New computer time!

What should I do?

  • Buy the Asus computer with shared memory

    Votes: 2 12.5%

  • Buy the HP computer with dedicated memory

    Votes: 2 12.5%

  • Buy a different computer (please explain in notes)

    Votes: 7 43.8%

  • The professor could have made a better computer out of bamboo and coconuts!

    Votes: 5 31.3%
  • Total voters
    16
Flamethrøwer

Flamethrøwer

New Member
So I'm allowed to buy a new computer.

My wife and I agreed that since I:
1. Remodeled the bathroom, living room, office, and master bedroom last summer
2. Remodeled the kitchen and dining room this summer, and
3. Will be remodeling the basement this fall

that I deserve a new computer!

I'm looking at one right now online:

Asus Essentio CG5290 BP007
- 9GB DDR2 RAM (expandable to 24GB)
- 1TB Hard drive
- Intel Core i7-920 processor (2.66GHz)
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX260 graphics card with 896 shared video memory
- comes with 23" widescreen LCD HD monitor

One question though - an HP Pavilion Elite computer I was looking at had the same specs but with NVIDIA GeForce 250 graphics card with 1GB of dedicated memory. What's the difference between shared and dedicated memory? Would dedicated memory be worth getting for WoW? This computer doesn't come with the wicked cool monitor though...

These were both in the "gaming computers" section of Best Buy, so I'm sure they'll both be great - it's just that if I'm going to buy something big, I want it to be the best I can get for my money!
 
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Even though you might not be able to make one yourself, from what I've heard and seen from friends, finding someone locally to build you one is still better than pre-made Best Buy or other brand stores. If someone can show me a great deal though, I'm also very interested as I too need a new computer.
 
video memory sharing isn't a big deal. tons of laptop cards do it well. if you don't like it you can always replace the video card in the future with one that doesn't share memory.
 
Two things...

You will NEVER use 9gigs of memory (trust me, my computer has 8gigs in it).
You will REGRET getting shared ram for a video card - if the video card is gobbling up ram then other things will run bad and vice versa.

Some more things...

I personally avoid Nvidia as in the not-so-distant past their cards were equipped with faulty chips which lead to failures (they never specifically said why or how... which was bad).

My opinion... BUILD ONE YOURSELF!
 
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Odale said:
Two things...

You will NEVER use 9gigs of memory (trust me, my computer has 8gigs in it).
You will REGRET getting shared ram for a video card - if the video card is gobbling up ram then other things will run bad and vice versa.

Some more things...

I personally avoid Nvidia as in the not-so-distant past their cards were equipped with faulty chips which lead to failures (they never specifically said why or how... which was bad).

My opinion... BUILD ONE YOURSELF!
Click to expand...

I agree, Nvidia I've had a few faulty Nvidia cards and have not been happy with the results...
 
HP:ew..... nuff said :)
Asus: Maher has one and he has had some strange problems with it from day one of getting it. his CD drive didn't even come from the store working properly. Although you could actually attempt to have the computer fixed before the warranty expires....*cough-Maher-cough*. OOH pro about Asus is they have some environmentally friendly technology :D

May I suggest Apple or Vaio if its in your price range? dell is okay too....I guess....mine has also had some strange problems, but I have to admit it's pretty sturdy and once I figured out how to use it to its best advantage things improved.
 
build your own.
that way you can get the most bang for your buck.
there is alot of people on these forums that will pick out the pieces for you if you give em a price range.
 
I have no idea how to build my own. Part of the deal with that is that it would not have any kind of store warranty, and my wife is big on that kind of stuff. Remember, this has to pass her inspection too! So I think buying from a store is our only option here. Not that I can't trust any of you to do it.

Would I be able to go into a store and have one built? If so, what video card/specs should I go for?
 
I'm going to make a really out-of-left field suggestion: an HP/Voodoo Firebird 802. You'd have to buy the monitor separately, but even with that I think you'd end up in relatively the same $1200 price range as the Asus you're looking at.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9180628&st=firebird&type=product&id=1218046802510

Why am I suggesting it?
1) If you're stuck not being able to build it yourself, might as well at least get something cool out of that constraint. And this is a desktop that you could never build yourself.
2) While you don't have uber cutting edge specs here (i.g. quad core rather than i7 processor, two SLI last-gen mobile graphics cards card than a single current-gen graphics card) this thing could definitely tear through WoW. If you're looking to play Crysis as well, maybe look elsewhere.
3) IMO, today's "put the best components you can buy together in a box" really misses the whole "integration" idea of great design. Not only might the pieces not play nice with each other (something you dont' learn until you have a problem, and that manufacturers never seem to test for adequately), but two relatively key factors in the "enjoyment' of your comp get totally ignored: 1) does it stay cool (which goes to long-term reliability as well) and 2) does it sound like a 747 that's about to take off. The Firebird knocks those two things (thermals and noise) out of the park. This computer is not a set of components in a box. This computer is a product designed and integrated from close to the bottoms up.
4) Clearly with this choice you'll lose an upgrade path, which is a big deal. But if your wife is a fan of warranties, you may be limited on that front anyhow.
5) This really isn't an HP. It's a Voodoo (so that Bel doesn't "eww" me on that).
6) These things were originally $1800 and are now $999 at best buy. $1800 is totally overpriced but $999 is a steal. The main issue might be finding one ... best buy seems to have them here but the HP site and Amazon are both sold out. There was originally an 803 iteration that had better specs and it sold out almost immediately.
7) I'd bet the Firebird has half the power consumption of the Asus, if not better than that. Over a year, that is material $ savings.
8) If my wife would let me buy a new computer, I'd totally buy one of these things. But she won't, so I want to live vicariously through you!

Anyhow, flame on...but I just thought I'd suggest...
 
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Flamethrøwer said:
Part of the deal with that is that it would not have any kind of store warranty, and my wife is big on that kind of stuff.
Click to expand...

That isn't totally true. While if you were to build your computer, the whole thing would not have a warranty, the individual parts would. Newegg.com has warranties it offers on many of its items it sells and they are very good about RMAing many defective parts they sell (returning them to the manufacturer and giving you a replacement).

If you build your own with quality parts, you will likely not have a problem with it and I guarantee you will get the best value for your money.

Edit a list cuz I'm bored:

Case/64-bit OS - $221 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.158792.11-129-042
Motherboard - $180 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128377
Processor - $210 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103674
Video Card - $220 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102841
PSU - $72 ($52 after main-in rebate) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341019
Memory - $50 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166
HDD - $67 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136298
DVD - $25 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151187

I listed AMD parts for two reasons... first is I am not as familiar with Intel/Nvidia as I am with AMD/ATi and second is that Nvidia in the past released some faulty cards and never told anyone what was wrong with them, while ATi has been running strong (also the Nvidia GTX series cards are just overclocked versions of their predecessors while the ATi Radeons are not...)

The total of this list comes out to be $1045 with out shipping (shipping to my house is $25).

Not too bad...
 
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