I currently have a P4 that is getting pretty long in the tooth. I am not looking for a cutting edge machine but something that is at least a bit expandable over the next few years and will be capable of running current PC games with a decent detail and performance level. My monitor is 1440x900 so I won't need to run at extreme resolutions but at the same time it would be nice to be able to turn the detail level up for once and see some of those graphic niceties I usually do without, like high levels of AA, reflections, shadows, etc.
I don't have the skill to build one myself so I'm looking at some of the usual suspects, like Dell, Maingear, etc. I'd like a decent video card (I have an 8800GS right now) but I'd like to avoid those big, double-slot noisy ones. The numbering schemes are so arcane and updated so often I'm not sure where they fall on the performance scale.
I don't require a quad core since I don't do much that could take advantage of it.
There seem to be so many similar machines it can be difficult to tell which is current, old or a mix of old and new components.
I'm looking to spend $1200 - $1500 on the system and am curious if anyone has suggestions for vendors (It has been at least a year since I last explored a replacement) or specific model lines or components that would be good to look for right now to avoid being obsolete as soon as the sale is made.
Thanks
I don't have the skill to build one myself so I'm looking at some of the usual suspects, like Dell, Maingear, etc. I'd like a decent video card (I have an 8800GS right now) but I'd like to avoid those big, double-slot noisy ones. The numbering schemes are so arcane and updated so often I'm not sure where they fall on the performance scale.
I don't require a quad core since I don't do much that could take advantage of it.
There seem to be so many similar machines it can be difficult to tell which is current, old or a mix of old and new components.
I'm looking to spend $1200 - $1500 on the system and am curious if anyone has suggestions for vendors (It has been at least a year since I last explored a replacement) or specific model lines or components that would be good to look for right now to avoid being obsolete as soon as the sale is made.
Thanks