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#4233172 - 02/24/16 10:41 PM Which one of these PC are good?  
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http://www.frys.com/ads/page15#AdNavi

The $699 or the $999 under gaming PC?

The link above is for the ones on sale this week.

This is for the ones that are not on sale in the PC gaming category under $1000:

http://www.frys.com/search?to=24&cat...100311%20Gaming

I currently have a Quad Core 4 GB Ram 1 GB video card.

It works well and I play a lot of 720p and 1080p videos on it.

But sometimes some 1080p videos just won't play and then I go to system resources and it's hogging 100% of my RAM.

I think I need something more powerful.

Prior to the Quad Core, I had a Pentium PC which wouldn't even play the 720 p so the Quad Core was a step up for me.

I also have some PC games like Steel Beasts that will not run on the Quad Core and I would like to play these games I bought a couple of years ago here on SimHQ.

I wish I knew someone here in DFW that is honest and reputable that can built me a good gaming PC for same or less price than what I pay at a place like Fry's or Micro Center or Best Buy.

Most of these store bought PC have stuff in them you don't need including hardware and software that will drive up their retail price.

Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#4233302 - 02/25/16 09:31 AM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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out of the 999 machines this seems to have the best balance of things you will need

http://www.frys.com/product/8395377?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG


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#4233424 - 02/25/16 03:23 PM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: flying-hamster]  
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CG2015 Offline
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Originally Posted By: flying-hamster
out of the 999 machines this seems to have the best balance of things you will need

http://www.frys.com/product/8395377?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG


Not available at any stores here in Texas unless I buy the display demo model.

Any other ones in that list?

Thanks.

#4233583 - 02/25/16 08:54 PM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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Can you just assemble your own? It isn't that hard these days. Likewise, if you can part one together maybe you can get a better PC for less. Frys, at least locally, charges $50 to assemble a basic desktop. Not sure if that includes only parts bought at Frys. But again, doing it yourself is really simple.

I'd suggest assembling your own. But that Acer linked above is better than the rest. I wouldn't want anything less than a GTX 970 if you plan on keeping it for years. Even then, I bought my 970 almost 1 1/2 years ago so it is getting rather old as far as PC hardware is concerned.

#4233640 - 02/25/16 11:40 PM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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If you're only planing to run one monitor @ 1080p, then most of those ~1k systems should be fine. But they come with a GTX 960, which is mid-level gfx card and it might be a bottleneck in the future; or if you plan to run a high-res\multi monitor setup.

#4233669 - 02/26/16 01:24 AM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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Just one monitor but I want HD this time.

I'll go find something with a higher end video card.

#4233745 - 02/26/16 12:09 PM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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960 should be fine for HD (1920x1080)... might not be able to max out on everything though.

+1 to building your own PC as well...


- Ice
#4233848 - 02/26/16 04:02 PM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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The 960 is a 720p card with all the details turned up.

Running 1080p means dropping details and 1 maybe 2
years down the road you are running medium at best,
more than likely low. I own a 970 @ 1080p depending
on the game (Witcher 3 for example)some details have
to be dropped.

If your machine is gaming specific a decent 4 core
will be fine. If you plan on audio and video editing
etc then you might want to go with a hyperthread or
better CPU.

runningdog


"It's not about the money Son, It's about rules. You see without rules we all might as well live in trees and fling our crap at each other."
Red Foreman on That 70's Show
#4233914 - 02/26/16 06:44 PM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: Hunedog]  
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Originally Posted By: Hunedog
The 960 is a 720p card with all the details turned up.


Do make note that "in the heat of the moment," the few details you have turned down to play at 1920x1080 res, you won't really notice. Sure, maybe you will on a static screenshot side-by-side comparison, but not likely when playing.


- Ice
#4233928 - 02/26/16 07:26 PM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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CG, do you have any hobbies? Do any of those involve using tools? Do you feel proficient with them?

That is all the resume you need to build your own machine. Once you get the parts, it's a one afternoon job to put it together, and a couple of hours more to get the OS and basic apps installed. These days the risk of getting a bad part is really minimized. You do not have the comfort of a full warranty, but every single part is backed by a minimum 90 day warranty and companies willing to have you satisfied. Best Buy does not care.

That said, if you still want something pre-assembled, I would suggest saving a bit more. You are paying 30% or more premium for an assembled machine than for the parts it is made from, so a $900 assembled machine is really a $600 machine if you put it together.

You end up with something underwhelming for your money.

For $500 more, plus shipping, something like this might last you longer and at least you will be satisfied with the performance.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0124YJVJU/ref=...d_i=13638840011

(Choose the option with the Nvidia GTX 970)

Quote:
Acer Predator AG6-710-70001 Desktop PC comes with these specs: 6th Generation Intel Core i7-6700K processor 4.0GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 4.2GHz, Windows 10 Home, 16GB DDR4 Memory, NVIDIA GeForce GTX970 Graphics with 4GB of GDDR5 Video Memory, 16X DVDR/RW SuperMulti Drive, 128GB SSD, 1TB 7200RPM SATA III Hard Drive, Digital Media Card Reader -Secure Digital (SD) Card, Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5 with EAX 5.0, 6 - USB 3.0 Ports, 2 - USB 2.0 Ports, 1 x HDMI port, 1 x DVI port, 2 x Mini-Display ports, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, 730W Power Supply, SteelSeries APEX (RAW) Gaming Keyboard, SteelSeries SENSEI (RAW) Gaming Mouse, 34.4 lbs. | 15.6 kg (system unit only), 2 Year Parts and Labor Limited Warranty with Toll Free Tech Support (UD.P01AA.021)


Last edited by Bib4Tuna; 02/26/16 07:30 PM.
#4233976 - 02/26/16 09:20 PM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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The only caveat I will add is ESD. You don't need to worry about it with most other hobbies, but be sure you're well grounded when dealing with the innards of a PC unless like myself you're in a very humid climate and can largely ignore it. smile




The Jedi Master


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#4234064 - 02/27/16 03:03 AM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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www.pcpartpicker.com is a helpful site.

Here's a quick sub-1k system I threw together: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/XGPVsY

#4234201 - 02/27/16 02:10 PM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: - Ice]  
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Originally Posted By: - Ice
Originally Posted By: Hunedog
The 960 is a 720p card with all the details turned up.


Do make note that "in the heat of the moment," the few details you have turned down to play at 1920x1080 res, you won't really notice. Sure, maybe you will on a static screenshot side-by-side comparison, but not likely when playing.


Ice, is that you? From 169th?

#4234224 - 02/27/16 03:38 PM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: - Ice]  
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Originally Posted By: - Ice
Originally Posted By: Hunedog
The 960 is a 720p card with all the details turned up.


Do make note that "in the heat of the moment," the few details you have turned down to play at 1920x1080 res, you won't really notice. Sure, maybe you will on a static screenshot side-by-side comparison, but not likely when playing.


To clarify, if you are shooting for a constant 60 fps that is what I recommend.
As far as noticeable details goes, that is purely subjective. How ever if you
are turning down details now that will only ramp up as time passes.



runningdog


"It's not about the money Son, It's about rules. You see without rules we all might as well live in trees and fling our crap at each other."
Red Foreman on That 70's Show
#4234418 - 02/28/16 08:38 AM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: Hunedog]  
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Originally Posted By: Viking_Tsunami
Ice, is that you? From 169th?

Not sure what you mean, but probably not....


Originally Posted By: Hunedog
To clarify, if you are shooting for a constant 60 fps that is what I recommend.
As far as noticeable details goes, that is purely subjective. How ever if you
are turning down details now that will only ramp up as time passes.

I don't get this "constant 60fps thing." Some games run fine at 30+ fps, some games still run crap at 60+ fps due to microstuttering.

Also, "constant 60fps" is useless in turn-based or low-graphics games... the OP mentioned 1080p videos and Steel Beasts plus quite a low budget for a "full PC" build. Without knowing what games the OP intends to play, this GPU (GTX 960) might last him a good few years. Obviously my arguments are void if the OP wants to play the latest and greatest a high res, full quality... biggrin


- Ice
#4234425 - 02/28/16 09:24 AM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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Wow! With some of the recommendations y'all have here, I can play Global Thermonuclear War!

Thanks!

tomcat tanksalot

@Ice: I just want to play the games that I couldn't run on my old PC and on my current PC:

Falcon 4.0 and Steel Beast.

Then maybe play a few newer games (but considered old now) that don't need a power PC to run it but they do need a bit better than what I have.

There was a Star Trek game I couldn't even run the demo version on this Quad Core.

Can't remember the name of it now.

#4234429 - 02/28/16 09:47 AM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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I'm not sure about Steel Beasts but their site says it only needs GeForce 5+/Radeon 9600+ so I wonder what your old hardware specs are...

When you say Falcon 4.0, I assume you are referring to BMS 4.33? I ran 4.32 on two screens using a ATI HD 5770, my last card was a ATI HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB card that pushed 3x 1920x1080 screens for BMS display and 1x 1920x1080 screen for Helios. A GTX 670 is slightly less powerful than my 7970 according to charts but for pushing just one screen (maybe two), it shouldn't have any problems. Same for Steel Beasts.

Always remember that "gaming PC" is always a relative term. What is considered "acceptable" also varies between individuals. Twitch-shooter gamers will always harp about 60+fps and I kinda see the point --- smoother picture = better shooting. Other games won't require as much. People who play Civilization or 4X games won't care if it was 50 fps or 30 fps. I don't think you twitch-shoot in Steel Beasts. BMS 4.33 is more demanding graphics-wise than 4.32 but as mentioned above, the 670 should be okay.

Still would like you to consider building the PC yourself though... best advice I would give is to buy the best CPU you can afford, then the best GPU you can afford. This is because you can have a CPU for a good number of years, and maybe extend that life by overclocking it, meanwhile you can simply upgrade a GPU by buying a new one and flogging the old one on eBay.


- Ice
#4234448 - 02/28/16 11:53 AM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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I've been building PCs as a hobby since 1988 and my advice: read, read, read and then read some more before you buy. PC building web sites is what your focus should be and I recommend one that is quite good: http://www.hardware-revolution.com/best-low-cost-budget-gaming-pc-2016/

Try to learn the PC terms and what they mean also as it will help in your decision. Trust me when I say that you won't regret the time you spent learning about all of this.

The PC market is relatively stable right now with no new breakthrough technologies in the budget area coming out soon. So, you have plenty of time to read up on what processor, motherboard, video card are best.

#4234679 - 02/29/16 05:39 AM Re: Which one of these PC are good? [Re: CG2015]  
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This week's Fry's sale item.

I don't know anything about processors and video cards nowadays.

It was easy in the old days, you knew P4 was better than P3 and the higher the model # on a video card, the newer it was.

http://www.frys.com/ads/page115#AdNavi


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