Can anyone recommend a $400 computer?

[Landshark44]

I have been looking on ebay and best buy, and there seem to be many computers in that price range. I'm hoping someone can say "buy this one", and provide a link. My computer knowledge is minimal, but I know enough to know that my current cumputer sucks.....

I'd like to be able to play CIV games on it, but am not a huge gamer aside of that. I'd also like to watch movies (porn) on it....

And I'm sorry if there is already a thread on this, but the ones I found were dated....

Places near where I live are Walmart, Target, Best Buy....

Or I can order one on the internet or Ebay

They all look the same to me....

[Landshark44]

Here is a link to the Best Buy Computers, I'd like to spend less than $500...

Access Denied (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olstemplatemapper.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&_dynSessConf=-4469609465793319855&id=pcmcat212600050008&type=category&usc=abcat0500000&cp=1&sp=%2Bcurrentprice+skuid&nrp=15&qp=crootcategoryid%23%23-1%23%23-1%7E%7Eq70726f63657373696e6774696d653a3e313930302d30312d3031%7E%7Ecabcat0500000%23%230%23%232g0%7E%7Ecabcat0501000%23%230%23%232e%7E%7Encpcmcat212600050008%23%230%23%231&add_to_pkg=false&pagetype=listing)

and the ones on eBay.....

PC Desktops items - Get great deals on items on eBay.com! (http://computers.shop.ebay.com/PC-Desktops-/179/i.html?LH_ItemCondition=1&_dmpt=Desktop_PCs&_fln=1&_ssov=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282&_mPrRngCbx=1&_udlo=300&_udhi=450)

[Young Drachma]

Access Denied (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Lenovo+-+Ideacentre+Desktop+/+AMD+Athlon%26%23153;+X2+Processor+/+4GB+Memory+/+500GB+Hard+Drive/1972753.p?id=1218303651020&skuId=1972753)

If you're basing it just off that list there and don't want to shop around anywhere further, then this one seems your best bet.

But you might just go to Dell's web site and see what you can find, too, if you're not interested in being picky. Or see what Gateway has for you on their site because sometimes you can get lucky. I also find if you go into the actual store that sometimes you'll find deals they don't advertise online. It's how I found my laptop, especially if you're not in the market for anything super particular, it's a safe bet.

The key is really to just max out on RAM and make sure it has a dedicated video card which it seems even the most cheap desktop do now. Otherwise for your purposes, the rest is all sort of the same at that price.

[QuikSand]

This "Access Denied" joint seems to have all the deals!

[Radii]

I'd like to be able to play CIV games on it, but am not a huge gamer aside of that. I'd also like to watch movies (porn) on it....


How has no one pointed out the straightfoward awesomeness of the requirements? IMO grab a video camera, go into best buy, and tell the first clerk you find "I need to play civ and watch porn, help me." and record the results.


Also, Dell posts coupons on sites like slickdeals.net and techbargains.com with some frequency. http://www.techbargains.com/news_displayItem.cfm/242096 <-- how's that compare with what best buy has at the moment?


A couple weeks ago I used a 20% off coupon to get my sister a refurbished Dell laptop that I found on one of those sites, for example.

[Schmidty]

You can build a pretty nice one yourself for under $400. It's actually really east too. I never buy pre-made computers, other than laptops, and I've never had a problem.

[Landshark44]

I don't think that's an option. (building one, myself). Wouldn't know where to start. So, I know that 4g of RAM is better than 2g....

And a 500gb hard drive is better than 350....

But I don't know about single-core v double core stuff....or which brand names are better...

Should I just get most RAM, biggest hard-drive?

[Matthean]

Also, Dell posts coupons on sites like slickdeals.net and techbargains.com with some frequency. http://www.techbargains.com/news_displayItem.cfm/242096 <-- how's that compare with what best buy has at the moment?

The OP has links to towers only, so that's really not a good deal.

OfficeMax has a tower for $399 that has 4GB Ram, 3.2GHz, and 1 TB for hard drive space. Not sure how good the processor is, or the power supply, but I don't see how it won't run Civ5 decently. I would also look at newegg as well. It's where I got mine in July for just over $500.

http://www.officemax.com/technology/computers/desktop-computers/product-prod3310106

[Matthean]

Should I just get most RAM, biggest hard-drive?

Hard drive space is the last requirement for me, and it's really a non-issue with external hard drives these days. For gaming, RAM, processor, graphics card, and power supply will be the main issues. The last two might be the biggest. Yes, prebuilt PCs will have integrated cards, but I can near max out CoH Ultra Mode on mine. I pop in a better card and I know I can max the settings out.

[JediKooter]

Just make sure your graphics card can handle the graphics of the game and can pump out the video without stuttering & pixelating. Nothing worse than seeing that crucial ATM scene get all messed up because the card can't handle the throughput.

[Autumn]

I highly recommend the Gateway SX series. They no longer have my exact model, which was just about $400, but it was by far the biggest bang for the buck when I shopped a year ago. 4 gigs of ram and a quadcore processor for $400 at the time.

[sterlingice]

How has no one pointed out the straightfoward awesomeness of the requirements? IMO grab a video camera, go into best buy, and tell the first clerk you find "I need to play civ and watch porn, help me." and record the results.

:D

SI

[Matthean]

http://www.techbargains.com/news_displayItem.cfm/242237

Just looked at techbargins again via an earlier link and came across this. I can't recall if I got an i3, or i5 processor, but this looks rather close to what I got.

[Landshark44]

http://www.techbargains.com/news_displayItem.cfm/242237

Just looked at techbargins again via an earlier link and came across this. I can't recall if I got an i3, or i5 processor, but this looks rather close to what I got.

http://www.techbargains.com/news_displayItem.cfm/242237?r1=1

http://www.officemax.com/technology/computers/desktop-computers/product-prod3310106

[sovereignstar v2]

Best option I could find at newegg.com. I'd say at a minimum you should be looking at a somewhat recent dual-core processor and dedicated graphics. This is the cheapest that I can find with that criteria.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883227320

You might not have heard of iBUYPOWER but they are pretty popular. This particular model didn't have a review, but other ones do if you want to check what people are saying about them.

$400 bucks is pretty limiting. 450-550 is better.

[Landshark44]

thanks, that one's now in the mix, too....

[Landshark44]

this is what i think i've learned......

i'm looking for a dual-core processor with dedicated graphics, and 4g of RAM. HD size not all that important.....

anything else?

[stevew]

yes, you have the right idea.

[sovereignstar v2]

this is what i think i've learned......

i'm looking for a dual-core processor with dedicated graphics, and 4g of RAM. HD size not all that important.....

anything else?

Pretty much. Though I wouldn't say HD isn't important, but rather every computer should come with what is probably an acceptable solution for you already. And you can always upgrade to a bigger/better hard drive in the future - it's super super easy. You can buy 2TB drives now for under 100 dollars for example.

[cartman]

Randy from Delaware might be able to offer you some tips:

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zQqjqfA6G34" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[sovereignstar v2]

Went to HP.com and customized a s5750z with a 6450 ATI graphics card. Came to 479. Can do the same with the p6750z.

[sovereignstar v2]

Note that the HPs up above have 3GB of RAM. I think that's acceptable enough to be honest.

[sovereignstar v2]

I'm spent. I can't find anything else. Most budget options just don't offer dedicated graphics. And I just couldn't recommend a PC without that to any type of gamer in this day and age.

[Landshark44]

how bout the one you did at HP.com

could you recommend that?

i'll buy it

[sovereignstar v2]

If I were you I'd probably go with one of them over the iBUYPOWER because of the large-company warranty. I don't have any experience with iBUYPOWER, so I couldn't speak to the service they provide. That upgradeable ATI card in the HP is apparently brand spanking new, so that's also a plus. Just decide whether you want the slim one or the slightly bulkier one as the other specs are similar. Just remember to upgrade the video card before you check out!

Also, I just noticed that those have free upgrades to 4GB of RAM...

[Landshark44]

ok, cool....all i have to do is upgrade the video card?

[Landshark44]

and....

is there any reason "not" to take the smaller one?

[sovereignstar v2]

ok, cool....all i have to do is upgrade the video card?

Yeah, if the goal is to keep it in the 400 dollar range. :)

Looks like the non-slimline has a larger card reader (15-in-1 vs 6-in-1) and up to 7.1 surround sound (vs. 5.1). It might have more I/O options than the slimline as well. Those aren't big things, but another thing to consider is ventilation. More room inside the case is always a good thing. If you need the real estate though, go with the slimline.

[Landshark44]

cool, thank you very much....

[Landshark44]

do i need this....

<INPUT id=m_c_8 onkeypress="onComponentChange(this.form, 'm_c_8', 'c_2', 2); setSelectedImg(this,'m_c_8');" onclick="onComponentChange(this.form, 'm_c_8', 'c_2', 2); setSelectedImg(this,'m_c_8');" value=c_2 type=radio name=m_c_8 opt_img="">
Wireless-N LAN card

[Radii]

my ibuypower experience:

Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - ibuypower.com (http://operationsports.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=1916375&postcount=2)

That was 4 years ago now.

[Noop]

This thread is pure lulz. Kudos to you gentlemen kudos.

[Landshark44]

that sucks....

[sovereignstar v2]

do i need this....

<INPUT id=m_c_8 onkeypress="onComponentChange(this.form, 'm_c_8', 'c_2', 2); setSelectedImg(this,'m_c_8');" onclick="onComponentChange(this.form, 'm_c_8', 'c_2', 2); setSelectedImg(this,'m_c_8');" value=c_2 type=radio name=m_c_8 opt_img="">
Wireless-N LAN card

No. Not unless you don't have a ethernet cable plugged directly into your computer.