Really sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong section

[phamilton82 9]

I've been reading so much about Day Z from what I've been reading on this forum (which is very cool by the way you guys are awesome). The laptop I have currently isn't powerful enough to run the game so I've been waiting for my year end bonus so I could use some of it to purchase a regular PC which can run the game.

My question for anyone that can help me out is which quad core system I should purchase which will be used mainly for gaming. My budget is about $400-450 (max, I don't really make much) american dollars. Any recommendations would really help me out for all you guys that know waaaaay more about computers than I do. I received a BestBuy deal of the day offer that was offering a refurbished Hewlett Packard with these specs:

Processor Brand AMD Processor Platform AMD VISION A8 APU Processor AMD A8-Series. The part of the computer that interprets and executes instructions. Think of it as the brain of the computer. Processor Speed 3.2GHz How fast a computer processor carries out instructions. In general, faster is better, but processor speeds across brands may not be equivalent (i.e., a 3.0GHz AMD processor may not be the same speed as a 3.0GHz Intel processor). Cache Memory 4MB on die Level 2 A small segment of memory that stores frequently used information for fast access by the processor, improving response time. System Memory (RAM) 6GB The memory a computer uses to run its operating system, applications and active data files. Greater amounts of RAM improve speed and enable more applications to run at once. System Memory (RAM) Expandable To 32GB Maximum amount of memory a computer can support (as opposed to the amount that comes preinstalled). Type of Memory (RAM) DDR3 SDRAM Hard Drive Type SATA (7200 rpm) Hard drives are classified based on the interface they use to connect to a computer. Common interfaces for internal hard drives include EIDE, PATA, SATA and SCSI. Common interfaces for external hard drives include USB 2.0, FireWire and eSATA. Hard Drive Size 1TB Capacity for storing programs, photos, video, music and other electronic information. Hard drive capacities range from a few gigabytes to several hundred. Graphics AMD Radeon 7560D Type of graphics (video) adapter (usually built into the motherboard), identified by manufacturer and model. Video Memory Up to 3031MB total available as allocated by Windows 8

Manages display functions, including screen refresh rates, resolution and color. The more video memory a computer has, the better graphics and video will look.

This system was on sale for $329.99 and I'm just not really sure if that's a good system or if there is something better I can purchase.

Thanks again for any help guys I really appreciate it.

PS: I just noticed when I went to preview the post that the specs on the Bestbuy PC came out all screwed up because I copied and pasted it. Sorry.

Edited February 8, 2013 by phamilton82

[Lupatchi 143]

to get good framerate drop 1-2 grand on a desktop

[kingfury4 65]

Honestly, I don't recommend to try to game on a laptop.

[CS14 133]

to get good framerate drop 1-2 grand on a desktop

Not always the case, sure a 1-2 grand desktop could play all current games without any hiccup at high framerates and multi-monitor resolutions, but isn't absolutely necessary to get decent frame rates on most games. For example, I built my desktop around Christmas for ~ 500 USD and have been getting a steady 30 FPS+ for the most part (occasionally dips down a few frames, not much, and occasionally increases up to 60 depending on location) while playing on high settings. I could probably squeeze out more FPS if I found that 'perfect' graphic setting, even a bit more when I overclock my processor which would be fairly easy as it's unlocked, as well as my GPU as it came factory overclocked and with overclocking software.

Long story short, yes an expensive rig would be ideal to play any game with nice graphics on high resolutions without any hiccup, but a 'budget' or 'mid-range' PC would do just fine.

Honestly, I don't recommend to try to game on a laptop.

Agree with this 100%. You can get more for your money with a desktop.

Edited February 8, 2013 by CS14

[phamilton82 9]

Honestly, I don't recommend to try to game on a laptop.

It's not a laptop its an HP PC. You think it'll be good enough to run DayZ?

[phamilton82 9]

Not always the case, sure a 1-2 grand desktop could play all current games without any hiccup at high framerates and multi-monitor resolutions, but isn't absolutely necessary to get decent frame rates on most games. For example, I built my desktop around Christmas for ~ 500 USD and have been getting a steady 30 FPS+ for the most part (occasionally dips down a few frames, not much, and occasionally increases up to 60 depending on location) while playing on high settings. I could probably squeeze out more FPS if I found that 'perfect' graphic setting, even a bit more when I overclock my processor which would be fairly easy as it's unlocked, as well as my GPU as it came factory overclocked and with overclocking software.

Long story short, yes an expensive rig would be ideal to play any game with nice graphics on high resolutions without any hiccup, but a 'budget' or 'mid-range' PC would do just fine.

Agree with this 100%. You can get more for your money with a desktop.

Do you have recommendations on what I should purchase for $500?

[CS14 133]

Do you have recommendations on what I should purchase for $500?

I'd recommend using PCPartPicker to search for parts as it'll automatically compare the price of whatever you select with a number of stores and will find you the lowest price you can get. You could also checkout overclock.net and learn a lot about anything you could want to know about PCs and get help with recommendations as to what you should choose and why. I'll try to throw together a decent list for you.

Edited February 8, 2013 by CS14

[phamilton82 9]

I'd recommend using PCPartPicker to search for parts as it'll automatically compare the price of whatever you select with a number of stores and will find you the lowest price you can get. You could also checkout overclock.net and learn a lot about anything you could want to know about PCs and get help with recommendations as to what you should choose and why. I'll try to throw together a decent list for you.

Ok cool thanks a lot for your help