Need assistance with specs for new pc

[Skittles]

We are getting ready to purchase a new computer. We are looking into this one.

3. Spel, DirectX10 and Windows Vista. (planning to request Home edition and in english)

Specs:

- In-Win C603 Midi Tower ATX Svart Chassi, 2xUSB 2.0, U/fläkt 350W Nätagg
- AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ 3.0GHz Socket AM2,2MB, BOXED m/fläkt
- Crucial DDR2 PC5300 2048MB CL5 Kit w/two matched DDR2 PC5300 1024MB CL5
- MSI K9VGM-V, VIA K8M890, Socket-AM2, m-ATX, DDR2, SATA, LAN, VGA, PCI-Ex16
- Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB SATA2 16MB 7200RPM
- XFX GeForce 8600GT 540M 256MB GDDR3, PCI-Express, 2xDVI, 540/1400Mhz
- Samsung DVD-brännare SH-S202H IDE Svart OEM

The site I got this from is in Swedish, so I translated all that I could, so I am sorry if I missed something and you don't understand it.

My biggest concern right now is the graphics card. I know NOTHING about hardware at all.

The purpose for our computer is internet surfing, forum admins and mods, support forums, creating tutorials, playing games such as Sims, and simular. I am usually always multitasking, so I need a computer that will be fast enough to handle a lot of tabs open at a time. My husband might also be getting into playing games too such as Pirates and Age of Impires 3 or 4. But not the serious gamer type of games.

Please do not tell my your "dream" machine specs, as we cannot afford it. We are just getting so tired of freezes, and the computer running so slow. Needs more Memory and a better processer. So we are just going to buy new.

I am also looking at a custom build computer and I am trying to distinguish between these two motherboards. Can someone help me? Please tell me which is the better one?

http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=326989&CKS=PCW
http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=321979&CKS=PCW

Those links are in Swedish but the specs should be easy to understand.

Am I correct in assuming that the first one has a graphics card onboard? Graphics card and Video card is the same thing right?

But if it does have an onboard graphics card is it good enough? I was looking towards getting this graphics card.

http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.aspx?sku=341081&CKS=PCW or
http://www.komplett.se/k/ki.asp?sku=334591

I am not good at telling the difference. The second one is the graphics card that came with that complete system that I spoke about above. But it is expensive, but not sure if it is overkill.

But I am thinking that the graphics card onboard the motherboard probably isn't good enough? Is that correct?

What do you think?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Skittles

[Temmu]

Onboard video...
Depends on what you will be doing.  Word processing?  Web surfing?  Email?  Games like solitaire, and other flash or internet based,  if that is all, then on-board is fine.  If, however, you will buy your games, and the games are action/adventure, you will want to get the very best pci-x (pci express) video card you can afford (perhaps spending as much on that as the mobo+cpu!) and in that case get 2GB of RAM, minimum.

the mobo...
of the 2, i'm partial to the one with the NVIDIA chipset, as theirs are hot.  (nothing wrong with VIA.)  but I like the fact it has an NVIDIA GeForce as its onboard video,  only the Lord knows what "VIA Chrome9" is.

there you have it, recommendations by Temmu the Great. (r) (c) 1985 - 2008.  "Serving the internet community since 1926" (sm)

ps
if you are buying games, find a copy of XP Pro and dump Vista.  Vista is slow, and SP1 is slated to make it slower...  :O

[Skittles]

Well I changed to these specs now.

Apevia Jupiter, black with fans, 2x120mm fans, LCD,(without PCU) 339602
Samsung DVD-burner SH-S202H IDE black OEM 341111
MSI K9N NEO-F V3, nForce 560, Socket-AM2 , SATAII, DDR2, GbLAN, ATX, PCI-Ex16 337927
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 2.5GHz Socket AM2,1MB, BOXED w/fan 340187
Crucial DDR2 PC6400 2048MB CL5, Kit w/two matched DDR2 PC6400 1024MB CL5 324016
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 250GB SATA2 16MB 7200RPM 339186
Corsair Powersupply 450W, 120mm fan, 6xSATA, ATX/EPS, 1xPCI-E, 20/24pin 338686
PowerColor Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB GDDR3 ,PCI-Express, 2xDVI/Tv-out/HDMI 336599
Sony diskettstation 3,5" 1,44MB black floppydisk intern 114711
Logitech Cordless Wave Desktop mouse/keyboard 338435
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium English, Upgrade-DVD 330355

[Temmu]

nice.  that should take care of you quite nicely.

[Corrine]

I take it you have a bunch of diskettes you need to convert, thus:  Sony diskettstation 3,5" 1,44MB black floppydisk intern 114711

I see you went this route.  I like the "wave" shape.  Logitech Cordless Wave Desktop mouse/keyboard 338435

250GB!  Look what else you're getting for the "price of 250GB" ;) 

Looks fantastic and I certainly have had no issues with Windows Vista being slow.  After what you've been dealing with, you're going to feel like you're flying. 

[Ripley]

Is this the "Wave" you are getting?  Woo-hoo!

The general ergonomic guidelines you know already, but in case you need a refresher

Specific Ergo guidelines for this "Wave" you are getting > http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/67/528&cl=us,en

Remember not to rest your wrists on that built-in palmrest while you are typing.

Lastly, you might want to think about this Vista Keyboard Speedometer
Will be a nice visual "cue" for when to take those wrist/arm breaks...after you've seen the needle hoovering up there in the yellow/red zone for too long.

What fun that new computer is going to be!

[Skittles]

Thanks!

Altho I am starting to think against getting the Vista.  I was just talking to some ppl in a blog and they are having sooooo many problems with it.  They say it doesn't seem to be getting better but rather worse.

So I might get the XP english version, OR keep the Swedish one that I have and wait longer for Vista to clean things up and then buy the upgrade.

Corrine, I do have alot of floppy disks, but I heard the life on these things are not too great.  I do have some important documents on one, but I guess the rest I could do without.  It could be that they are corrupt anyway because either that or my floppy on this computer just doesn't work.  Because it can't read anything on them.

So I am thinking of taking the floppy out and taking the extra CD-DVD player, instead.

250GB Corrine!  Yeah well as you know I backed it down to that, on your advice.  Thanks.  hehehe

I am also pretty sure I am going to buy the Norton Pro and McAffee for the computer.  I figure double the protection is better than one!

[Skittles]

I am also pretty sure I am going to buy the Norton Pro and McAffee for the computer.  I figure double the protection is better than one!

PSYCH!!!!!!!!!  muhahahaha  Faked you out!  lol  :tease:

[Corrine]

:lol:  You sure did!  I hadn't scrolled down far enough so didn't see your subsequent post. 

Personally, I have been using Windows Vista for about 10 months.  No problems with it at all and I really like it.