I'm on an obviously small budget, mostly because 90% of the time I use my computer for simple tasks (e-mail, web surfing, Word, etc.). However, I do like to play Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO), so I'd like my computer to be as graphics-friendly as possible for the budget. So, I have three questions:
1) I've never built a computer before, but I wouldn't mind trying. I know it's normally cheaper to build your own, but for my budget - and considering that I'll have to buy 64-bit Vista w/ the upgrade to Windows 7 - I can't see how buying the components (especially the OS) will be cheaper than buying a pre-built computer. Do you think it would be possible to buy Vista/7 and the necessary components & get a computer that would be substantially better than an off-the-shelf one for $500?
2) Most of the computers I've been looking at have an Athlon II X2 dual-core or an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 (all with 4 GB). I know most people would say that quad core is generally better than dual core, but it seems like for my needs and budget, a quad core would be overkill, & I might as well get the highest-speed dual core I can get. LOTRO isn't designed for quad core, & I doubt I'll get any other games or programs that are designed for quad cores. So, I'm leaning towards the dual core. Good idea?
3) Video cards - I assume I want a dedicated card instead of integrated graphics. Most in this range come with the Nvidia 9400GT/9500GT (either 512MB or 1GB), or the Radeon HD 4550 (512MB), both of which seem to be okay for LOTRO. Is there another card in the same price range that would be better?
1) I've never built a computer before, but I wouldn't mind trying. I know it's normally cheaper to build your own, but for my budget - and considering that I'll have to buy 64-bit Vista w/ the upgrade to Windows 7 - I can't see how buying the components (especially the OS) will be cheaper than buying a pre-built computer. Do you think it would be possible to buy Vista/7 and the necessary components & get a computer that would be substantially better than an off-the-shelf one for $500?
2) Most of the computers I've been looking at have an Athlon II X2 dual-core or an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 (all with 4 GB). I know most people would say that quad core is generally better than dual core, but it seems like for my needs and budget, a quad core would be overkill, & I might as well get the highest-speed dual core I can get. LOTRO isn't designed for quad core, & I doubt I'll get any other games or programs that are designed for quad cores. So, I'm leaning towards the dual core. Good idea?
3) Video cards - I assume I want a dedicated card instead of integrated graphics. Most in this range come with the Nvidia 9400GT/9500GT (either 512MB or 1GB), or the Radeon HD 4550 (512MB), both of which seem to be okay for LOTRO. Is there another card in the same price range that would be better?