Technically challenged person buying a computer

Hulder

Hey folks,

I'd really really REALLY appreciate some advice. I've spent the last 4 hours googling every product description on dell, komplett, argos, etc, and nothing I read makes any sense to me because I know zilch about technology.

Here's the deal:

I only ever use a computer to send e-mails and surf the web, AND to play World of Warcraft. I'm also broke (lol). My aged laptop just can't master the graphics in WoW anymore, I'm lagging something awful and I was going to buy a desktop PC anyway so ...

In a nutshell, I need a decent PC with a good graphics card that doesn't break the bank.

Now, if I was to buy something like this:
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=512823
could I get a decent graphics card and put it in? What graphics card would be compatible with it? I'm terrified of spending money and then the thing won't fit the PC or something...

Anyone at all?

Spear

Hulder wrote: »

Hey folks,

I'd really really REALLY appreciate some advice. I've spent the last 4 hours googling every product description on dell, komplett, argos, etc, and nothing I read makes any sense to me because I know zilch about technology.

Here's the deal:

I only ever use a computer to send e-mails and surf the web, AND to play World of Warcraft. I'm also broke (lol). My aged laptop just can't master the graphics in WoW anymore, I'm lagging something awful and I was going to buy a desktop PC anyway so ...

In a nutshell, I need a decent PC with a good graphics card that doesn't break the bank.

Now, if I was to buy something like this:
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=512823
could I get a decent graphics card and put it in? What graphics card would be compatible with it? I'm terrified of spending money and then the thing won't fit the PC or something...

Anyone at all?

It has a full x16 PCI-E slot, so it can take decent current video cards.

Hulder

Spear wrote: »

It has a full x16 PCI-E slot, so it can take decent current video cards.

Thank you so much! So... would that one be an option?
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=580623

Kepti

What's your budget? Do you have a monitor and speakers that you can use since they aren't included in the bundle you picked?

Overheal

My Advice is always Educate Yourself about the Product First, Vendor Second. Its time to hit up wikipedia and do some idle reading up on PCs. Important articles include RAM, Front Side Bus, Processor/CPU, Motherboard, Shared Memory, Integrated Graphics, PCI, USB, HDMI, etc.

Hulder

Thanks. Yes, I do have a monitor and speakers, headset etc. All I need is the graphics card with this and I'm good to go.

Budget is hard to say, I can add another 50 or so to the price of the computer, a little more if it's REALLY worth it. But remember, WoW is the only thing I ever play so as long as that runs on good setting, I'm a happy Hulder

Thank you all very much for your advice, much appreciated!

P.S. @Overheal: That's what I've been doing. It's just VERY hard for someone like me, who doesn't have any technical knowledge to begin with, to comprehend even the Wikipedia stuff. I feel like an idiot, to be honest, and it's not like I haven't tried...!

Spear

Hulder wrote: »

Thank you so much! So... would that one be an option?
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=580623

That'll work fine.

Overheal

Yeah but if you dont have a general understanding, these Brick and Mortar places will take you for a ride. You always get the best deal by building your own PC, for example - but that of course requires quite a strong understanding of the hardware. The less you know the more you wind up paying.

Hulder

Spear wrote: »

That'll work fine.

Thanks a MILLION!

And if anyone ever needs any, ummmmm, literature advice, ask me (rofl - well I used to study literary theory so I know all about hermeneutics, structuralism, deconstructivism...! You never know when you'll need it!!)

Kepti

Overheal wrote: »

Yeah but if you dont have a general understanding, these Brick and Mortar places will take you for a ride. You always get the best deal by building your own PC, for example - but that of course requires quite a strong understanding of the hardware. The less you know the more you wind up paying.

I wouldn't say that you always get the best deal by building your own pc. Once you get below a certain threshold it's difficult to build a low budget system that can compete on price with prebuilt ones. Dell and the like can leverage bulk discounts on components and Windows licenses that the average consumer can't avail of.

Kepti

Before he goes ahead and buys this combination, could someone qualified state definitively that the power supply included will be enough to run the card he picked?

edit: The idle power draw of the 5450 seems to be 150watts (source) while the power supply in that system (or at least a variant of it) outputs 220watts (source). ~70 watts to power the rest of the system is ringing alarm bells for me, but I'm far from an expert.

Spear

Kepti wrote: »

Before he goes ahead and buys this combination, could someone qualified state definitively that the power supply included will be enough to run the card he picked?

edit: The idle power draw of the 5450 seems to be 150watts (source) while the power supply in that system (or at least a variant of it) outputs 220watts (source). ~70 watts to power the rest of the system is ringing alarm bells for me, but I'm far from an expert.

The reviews I've seen on the 5450 suggest a power drain of only 15 to 20 W. I can't imagine it's near 150W, they're passively cooled after all.

Hulder

Kepti wrote: »

Before he goes ahead and buys this combination, could someone qualified state definitively that the power supply included will be enough to run the card he picked?

edit: The idle power draw of the 5450 seems to be 150watts (source) while the power supply in that system (or at least a variant of it) outputs 220watts (source). ~70 watts to power the rest of the system is ringing alarm bells for me, but I'm far from an expert.

I'm listening, just wanted you all to know this!

And it's "she", btw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulder

Solitaire

I wonder if the new crippled version of the HD4650 ("HD4630", same GPU but on a HD4550 PCB) would outperform the more expensive HD5450 (its very overpriced at the moment) by a fair margin in WoW? The HD5450 is not a gaming card...

HD5570 would be perfect, only its even more overpriced at the moment

Dorsanty

What's wrong with the built in GeForce 9200 512MB? Why spend more?

I'm playing the latest AvP game on a 512MB HD 4550 and I've no issues other than missing out on DX11, but then I don't have Win7 installed so I don't get DX11 anyway.

Edit : Oops seems DX11 is coming to Vista, so I would be capable in the future. But I can still play the game happily without having to get a new or more powerful card for even the most recent games.

Deano12345

Kepti wrote: »

Before he goes ahead and buys this combination, could someone qualified state definitively that the power supply included will be enough to run the card he picked?

edit: The idle power draw of the 5450 seems to be 150watts (source) while the power supply in that system (or at least a variant of it) outputs 220watts (source). ~70 watts to power the rest of the system is ringing alarm bells for me, but I'm far from an expert.

Thats power consumption for the entire system,which includes an i7 EE.I'd be willing to bet the 5450 uses 20-30 watts MAX when being fully loaded by Furmark or another stress test

Hulder

Dorsanty wrote: »

What's wrong with the built in GeForce 9200 512MB? Why spend more?

I'm playing the latest AvP game on a 512MB HD 4550 and I've no issues other than missing out on DX11, but then I don't have Win7 installed so I don't get DX11 anyway.

Edit : Oops seems DX11 is coming to Vista, so I would be capable in the future. But I can still play the game happily without having to get a new or more powerful card for even the most recent games.

Nothing wrong with it, except that on EVERY review I've read people said they were laggy in places like Dalaran on all but the lowest graphics settings. So I thought, why not invest a little bit more and get really good graphics? The bulk of the cost is the PC, another 54 won't make me bankrupt (I hope!).

Hulder

Deano12345 wrote: »

Thats power consumption for the entire system,which includes an i7 EE.I'd be willing to bet the 5450 uses 20-30 watts MAX when being fully loaded by Furmark or another stress test

In plain English, does that mean that you think I shouldn't have a problem running that graphics card on this particular computer? Sorry, tech noob here

Deano12345

Hulder wrote: »

In plain English, does that mean that you think I shouldn't have a problem running that graphics card on this particular computer? Sorry, tech noob here

You should be good to go

Hulder

Deano12345 wrote: »

You should be good to go

Thanks Deano! Just placed the order *happy Hulder* :pac:

Hulder

Just a little update from me.

I got the computer and graphics card, a colleague helped me install the latter, and what can I say... It's working perfectly!! I never thought it would make such a big difference. I hardly recognise some of the places in WoW. The amount of detail, the colours... it's absolutely amazing. And no lagg anymore either

So, what I wanted to say is, THANKS A MILLION to everyone who replied here. Without this kind of advice, I probably wouldn't have dared to spend the money. I'm sooooo grateful. You guys rock!!

-Hulder

norrie rugger

On a similar note, would there be any instruction on how to swap this card in?

I have no fear in going at something, as long as I have some instruction on it

Spear

norrie rugger wrote: »

On a similar note, would there be any instruction on how to swap this card in?

I have no fear in going at something, as long as I have some instruction on it

I don't what instructions you'd need. Just push it into the slot, and put a screw into the bracket.

mordeith

Step 1 Remove the display drivers for the current card (shut down PC)

Step 2 Physically remove old card

Step 3 Physically install new card

Step 4 Reboot

Step 5 Windows should detect the new hardware and ask you for drivers. Insert your driver CD and away you go.
Thats the way I do it anyway

norrie rugger

Spear wrote: »

I don't what instructions you'd need. Just push it into the slot, and put a screw into the bracket.

Just never did it.
If it is that easy then no prob.

leninbenjamin

And remember to ground yourself folks before going inside the box (just rub your hands off a radiator or something earthed).