High end Gaming Hardware

[Fish]

Awhile ago one of the developers, I think Vengeance, said they were building the game to use the next generation of gaming hardware.  I usually look at the high end stuff on the idea that I\'ll be buying it 6 months to a year from now.  What you normally find out is that you don\'t actually need the 3,000 dollars U.S. to buy a decent gaming machine.  So if you buy things that came out 6 months ago you get a lot more bang for your money.  

The first deal is the whole g-force versus the ATI card dual.  G-force has a new offering to ramp it up and it\'s looking mighty fine.  It will be interesting to see what ATI does in response.  But for people like us grudge matches like this one is a really, really good thing.  The review from Tech TV says the new g-force is the best card they\'ve ever laid their hands on to date.  Here are both links.

Review: Nvidia GeForce 6800 Ultra

GeForce 6800

The next thing I\'ve come across is a computer called a shuttle.  This seems to be of special interest to gamers who go to lan parties.  To get the same kind of power you can pack into the small computer boxes in a lap top, you\'d be paying $3,000-4,000 U.S. They don\'t have a whole lot of space for accessories.  However, for gamers all you really need is a good video card and a fast mother board.  The fact that it only has space for one hard drive and 2 cards shouldn\'t be relevant.  It isn\'t really designed to be a server.  However, the price to performance on these little boxes seems very good.    

Shuttle

If anybody else has got any good ideas on computer components jump right in and tell us.

[Xalthar]

Alienware pc\'s are a hot thing when it comes to uber gaming machines http://www.alienware.com/

Regarding the new nvidia card, I think I\'m going to save my money for the ATI \"equivalent\"...

[Xordan]

pah, I made up my pc in the alienware thingy... $4000... I payed like $1200...

[Xalthar]

didn\'t say they were cheap...

[Typhorean]

tigerdirect.com  <--- Buy your computer components here.

All *real* geeks do.

[Kuiper7986]

Alienware overcharges like hell, you can find other great machines for much lower price.

[kyp14]

I\'d say your all better of just biulding the machines yourself.
Thats what I do.

[snow_RAveN]

i\'d say If you or some one in realtion to you in some strange remote way just happens to be going over seas to an asian country then ask them to buy The parts you want there its cheeper (i know cause i live there )
yes ive compared the prices & sofar the one of the cheepest places is thailand real orginal games cost round what HMM ... 9 bucks converted in to U$d\'s provided managed to reach the store & you dont get robed of cash and caputred by the local Crime lords (note : not terroists) and if your luckly nuf to make it you will find the manual printed in thai but the games in english (mostly) ...........
but i live in singapore we pay 25 (U$D) for a com game kinda bites huh ?

[kyp14]

Those Asian countrys are rather lucky because due to the huge amount of piracy that goes on their, the software companies are forced to sell there products really cheap to compete with the piracy because most people in those countrys can\'t afford the huge western price.

So while making the price high works in western countrys  it doesn\'t work in Asian and middle eastern countrys meaning they have to put the price down, you can buy legal stripped down versions of windows XP for $10 a pop its the only way they can make money in those countrys.

[snow_RAveN]

i dont think pricy is the main reason

i belive the price diff is also caused by the fact that games are also made here and not shiped form the US or any other country notice Made in china all over your stuff ? as its cheeper to produce in these countrys they can also sell it cheeper

[Fish]

As far as alien ware is concerned, it\'s surprising how much people will pay for exactly the same machine you can get for half price.  I guess they got their cue from the athletic footware companies. who decided to charge double for their sneakers.  After they charged more for their sneakers they couldn\'t keep them stocked.  So, people must think because alien ware cost more that it has got to be better.  Oh well!    

I think Tiger Direct is a great place to shop.  It\'s a good place to get the shuttle PCs that I mentioned.  I\'ve been putting my computer together from parts for many years but it doesn\'t seem to be as cost effective as it used to be.  However, I still like to do it because I can make sure of the performance of the components that I use.  I have noticed that when you buy a PC completely built and configured it\'s always missing or lacking in some place.  

As far as games costing less in other countries than America it has always been the case.  Apparently it\'s the free market economy in action.  I suppose people in the U.S. should just get used to it.

[Xalthar]

build your machine and you\'ll have no guarantee whatsoever.. If it toasts your processor when you plug it in, you wont be able to get your money back.. but yes, you\'ll be able to get the best prices and best performance by building it yourself, that\'s what i did myself (just my luck that there were no \"cheap\" graphic cards at that time )

A friend of mine had lost quite a big amount of money by building a machine himself, only to have it break down a week later because of a short-circuit.. too bad :rolleyes:

[kyp14]

Well thats the risk you take I guess but one I\'m willing to make to.

[kixoras1]

you act like short circuiting and frying your processor is common or something. I built my computer and it was ALOT easier than i thought it would be. Read the manual for a bout 7 seconds and you\'ll figure it out. It isnt really pluging it all in and short circuiting thats difficult its just configuring everything. When I look back on it I did many things wrong when putting my computer together, I left the mother board sitting on my couch naked to static, my graphics card was laying out as well. Very unwise, but i still ran into NO problems what so ever when putting mine together.

Now I have a comp that looks and out performs an alienware, half the cost. I dont know why though, i guess they have a $2000 dollar case I urge EVERYONE to build thier own computers. We need to get rid of Dell Gateway and alienware companies. All they do is buy the parts, put them together and sell them to you for twice the price.

 Only took me a weekend to put all my stuff toghether and I\'ve never experienced a problem with my computer. Maybe it was luck. If it was, it sure as a heck of a lot of it. But i doubt it was, it was like building a model really. And after you get everything put in the right slots, you follow simple directions on the screen. If you cant put together a computer, you might want to check your mental compacity (sp? )

[XpYtZ]

Two words
Overstock recyclers.

Thats where I buy all my computer parts. They are usually about 30% of the regular price just because of a broken box or a missing screw.
It is so beautyfull ;(
My new video card was $40 (US D)