Which computer to choose?

[Havikoro]

Well, I have saved up a little money and want to buy a computer to play WoW in high settings (finally).

I'm between this two choices:

1st choice.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883107696

2nd choice.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16883229024

The first one comes with a monitor, and the second one is just the computer. I could use the difference in price if I choose the cheaper one to buy a monitor.

Please tell me which one should I choose.

[elsegundo]

8500GT will possibly let you play wow on max settings. but will give you about 30-40fps in azeroth. cities? less. shatt? even less.

you're basically getting the same deal on both, but you get more hard drive space and more ram on the first computer. a benq monitor isnt the top of the charts, but hey, its at 24 inch widescreen. i think you're getting a better deal with the first computer.

[Havikoro]

Do you think the lag in Shatt/Cities/Raids/BGs is going to be really bad?

[Kalos]

Do you think the lag in Shatt/Cities/Raids/BGs is going to be really bad?
Can't exactly say how bad, but it won't be easy to take. The 8500 cards aren't nice for the cities, not awful but far from smooth and nice. You'll have to make up your own mind about how bad it is as everyone has thier own standards, but expect it to be noticable.

There would be nothing stopping you from buying Option One and seeing how it is, and then getting the graphics card replaced with a higher grade one if performance is unsatisfactory. By all means, the rest of the parts are good.

[Havikoro]

Alright, so if everything else is good mint pointing me to a video card that will make things smooth and nice please? :D

[elsegundo]

8600gt for maybe a 10fps boost.
8800gt for 60fps practically everywhere, even at the widescreen resolution. except maybe shatt, depending on how many people are there.

[Havikoro]

This one for the 60fps practically everywhere @ high settings?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130318

Sorry for all the questions, lol.

[Kalos]

Alright, so if everything else is good mint pointing me to a video card that will make things smooth and nice please? :D
The 8800 GT is a good card that does the job fine for most people. Overkill indeed, but it'll make sure the graphics isn't being held back by a poor GPU; the same card I have in my machine in fact. It is indeed a good peice.

EVGA is a decent brand, my favorites are XFX and Gainward cards, but it shouldn't make much difference. There are lousy graphics cards manufacturers, but EVGA isn't what I'd label as a low end manufacturer. It should do the GPU justice and perform well.

[Havikoro]

Alright, well if I'm going to spend money on the video card might as well spend another 10 bucks to get the XFX one, but the only worry that I have is that I read the reviews for both the graphics card and the computer and I found this.

Review about the XFX video card.


Cons: It's true, this card is long. I have a server case, and the card barely fit. Had to move some wiring around to make it work. I don't notice the noise too much, but I don't overclock, and my PC is right underneath a central AC vent in my house, so that may block out most of what others talk about.

Review about the HP computer.


Cons: -Case is small and cramped. Everything fits tight in the case but it's not so bad... Computer is made to stand up and not sit on the site

I fear that the video card will not fit in the case, but since I'm very newbie in the technical area it maybe just means there's not much space in general, but I just want to verify since I don't have that much money to be wasting around buying computer cases and video cards, lol.

Thanks for all the help so far!

[elsegundo]

Alright, well if I'm going to spend money on the video card might as well spend another 10 bucks to get the XFX one, but the only worry that I have is that I read the reviews for both the graphics card and the computer and I found this.

Review about the XFX video card.



Review about the HP computer.



I fear that the video card will not fit in the case, but since I'm very newbie in the technical area it maybe just means there's not much space in general, but I just want to verify since I don't have that much money to be wasting around buying computer cases and video cards, lol.

Thanks for all the help so far!


so you want to know if this card here

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/14-130-318-04.jpg


fits this mess here...

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/83-107-696-13.jpg


my guess is... barely. you'll need to clean up the wires on the inside of the rig. cut the plastic tie thats holding the wires together and rebundle the wires elsewhere, and tie it all up again.

that takes care of the wiring problems. next problem is, once you've taken cared of the wires, you still have a problem with the actual size of the card. from what i can tell, your card and the RAM slots will meet. take a look at the picture of the case. the bottom most card (the one right above the processor, exactly in the middle of the case) is the videocard. extend the video card out a bit and you can see it will hit the ram slots if the fasteners are open. now if the RAM fasteners are closed, it might barely fit, or even touch each other. from the angle i see, i can deduce that it will hit the RAM sticks.

[Havikoro]

That's the EVGA card, and since Kalos mentioned he preferred XFX I was going to buy that model.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150252

Do you think it will fit if I arrange the wires?

[elsegundo]

both cards are the same size. if you want to risk it, be my guest. if it doesnt fit, you can always RMA it and get a different one.

[Havikoro]

Well, I'm talking to a HP customer support member about changing the video card in the system for the XFX 8800 GT, but if they can't change it, is there a way I can buy a bigger case and transfer everything from the HP case to the new case? So I don't have to worry about the card fitting in.

[elsegundo]

Well, I'm talking to a HP customer support member about changing the video card in the system for the XFX 8800 GT, but if they can't change it, is there a way I can buy a bigger case and transfer everything from the HP case to the new case? So I don't have to worry about the card fitting in.

its not the case. its the ram sockets that may be in the way. double check with that.

[Havikoro]

So doesn't matter what case I get I will still have the chances of the video card not fitting in?

[Tunga]

The case may be a limiting factor but more likely based on the screenshot is that the the RAM (memory) slots on the motherboard are too close to the PCI-e (graphics) slot. It might be fine, it's difficult to tell exactly, but if it isn't then you're going to need a different motherboard.

[Havikoro]

I see, well, I'm going to start saving up to buy the computer and the video card, and hopefully it will fit. If everyone else has another already built computer you might want to recommend to play WoW on high settings smoothly please do, but don't go over $1000.

[elsegundo]

I see, well, I'm going to start saving up to buy the computer and the video card, and hopefully it will fit. If everyone else has another already built computer you might want to recommend to play WoW on high settings smoothly please do, but don't go over $1000.

yea thats pretty much all you can do right now. remember you can RMA the videocard to newegg if it doesnt fit. just get it exchanged for the next lower model, 8600gt, or gts, or something.


i have this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150258
the card is smaller, and can get you maxed widescreen resolution with medium settings and x2 anti-aliasing at about 60 fps in azeroth, 40fps in outlands with dips depending on activity, and about 20 in shatt.

[Kalos]

If you want, you could try shooting for the 9600 GT. That's more powerful than the 8600 variants, not as large and not quite as powerful as the 8800 GT, but should be the right balance. Of course, it's more of a hands on thing to see if the ram slots will get in the way or not, they did on latest build for myself. Had to swap my 8800 GT into the other machine and use the 8800 GTS 640 MB card it had been using, little difference but it fit just about. For me, it wasn't the ram that got in the way, but the card jutted out over the SATA connectors, and I needed several free in order to make a three drive Raid 5 array. They really should design motherboards better, they've been making collosal cards since the 7800 in 2005, it shouldn't be a suprise or a difficulty at all if the motherboard manufacturers actually bothered to think about their layouts. Sadly, no company ever gets all of their designs perfect.

[Havikoro]

Well, a RL issue has now given me less money to my budget, so I'm only able to afford the 2nd computer, which is this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16883229024

I was wondering if buying the 8800GT for this computer would still make it able to play WoW on high settings smoothly?

[Kalos]

Shouldn't make much difference, the E8400 is still a great processor.

[buckscrib]

The 8800 GT is a good card that does the job fine for most people. Overkill indeed, but it'll make sure the graphics isn't being held back by a poor GPU; the same card I have in my machine in fact. It is indeed a good peice.

EVGA is a decent brand, my favorites are XFX and Gainward cards, but it shouldn't make much difference. There are lousy graphics cards manufacturers, but EVGA isn't what I'd label as a low end manufacturer. It should do the GPU justice and perform well.
The EVGA 8800 GT is awesome.
http://www.mmorpg-guy.com/pics/am.jpg
http://www.mmorpg-guy.com/pics/am1.jpg
http://www.mmorpg-guy.com/pics/am2.jpg

[Tunga]

I'm running an EVGA 8800GTS 320, very happy with it.