inexpensive gaming/multimedia computer

[girl]

Hi there.

I don't really have a set budget, but I also don't see the point in spending $5,000.00 or whatever on a computer...

I use my current computer to, edit videos (not professionally, just home movies and stuff), I also edit photos, build websites, do graphic design, etc.. As the subject suggests, I also do a little bit of gaming- generally MMO's, like WoW (but I play other ones as well).

Definitely would like to have a good quality graphics card so I don't have to upgrade it for quite a while, and plentiful HD space, but I can always add hard drives, so that's not a huge factor.

I'm open to either AMD or Intel, and my upgrade time frame is within the next 6 months, not immediately. If something great and wonderful is coming up next year, I can postpone until then, or just buy a cheapy laptop to get me by. lol

I would like to watch blu-ray movies on it, but don't necessarily have to be able to burn them (though that would be nice). I do need a new keyboard, monitor, mouse and surround sound speakers/subwoofer. An all in one printer would be nice as well. In regards to memory, I'd like at least 6 to 8 gigs, more if possible. I also need an OS- I want to get a retail version of Windows 7 Ultimate, 64 bit, not OEM.

In regards to monitor size, I'm looking for something around 30 inches or so. My current monitor is a 21 or 22 inch Samsung SyncMaster 226BW, but would like something bigger, with a big, pretty, glossy screen (like the ones from HP).. I hate having to dust in the little corners of my monitor & would just like to be able to wipe it down & go on about my business, rather than break our q-tips and air in a can or whatever and waste time on it. I am not concerned with anti-glare.. I happen to like really glossy screens & my computer doesn't face a window, so it doesn't really matter. My current monitor is okay. It's just not glossy like I like them (even though it says it is "glossy" on the box :/)

I don't plan on doing any overclocking- I don't really care that much to bother with it. lol I am open to crossfire or SLi, but I don't have to have that.

I would also like something on the quiet side. It doesn't have to be so quiet that I absolutely can't hear it, but I definitely don't want to turn it on and sound like I'm at a jet engine testing facility... My current one is annoyingly loud... And of course, I want it to run cool, even when I'm multi tasking like a mad woman.

What do you folks recommend?

In regards to my current computer, I plan to just format it, maybe add a better cooling system and a couple gigs of memory & give it to my parents or a friend who has a 10+ year old computer. I'm really not interested in salvaging any parts from it. It's loud and a few years old anyway.

Alrighty, thank you for your time!

Oh yeah, I'm in the USA. forgot to mention that, sorry... I'm open to buying parts from any reputable place that's within the USA. i usually use newegg, tiger direct, fry's or that one that starts with an M.. mwave, i think. (it's been a while, sorry)... but like i said, i'm open to other places.

edit again... i forgot to mention, i do some 3d stuff- i use poser, daz studio 3d advanced, etc.. lower end software of that spectrum of stuff. lol

 

[engiNURD]

wow, the name "girl" wasn't taken yet? amazing... you should have a million replies soon. welcome to the forum... when i get the patience to read all that, i'll reply with something more useful.

Oh, and a more specific ballpark budget would be immensely helpful. The usage you described could be done with an $800 system, and your wants will bump it up a bit. So, if you have around $1300, you could build a nice intel i7 system, especially if you live near a microcenter. do you live near a microcenter?

why retail over oem? waste of money, imo.

does your computer sit on your desk or under it?

 

[girl]

wow, the name "girl" wasn't taken yet? amazing... you should have a million replies soon. welcome to the forum... when i get the patience to read all that, i'll reply with something more useful.

Oh, and a more specific ballpark budget would be immensely helpful. The usage you described could be done with an $800 system, and your wants will bump it up a bit. So, if you have around $1300, you could build a nice intel i7 system, especially if you live near a microcenter. do you live near a microcenter?

why retail over oem? waste of money, imo.

does your computer sit on your desk or under it?

Hiya

Thanks for responding!

Yep, I was surprised it wasn't taken! I was actually trying to type something else, but when I realized that this name wasn't taken, I was like "well that's simple enough.. and i am a girl..." so it worked out alright. Thank you for the welcome.

In regards to a price, I would like to keep it around 1000 (preferably under), but I wouldn't feel like I was being ridiculous if I spent 1500 on a nice machine. Whatcha thinking for systems, enginurd?

I don't believe there's a Microcenter where I live, but there's one in Dallas.. I live about 4 1/2 hours away from Dallas. Unless a deal was still a good deal after the cost of gas to get there, then... lol I mean overall cost. I saw that core i7 930 @ $199.99 in the hot deals section before I posted my request here, so I looked it up.

Why retail? I format my computer a lot (compared to most people). The last I knew (with vista) you could only install OEM X amount of times before the code doesn't work anymore. I would rather spend the extra money to just avoid talking to Microsoft people or messing with it to get it to work. I just assumed that this was also true with Windows 7, but honestly, I haven't really looked into it. If the OEM would be better, then I'm open to it.

Bottom line is that I just want a nice system that will last a few years. I tend to get new computers around every 3 years.

My computer currently sits beside my desk, on the floor.. but I'm bringing one of the desks from my office home, so it'll be under it... Still on the floor. lol I could put it on top, though. Doesn't really matter.

 

[Dangman]

I'm open to either AMD or Intel, and my upgrade time frame is within the next 6 months, not immediately.

Wait, are you gonna build this new PC within 6 months or are you planning on upgrading this new PC within 6 months?

I also need an OS- I want to get a retail version of Windows 7 Ultimate, 64 bit, not OEM.

Why retail? I format my computer a lot (compared to most people). The last I knew (with vista) you could only install OEM X amount of times before the code doesn't work anymore. I would rather spend the extra money to just avoid talking to Microsoft people or messing with it to get it to work. I just assumed that this was also true with Windows 7, but honestly, I haven't really looked into it. If the OEM would be better, then I'm open to it.

OEM will save you quite a bit of money that can be better spent on better hardware. In addition, talking to MS doesn't take that long or is that arduous. Also, you could always just make an image of your OS install after all the updates and drivers have been installed. That way you don't have to go through the activation process and you don't have to reinstall.

Ok so let me get this straight: You want a new 24"+ monitor + blu-ray drive + retail Windows 7 + the PC itself for $1000?

 

[girl]

Wait, are you gonna build this new PC within 6 months or are you planning on upgrading this new PC within 6 months?




OEM will save you quite a bit of money that can be better spent on better hardware. In addition, talking to MS doesn't take that long or is that arduous. Also, you could always just make an image of your OS install after all the updates and drivers have been installed. That way you don't have to go through the activation process and you don't have to reinstall.

Ok so let me get this straight: You want a new 24"+ monitor + blu-ray drive + retail Windows 7 + the PC itself for $1000?

Hiya Thanks for the response! here's the answers to your questions:

1.) Planning to build the computer within 6 months. Upgrade in the sense that I will be upgrading from my current computer to a new one. My current computer, I plan to format & give to someone else when I build the new system I'm asking for help with.

2.) No.. LOL I guess I should have clarified, huh? Silly me. Sorry about that. I meant on the computer system itself, not the whole 9 yards. (speakers/monitor/printer/etc)... I realize including all the other things that it will have to be a great deal more than $1,000.00 for everything on the list... That's why I wanted to keep the cost on the computer itself down.

So... Motherboard, Memory, Hard Drive(s), Video Card, Blu-Ray drive, Power Supply, Processor, case, etc.. That's what I mean. If it can be kept $800 - $1000 range ($1500 being my absolute max, including shipping), I will be a very happy camper!

There's so much stuff to choose from that I would like some help on picking out the best parts for the money & for my needs (detailed above). It's been a long time since I've looked at this stuff, so I really would love and appreciate some help.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dangman]

Planning to build the computer within 6 months. Upgrade in the sense that I will be upgrading from my current computer to a new one. My current computer, I plan to format & give to someone else when I build the new system I'm asking for help with.

Is there any way you can narrow down that time frame about a month or two from now? I ask because planning a build any more than 2 months in advance is a bit of a waste of time considering that any parts recommmended today will more than likely be outdated, outperformed, overpriced, or out of stock in 3 to 6 months time. As such, you'll end up doing new research anyway.

But if you were planning on building the PC within a month from now, I recommend the following:
$275 - AMD Phenom II X6 1055T CPU + Gigabyte GA-880GMA-UD2H AMD 880G mATX Motherboard
$410 - XFX HD-585X-ZNFV Radeon HD 5850 1GB PCI-E Video Card + G.Skill Ripjaw Series F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL 2 x 2GB DDR3 1600 RAM Combo
$150 - Corsair 650TX 650W PSU + Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive Combo
$70 - Cooler Master RC-690-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$100 - Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM
---
$1005 plus tax and shipping

 

[tiraides]

The key difference between OEM and retail versions of Windows isn't with formatting, but with activation. The OEM version of Windows is bound to the first system (read: motherboard) you activate it on, and the license "dies" when the system dies. With few exceptions, you can't transfer the license from computer to computer. However, you can transfer a retail license from system to system, provided that all remnants of that license is removed from any computer it may have been installed on earlier. Regardless of which "version" of Windows that you use, you won't lose the license through reformatting your system -- or, in a worst case scenario, if you have to replace the hard drive for any reason.

I know that you also want a Blu-ray drive, but do you have any Blu-ray media playback software on hand? (Unfortunately, I can't recommend any good software.)

 

[girl]

Is there any way you can narrow down that time frame about a month or two from now? I ask because planning a build any more than 2 months in advance is a bit of a waste of time considering that any parts recommmended today will more than likely be outdated, outperformed, overpriced, or out of stock in 3 to 6 months time. As such, you'll end up doing new research anyway.

But if you were planning on building the PC within a month from now, I recommend the following:
$275 - AMD Phenom II X6 1055T CPU + Gigabyte GA-880GMA-UD2H AMD 880G mATX Motherboard
$410 - XFX HD-585X-ZNFV Radeon HD 5850 1GB PCI-E Video Card + G.Skill Ripjaw Series F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL 2 x 2GB DDR3 1600 RAM Combo
$150 - Corsair 650TX 650W PSU + Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive Combo
$70 - Cooler Master RC-690-KKN1-GP ATX Case
$100 - Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM
---
$1005 plus tax and shipping

Thank you for your help!

The key difference between OEM and retail versions of Windows isn't with formatting, but with activation. The OEM version of Windows is bound to the first system (read: motherboard) you activate it on, and the license "dies" when the system dies. With few exceptions, you can't transfer the license from computer to computer. However, you can transfer a retail license from system to system, provided that all remnants of that license is removed from any computer it may have been installed on earlier. Regardless of which "version" of Windows that you use, you won't lose the license through reformatting your system -- or, in a worst case scenario, if you have to replace the hard drive for any reason.

I know that you also want a Blu-ray drive, but do you have any Blu-ray media playback software on hand? (Unfortunately, I can't recommend any good software.)

Ahhh I see! Thanks for explaining!

Nope, I don't have any media playback software. I guess I can research that. Thank you.