# Help with new computer?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [August 9, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749 "2010-08-09T20:28:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sehmket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sehmket)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/1 "2010-08-09T20:28:10Z")
Hey, all, I want to run Starcaft II, but I don’t have nearly enough video card. I think it’s finally time for me to break down and get a new system, but I haven’t been keeping up with these things. So, I’ve got all the perifials ( keyboard, monitor), and a case that should be reusable, but I think I’ll need pretty much everything else. So,dopers, what’s my best bet these days for a mid range gaming rig? A she system? Parts? Do they still make those bare bones kits?
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### Author:  [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)
#### Post date: [August 9, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/2 "2010-08-09T20:41:04Z")
If you give us a budget, it will be easier to recommend parts. If you’re keeping your old monitor, telling us what it’s native resolution is, will also help determine the best video card for you.
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### Author:  [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/3 "2010-08-10T00:33:20Z")
[www.tomshardware.com](http://www.tomshardware.com) has recent buyer’s guides and build guides, along with DIY help.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/4 "2010-08-10T00:54:04Z")
> [@Superhal](#):
>
> [www.tomshardware.com](http://www.tomshardware.com) has recent buyer’s guides and build guides, along with DIY help.
Ditto at [The Tech Report](http://techreport.com/) and [Hardware Revolutions](http://www.hardware-revolution.com/).
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### Author:  [@Sehmket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sehmket)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/5 "2010-08-10T01:13:03Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#):
>
> If you give us a budget, it will be easier to recommend parts. If you’re keeping your old monitor, telling us what it’s native resolution is, will also help determine the best video card for you.
D’oh, I knew I was missing something!
My budget’s pretty limited, so it’s a “less is better” situation, I was hoping I could scrape by in the $3-500 range, but I realize that more may be more realistic. Anything more than $300 is going have to be put off for a month or two while I work some overtime. Anything more than about $800 is going to have to be put off for… longer.
Now that I’m thinking about it, I should probably share a little more of what I’m looking for. My immediate concern is Starcraft II, the other games I know I’m going to want to play in the near soonish are Civ V and Diablo III (Which, admittedly, might not come out for a few years, and will most likely not have much more stringent hardware requirements than Starcraft II), but it’d be nice if it could survive the next couple "latest and greatest: games on mid-to-low settings.
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### Author:  [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/6 "2010-08-10T01:17:32Z")
What kind of motherboard/ chip do you have. IF you have a lower end chip for the motherboard type then you might get good return on investment on a better chip. But if your chip is already near the higher end of the motherboard lifecycle, then that does make it a more expensive prospect.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/7 "2010-08-10T01:28:48Z")
Something else to consider. Do you think you can afford a better system a year or two down the road or will your finances likely still be about the same?
You might want to put in some overtime for a few months to build a system that is more future proof. A low end machine now that just barely makes the low end for games may be hopelessly behind in a very short time.
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### Author:  [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/8 "2010-08-10T01:40:36Z")
On the other hand, the games you want to play don’t require high end GPU’s, but a workhorse CPU is needed (specially for StarCraft II)
A system built around an AMD Athlon II dual core and an HD 5750 video card should just make a $500 system.
A core i5 might also fit the bill.
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### Author:  [@Sehmket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sehmket)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2010, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/9 "2010-08-18T14:19:19Z")
Hey guys! After taking your advice into account and seeing what was on sale over at New Egg… I’m typing this on my new rig!
I ended up with an AMD Athlon II 2.9 Quad Core, an Asus M4A79XTD EVO 790X (they were together as a package), a PNY GT240, a new power supply and 2G RAM.
I plan on purchasing some more RAM when I hit the next convenient combination of sale and recent paycheck, but other than that, it cost me $380, which isn’t bad for a jump from a 1.7G processor (just 1.7… just the one core). Time for killin’ Zergs!
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### Author:  [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/10 "2010-08-18T14:31:33Z")
Good on you. It is great when there is something positive that comes out. And share your experiences with Civ 5.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-new-computer/549749/11 "2010-08-18T14:42:26Z")
Good show, old bean. 🙂