[Interceptor]

Hi guys, I've been reading the threads and have a question myself.

I've recently been playing this MMO Age of Conan and although my current Dell Dimension 5000 (surprisingly) can run it I feel that it's time for me to upgrade.

I've been looking at several sites (example) and unfortunately I am getting more confused. I don't have much knowledge about this kind of thing so I'm throwing it to your expert opinions!

Things I won't need include; Windows, keyboard, mouse, speakers. I'm considering keeping my old Dell 17'' monitor as a money saver, but I hear that the small size might cause extra strain?

The only thing I want from the system is for it to be able to play Age of Conan on above medium settings. Under £300-£500 would be my price range.

I'd love to see what specs you think would be able to do this.

Thanks in advance!

Sophie x

[Waynos_Face]

Hi Sophie,

Try these, there is nothing wrong with your build except you really need 2Gb of RAM in any system, and don't always pick the cheapest parts even if you are on a budget, they are cheap for a reason, they break.

http://www.pcoption.co.uk/pcbaseunits/index41.htm

http://www.pcoption.co.uk/pcbaseunit..._3650amdx2.htm

Either of these will play your game fine, the second option is the better one to go for,

good luck and hope this helps

Wayne

[Phaeton]

Hello, are you planning to build a new system or buy a new system ?
Not only is building your own system cheaper, you can also salvage parts from your current PC that will even save you more.

If you intend to buy look at these PC's (you're given the option of having no OS and there are nor peripherals)

If you dont mind going over your budget a bit:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...d=1080&subcat=

Well within your budget :
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=FS-035-OK

Remember:

You can save back a bit on a CPU as games are more GPU intensive. Try to get a dual core at least though.
2GB of RAM hits the sweetspot for a gaming PC

[Abarbarian]

Or something like this and you can choose your own card .

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...d=1078&subcat=



Building your own with some of the parts you have would probably be your best bet though .

[Interceptor]

Wow thanks for the replies!

I'd like to have a go at building my own PC but I don't feel ready yet. So, after reading your replies I was quite happy but since trawling the Conan tech forums I think I'm going to need more punch. More like:

8800 GPU with at least 512mb
4gb RAM @ 800Mhz

Is it fine for me to prefer staying with XP? I read everywhere that Vista needs more RAM and is a little unstable.

Will my old Dell 17" be compatible with most new systems? Will the small size bottleneck anything?

What kind of power does my PSU need to be capable of with an 8800?


Thanks in advance!


Sophie x

[Phaeton]

Vista is perfectly stable now.
Vista needs more RAM to run smoothly.
Your moniter should be ok.
About 450W - 500W would be fine running the 8800GT and all other hardware.

So are we correct in assuming you will buy a whole system ? Might need to increase your budget if you are intent on 4GB of RAM and 8800GT.

Try configuring a system here: http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/

[Interceptor]

Yes, I'm going for a ready-made system.

Hopefully I should save money by not needing an OS, Monitor, Keyboard, Speakers or Mouse

Thanks for your advice; it really helps to be able to ask these questions!

Sophie

[Waynos_Face]

Hi,

Not sure is this is frowned upon or not, but since building my own PC i have been building them for friends and family, i can beat retail prices by about £100, as others have mentioned its cheaper to build your own and you get better components. so can build you one if you wish.

[floppybootstomp]

Depends where you are Waynos, don't it?

The £100.00 you save usually equates to the profit margin for any company building computers.

Most builders can usually beat a private individual, price for price, as they can buy their components in bulk.

Where an individual would gain in either building their own or getting a knowledgable friend/acquaintance/skilled individual to build a system, is knowing the components are good, especially after taking advice from a forum such as this one.

In my opinion, if an individual doesn't have the knowledge and/or confidence to build their own, it's often worth seeking out a local retailer or individual who can do the build and is willing to offer 12 months backup. They may pay just a little more but the peace of mind and the superior system makes this very worthwhile indeed.

Of course, finding a trusted builder sometimes isn't as easy as it may seem.

There are surprisingly few really good suppliers of ready built systems out there. Novatech is one, there are others, word of mouth is always the best recommendation.

[Waynos_Face]

I'm in Birmingham

If Interceptor is willing then maybe PC Review can moderate the sale? if there is one.
I offer a 1 years RTB and free spares and repair, perhaps if i post the spec available then you can comment on whether she could get the same from a retailer.

I have a friend who works for a computer components distribuition company and so i only pay wholesale prices and not trade.

I could put together

AMD Dual Core 3.0Ghz
Gigabyte M57SLI motherboard,
4 Gb OCZ Platinum 800mhz RAM
Nvidia Geforce 9600GT 512mb
500Gb HDD
Liteon Lightscribe DVD/CD
Icebox case with 650Watt PSU

for about £400, without shipping.
Is this a good deal?