Critique of a future possible Sleekness? (looking at a new computer)

[Strangel]

This is the one Blue (Not Soup) picked out for me. Not sure when we could get it, but when I mention Sims 2 and wanting to add on all the EPs, SPs, and CC.. he brushes aside my concerns and says none of the New Shininess would get bogged down. I think I was mentioning the need for MOAR RAMS on my current Old Dimness.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11380858&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US

Processor & Memory:

    *

      Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q9300 (2.50GHz)
    * 6MB L2 cache
    * 1333MHz Front Side Bus
    * 4GB DDR2 SDRAM memory (2 x 2GB, shared)

Drives:

    * 1TB (7,200RPM) SATA Hard Drive
    *

      22x max DVD±RW dual layer optical drive
    * 19-in-1 Multimedia digital card reader

Graphics & Video:

    * Integrated NVIDIA® GeForce® 7050 graphics

Communications:

    * 10/100 Mbps Ethernet LAN

Audio:

    * Integrated Realtek ACL662 6-Channel High-Definition Audio Codec
    * Multimedia Stereo Speakers (2 pieces)

Keyboard & Mouse:

    * ZT Desktop Keyboard 
    * ZT Optical Mouse

Expandability (total):

    * Two 5.25" external (1 occupied)
    * Two 3.5" external (1 occupied)
    * Four 3.5" internal (1 occupied)
    * 1 x PCIe x16
    * 1 x PCIe x1
    * 2 x PCI

Ports and Slots:

 

    * 6 x USB 2.0 ports (2 front, 4 rear)
    * 1 x RJ-45 (LAN)
    * 2 x PS/2
    * 1 x Parallel port
    * 1 x Com port
    * 1 x VGA port
    * 6-Channel Audio I/O jacks

Operating System & Software:

    * Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit)
    * PCmover Essentials kit including software and USB cable
    * Norton Internet Security 2008 (90-day trial)

[theresatv]

By posting this, I assume you realize that you will be told that Vista is evil, and that you should always build your own computer, and that preferrably you should personally visit the East Asian factories to watch as the sub-components are being manufactured.

However, my new computer is very similar in specs to yours and I can tell you that you should be very happy with the processor and 4 gigs of RAM (I have a slightly slower Core 2 Quad and 6 gigs, which may be overkill for The Sims.) I have all the expansions and some custom content and it runs very well.

Can't judge the onboard video. At least it's better than Intel. You may eventually want to get an add-on video card - even a moderately priced one will be an improvement. I can run huge lots with most effects on using a Nvidia 8400 board, which is nothing special.

Vista is tolerable once you get used to it. You will probably need new peripheral drivers for the 64 bitness. You might want to temporarily shut off the UAC during the process of installing your games if you don't want to find yourself kicking your new computer very, very hard as it asks you if you really want to do what you just told it to do OVER and OVER AGAIN. I haven't had any problems running the new expansions with Vista 64 - there was some bitchiness over DirectX with the base game and old expansions, but the new expansions solved that.

[Strangel]

Yeah, I know how MATY works. -points to laurels-

I don't like Vista, I don't want Vista. I'd be thrilled to NOT HAVE Vista, but if I can't find XP, I'll stick with what I'll have on it.
Thanks for the other advice given; I'm going to beat Blue over the head with several objects if he is having us save up for a computer that doesn't like Sims.

[Argon]

ZT Systems? Never heard of them.

While it does have Nvidia graphics, integrated still sucks (expect to be stuck with low graphics settings) so you'd have to get a video card for that PCIe x16 slot. You can find a Nvidia GeForce 9500 GT with 1 GB of ram for $60. If you have a computer store near your house (Microcenter is a good one) go there instead, a lot of times they have refurbished computers that go for a lot cheaper and they have a new manufacturer's warranty. You're gonna need at least a 400 Watt power supply if you get a video card. Whatever you do, don't get a $20 power supply, the salesmen try to pawn them off on you and they're absolute crap. My heart nearly stopped when the one I bought blew up, luckily everything was ok after i took it out but after that I only got the higher end ones (lifetime warranty yay!).

[kiki]

Yeah, I know how MATY works. -points to laurels-

What do laurels mean? Do you get those in a cereal box?

[Mirelly]

Unless you have an external drive (that you use regularly) to back up your files, a single 1TB drive is asking for trouble. These massive drives look shiny but at $599 all-in for a system it ain't gonna be no top o' the range model. Failure would be catastrophic if you had no recent back up to restore from. I prefer to operate with a pair of hard drives, so that total failure of one cannot cause total data loss. If the drive with the OS and data fails then the drive with the program files and the back-ups can restore everything when the failed drive is replaced. Failure of the other merely calls for a replacement and a bit of reinstallation.

As for the integrated graphics ... depends on how much of the RAM it can use. Remember that (theoretically) Vista 64 bit can access more than 4GB of RAM ... can more memory be added to that motherboard?  Argon is correct about the cheapness of graphics cards, most of which have DDR3 memory: faster = better (probably?)

[jolrei]

What do laurels mean? Do you get those in a cereal box?

Laurels are the same as bayleaves.  They add flavour to things, like soup.

[Bugger]

Laurels are the same as bayleaves.  They add flavour to things, like soup.

And I don't think they don't want and dirty soupers actually enjoying their soup, so removal of laurels beforehand may sometimes be necessary.   /further derail

[nekonoai]

Yeah, I know how MATY works. -points to laurels-

What do laurels mean? Do you get those in a cereal box?

See that blue circle of leaves under my name that says senator? Those are laurels. The more you know!

[Strangel]

Yeah, I know how MATY works. -points to laurels-

What do laurels mean? Do you get those in a cereal box?

Laurels are one half of comedy duos, of which kikis are neither member.

I'll be taking the info to Blue. If we end up getting that computer, I'll be sure to set up a backup on a different HD (we'll have three computers at that point, two HDs on one) and look around for a better graphics card. We knew this would basically be our next base to build up on.

[Argon]

As for the integrated graphics ... depends on how much of the RAM it can use. Argon is correct about the cheapness of graphics cards, most of which have DDR3 memory: faster = better (probably?)

Integrated graphics suck because they share ram with the system memory, it doesn't matter how much ram you can set the graphics chip to use. By running graphics and cpu memory (it's actually called primary memory; hard drives and other media are called secondary memory) on the same bus (wire pathways on your motherboard between devices) you're actually slowing down both. As for DDR3, that's part of it, but it has more to do with the location relative to the graphics chip (closer = better; the path for integrated is longer and there's other traffic).

Remember that (theoretically) Vista 64 bit can access more than 4GB of RAM ... can more memory be added to that motherboard?

64-bit can access 16.8 million terabytes of ram (2^64 reserved addresses. 32-bit is 2^32 which is why they can't access anything past 4 GB, because there are no more reserved addresses left), it's not possible to reach that number now just because ram modules that size don't exist. 64-bit computers with 16 GB of ram exist and can be bought/built currently (Dell?). If you're wondering why your 32-bit system sees slightly under 4 GB it's because some of those reserved addresses are used to identify devices on the computer (keyboard, bios, sound card, etc.)


If you ever want to reuse an old hard drive you can find enclosures for around $25-$50 that basically turn them into usb drives. Here are some examples:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817155015 (for SATA drives)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817716029 (for older IDE drives)

EDIT: The SATA one mentions eSATA, for anyone curious it's just a special SATA cable with a plate that connects to the motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812104063
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812189150
Its as fast as if the drive were internal, usb2 is slower.

Or you can find a 1 TB hard drive on NewEgg for like $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148373 (internal)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822204069 (external)

[Mirelly]

If you're wondering why your 32-bit system sees slightly under 4 GB it's because some of those reserved addresses are used to identify devices on the computer (keyboard, bios, sound card, etc.)

Heh, I remember taking up my Google cudgel and thrashing that truth out of teh interwebs after I doubled up my 2GB and wondered where some of the extra had gone.

[Lana B]

If you're wondering why your 32-bit system sees slightly under 4 GB it's because some of those reserved addresses are used to identify devices on the computer (keyboard, bios, sound card, etc.)

Heh, I remember taking up my Google cudgel and thrashing that truth out of teh interwebs after I doubled up my 2GB and wondered where some of the extra had gone.

Can anyone explain why my x64 does this?

[seelindarun]

If you're wondering why your 32-bit system sees slightly under 4 GB it's because some of those reserved addresses are used to identify devices on the computer (keyboard, bios, sound card, etc.)

Heh, I remember taking up my Google cudgel and thrashing that truth out of teh interwebs after I doubled up my 2GB and wondered where some of the extra had gone.

Can anyone explain why my x64 does this?

32-bit is 2^32 which is why they can't access anything past 4 GB, because there are no more reserved addresses left

2^32 = 4,294,967,296 = ~4GB

Calculator, anyone?