Hello, nice and wonderful users of Tom's Hardware. After a week of constant browsing on the this site and numerous other sites, I have decided that this is the place to seek for guidance on building my very first gaming computer. I have close to zero knowledge what I need and hope that your experiences will aid my decisions. Thank you so much in advance!
Approximate Purchase Date: staggering across the next few months
Budget Range: looking for total price after rebates to not exceed $700 USD (preferably $600)
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Most important reason for this unit is for mediocre gaming (WoW, Guild Wars, etc.), nothing as extensive as Battlefield, school work, browsing the web, watching netflix. I do however, want to be able to play these games on the highest settings without lag. For example, no lag when I am raiding and everyone is casting magic left and right.
Are you buying a monitor: yes, would like help in this area.
Parts to Upgrade: building from the ground up so need everything, including OS.
Do you need to buy OS: Yes. Which is a wiser choice Windows 7 or 8? Never used 8.
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: doesn't matter as long as it's certified/reliable.
Location: Fayetteville, NC
Parts Preferences: don't care if intel or AMD as long as it serves its purpose-however, I am looking for the overall system to withstand several years of longevity.
Overclocking: no
SLI or Crossfire: no idea what this means. Does it provide any benefits and if so, what?
Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1024. Is this a good choice to look into purchasing?
Additional Comments: I know I may not get the best parts since my budget is limited, but I don't want cheap parts either. I'd like to "get the best bang for my buck" (as the saying goes). Plus, I'd like for the system to last several years (4 or 5) before having to upgrade due to increase in gaming graphics, or processing power.
1) What is a decent headset/microphone combo in instances where needed? Does not need to be high-end or gaming headset.
2) What sound cards or speakers do you recommend? Do they come with the parts I will be purchasing?
3) What is a decent monitor with good display?
4) Preference leans toward having 6-8GB RAM for future-proofing. Is this a wise choice? Or should I stay with 4GB with extra slots for RAM expansion later?
5) If possible, I'd like a quiet system.
6) I don't think my usages would require a cooling fan/water...would it?
7) Anything else I should know or any clarifications you need from me?
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: In need of a desktop. Laptop is about 5 years old and has finally fried itself.
Approximate Purchase Date: staggering across the next few months
Budget Range: looking for total price after rebates to not exceed $700 USD (preferably $600)
System Usage from Most to Least Important: Most important reason for this unit is for mediocre gaming (WoW, Guild Wars, etc.), nothing as extensive as Battlefield, school work, browsing the web, watching netflix. I do however, want to be able to play these games on the highest settings without lag. For example, no lag when I am raiding and everyone is casting magic left and right.
Are you buying a monitor: yes, would like help in this area.
Parts to Upgrade: building from the ground up so need everything, including OS.
Do you need to buy OS: Yes. Which is a wiser choice Windows 7 or 8? Never used 8.
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: doesn't matter as long as it's certified/reliable.
Location: Fayetteville, NC
Parts Preferences: don't care if intel or AMD as long as it serves its purpose-however, I am looking for the overall system to withstand several years of longevity.
Overclocking: no
SLI or Crossfire: no idea what this means. Does it provide any benefits and if so, what?
Your Monitor Resolution: 1920x1024. Is this a good choice to look into purchasing?
Additional Comments: I know I may not get the best parts since my budget is limited, but I don't want cheap parts either. I'd like to "get the best bang for my buck" (as the saying goes). Plus, I'd like for the system to last several years (4 or 5) before having to upgrade due to increase in gaming graphics, or processing power.
1) What is a decent headset/microphone combo in instances where needed? Does not need to be high-end or gaming headset.
2) What sound cards or speakers do you recommend? Do they come with the parts I will be purchasing?
3) What is a decent monitor with good display?
4) Preference leans toward having 6-8GB RAM for future-proofing. Is this a wise choice? Or should I stay with 4GB with extra slots for RAM expansion later?
5) If possible, I'd like a quiet system.
6) I don't think my usages would require a cooling fan/water...would it?
7) Anything else I should know or any clarifications you need from me?
And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: In need of a desktop. Laptop is about 5 years old and has finally fried itself.
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