[plug] dual-boot "gamers" machine h/w suggestions please?

[Kev]

I reckon that most (if not all) of the comments so far are pretty 
valid.  AGP is dead!  The only cards (apart from some low end utility 
cards perhaps) available in AGP now are leftover stock.  In the video 
dept you want/need PCI-E 16x, 512m RAM, nVidia, And as someone else said 
7800 series as a rock bottom entry point.  Leave ATI Radeon cards well 
alone - they're trouble Windoze as well Linux. 

The MSI mobo is not a high performance item by ANY stretch of the 
imagination.   In fact MSI don't make any mobos good enough for modern 
games.  In descending order DFI, Asus, Gigabyte brands are the way to 
go.  There's a lot of personal preference that goes on here, but it's 
hard to topple DFI from the top of the list.  I think the suggestion to 
have SLI capability is a VERY sound idea.  It provides a performance 
upgrade path for later games.

Unless you're going to pay the premium for 4ms of perhaps, at a pinch 
6ms "refresh" leave LCD monitors well alone for gaming.  Samsung do a 
couple of nice 4ms monitors, but sit down for the price.

Speed of hard drive only effects load time, not play speed.

A good case is needed too, for good cooling.  These game boxes really 
can generate some heat.  Lian Li, Thermaltake, Antec all have some good 
models.

If you peruse the Nintek site they have a "build your own" function  
where you can put together a system and it prices it for you as you go.

I think you're in for some shocks when you see what these new games 
require in the line of hardware.  :-(

Best o' luck
Kev



Arie Hol wrote:
> On 6 Dec 2006 at 17:13, Denis Brown wrote:
>
>   
>> Dear PLUG list members,
>>
>> A bit out of my depth with this one not being a game player :-(
>>
>> Looking for recommendations for commercially built and supported, 
>> preferably brand-name desktop hardware capable of good gaming graphics
>> performance.   Will dual-boot Lin / Win.
>>
>>     
>
> I was just having a look at a computer regarding the above, at :
>
> http://www.computersurplus.com.au/showproduct.php?id=SYSTEM-ELITEGAMER
>
> Could  some of the clued up gamers on this list give me some feedback on 
> the system shown - and where appropriate recommend different specs and/or 
> prices that may be more appropriate for a high performance/gaming PC.
>
> Also - would like some guidance as to whether the price/quality is 
> reasonable.
>
>
> Regards Arie

-- 
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Kev Downes
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