New Computer

Started by calria, July 04, 2003, 12:08:14 PM

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calria

 *pokes everyone*

Okay, guys, I need a little help from some of the more technically savvy among us. My 18th birthday's coming up, and for it, my parents are letting me pick out a computer- any computer I want, basically, as long as it's reasonable as far as the price. Problem is, I don't really know what to get- the computer I use now is almost 5 years old, and not particularly good even for then.

I don't do too horribly much in the way of gaming, but I do a LOT of graphics-making and website management... and the computer has to last me at least through college.

I'm thinking I will get:
80GB of hard drive space
a CD-R/W with DVD

...what else do I need? Especially in regard to video cards/sound cards and the like...

Trident

 Ooooh... If you get the CD-R/W with DVD, then you check out that one site I posted said "do you believe in ghosts?"  Hehehe... Um... I don't know what type you should get.  

Pikepaw

 DVD DELL!  That is my opinion.
Never muck with me because I'm a Canadian mercenary
Pikepaw has returned! He has become more evil! But I am back, to rule all and destroy the Earth!
If you knock me down, I'll get back up and knock you down, then I'll chase you with my torch and pitchfork and big club thingy.
In the words of the wise barbeast: "Yer true friends stick up fer ya! Yer best pals pay fer ya!" After this, the barbeast fell over drunk, after his last words of wisedom.

Quamicauzilot

 Well, RAM is always good.  And more RAM is always gooder. (You're probably going to want an absolute minimum of 256.)  80GB should do you, as well as the CD-R/W (DVD, of course, is nice).  I'd suggest a built-in Zip drive. (The USB connected ones can be a pain.  Go for the 250MB if you can.)
That's all I can think of for the moment.  I may be able to find something out about those video and sound cards, but I might not.
If I think of anything I forgot, I'll just edit it in.

To think I almost forgot this.  For those of you that aspire to rule: http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html

For the CAFI folks.

Quamicauzilot, leader of The Sockferrets, #10.

General Austin

 Get a nice 60Mhz RAM biodeflater for your GYK, (if you have one, of course) ;)  
In God I trust, and in Him alone shall I put my faith.

calria

 Right now I'm thinking about getting an Alienware... they have REALLY powerful stuff in their gamer section for not too bad amounts of money... I had a friend of mine who is a hardware junkie put together a custom system combo on there...
It's an Alienware Area 51 Enthusiast, with:

MEMORY/CACHE-TYPE STUFF:
-Intel? Pentium? 4 Processor 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB w/ 512KB Cache & HyperThreading
-512MB DDR SDRAM PC-3200 - 2 x 256MB Module
-120GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 ATA-100 8MB Cache

DRIVES:
-16x DVD-ROM - Black w/Software MPEG-2 Decoder
-Lite-On 52x32x52x CD-RW - Black
-3.5" 1.44 MB Floppy Disk Drive - Black
-Alienware™ USB 2.0 128MB Thumb Drive

VIDEO/SOUND ETC:
-NVIDIA GeForce™ FX 5600 256MB 8x AGP w/DVI & S-Video
-Creative Sound Blaster? Audigy 2 - 6.1
-Integrated Intel Pro/1000 CT Gigabit Ethernet Adapter w/CSA

EXTRAS:
-Alienware Cable Management System
-NEC 19" MultiSync FE991SB Flat CRT - Black
-Creative Inspire™ 6.1 6600 Speakers - Black
-Microsoft Internet Keyboard

Sounds BEAUTIFUL, no?

Boze (Admin)

 If at all possible, you may want to wait until September. Intel will be releasing the P5, and AMD will release the Athlon64. You can either go with one of those, or the generation-old processors will be much cheaper. As current models go, the 800MHz FSB on your processor will give you excellent memory performance (as you have DDR3200).

An 8MB Cache is a nice thing to have on a hard drive as well.

As for your video card, the much hated 5600 is quickly being replaced. Prices on GPUs are falling--- quickly.

If you play any First Person Shooters, you might want to read some reviews on "ghosting" concerning your flat panel. Some flat panels streak, making them not suitable for fast-paced gaming. Look for a 18-20ms response time.

It looks like your getting a lot of stuff you dont need, but hey, your parents are paying.  ;)  
That's me!

Pikepaw

 Huh?  I do not understand that computor stuff.  Whatever, probably better not knowing.
Never muck with me because I'm a Canadian mercenary
Pikepaw has returned! He has become more evil! But I am back, to rule all and destroy the Earth!
If you knock me down, I'll get back up and knock you down, then I'll chase you with my torch and pitchfork and big club thingy.
In the words of the wise barbeast: "Yer true friends stick up fer ya! Yer best pals pay fer ya!" After this, the barbeast fell over drunk, after his last words of wisedom.

Kenny Boy

Quote from: calriaRight now I'm thinking about getting an Alienware... they have REALLY powerful stuff in their gamer section for not too bad amounts of money... I had a friend of mine who is a hardware junkie put together a custom system combo on there...
It's an Alienware Area 51 Enthusiast, with:

MEMORY/CACHE-TYPE STUFF:
-Intel? Pentium? 4 Processor 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB w/ 512KB Cache & HyperThreading
-512MB DDR SDRAM PC-3200 - 2 x 256MB Module
-120GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 ATA-100 8MB Cache

DRIVES:
-16x DVD-ROM - Black w/Software MPEG-2 Decoder
-Lite-On 52x32x52x CD-RW - Black
-3.5" 1.44 MB Floppy Disk Drive - Black
-Alienware™ USB 2.0 128MB Thumb Drive

VIDEO/SOUND ETC:
-NVIDIA GeForce™ FX 5600 256MB 8x AGP w/DVI & S-Video
-Creative Sound Blaster? Audigy 2 - 6.1
-Integrated Intel Pro/1000 CT Gigabit Ethernet Adapter w/CSA

EXTRAS:
-Alienware Cable Management System
-NEC 19" MultiSync FE991SB Flat CRT - Black
-Creative Inspire™ 6.1 6600 Speakers - Black
-Microsoft Internet Keyboard

Sounds BEAUTIFUL, no?
YEAH ALIENWARE ROCKS!

That is the kinda comp I'm gonna get when I move out the graphics are state of the art but for sound cards I recommend sound blaster live thats what i got and it kicks!
Hi! I'm Ken and I am cooler than you!
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K Money (#25)

highest rank:3
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Hello everyone, I have given up on regular and now I only play turbo.
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Boze (Admin)

 The Audigy 2 with 6.1 is a much better card than the SB Live. They are made by the same company. The Audigy 2 has a more efficient SPU and 6.1 support.
That's me!