New computer

[Loniel Bonewalker]

Just furnishing.

Look at a new computer as furnishing.

[Syana]

I would suggest going with a quad-core processor as well. If you could swing it this would be a good combo:

Intel Core i5-2300 Sandy Bridge 2.8GHz j- $180
XFX HD-695X-ZNFC Radeon HD 6950 1GB - $240

Would put you at ~$420 total (just a bit over your budget)

Another option would be to go with the i5 Processor above and instead get this video card:

XFX HD-687A-ZHFC Radeon HD 6870 1GB - $170

That would put you under your budget even, which would allow for a faster i5 processor if you wanted.

For reference - I am running a core i7 processor with an AMD Radeon HD 6850 card and I have no frame-rate issues with the SWToR beta. The only times where I get a little lag is with heavily player populated issues, and that is more an issue with the hard drive than the GPU (this was always a common issue for me in WoW also). I think an i5 would run it just fine as well (honestly, like most games, it really hits the GPU much harder than the CPU) Once you get to a certain point with the CPU it really doesn't do much for games.

I'm partial to XFX cards because I have had to return a couple and they have been easy to work with. I burned up a couple cards because of trying to use a sub-par power supply on my son's computer! That being said, I have the same Antec power supply that you do and it has been rock solid for me.

Hope that helps.

Z

Any suggestions for a motherboard? Is the integrated intel graphics on the CPU worth using? I'm using a 9800 GTX+ right now and it's probably not in my budget to upgrade my graphics at this point. (I already have to break my piggy bank.) Is the Intel HD 2000 > or < than 9800 GTX+?

I'm going to Fry's on Black Friday to pick up a CPU/Mobo/RAM. Maybe the prices will be cheap enough so I can pick up a GPU also.

[Syana]

Oh nevermind.. just read a review on the intel HD graphics and it's terribad. Why do they even bother integrating it in the CPU?

[Wresh]

Any suggestions for a motherboard? Is the integrated intel graphics on the CPU worth using? I'm using a 9800 GTX+ right now and it's probably not in my budget to upgrade my graphics at this point. (I already have to break my piggy bank.) Is the Intel HD 2000 > or < than 9800 GTX+?

I'm going to Fry's on Black Friday to pick up a CPU/Mobo/RAM. Maybe the prices will be cheap enough so I can pick up a GPU also.

I picked up two GTX 550Ti to run in SLi mode and completely happy. for the $135 on Newegg right now, it's a pretty good deal.
Tigerdirect has the same card for $135 with a $20 mail in rebate right now too.

[Rennys]

Not for gamers. Integration into the CPU allows for reduced power and greater performance. Basically, the integrated graphics are for people who don't game on computers, which is a shocking large number.

[Loniel Bonewalker]

As Renny said. I am sure it offers advantages to motherboard manufacturers as well. From what I can tell the graphics cards integrated into processors are not all bad. From what I can tell AMD's integrated graphics are not absolute crap, I am just talking about the graphics so no need for any Intel fanatic to get up in arms.

[Syana]

Do I need 16GB of RAM yet? >.< Or is 8GB still good enough?

[boopie]

No on 16gb imho although it doesn't see to be that much more expensive, $50 vs $100.

And make sure the MB layout works for the larger cards. One of my computers can only really use 2 SATA ports because the others are covered up by the card.

[Andaas]

Yeah, I'm running 16gb of ram, and it's really unnecessary.

[Allara]

I easily use 16 GB but it depends on what you're doing.

[Stosh]

You are fine on the PSU; I ran the numbers through the Thermaltake PSU calculator and it recommends 358W. So anything 450+ should be more than enough.

Can I *please* give you $80.00 so you can bump your CPU up to an I5? You're really going to start running into hardware walls fast with a dual core today (at least in my opinion). Even WoW which has very little multi-core optimization runs insanely better on a quad core vs. dual core.

P.S. The PSU calculator only jumps from 358W to 381W with the upgrade to the I5.

What Andaas said. Let me send you a few dollars to help with a CPU.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0354589

That CPU is a beast for the price Micro Center is selling it for. It's in store only, but I'd be happy to drive up to Orange County to buy it and overnight it to you.

But let me an Andass help you out so you can get this http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0354588 instead. It's not the K version, so it's not for overclocking, but it's an i7 so it can hyperthread.

[Tenelen]

I run 32gb ATM but that because I got an amazing deal on it.

[Syana]

179.99 for i5-2500k?

Damn, I'm tempted to drive down to santa clara to pick it up tomorrow. Wonder if price will go down any further on Friday though.

[boopie]

Some places have price guarantees that will refund the difference if the price drops, but you'd want to check if they exclude Black Friday deals. Worth a phone call at the very least although that story may change once you're standing in front of the store manager.

[Tenelen]

179.99 for i5-2500k?

Damn, I'm tempted to drive down to santa clara to pick it up tomorrow. Wonder if price will go down any further on Friday though.

It's been $179 for a while now.

[Zeyla]

For those interested (for a Core i5/i7 system), Tom's Hardware has a good/recent review of some "affordable" motherboards that use the newer Intel Z68 chipset ($100-160 range)

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...68db,2980.html

To get a good enthusiast-class motherboard you are looking well north of the $200 range for all the extra goodies that those types of boards provide:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...-ud5,3025.html