Need new computer

Sooo...my motherboard is bad on my XP Home Edition (QQ) and I now need (well, WANT seeing as I have a laptop) a new desktop computer to replace it.

I went to Best Buy today and checked out a few computers. A few looked nice and a few were just waaaay too expensive in my opinion.

So, where else to go to but Southperry! I'm no computer guy but I know a few things at max.

Based on a $0-$700 budget (tentative to go any higher than that), I need a computer that will suit my needs.
A computer that will be able to handle MapleStory and Vindictus is what I can make due with. And Fraps if need be.
I need a GAMING computer.

Going off of what I need:

Motherboard
Power supply
Graphics card
Hard Drive
Sound card
RAM

Which of the Best Buy desktop computers would you recommend for me?

1. Asus
Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5500 Processor 2.80GHz
Hard Drive: 1000GB
RAM: 4GB
Optical Drive (:f6: DVD Dual Layer Writeable (again, ???)
Graphics Card: Intel G45/G43 Express Chipset
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Price: $499.99 + tax

2. Dell
Pentium Dual Core CPU E5400 2.70 GHz
Hard Drive: 500GB
Everything else is the same as the Asus
Price is also the same.

3. HP
AMD Athlon II 240 Dual-Core Processor (doesn't say a GHz)
Hard Drive: 640 GB
RAM: 3 GB
Optical Drive is the same
Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430
Price: $459.99 + tax

4. eMachines
Intel Celeron CPU 450 2.20 GHz
Hard Drive: 500GB
RAM: 2GB
Optical Drive is the same
Graphics Card: Intel G41 Express Chipset
Price: $309.99 + tax

Anyone have any suggestions on which I should get? And if anyone has seen/know any cheaper or better computers, please feel free to post!
I don't know how to make a computer by the way.

Please and thank you!

Hold on, something else we gotta know.

What's in your current computer? Do you have a graphics card? Hard drive? Optical drive?

If you have any of those things, all of them should be easily portable.

Also, if it's sold online, please provide a link so I can see motherboard specifications. That way I can tell you what will transfer and what will not.

ASUS - Good computers. Haven't had a good study on their customer service.

Dell - Decent computers, bad customer service, worst warranties I've ran across.

HP - Decent computers. Great customer service and warranty.

eMachines - Bad computers. Power Supplies die quickly. Avoid!

ASUS and HP are you're best bets here.

Hold on, something else we gotta know.

What's in your current computer? Do you have a graphics card? Hard drive? Optical drive?

If you have any of those things, all of them should be easily portable.

Also, if it's sold online, please provide a link so I can see motherboard specifications. That way I can tell you what will transfer and what will not.

My dead computer is the following:

eMachines T3516 Desktop PC XP Home Edition
Intel Celeron D Processor 352
3.20GHz
533 MHz FSB (:f6
512 KB L2 Cache (:f6
Video/Graphics: ATI Radeon Xpress 200 with available PC-I Express slot
Hard Drive: 120 GB
Memory: 512 MB DDR SDRAM
Optical Drive: DVD/CD-RW Combination Drive
LINK: http://www.emachines.com/products/produc...prod=T3516

I'm pretty sure what I saw inside the stores are also online.

Links

EDIT: took forever, but I finally have the links.

1. Asus' LINK: http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/asus-es...?tag=specs

2. Dell's LINK: http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/dell-in...?tag=specs

3. HP's LINK: http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/hp-pavi...?tag=specs

4. eMachine's LINK: http://www.emachines.com/products/produc...EL1850-01e

eMachines - Bad computers. Power Supplies die quickly. Avoid!

Hmmmm, well if it's such a bad computer, I guess I should be happy that it has lasted me dam near 4 years. and it would sorta explain why eMachine computers are so relatively cheap.

4~5 years is about the maximum I've heard of a eMachines PC lasting. Mostly these are so cheap is because they are built using substandard parts and components, and they are marketed to people who have never owned a computer before, or they are getting one as a gift for a child or a student in college needing something for homework.

Usually eMachines use low-end stuff like Celerons, Semprons, etc. to keep the costs low as well as low-end motherbaords as well.

HP is going to be the best bet, although ASUS is good in terms of quality too, but I seriously have no idea what they're customer services and warranties are like.

The next best thing I'd say is... if you want a good PC... build you're own.

4~5 years is about the maximum I've heard of a eMachines PC lasting. Mostly these are so cheap is because they are built using substandard parts and components, and they are marketed to people who have never owned a computer before, or they are getting one as a gift for a child or a student in college needing something for homework.

Usually eMachines use low-end stuff like Celerons, Semprons, etc. to keep the costs low as well as low-end motherbaords as well.

HP is going to be the best bet, although ASUS is good in terms of quality too, but I seriously have no idea what they're customer services and warranties are like.

The next best thing I'd say is... if you want a good PC... build you're own.

I never should've flaked on computer class on the weekends in high school ;_;
Could've built me one...

I think if I can't get a better computer suggestion, I might go with this ASUS up here. I have a HP laptop and it's okay here and there. It's just that the ASUS looks like it has more room for an upgrade.

And what the hell are a Mainboard and Data bus speed?

Asus:
Chipset type Intel G43 Express
Data bus speed 800 MHz

HP:
Mainboard
Data bus speed 4000 MHz

.

Data bus speed is how fast data flows between the CPU and the RAM across what is termed the "chipset". Most modern CPUs now actually go directly to the RAM itself rather than across a controller chip on the motherboard.

Oh yeah. In case you are wondering... Intel's graphics processors are garbage. ATI and Nvidia are much more reliable and are actually supported better.

If you need help building a PC... feel free to ask for help. I'm a licensed PC tech and I can design one for you that probably won't break the bank in the process.

eMachines - Bad computers. Power Supplies die quickly. Avoid!

Yup, I can testify to that. PSU was the first thing to go.

Worse still was that we discovered that all the hardware from eMachines were generally incompatible with anything else. HD contents are forever in limbo -_-;

Data bus speed is how fast data flows between the CPU and the RAM across what is termed the "chipset". Most modern CPUs now actually go directly to the RAM itself rather than across a controller chip on the motherboard.

Oh yeah. In case you are wondering... Intel's graphics processors are garbage. ATI and Nvidia are much more reliable and are actually supported better.

If you need help building a PC... feel free to ask for help. I'm a licensed PC tech and I can design one for you that probably won't break the bank in the process.

I thought Nvidia was garbage because of some issues with MapleStory o.o
Nevertheless, thanks for the help =)

I now need to make a decision to either make a computer or to buy the Asus. Not sure if anyone else has another suggestion.
and with school coming in less than a week, it'll be a rush for time sorta.

I definitely want to see a price comparison from the Asus and a built computer with more reasonable supplies (because of the Intel graphics and unbelieve 1TB hard drive. seriously, is that even needed?)

I thought Nvidia was garbage because of some issues with MapleStory o.o
Nevertheless, thanks for the help =)

you cant buy a new computer thinking maple will run smooth and with no problems, to run maple, just buy a 5 years old garbage computer with winxP.

if you want a gaming computer, buy a computer with win7 with a dx11 graphic card.

Data bus speed is how fast data flows between the CPU and the RAM across what is termed the "chipset". Most modern CPUs now actually go directly to the RAM itself rather than across a controller chip on the motherboard.

only AMD processor have hyper transport, and only Intel I(I3/I5/I7) processor have that tecnology, intel core/celeron/aton still use FSB to access memory.

For a Gaming computer, all of those that you suggested are rubbish.

Also, every part in your e-machines is obsolete too, except the hard drive which you can salvage and grab the data off of, and use it as a backup small storage drive.

If you have someone in the area that can build a computer for you, buy the parts of Newegg and go from there.

Also, are you in Canada or the US, or anywhere else in the world? If you're in Canada, I totally suggest NCIX for your computer needs.

You need at least the following

500W PSU (I suggest ones from Corsair)
A decent case with good air circulation (Coolermaster HAF 922/932 would be adequate)
Go i5/i7 if going intel, get at least a Phenom Quad/six core if going AMD
At least 4GB of RAM. If you plan to run a lot of programs at once, go 6 or 8GB
Go with a decent brand motherboard and look for features that you want! (ASUS and Gigabyte are good candidates for good motherboards), don't forget to check the CPU requirement!
Get a 500GB Hard drive if you're not planning to download a lot, get a 1TB if you are.
Get a Video card with DX11 support (ATI 5770/5850/5870, NVidia GTX 460 would suffice here)
Windows 7 64 bit with XP dual boot if you're doing any type of MapleStory bossing.
DVD Burner for basic DVD/CD burning. If you want to play Blu-ray, get a blu-ray drive .

Did I miss anything?

If you CANNOT however, you will have to do with whatever you have..

-edit- I went to the DELL US site and did a quick configuration for something that you might want (Studio XPS 7100). It came out to a subtotal of $829.99

Oh yeah. In case you are wondering... Intel's graphics processors are garbage.

My laptop is cursed with one, I can't play most games because of it... ._.

For a Gaming computer, all of those that you suggested are rubbish.

Also, every part in your e-machines is obsolete too, except the hard drive which you can salvage and grab the data off of, and use it as a backup small storage drive.

If you have someone in the area that can build a computer for you, buy the parts of Newegg and go from there.

Also, are you in Canada or the US, or anywhere else in the world? If you're in Canada, I totally suggest NCIX for your computer needs.

You need at least the following

500W PSU (I suggest ones from Corsair)
A decent case with good air circulation (Coolermaster HAF 922/932 would be adequate)
Go i5/i7 if going intel, get at least a Phenom Quad/six core if going AMD
At least 4GB of RAM. If you plan to run a lot of programs at once, go 6 or 8GB
Go with a decent brand motherboard and look for features that you want! (ASUS and Gigabyte are good candidates for good motherboards), don't forget to check the CPU requirement!
Get a 500GB Hard drive if you're not planning to download a lot, get a 1TB if you are.
Get a Video card with DX11 support (ATI 5770/5850/5870, NVidia GTX 460 would suffice here)
Windows 7 64 bit with XP dual boot if you're doing any type of MapleStory bossing.
DVD Burner for basic DVD/CD burning. If you want to play Blu-ray, get a blu-ray drive .

Did I miss anything?

If you CANNOT however, you will have to do with whatever you have..

-edit- I went to the DELL US site and did a quick configuration for something that you might want (Studio XPS 7100). It came out to a subtotal of $829.99

1. I'm in the US.
2. I wish I had friends that KNEW what they were doing when it comes to computer building.
3. That one is most definitely out of my price range, but if I absolutely must buy a new computer, I want to compare it to Asus seeing as it's the one I'm getting if I cannot make one or get more feedback.
EDIT: I just found out that just the tower itself is $499.99, same as Asus. I don't really think a new monitor would make a difference, so I'm not getting one.

Going off the questions from website:
A system ready for the next generation of applications and games: 3 or 4GB 2 Dual Channel DDR2/DDR3 SDRAM1

Asus
4 GB / 16 GB (max)
DDR3 SDRAM
DIMM 240-pin
Dual channel memory architecture

Dell
3GB2 Dual Channel
DDR3 SDRAM3 at 1333MHz
2 DIMMs

Both of them check out perfectly I think.

Processors
Dell:
AMD Athlon™ II X4 630 2.8 GHz

Asus:
Intel Pentium E5500 / 2.8 GHz

I don't see a real difference here either. Then again, I'm no computer expert.

Sound card
Dell:
SoundTHX® TruStudio PC™
Integrated 7.1 with THX® TruStudio up to Creative PCI Express
Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio

Asus:
Integrated Sound card
Integrated Audio
Sound output mode - 7.1 channel surround
Audio output compliant standards - High Definition Audio

It may sound complicated, but Asus could be worse than Dell. No clue here.

Graphics card
Dell:
Integrated ATI Radeon HD4200 Graphics
ATI Radeon HD 5450 1GB2
ATI RadeonTM HD 5770 1GB2 DDR5 or ATI RadeonTM HD 5870 1GB2 DDR5

Asus:
Integrated Graphics Processor/Vendor Intel GMA X4500
Video Memory 1759 MB (max)
Digital Video Standard High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) , Digital Visual Interface (DVI)

Going off of Intel being a bad choice for a graphics processor, Dell would win this one.

Optical Drive
Dell:
16x DVD+/-RW, Blu-ray DiscTM Combo Drive, Blu-ray DiscTM Burner
Dual Configurations: Blu-ray DiscTM burner + 16x DVD+/-RW, Blu-ray DiscTM Combo Drive + 16x DVD+/-RW

Asus:
Type - DVD R?W (?R DL) / DVD-RAM
CD / DVD read speed 40x (CD) / 16x (DVD)
CD / DVD write speed 48x (CD) / 16x (DVD) / 5x (DVD-RAM) / 8x (DVD Double layer)

Holy hell! Blu-ray for Dell? I think this is point #2 for Dell.

Okay, looking at the comparison, wouldn't Dell definitely be the better computer? I mean, that doesn't say much about how new/obsolete the stuff is but comparing them both makes it a bit easier.

-edit- I went to the DELL US site and did a quick configuration for something that you might want (Studio XPS 7100). It came out to a subtotal of $829.99

Dennis, did you not learn with Erichs laptop? Dell is a bunch of trash and you should stop trying to sell them T.T

Yes I know that at your workplace they use Dell and they work fine there. But that is because you can preform upkeep on those machines and make sure that they run without issue.

My old POS dell that is now 6 years old still runs, but that is only because I continue to either put a fresh copy of XP on every 3-5 months, or i just put Ubuntu on.

If you want to spend a bit more... check out MSI's laptop series. Most fo them use ATI Radeon or Nvidia GeForce graphics as well as a powerful CPU and plenty of RAM. MSI is fairly good and I should have mentioned them before.

http://www.msimobile.com/

Price should be reasonable as well. Check out their G series.

http://www.msimobile.com/level3_productp...d=6&id=181

http://www.msimobile.com/level3_productp...d=6&id=216

MSI shows where parts and their costs come out. They don't skimp on hardware either. Their Intel laptops will be a bit more costly than the AMD ones.

One thing... gaming laptops do not have great battery life. Just a good word of warning.

That dell computer would be just fine for what you need it. You'd even be able to play many games beyond Maplestory.

That dell computer would be just fine for what you need it. You'd even be able to play many games beyond Maplestory.

But >< Fielllll wtfffff

That dell computer would be just fine for what you need it. You'd even be able to play many games beyond Maplestory.

Sweet just what I need too hahaha.

Zelkova are you serious? o_o
and why do you have to do it so often?

I actually want to hear that issue because if I recall correctly, there have been many computers at my high school in constant maintenance. I assumed it was because the technicians didn't know pomegranate.

EDIT: I decided to Google Dell tech support and Asus tech support and the difference really shows. Within 1 min of searching Dell support comments/reviews, I read comments about Dell pretty much having bad tech support. Asus, however, have far fewer complaints. I'm going to have to take this into consideration.