New Computer help

Hello, i'm thinking about buying a brand new computer, i was wondering if anyone can reccomend any computers specs that would work with SL on the cheap price bracket. I'm thinking of getting one built by the way not store bought, so i'm speciffically looking for a pc that can run SL pretty well for £200 or less.

An anyone reccomend any parts that would be pretty cheap too purchase but are just as effcient as the more expensive stuff.

Thank you all for answering

At that price point, the included graphics card will be the limiting factor. You may be able to find an 8600 somewhere for $100-$125 USD, and which must be added. Whatever comes with the computer you buy at that price will never run SL to your satisfaction.

In other words, regardless of how little you wish to spend on the computer, put aside too stringent budget constraints regarding a reasonable graphics card. I can get SL running just fine on a $400 USD PC, but must then add at least another $150 USD only to handle SL graphics.

However, if someone here can identify a truly viable solution at only $400 USD total (PC and graphics card), I do wish to hear about it. I'm looking to buy my roommate a PC to use with SL as a gift, but have found it impossible to do so at anything less than approx. $600 USD total.

i said £200 because i know someone who owns a PC shop so i can get a good deal really, and even if not my pc at the moment is 5 years old and runs SL ok, it's just it's getting old so i think i'll get a new one.

I also £200 as i am on a bit of a budget, there must be a easier option without spending more than 200.

larceny?

larceny?, wht u on about

I don’t know what the $ equivalency is for the £ , but 200 anything doesn’t sound like enough. Especially with the way the viewers have been going. Heavier not lighter.
But one additional point to the graphics card issue, and I agree 100% with ZenWarrior. Make sure the power source meets the wattage requirements of the graphics card. 280W wont get you much. I had to replace the power box on a brand new $900 pc so I could run the nVidia 8800.

*sigh* looks like i'll have too talk too my friend then, he'll get me a good deal lol.

oh and £200 is like $400

You're not going to find this, really. 'Pretty cheap' can get you quality on par with moderately priced things, if you know where to go.

Moderate prices can get you some good performance stuff.

To get high quality, you need to pay high quality prices. Owning a computer shop, or knowing someone who does, doesn't change this. That just means that they may not make you pay the markup most customers do.

I built my own computer, which handles SL perfectly at max settings, for $1100 USD.

If you want something that can handle SL with the new viewer, then you're not going to find something under 200 of anything really. The shop I work at sells a 'cheapy' for $375 USD that can't really handle SL at all with this new viewer, then again it cost probably about $250 USD to the store.

For something that can actually handle SL, you'd need to spend probably an equivalent of $500 USD or more, depending on market prices in your area. This is lower quality SL, keep in mind, and I'm talking a windows machine (I don't do Macs).

Now, if all you were going for was a graphics card you could get something pretty good for $200, but with that old system it wouldn't work, so it's moot.

I'm not trying to sound snooty, I'm trying to give some view as to the cost of things.

Look at the SL minimum requirements, and buy slightly above that is my professional recommendation, that way you should be able to handle SL for a while, and anything less strenuous easily. (That means word processing, balancing your checkbook, music, and so on. The average non-gaming computer uses)

ETA:: With the knowledge that 200 is essentially $400 USD< just adjust for my stuff up above. I find, however, that technology-wise, it doesn't stretch as far as for some other things.

Well at the moment my current pc (which is window, i hate mac too),
i have a 64mb Nvidia GEforce 3 card
1gb Memory
Windows XP Home Pack 2
80gb Harddrive
AMD Athlon 1.41 GHz processor.

This machine works good but it's getting a little old now, it's near 5 years old. If i could upgrade anymore i would but i'm not really sure if i would be able. Maybe i should take it too the shop too see if they can upgrade it for 200 or less if that works better.

I think all i need is a better graphics card and a new harddrive, i think this one is going a little.

Better graphics card would make it quite a bit better, but your CPU is also a bit slow (But usable for SL). Minimum on that is


Hard drive is also a bit small, but should be fine, really.

If you find that it can be upgraded (I'm not sure.. for 5 years ago that was pretty good, so maybe the motherboard can handle it), then to make SL run better you'd want a new graphics card, and a faster CPU if you can do both, if only one, graphics.

Listead accepted card lines are

Good to see his plan is working

ok thank you very much, i'll write down the info and see what i can do, god i hope it's upgradable lol