need advice: gaming desktop / "portable" / < $ 1 K

[Caroluna]

I've been doing some research on this but I don't know enough to compare choices!

My son is 13 and plays graphics-intensive online games. He would like a desktop computer, but one that he could take to a friend's house without needing a forklift He's been budgeting his money and can spend up to $ 1 K. He would like for it to be faster than the laptop he has now, but it doesn't have to be "scary" fast. He's thinking desktop rather than laptop due to to overheating issues.

My husband is very computer-literate but doesn't want to put something together from scratch! Some "customizing" would be fine.

Thanks in advance for any input.

[BigDavy]

Hi Caroluna

If he is currently using a laptop, it is unlikely that anything he plays is graphics intensive by current standards (or the standard for at least the last 4-5 years).

Current state of play for graphics intensive games, (not cutting edge - that would be a set up around $10k in cost), is
Quad core processor.
Twin graphics cards.
DDR3 memory - at minimum 4gig.
64 bit operating system - you need this to handle the memory required in a serious gaming rig.
Fast hard drive.
Overclockable.

For your price range, you would likely be looking at a self build, or modifying a stock pc by adding a different graphics card.

This HP base unit might suffice for now, but is definitely not readily portable.

David

[Caroluna]

OK...thanks for your thoughts...hmm....

If he is currently using a laptop, it is unlikely that anything he plays is graphics intensive by current standards (or the standard for at least the last 4-5 years).

He's playing "Runescape" and "Mabinogi". They seem "graphics intensive" to me, but then, the last computer game I played was Myst
He has a good graphics card, but it runs so hot it boggles the processor, even with one of those fan-platform-gadgets you can put under the laptop. You get really cool looking patterns when it starts to freak out, though

Sounds like a desktop is set up better for cooling since the computer guts aren't all crammed together.

I found what looked like a couple of nice ones, good reviews, for well under 1 K but one was 20 lbs and the other was 30 !?!

[Innocent Bystander]

My son is studying 3D graphic design and is a heavy gamer. He is using a Sony Vaio. We all have laptops in the family - we tend to use the rush-matting place-settings to keep the things off our laps - this really does improve the overheating issues, and stops you burning your legs.

We have had a few issues with the Vaio, mostly, we suspect, through user carelessness. But it certainly has enough graphics capability. I'm not sure exactly how much we paid for it, or how that would compare with American prices. Although the pound and the dollar are not at parity, computer hardware and software often seems to cost the same in dollars in the states as it does in pounds in the UK.

It was two grand, apparently. Sorry. AND he says the graphics are slow...

[I.D.10-t]

He's playing "Runescape" and "Mabinogi". They seem "graphics intensive" to me, but then, the last computer game I played was Myst

Don't know if this will help anyone, but here is the minimum system requirements according to wikipedia.

Runescape
System requirements Standard Detail: 128 MB RAM, 500 MHz CPU
High Detail: 256 MB RAM, 1.5 GHz CPU, Nvidia GeForce3 or equivalent graphics card

Mabinogi
System requirements Intel Pentium III 2.0 GHz, 512 MB RAM, Nvidia GeForceFX 5700 or ATI Radeon 9500 or similar, 1.2 GB free HD space DirectX 9.0c, Broadband connection

[s1m0n]

He'll be *very* unhappy if he ends up anywhere close to the minimum.

[I.D.10-t]

He'll be *very* unhappy if he ends up anywhere close to the minimum.

Is there a rule of thumb on how much you want to over shoot these things? 2X 3X? Heck, I don't even know if you can buy a computer with only 256 MB RAM.

[fearfaoin]

I found what looked like a couple of nice ones, good reviews, for well under 1 K but one was 20 lbs and the other was 30 !?!

http://www.mmartins.com/mmartins/pccase ... dlemod.asp

[BigDavy]

He'll be *very* unhappy if he ends up anywhere close to the minimum.

I doubt if it would be possible to buy close to the minimum now s1m0n, so he is quite safe . But these days it is not really worth anybody's time to buy a "gaming" system without quad core and a discrete DirectX 10.1 graphics card.

This one from Radio Shack would likely do everything needed and then some, and, at 11 pounds be readily portable.

David

[Jayhawk]

I can play Mabigoni on my ASUS 904HA with an Atom N270 and its terribly cheap integrated graphics (GMA 950 I think). I've not tried runescape, but I can play Morrowind, Pirates of the Caribbean online, Lord of the Rings online, and Baldur's Gate 2.

My point is your son is not playing graphics intensive games and if he truly wants portable computer a laptop or a netbook is much easier to carry around than a desktop computer.

This netbook http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/asus-ee ... 93436.html has a dual core Atom N330 with NVIDIA ION graphics (equivalent to a GeoForce 9400 chip). There's nothing online it won't play, and if you add a $70 ASUS USB DVD player, it's a good portable gaming system and he can pocket over $500 to spend on whatever else he wants. Without the DVD player, it'll play any and all online games and you can download tons of games so you really don't need the DVD player. ASUS netbooks run really cool...unlike my son and wife's laptops. ASUS also has the second lowest fail rate of any portable computer made (ahead of Apple even).

Other options include the lowest end Toshiba satellite laptop (what we bought my son last fall...he plays both games your son plays online with no problems...and a host of other online games such as Pirates of the Caribbean online an Lord of the Rings Online) or a slimline CULV based laptop - both come with built in DVD players and cost around $399 to $500.

I simply cannot fathom anyone laying down nearly $1000 for a computer anymore. It'll be outdated in about 2 years and for most real world users, a less than $500 computer will handle their needs (including any and all online games).

Just my $.02.

YMMV,

Eric

[Caroluna]

Thanks all for the input!
After much discussion of various pros and cons, he and his dad decided on

CyberpowerPC Gamer Ultra 5000 Black Desktop PC

Dual core 2.9 GHz
500 GB HDD
4 GB RAM
1GB Nvidia GeForce 9500GT

no wireless

$530

available through Amazon.com.

This was the one that weighed 30 lbs, but after Fearfaoin's post about how to add a handle, Kevin thinks he'll be able to <cough, cough> handle it.

Again, thanks all for adding to the discussion, it was great to get as many opinions as possible!

[fearfaoin]

This was the one that weighed 30 lbs, but after Fearfaoin's post about how to add a handle, Kevin thinks he'll be able to <cough, cough> handle it.

Cool, that was kind of tongue-in-cheek,
but It'd be awesome if he does it. There
were a few companies in the 90s that
offered strapping systems that wrapped
around a PC case to provide a handle,
but I can't find them anymore. Anyway,
I support the Maker ideal, so I always
think it's preferable if you can DIY it and
learn a little something.

[I.D.10-t]

http://strapahandle.com/

For moving boxes, there is the strap handle method.

[Denny]

get a 5 gallon bucket and a stout length of bamboo!

put a bit under 4 gallons of water in the bucket, use it to balance the computer


ah, it'll cost more ta feed 'im