PCIe 3, Intel Ivy Bridge native USB 3 support, and Windows 8 native USB 3 support.

In short, I think if you can wait 6 months to a year, you can buy a machine that can last you 5 years plus with a few upgrades. That's what I'm doing. Remember, computer hardware just keeps getting faster and cheaper. Except the faster part might be slowing down. There's lots of places to look, www.anandtech.com , www.pcmag.com , www.pcworld.com , www.tomshardware.com (most especially check out the bang for the buck video card articles), www.cnet.com ,etc. Oh, also www.consumersearch.com (lots of great info on a lot of stuff).

Happy hunting, let us know what you find.

Albert

Albert, you've hit the nail on the head! However, I don't necessarily advocate waiting because no matter what you get or when you get it, it will be outdated in 3 - 6 months. The 3rd Generation Ivy Bridge Intel processors are available now at eCollegePC. Plus they use the 1155 socket so a processor upgrade is even possible with this motherboard.

But what you mention is the reason I suggested a motherboard upgrade. The one Guybrush linked to is stuck in past technology with no chance of upgrade. At least the backbone of his new computer should hold him for a few years. But sometimes finances get in the way, so it's always best to do that research.

It actually doesn't seem too bad considering the price. But for a few more dollars, you'd be wise to follow the upgrade advice.

Draclvr, what you listed above looks like an unbeatable deal. It's got my credit card trigger finger itching. But I can get by for a while.

And Guybrush, a bare hard drive means just that. There's nothing on it, it's just a chunk of metal. You'll have to format it and install the operating system before your computer will work at all.

Albert

By the time you add in the operating system, you're up to at least $622 if you find Windows 7 for $100. That Asus motherboard is $122 at Newegg which is only another $60 for a lot of upgrade possibilities and a lot more ability to get more years out of a new computer.

I've installed Windows 7 on at least half a dozen bare drives. The installation disk does your formatting for you and away you go!

Which Intel Core i5 would you suggest? eCollegePC shows several.

It's all a matter of budget and how much computer you want to end up with. The 2nd Generation Core i3 would play your games quite well too. All the Core i5 processors offered by eCollegePC are 3rd Generation Ivy Bridge processors. The "K" behind the number indicates the ability to overclock has been "unlocked." So, unless you plan on overclocking your processor, that's not what you need.

You can read more about the 3rd Generation Intel processors ***here.*** Of course, that's all the consumer hype. You might do well to check out what Tom's Hardware has to say which is a more tech oriented website. And completely ignore Intel's claim that you don't need a separate video card for gaming. Supposedly the graphics are completely WOW for videos and movies and the like. But get a good separate video card for gaming.

Here's a thought on that HD 6850 graphics card in your initial link. If you like that card better, just don't have eCollegePC put one in. Buy that Raedon 6850 from Newegg for $140/$125 after the rebate and install it yourself.

Think it matters that the developers use nVidia graphics cards in their computers? They advertise each other. Arenanet uses their cards and gave some away in contests. nVidia gave away Guild Wars 2 beta keys.

That's a question I don't have an answer to. I use nVidia graphics cards. Maybe Jenny or Inland will know.

I've always been partial to nVidia, but that's just me. About the closest you're going to come to that card with an nVidia chipset, and stay in the same price range, would be the GXT 460 (1GB).

I run one in my XPS 720, haven't had any issues so far.

Does it really matter? Hard to say.

Someone at guildwars2guru says they ran Guild Wars 2 during betas on i3 2100 and 6770 at very high settings.

I'd suggest checking out Tom's hardware regarding priceworthy components for a specific cause (i.e. guild wars 2). There's a lot of in depth reviews of specific processors and graphics cards as well.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/s/guild%20wars%202/

Most people on those boards usually have a good idea what they're talking about.

As for building yourself it's a fairly simple thing to do. If you can build an ikea wardrobe you can build a PC. The only challenge is in ordering components that work together.

How about this:
Intel Core i3-2120 3.3Ghz 3MB Cache Dual-Core
Stock Intel LGA1155 Heatsink and Fan
ASUS P8H67-M PRO (Intel H67, HDMI, DVI, 2xPCI-E, 6xSATA, 4xDDR3)
4GB (2GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty
500GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps (Major Brand)
24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD+/-RW DVD-RAM w/Nero
1GB ATI Radeon HD7770 GDDR5 PCI-E DVI/HDMI (Major Brand)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
Thermaltake V3 Black Edition (4 5.25, 5 3.5) Fan, Audio/USB
500watt Cooler Master Extreme Power Plus
Onboard LAN included
Onboard Sound included
120mm Case Fan
Wires and Cables neatly tied up away from fans
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty

Slightly cheaper motherboard and case but slightly more expensive graphics.

Is up to you, the HD 7770 only has a 128 bit memory bus, so at times it will be slower than the nVidia card I mentioned (256 bit bus).

The H67 motherboard and the case both get pretty decent reviews at Newegg. The board has fewer upgrade options, but is a good one. I notice that eCollegePC only goes up to the GT 450 in the Nvidea 400 series.

If eCollegePC doesn't have the exact video card you want, check Newegg. They have some GTX 560 cards for the same price range (~$150) after rebates.

GPUReview has a decent video card comparison tool. Of course, you need someone like Inland to interpret it for you!

GPUReview GTX 460 vs. Radeon HD 7770

The last beta fixed my black screen problem. I think it was the new auto detect, changing what ever setting I had wrong. I currently have to play at lowest settings. So I'm not in a hurry for a new system anymore. It would be nice to play at higher settings but I can live with low for awhile.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll act on some of them later.

Glad to hear it, Guybrush. Just curious...the last beta of what fixed your screen problem?

Guild Wars 2. Previously my screen turned black at certain times so I couldn't see what was happening.

One of my coworkers said I'd need Windows 7 Professional if I have lots of XP programs to run. And I still have a lot of adventure games I haven't played yet.

Your coworker is incorrect... The XP mode that is available with Windows 7 Professional is not meant for gaming. It does not support 3D and any game that requires 3D will not work. XP mode in Windows 7 Professional is meant for business applications, not gaming.

From Jenny100...

Ok. Thanks.

Check ***Draclvr's Windows 7 and games thread*** to see if you have any of the older games that are mentioned there.

How would this be?

Intel Core i5-3570 3.4Ghz 6MB Cache Quad-Core
Stock Intel LGA1155 Heatsink and Fan
ASUS P8H77-V LE (Intel H77, HDMI, DVI, 2xPCI-E, 6xSATA, 4xDDR3)
4GB (2GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty
500GB 7200RPM 32MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps
24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD /-RW/CDRW w/Nero
1GB GeForce GTX 460 GDDR5 PCI-E DVI/HDMI
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
Thermaltake V3 Black Edition (4 5.25, 5 3.5) Fan, Audio/USB
500watt Cooler Master Extreme Power Plus
Onboard LAN included
Onboard Sound included
120mm Case Fan
Wires and Cables neatly tied up away from fans
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty

That H67 is no longer listed at ecollegepc.

Looks very good to me. The motherboard has some very good reviews at Newegg. It supports Intel Smart Response Technology, so you could even add a small - like 40 GB - solid state drive at some time in the future. The ISRT uses it as a cache drive and it really speeds things up. We did that with the computer my grandson and I built. It also has Lucid Virtu to even make use of the graphics built in to the CPU along side your discrete graphic card. And the Ivy Bridge Core i5 is going to give you tons of performance.

Looks like a good build with lots of room for future upgrades to me!

Keep in mind that a build from eCollegePC is just as though you built it yourself. The computer will come with zero bloatware like trials of anti-virus software, games, Microsoft Office etc. You will have to download and install the software programs yourself. If you use any of the Windows Live Essentials programs such as Live Mail or Messenger, you will have to download them too. You will also get all the driver CDs and your operating system DVD. Make good use of the Help and Support link in your start menu.

I've already copied the installation files for a few programs I use regularly on to an external hard drive, so I won't have to redownload them, along with all my music, pictures and text files. Also email addresses and website bookmarks.

Sounds like you are ready to rock and roll!

Nvidia is supposedly coming out with GeForce driver updates specifically for Guild Wars 2 players either this week or next.

So, did you order a new computer or are you waiting for a while?

Waiting a bit for Arenanet to optimize Guild Wars 2 and hopefully announce recommended (not just minimum) stats.

Dang. The 460 is gone from ecollegepc now I don't know what graphics card to get.

You should get at least a 600 series card - nothing less!

Tom's Hardware is a great resource for comparison of graphics cards. I'm not sure, but I think Nvidia stopped making the 400 series graphics cards some time ago, so eCollegePC probably just used up their current stock. I put a 560Ti in the computer my grandson and I built and it's a really, really good one. But, budget plays a role, so I would do a little research on the ATI cards and the Nvidia cards and find the one the gives you the best bang for your buck.

Tom's Hardware Graphics Cards

Switch back to Radeon HD 7770?

Guybrush, here is the most recent "Best Graphics Cards for the Money" from Tom's Hardware.

August 2012

My son just picked up a 560 Ti - we're putting a build together. Looks like a nice card.

Nvidia's web site's Guild Wars 2 page recommends GTX 560 as the least card to get.

ecollege pc has 3 different GTX 560s.

GTX 560SE
GTX 560
GTX 560 Ti

The last is more than I can spend right now.
What's the difference between the SE and the not SE? The price difference is $45.

That Toms Hardware list had GTX 560SE but when I clicked on review link it went to 560Ti instead which didn't help me.

Unfortunately Raedon web doesn't seem to have any suggestions that I could find.

Nvidia's a Guild Wars 2 sponsor, they give away each other products so makes sense they have a section on what to get for the game.

Guybrush, read the reviews of the GTX 560 cards in the August 2012 link I posted. They compare all three of them. The SE is listed in the $115 - $150 cards and the other two are in the $160 - $270 category.

I keep trying to find ways to put more money into graphics cards. How does this build from ecollegepc look? Somebody at Tom's Hardware said that if I'm not overclocking 3450 is same as 3570.

Intel Core i5-3450 3.1Ghz 6MB Cache Quad-Core
Stock Intel LGA1155 Heatsink and Fan
GIGABYTE GA-H77M-D3H (Intel H77, HDMI, 2xPCI-E, 6xSATA, 4xDDR3)
8GB (4GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty
500GB 7200RPM 32MB Cache SATA3 6Gbps (Major Brand)
24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD /-RW/CDRW w/Nero
1GB GeForce GTX 560 GDDR5 PCI-E Dual-DVI/HDMI (Major Brand)
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
Thermaltake V3 Black Edition (4 5.25, 5 3.5) Fan, Audio/USB
500watt Cooler Master Extreme Power Plus
Onboard LAN included
Onboard Sound included
120mm Case Fan
Wires and Cables neatly tied up away from fans
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty

Looks fine to me, unless you want an extra case fan. I don't know which computer case you're getting with it.

I think I see an additional 120 mm case fan towards the bottom. That case comes with one 120 mm rear fan, but you can add another on either on the front or on the top. I don't know where they will put one additional one.

This looks excellent to me, Guybrush.

I have an extra fan listed there, I could add another one wouldn't add much to the cost.

One would probably be enough, but a third couldn't hurt! They are cheap.

I'd have to say it looks like a pretty good build. I doubt you'll have any issues gaming on it.

When you get it all set up and running look for a CPU/GPU temperature monitor, if things seem to run hotter than normal then you can pick up that additional fan. My GTX 460 run at 30°C under normal loads and tops out at 56°C when gaming.

I use Speccy from Piriform - the same people who make CCleaner to monitor temps.

Oh great another reason to get a new system, Nvidia is no longer updating drivers for my current systems card.

The gaming gods are trying to tell you something, Guybrush!

I finally did it, placed order with eCollegePC.

Good for you, Guybrush! Hard to part with the money, but oh, the rewards!

Friday probably wasn't the best day to do it.

Got it. Some things about Windows 7 are going to take getting use to.

Guybrush, check out the Windows 7 tutorials in Help and Support. There are some videos and they are very helpful.

How are things going with your new computer, Guybrush? Are you more comfortable with Windows 7 now?

Wow! I'm thinking of a new computer in about 6 months and read part of this thread. There's a lot to consider here. I play darkgames myself.

I used to always get someone to build my computer, but I've since moved and don't know anyone where I am. Plus I'm retired so out of the loop.

Are there places online that are really reputable and trustworthy? Or how would I go about finding a company in my area that builds computers? I'm so lost at this.

Just saw you recommended eCollegePC. When I get ready I'll give them a call, but I'll be asking questions here. Sigh.

Jean, there are several on-line compapnies which build computers to your specifications. CyberPower is one and eCollegePC is another, plus there are others. eCollegePC is a small company near me in St. Louis. So far, they have been building up a very good reputation, particularly in customer service. You can read their policies on the website... eCollegePC

Thanks, Drac! I looked at their website and they do look interesting. I like the idea of having a small company build the pc, and when I get ready I'll definitely be talking to you all before I do anything.

I bought my pc in 2009, but it's running Windows XP which Microsoft isn't going to support anymore after next year, so it will be a good time to get a new one.

I'll need to find someone to help me hook it up. With my back these days I can't be getting up and down on the floor anymore.