Tech-inept Simmer needs help picking out new PC

despina53

Hi :-) . As the title states, I am technologically inept and need help picking out a new gaming desktop PC. I asked my tech-savvy son-in-law to check for me and he found this one on Newegg for $629.99:

Avatar AMD FX-Series 16GB DDR3 1TB HDD Capacity Desktop PC Windows 8.1 64-bit Gaming PC. -FX 6164 -AMD FX Series FX-6100 (3.3GHz) -16GB DDR3 1TB HDD Capacity -Windows 8.1 64-bit -Nvidia GeForce GT 640 2GB.

Now, since he does not play Sims, I need some other opinions. I can actually spend more than that (couple hundred more ). And I'm not sure about AMD since I've always had Intel.

So, pretty please with a plumbob on top, point me in the right direction .

Kat2211

http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:TS3_System_Requirements

DarkAmaranth1966

That link is the best help there is.

As for AMD vs Intel, ask me five years ago and, hands down AMD for gaming. Now the newest i5 and i7 do beat comparable AMD processors on performance BUT I am an AMD fan, they brought us 64 bit to begin with and, I personally do not see a performance difference. I do see more problems in general with the game on Intel machines than on AMD.

Graphics cards, I prefer Nvidia but Radeon is just as good. a 400.00 Radeon card will do just as well as a 400.00 Nvidia card and, SOME Nvidia models (the 8xxx series) do have a defect that prevents them form handling heat properly so, that is an issue with those cards.

despina53

Thank you Kat2211 and DarkAmaranth1966 for pointing out that page for me, but, when it comes to computers, I know about the mouse, the keyboard, and the monitor. Open up the tower and I'm lost. Logic tells me that the higher the number the better (I think :?: ) but other than that, no clue. I'm actually so inept I don't know how to link! :oops:

I found this computer on Newegg for $899.99; let me know what you think :

Acer IntelCore i7 8GB DDR3 1TB HDD Capacity Desktop PC Windows 8 AG3-605-UR38
Quad Core Gaming Desktop with GTX760 Graphics and WLAN
-IntelCore i7 4770 (3.4GHz)
-8GB DDR3 1TB HDD Capacity
-Windows 8
-Nvidia GeForce GTX 760
-Mid Tower
-64 bit Quad Core Processor
-8GB Memory DDR3 (expandable to 32GB)
-1TB Hard Drive
-8 x DVD SuperMulti Double-Layer Drive
-Nvidia GeForce GTX760 1.5GB GDDR5
-High Definition 5.1-Channel Audio Support
-Gigabit Ethernet
-802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN
-500W Power Supply
-8MB L3 Cache per CPU

despina53

Bump :-)

bob007

despina53 - Acer is an oem manufacture and some of there motherboards are second sourced to their specs. Acer owns Gateway which also includes eMachines. Acer also has controlling interest in Packard Bell. These are all low budget oem computer makers. I would question the quality of the components used. Please check ibuypower.com or cyberpowerpc.com. you will probably get better quality for about the same money.

DarkAmaranth1966 - I believe Intel presently is king of the hill but that applies to the top end processors not many people buy. When it comes to the average purchase AMD and Intel are pretty much the same. There is no way to compare like for like because you can't put an Intel porc in an AMD motherboard and vice-a-versa.

DarkAmaranth1966

Despina, that computer will do very nicely for all EP and SP on almost all, if not all max settings.

It has a Intel i7 at 3.4 gHz speed (that's medium fast and plenty for the game that only needs 2.4.)

It has a very good graphics card that will run the game well w/o being stressed or overheating.

It has a 1 Terabyte hard drive, that's pretty big so, you won't run out of room for the game CC, or other programs anytime soon.

In everyday terms you had the choice of a stove top coffee percolator or a K-cup coffee maker and, you chose the K-cup.

despina53

@bob007 -- I have no idea what "oem" stands for but it seems you are saying that the Acer is an inferior computer. I checked both ibuypower.com and cyberpowerpc.com and everything I look at is above my budget ($1000.00).

Thank you, DarkAmaranth1966 for your comments.

I have 2 other questions :

This Acer says it is a "mid-tower". Is that OK?
Is the power supply strong enough?

Thanks in advance for any and all input :-) .

despina53

Been gone for a week (sick) and it seems nobody has an answer for my questions so I'm bumping to the front page in hopes someone will give me an assist :-) .

bob007

Check out cyberpowerpc.com or ibuypower.com. They are owned by the same person but other then that they don't seem to be connected.

oem - original equipment manufacturer. Basically none of these vendors manufacture their own product. The motherboard is second sourced to another manufacturer to the vendors specifications. Most notably is the bios is stripped of many options that will cause a call to customer service.

despina53

Bumping for ceejay 8)

ceejay402

thanks a ton for bumping, and sorry i couldnt locate im guessing you would like me to answer the question below:

first if i may everyone starts out not knowing computer specs first time i picked a gaming system i wrote a cheat sheet for myself when shopping and had to keep looking stuff up - 4 years ago i was your typical normal computer user. so dont worry youll get the hang of it. sims has a way of making normal folks need to get a bit techy but i think its worth it

ok next can i ask if you will be running other demanding programs or do something like videoing editing. the reason is below the processor you selected is an i7 - which can be a beast for sims 3 in PCs.

an alternative is intel's i5 which is perfectly designed for gaming. i myself game with one.

another way i think of the difference is an i7 is like a professional race car and the i5 is a souped up expensive sport card and gaming is just highway driving.

but i will also say many gamers just want the fastest but i thought i let you know an i5 is an option.

everything else looks fine to me. re mid towers the current trend is to go smaller. and since its a prebuilt its PSU should be fine. and yep the higher the number the better.

now i also agree with b.ob re OEM so the difference to me re systems like below that have the necessary components to game well and gaming systems is the makers like c.ybperpower and ibuy pick better options for components and then add software to make those components better at gaming

for me systems created for gaming by gaming makers is important. i also like the fact that you can customize options if you go to their site, like pick windows 7 over windows 8. so i also think you may want to look at other options.

but newegg does have other options by proper gaming systems so look there as well,

ok sorry im fading. have a good night and ill check back tomorrow

despina53 wrote:

Thank you Kat2211 and DarkAmaranth1966 for pointing out that page for me, but, when it comes to computers, I know about the mouse, the keyboard, and the monitor. Open up the tower and I'm lost. Logic tells me that the higher the number the better (I think :?: ) but other than that, no clue. I'm actually so inept I don't know how to link! :oops:

I found this computer on Newegg for $899.99; let me know what you think :

Acer IntelCore i7 8GB DDR3 1TB HDD Capacity Desktop PC Windows 8 AG3-605-UR38
Quad Core Gaming Desktop with GTX760 Graphics and WLAN
-IntelCore i7 4770 (3.4GHz)
-8GB DDR3 1TB HDD Capacity
-Windows 8
-Nvidia GeForce GTX 760
-Mid Tower
-64 bit Quad Core Processor
-8GB Memory DDR3 (expandable to 32GB)
-1TB Hard Drive
-8 x DVD SuperMulti Double-Layer Drive
-Nvidia GeForce GTX760 1.5GB GDDR5
-High Definition 5.1-Channel Audio Support
-Gigabit Ethernet
-802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN
-500W Power Supply
-8MB L3 Cache per CPU

Lotte2003

kk lol thnx