if you had to buy a premade comp?

[phatpat]

so ive been planning on getting a new gaming comp for a while, but am planning to wait until april after exams are over. however, i recently found out my dad can get futureshop (futureshop.ca, im in canada) gift cards using air miles! so instead of saving up soem cash, hes gonna be able to get me a gift card to future shop for $1000 canadian.
im wondering what an ideal GAMING comp from futureshop would be like? what make? i know theyre big on HP, but are those good for gaming?
I'd ideally like a computer that can handle wow for atleast a good 3 years, and maybe have some room to be upgraded in the future.
thanks

[vesseblah]

You can get play-able HP or Dell for about 1200-1400 USD, but usually those have piece of shit graphics card you need to upgrade from the start.

If you're looking for the PC in April, better make sure the i5-2500K aka. sandy bridge CPUs are back in stock, you'll get whole lot better computer then for the money. Expecting a PC to last in gaming use for 3 years is quite unrealistic, but with few upgrades and dropping quality settings it might do that.

[phatpat]

You can get play-able HP or Dell for about 1200-1400 USD, but usually those have piece of shit graphics card you need to upgrade from the start.

If you're looking for the PC in April, better make sure the i5-2500K aka. sandy bridge CPUs are back in stock, you'll get whole lot better computer then for the money. Expecting a PC to last in gaming use for 3 years is quite unrealistic, but with few upgrades and dropping quality settings it might do that.

well i did forget to mention that i really dont mind playing medium-low settings as well...my former computer wasnt built for gaming so im used to it. also, i will have some extra cash for upgrades. would you recommend maybe upgrading the graphics card? and if so, ive never actually built my own PC, so would upgrading the graphics card be a fairly simple process? im also guessing ill need to check the compatibility first

[qw4]

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...40f7be8e26en02

If you're buying one of these, updating the graphics card isn't really an option unless you're going to spend another chunk of money on a new power supply.

[vesseblah]

well i did forget to mention that i really dont mind playing medium-low settings as well...

You can get computer to play WoW at medium settings for under $1K for sure, but problem is that in 1-2 years you need to turn settings to minimum with it, so it's not really adviced unless you're really short on cash.

also, i will have some extra cash for upgrades. would you recommend maybe upgrading the graphics card? and if so, ive never actually built my own PC, so would upgrading the graphics card be a fairly simple process? im also guessing ill need to check the compatibility first

Depends really, but usually the store-bought big name computers have good CPU and bad graphics card. The exact upgrade need depends on what are the exact specs of the computers available in April when you're going to buy it. Changing graphics card later is quite easy operation, taking only 5 minutes inside the computer from a veteran. That's also why if you need to choose, you should pick computer that has good processor and weak graphics card than other way around because it will be significantly easier to upgrade than the CPU.

[phatpat]

but is that worth the price considering the graphics card isnt even that great? i mean I'll basically be getting it for "free" (my dad has a ton of airmiles) but i still dont wanna throw $1000 for a supbar gaming computer

[qw4]

but is that worth the price considering the graphics card isnt even that great? i mean I'll basically be getting it for "free" (my dad has a ton of airmiles) but i still dont wanna throw $1000 for a supbar gaming computer

The one I linked is not bad at all. Actually, the video card isn't all that bad either.

[vesseblah]

Considering the price, this is fairly good deal from the store you'll be using -> http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...370376a689en02

Can run WoW happily with it without any upgrades at least for now, but it has certain problems with future proofing.

The one I linked is not bad at all. Actually, the video card isn't all that bad either.

x6 1055T is pretty bad CPU for gaming use. The x4 955 linked above runs games at same speed, has faster HDD and costs $200 less...

[qw4]

Considering the price, this is fairly good deal from the store you'll be using -> http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...370376a689en02

Can run WoW happily with it without any upgrades at least for now, but it has certain problems with future proofing.




x6 1055T is pretty bad CPU for gaming use. The x4 955 linked above runs games at same speed, has faster HDD and costs $200 less...

This guy is right. I didn't see that one on there.

[nwo]

Considering the price, this is fairly good deal from the store you'll be using -> http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...370376a689en02

Can run WoW happily with it without any upgrades at least for now, but it has certain problems with future proofing.




x6 1055T is pretty bad CPU for gaming use. The x4 955 linked above runs games at same speed, has faster HDD and costs $200 less...

That's really the only decent desktop PC on that entire site, others are either crap or they are overpriced. The x4 955 would probably be a bit faster than the 1055T in gaming. 6570 is a pretty budget card, but it will run WoW fine at medium settings, and probably high if you don't do 25 man raids.

If you change your plans, you can always pick up this alternative:
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...Sku=S445-10108
Much faster graphics card and CPU for gaming.

[Cantii]

Honestly, get a $1000 newegg gift card and get something like this: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16883227319

It's only about $150 more than if you built it yourself, but it's a pretty darn good deal. With a Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition and an HD6850, you'll be doing pretty damn good

[phatpat]

Honestly, get a $1000 newegg gift card and get something like this: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16883227319

It's only about $150 more than if you built it yourself, but it's a pretty darn good deal. With a Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition and an HD6850, you'll be doing pretty damn good

how do i get a free $1000 gift card :S

[Cantii]

how do i get a free $1000 gift card :S

Ah, it's only futureshop? That's kind of lame =/ Could always just get the cash instead and use that xD

[PyroGhozt]

Does this count?^ http://www.ibuypower.com/ - I mean idk about the prices because I don't live in the US. But these guys have some damn sweet cases and paint options. I mean technically its custom built for you. But at the same time its still premade and Lan worthy.

lol just re-read the OPs post. You have a gift voucher for future power lolz :/.

I'd strongly recommend you don't get a system with an inverted/reversed motherboard. What I mean is some of companies like Dell have the motherboard design reversed so that its not compatible with other IBM compliant cases/mobos. Basically if your motherboard dies you have to go to Dell for a replacement or buy a new case to fit a normal case.

They also take a lot of the good features off the motherboards to cut costs ><. I'm not sure if HP or others also invert the boards like Dell does. I haven't seen any new ones in my workshop for some time(Thank God).

(As far as making your system last 3 years is concerned, I'd honestly cheap out on a decent quad core cpu, maybe one of the new sandybridge ones coming out, and just sell your video card whenever you are starting to feel the need for an upgrade. Though whether the CPUs are going to last as long as they have been is going to depend sadly on what happens with the next generation of consoles.

- Your at the mercy of Sony and Microsoft.

What I mean to say is we can't really speculate as to how long your system will last because when the new consoles come out(we don't kno when) it should mean PC games requiring higher specs, raising the bar so to speak.

cough my jabber aside. I would get something like this: http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...cf9660dfd9en02

(or the sandy bridge equivalent)

Rip its guts out and put it into a different case. sell the Video card and upgrade it to something better!

[phatpat]

awsome, thanks for the replies. i think im gonna wait the extra month or two and see what else they come out with by april and maybe check in for an update then