First Time Builder

[Norwegian]

Ok, so I've been using an old handymedown computer from my brother for quite awhile now, been playing games such as World of Warcraft and the like in my spare time, but now its time to upgrade. I've been searching around the web for potential mobos, processors and such, but I've hit a dead wall. With my experiences in the comparison of computer hardware companies which amounts to nothing, I'm left in a peculiar situation. :(

What I do know, is I currently have this to work off of

PC case, pretty sleek, not needing replacing
Brand new XFX GeForce 8600 GT graphics card
Liteon 62x CDRW and 16x DVD-Rom
Maxtor 130gig Hard drive.
Perfectly Fine monitor
No speakers (Don't want them)

The above supplies are items that I have and plan to use in my future PC. This being said I have 700 dollars to complete it. (the 700 could be a little over or under, but I'd like to be around that area.)

I am looking to be able to smoothly play WoW: WOTLK, HL2, Doom 3, Dead Space, and even to it Oblivion. Coupled with these games, I of course have to have the ability to stream music over the internet or have several tabs open on firefox as well as voice chat programs without noticeable lag.

So essentially I need :
Ram
Motherboard
Processor (Preferably AMD)
Power Supply
Operating System (Vista? XP. No arguments on this please :P)
I also wouldn't mind your guys/girls opinion on a decently priced Headset.


I've been pressured into SLI-ing my graphics card, however, I am unsure I need to, seeing as most of my playtime will be World of Warcraft (Obviously not graphically demanding) Thoughts?

I'm awaiting your responses and thank you all ahead of time

[Norwegian]

Speaking of processors, I wouldn't mind an intel quad either, someone was telling me that the Intel quad would allow me to game better then an AMD dual, or quad core. Opinions?

[alfroogy]

Ok for ram I recommend Mushkin. It overclocks like mad. I personally use the ascents but I'm sure these'll do you just fine.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146726
$69.99 before mir
I recommend this motherboard
Asus p5q pro
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299
$114.99 before mir
CPU
intel q300
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115043
$249.99
PSU
Corsair 650HX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
$109.99 before mir

OS I recommend vista home premium 64bit (you could go for the oem edition if you want but iirc you get a limited number of installs and hardware changes) $222.99

This brings you in at 767.95 but if going over is really that important you can downgrade to a intel q8200 cpu or even a dual core (i recommend the e8400). I also recommend you get rid of the 8600 and look at getting an ati 4850 if you can afford it or a nvidia 9800gt if you're squeezed for cash.

Headsets all depend on what you looking for out of them and how much you willing to spend. Another big part of it is if you are looking to get an amp and DAC as well.

Here are some recommendations I can make in the following price ranges and headphone categories:
(I've only listed those that can be bought on new egg I can give a fuller list if needed)
Under $70

IEM/Earbud
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826106176
$29.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826158037&Tpk=Creative%20ep630
$21.99

Open Headphone
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826106333&Tpk=Sennheiser%20px100
$39.99

Closed Headphone
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826106455&Tpk=Sennheiser%20HD201
$19.95

$70 to $150

Open Headphone
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826106392&Tpk=Sennheiser%20hd555
$98.99


Closed Headphone
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826106328
$99.99

those are my suggestions for headphones in what people call reasonable price ranges. There are more expensive much better ones but then you have to start looking into getting an amp as well. Like I said though if you want a more comprehensive list and not just what's available at new egg let me know.

[Tracer9]

Currently, you'll actually see a drop in performance when playing games on a quad core vs a dual core. Games just haven't been designed yet to take full advantage of all the cores.

That will change, with time, so if you're concerned with current games, your best bet is probably a dual core. If you're concerned with 'future proofing' and looking at games that will be out in 1-2 years, then by then they may have games that run better on 4 cores.

[saphalline]

Currently, you'll actually see a drop in performance when playing games on a quad core vs a dual core. Games just haven't been designed yet to take full advantage of all the cores.So I suppose the empirical results found in articles such as this one (http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTMwNiwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==) nearly 20 months ago have somehow changed over time? Pray, do tell us how!

It is true that many game engines are not multi-threaded (heck, F.E.A.R.'s engine is single-threaded! :eek:) but it is NOT true that multi-threaded game engines do not exist. Just because you do not currently own and/or play games with multi-threaded engines does not mean that quad-core CPU's are a waste of time for gamers.

Moreover, a blanket statement such as this ignores several factors related to CPU's and computer gaming, such as the role that CPU core revisions play in determining overall performance; or the fact that dual-core CPU's offer higher clock speeds per unit of currency spent than their multi-core siblings (although is that really all that surprising considering that a quad-core CPU has twice the number of cores than a dual-core CPU?).


Norwegian - I concur with alfroogy that you should burn that 8600 GT vid card! :eek: Modern gaming performance relies very heavily on the vid card (70%, in fact!) and the 8600 GT conjurs the image of charging an enemy in COD4 wielding a pack of gum!! Yes, it's that bad!!

Take a look at this chart (http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/gaming-graphics-charts-q3-2008/Sum-of-FPS-Benchmarks-1280x1024-AA,797.html) and see how far down you have to scroll to find the 8600 GT. Then scroll up to the Radeon HD 4850. Now ask yourself if spending $168 USD (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127359) is worth a five-fold increase in gaming performance. Good gaming performance is incredibly cheap these days. There's no reason you can't enjoy 1280 x 1024 w/AA & AF. Standard fare right now.