Need a new computer, anyone who is on top of this?

[Mister Toad]

So a good number of years ago, I built a computer that I am still using today. Its kind of out of date and a harddrive crashed on me yesterday.

Essentially I am trying to piece together a new desktop. I would like to build another one since it was a lot cheaper and it lasted me forever. The downside, I haven't been keeping up on the technology and not really sure what to put together.

I am looking for a pc that is powerful enough to operate any current games, but I am not going to be doing any intense gaming on it. Any suggestions on motherboards, processor speeds and all that would be great.

Thanks!

 

[Christine]

I just bought a new desktop this weekend (CPU only). I wanted an Intel processor and the latest and greatest on that is an i7. I got an i5 because i7 was more than I wanted to spend.

Just to get an idea of what you need, go on the Dell Website and they will show the different categories and they have a "gaming" line. From there, you should be able to get a good rundown on the processor. I didn't buy a Dell, I bought an Asus. Also bought a laptop.

I also got good reviews on the www.cnet.com forums. Just look at their reviews for gaming computers or high-speed multi-use. From there, you can at least see what the computer guts contain.

 

[mill4023]

I recommend you spend some time at:
http://www.anandtech.com
http://forums.anandtech.com

It's always the first site I go to when I'm building a new PC. I haven't been in the loop for a couple years, so I'm not up to date on the latest tech and can't really give you and specific advice.
One thing I have seen mentioned a lot lately is that the DIY route doesn't save you nearly as much money now as it did a few years ago. Of course, there are other reasons to build yourself instead of buying a Dell, but just thought I'd mention it.