Getting a new computer for Christmas

DrXThirst · Post by **DrXThirst** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:44 am

I want the most I can get for my money. I have a friend who can put a computer together for me, if it would be cheaper to order all of the products off of a site like newegg.com. I told my grandparents that I wanted a Mac Laptop that was $3,300, and they just said they'd have to donate money to that one. So, I could possibly get a desktop up to that much, although I'd rather have a cheaper one.

EDIT:

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'm still looking, and checking my options, so keep posting. (Also, everyone go ahead and post setups up to $3,300, as they were fine with that before.)

Also, I went to Dell.com and almost maxed out a computer that I was looking at earlier. Here's what I came up with:

Processor: Intel® Core™2 Extreme QX9650 (12MB L2 Cache,3.00GHZ, 1333FSB)
RAM: 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1067MHz - 4 DIMMs
HDD: 750GB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB
Screen: 24 inch E248WFP Widescreen Digital Flat Panel
OS: Genuine Windows Vista™ Ultimate w/Digital Cable Support, 64-bit
Speakers: Bose Companion 2 Series II Multimedia Speaker System
Power Supply: 425 W Power Supply

Price: $2,856

I need a new computer with Vista Ultimate installed, and I want it to be good enough to efficiently run Halo 2 Vista. Thanks!

Cryticfarm · Post by **Cryticfarm** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:10 am

Are you going for gaming?

DrXThirst · Post by **DrXThirst** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:25 am

DrXThirst wrote:I need a new computer with Vista installed, and I want it to be good enough to efficiently run Halo 2 Vista. Thanks!

guysullavin · Post by **guysullavin** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:25 am

dont get dell.
ever since an old computer i had i've never liked dell

DrXThirst · Post by **DrXThirst** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:32 am

What happened to it? I've always bought Dell computers, and I've been very satisfied with them.

shadowkhas · Post by **shadowkhas** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:33 am

If I were you, I'd get it assembled by your friend.
Keep the CPU, but keep in mind that Intel's Montevina platform is coming out next year, so you will feel ripped off if you care about things like that.
For RAM, I'd say go for 4 GB, unless you really do have a need for lots of multitasking.
Grab a motherboard that can handle PCI-Express 2.0, and I'd suggest two of these graphics cards: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814130330

For a Hard Drive, get something like 320, and just take out the hard drive from your current computer and use that as well. Unless you plan on keeping your current, in which case, go for larger sizes.

guysullavin · Post by **guysullavin** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:47 am

that computer seems fair, but you should get a better GFX card after

Cryticfarm · Post by **Cryticfarm** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:04 am

You can get a lot more bang for the buck.
CPU: INTEL CORE 2 DUO E8500 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819115036
GPU: VisionTek Radeon HD 4870 512MB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814129113
PSU: CORSAIR HX750 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6&Tpk=750W
^^
Good for upgrading a bit, you should be able to stick in another 4870 later if you wanted
CASE:
OPTION1: HAF 932 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... Tpk=haf932
OPTION2: Antec P182 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... tec%20p182
^^
Option 1 is bigger then option 2, and more stylish, but 20 bucks more. Also, I'm not sure, but I think the p182 is a bit quieter. Go read a few reviews about them.
RAM: Mushkin 4 GB DDR2 1066 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820146785
Monitor: SAMSUNG 2253BW Black 22" 2ms 8000:1 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... Tpk=2253BW
HEATSINK: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6835186134
MOBO: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813128359
^^ From the reviews it sounds like god or something. Go read some other reviews online, I'm not really sure about this mobo.
HDD: 640 GB Western Digital http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822136218
CDD: LG Black 22X (CAV) DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X (CAV) DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM (lolwut?) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6827136152
^^
Seems good, I donno.
THERMALPASTERZ: TX-2 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6835154003
^^ A few degrees for a few bucks. Whatever.

I'm done. Should be around 1650 or something. I'm also probably missing something vital, I suggest you ask your computer friend if all this works, I'm really not that great with choosing parts...

AbeFroman · Post by **AbeFroman** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:11 am

I'm getting this for my birthday, it comes with halo 2 for free if you choose to get it with vista. you did say you wanted both vista and halo 2, right?

Cryticfarm · Post by **Cryticfarm** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:12 am

OSHI YOU NEED A LAPTOP.
Wait I donno D:.

Eaton · Post by **Eaton** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:17 am

Dell is the best!

My family has trusted Dell for all of our computers.

Well, I would personally wait until Windows 7 comes out before you get a new computer.

Cryticfarm · Post by **Cryticfarm** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:21 am

Eaton wrote:Dell is the best!

My family has trusted Dell for all of our computers.

Well, I would personally wait until Windows 7 comes out before you get a new computer.

Thay come out fine, but there way overpriced.

HPDarkness · Post by **HPDarkness** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:26 am

Got to NewEgg and build your own. You can build a computer that can play Crysis on Very High and any other game out, for about $700.

Also Halo 2 Vista is crap, they did a horrible job.

TomClancey · Post by **TomClancey** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:29 am

I recommend holding out for the Core i7 and the LGA1366 boards coming out soon (I've heard Mid-November to as late as Q1 of 2009). Lowest end model of the i7 is $284, but it's well worth it in the long run.

DrXThirst · Post by **DrXThirst** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:19 am

shadowkhas wrote:If I were you, I'd get it assembled by your friend.
Keep the CPU, but keep in mind that Intel's Montevina platform is coming out next year, so you will feel ripped off if you care about things like that.

Apparently, it's the replacement for the "Intel Centrino" so it's only for Notebooks.

Eaton wrote:Well, I would personally wait until Windows 7 comes out before you get a new computer.

Final Build

While officially Microsoft has stated that Windows 7 will be released by January 2010, which is three years after Vista was shipped, the company has indicated that it plans to release Windows 7 in mid-2009, in time for installation in PCs that will ship for the Christmas 2009 buying season.

Well, that's sensible, but I feel like I can just get a new computer this Christmas, then buy the new OS next Christmas.

HPDarkness1 wrote:Got to NewEgg and build your own. You can build a computer that can play Crysis on Very High and any other game out, for about $700.

Also Halo 2 Vista is crap, they did a horrible job.

Well, that's the thing. I know that it's possible, I just don't know what goes with what good.

Cryticfarm · Post by **Cryticfarm** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:22 am

Hows about my build D:.

shadowkhas · Post by **shadowkhas** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:31 am

DrXThirst wrote:
shadowkhas wrote:If I were you, I'd get it assembled by your friend.
Keep the CPU, but keep in mind that Intel's Montevina platform is coming out next year, so you will feel ripped off if you care about things like that.
Apparently, it's the replacement for the "Intel Centrino" so it's only for Notebooks.

D'oh. Yeah, Montevina is a laptop thing. Core i7 will be the delicious desktop update.

But it's just a matter of whether you really care that much. Because realistically, there will always be an update coming out "soon."

Eaton · Post by **Eaton** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:50 am

New, faster, and better laptops come out too fast. >.<

When you think you have the best, a better model will be out in a week.

DrXThirst · Post by **DrXThirst** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:45 am

shadowkhas wrote:D'oh. Yeah, Montevina is a laptop thing. Core i7 will be the delicious desktop update.

But it's just a matter of whether you really care that much. Because realistically, there will always be an update coming out "soon."

Yeah, I really don't. Right now, I'm on a 3.0ghz Pentium 4 w/HyperThreading, 1GB RAM, 120GB HDD, and a 256mb ATI HD 1700 gfx card. I think it's good, but my friends tell me it's horrible. :/

CompKronos · Post by **CompKronos** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:09 am

DrXThirst wrote:
shadowkhas wrote:D'oh. Yeah, Montevina is a laptop thing. Core i7 will be the delicious desktop update.

But it's just a matter of whether you really care that much. Because realistically, there will always be an update coming out "soon."
Yeah, I really don't. Right now, I'm on a 3.0ghz Pentium 4 w/HyperThreading, 1GB RAM, 120GB HDD, and a 256mb ATI HD 1700 gfx card. I think it's good, but my friends tell me it's horrible. :/

upgrade the card and ram and overclock your cpu, other then that, that is fine comp

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