I will have about $1000 to spend on a new PC... help please!

[Canyarion]

This summer I'm going to make about $1000. :) I've almost decided that I'll buy a new PC with that money.

I will use that PC for school, internetting and games. Games that I wanna play are WarCraft 3, World of WarCraft and perhaps others like Half Life 2.

So what do you think I should buy? Some guy already convinced me to get an AMD instead of Intel. He said I would need a GeForce 4 or something (about $250). Perhaps I want a TFT screen, they rule.

What would you get, how would you get it and in what state (new/used)????
Thanks! :D

[GameMaster]

If you have only $1000, I don't you can afford to get a good computer and a TFT screen as well.

[Canyarion]

Ok, just skip the TFT screen... perhaps my dad would want to pay for that.

The rest?

[GameMaster]

Ask Null, I would just try to talk you into a Mac. ;)

[Jason1]

I bought my P4 2.66 ghz PC with a Radeon 9500 pro from www.ibuypower.com about a month ago. The only complaint ive had is with Windows XP, which obviously isnt ibuypower's fault. If your not building your own, Id definatley recommend there. BTW, I(I should really say I, because my dad bought it and its the whole familys.) paid just a little over 1000 dollars, and thats with microsoft works suite, which has Encarta, Word, and a few others. You could prolly get a little faster processor for the same price now. No monitor, but we just used the monitor from our old computer, which works fine.

[Jonbo298]

eBay all the way! Thats what I did. And I finally have my 1Ghz Athlon running. Only took about 4 hours to get windows 98 re-installed and all the other things that slowed me down along the way. (damn M$).

[Shiz]

canyarion are you angrist?

[GameMaster]

Let's return to the subject :sneaky:

So, uh, computers, try building one.

[One Winged Angel]

just go buy a 1,000 packs of slim jims

[GameMaster]

I love Slim Jims! I used to buy them all the time in elementary school at our little cafeteria for 25 cents each. Those were the days. :)

[Null]

ah, back from vacation.

OK, as far as processors go..... IMO, i recommend a Pentium over a AMD, as far as i know. maybe its changed now. but Pentiums can get to higher speeds at the moment.

Pentiums run cooler, from my experience. AMD's seem to reqire more fans to keep them at a better temp. my P4 2.66 only has one fan running on it right now. altho i have others in there that i can turn on if needed.

but as im told. because pentiums run cooler they're also better for overclocking if your into that kinda thing. (shrug)


as for the monitor.............. TFT? not familiar with the term. at least not that i remember.

if its refering to a type of flat screen. LCD monitor?

monitor depends on what kinda thing you want to do with your PC. if you want to play games... CRT monitor better then a LCD, but im not sure whats ment by TFT, so just fill me in on what that is and i can help you there :P


GFX card, IMO id get a GF4 or GF FX (nv35) some might say Radion but really as long as its a newer 128MB GFX card, you cant really go wrong with either brand.

[Joeiss]

SNAP INTO A SLIM JIM......... OOOOHHHH YEEEEEEAHH!

[Mushlafa]

I wouldnt recommend GF FX.. the thing sounds like a fricken dust buster...

[Null]

I wouldnt recommend GF FX.. the thing sounds like a fricken dust buster...


i said NV35 gf fx .... not the nv30 which you are refering to.


they fixed more then a few things since then. not only does it kill the competition in terms of power. its quiet.


search down a few topics and take a look.

[Jonbo298]

Yeah, I've heard about NVidia's new FX cards and how they fixed their **** ups from the first model. But im an ATi and AMD person. So I will just not bring out my opinions....

[Canyarion]

TFT = LCD yes. I know that CRT monitors are faster for gaming, but I like LCD too much...
I'll probably order it within a few weeks. I still don't know if I should get a P4 or AMD... :unsure: Lot's of people say that AMD get too hot...

[Null]

well AMD's do run hotter. you will prolly have to put 1 to 2 extra fans in the case for the computer.


And for the screen.... i dunno man. id use the one you have or buy a flat display CRT, games suck on a LCD, you can see things blur when theres fast movement on the screen... like for a FPS game, you turn quickly. your going to see every thing on the screen kinda blue as you turn.

LCD's are better for Text. yanno. if you kept the screen you have. saved the money that you woudla bought a LCD with, and when a better type comes out get that instead...... you know they are going to start making Plasma screen monitors sooner or later.

[Canyarion]

Well, my dad already has a LCD screen, and it works perfectly for games. I think it's even more practical than our last monitor, that one was so huge, there was barely room for your hands on the keyboard... :(

[Null]

well if ya cant notice the poor refresh rate, go for it i guess. i myself cant stand it while playing UT or a FPS game. game like warcraft less noticeable.

but i just cant help but think you'll be kicking yourself when the better monitors come out.