I have a 2 (or is it 3) year old laptop that still runs the sims 2 but I want to get a new computer before the sims 3. This would be a desktop. Sorry about the little edit buttons and thanks in advance!

Operating system Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (32-bit) edit
Processor AMD Athlon(TM) 64 X2 5000+ dual-core - 2.6GHz edit
Memory 3GB DDR2-800MHz dual channel SDRAM (2x1024,2x512) edit
Graphics Card 256MB ATI Radeon HD 3450, DVI, VGA edit
Networking No Modem edit
Hard Drive FREE UPGRADE to 500GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive from 320GB edit
Primary CD/DVD Drive LightScribe 16X max. DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti drive edit
Front Productivity Ports 15-in-1 memory card reader, 1394, 3 USB, audio edit
TV & Entertainment Experience No TV Tuner w/remote control edit
Sound Card Integrated 7.1 channel sound w/front audio ports edit
Security Software No additional security software (60-day Norton Internet Security trial) edit
Productivity Software Microsoft(R) Works 9.0 edit
Keyboard and Mouse HP keyboard and HP optical mouse edit

the gpu is crap..:$ What's your budget and where are you located? Consider building on your own or have to be totally prebuilt..?

Id consider an intel rather than amd for cpu. As their the current running lead in faster processors. Would recommend an E6400 or E6850. If you prefer nvidia than ati, recommend the geforce xfx 9600 512mb GDD3, 700mhz is latest released from 9 series. Corsair is good brand for memory, and for cd/dvd drive would prefer pioneer brand. Id rule out the anti-piracy software if its gonna cost extra, just use your current software from older pc.

If you want to buy a new pc for sims3, id really wait till the game comes out. That why you can find out what exactly the game will demand for resources and then you can tailor customize the right pc for the best performance. Also market prices for those parts will split half in cost by the time the game is released.

^ wrong 256mb is fine.. it's more about the speed.. better to have a gddr3 256mb than a ggddr2 512mb. it just happens to be that particular gpu is bottom of the barrel entry level crap.. as for the cpu, at least the AMD Is 2.6ghz. It is not a bad processor. the e6400 is only like 2.1 so I would take that AMD any day.. and I don't think there is an E6875?? E6850 you meant? It’s a good cpu but too expensive. Better to go for the newer and superior E8400 if intel..or cheaper 6750.. I'd rather have intel too but AMD isn't bad and will give you more bang for your $ on a budge. but anyway that's an HP prebuilt model so neither are an option in that price range for a prebuilt hp.. as for the dvdrw you don't get to choose what HP puts in there..

well, I am going to have to save up forever to get even that, so the best would be under $1,000. I understand less than half of what you guys are saying so if any of you would like to pick a pc (laptop or desktop) from any company in the us and build something that would work.

I cannot build myself a PC as I am only 13

Under $1000 prebuilt.. can totally do

But don't sell yourself short I was already building in elementary school. But I totally understand if you don't feel comfortable.. I can still find you something, it will just cost more is all.

http://www.avadirect.com/product_de....asp?PRID=10479

Tower Cases: Antec Sonota III (just one suggestion.. look through and choose another if you want.. had to pick something to show you the price.)
Power Supplies: Select none if you choose the tower above, as it comes with an ok one. If you choose another case you may need to select one. It will save you money to go with the case that already has the psu, though.
Socket AM2 Plus Phenom Motherboards:Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-SH2
Socket AM2 Desktop Processors: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+
CPU Coolers: Arctic Cooling Freezer 64
Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5
DDR2-667 Non-ECC DIMM Memory: Crucial, 2gb (2x1gb) pc2-5300
PCI Express x16 Video Cards: EVGA 9600GT 675mhz (this is where you could save some money... if you feel comfortable putting your own card in you could select none here and buy one for about $50 cheaper on newegg.com.. up to you)
SATA Hard Drives: Seagate 250GB Barracuda 7200.10 SATA-II..16mb cache
Leave the next several options the way they are. No change needed
DVD and CD-RW Combo Drives: No drive (subtract -$32.48)
DVD RW Drives: Plextor PX-810SA
Floppy Drives and Card Readers: No floppy (-$6.80 subtract)
Leave Network Cards, Modems, Sound Cards, Speakers, LCD Monitors on default.. don't change options
Mouse/Keyboard: Choose one if you want.. or use one you already have to save $$. I did not select one.
Surge Protectors and Power Strips: none
Operating Systems: Windows XP Home
Productivity Software: No productivity software
Antivirus Software: You could choose to have them put on antivirus software, or install whatever you already own. If you choose one, I would get ESET NOD32
Warranties: Silver.. 3 year parts/labor. (No change needed.)
$967.68

Again you could build that sysem for about $550.. but for a prebuilt by a company this is a good deal.

thanks for the help, and how hard is it to build one? I definitely do not want to end up wasting a ton of money for messed up supplies.

I don't think it's hard.. and anything you buy retail should come with instructions.. there are lots of pc help forums that like to help first time builders, and there are guides all over for things to look out for and such. I mean you can mess it up.. but not actually known anyone to, PERSONALLY. Do you have a parent that could help you?

If you do decide to build, you should check this out:

http://forums.sims2community.com/sh...256&postcount=8

If you don't have a DVDRW/CDRW whatever that you want, Pioneer makes a good burner:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16827129018

Also, if you don't already have a copy of a windows operating system you may need to pick one of those up too:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...N82E16832116056

well, my dad is good at working on guitars and amps, so that might help.

my mom, would help break it LOL.

What sucks about this age is that there are not very many good ways to make money. Once I buy freetime (tomorrow EEK!) I will be left with $10.

You might try babysitting.. I used to do that a lot. Odd jobs.. ask around your neighborhood if someone needs help with something. When it gets warmer everyone needs their grass mowed. I think you have to be 14 to get a real job don't you? I can't remember.. makes it hard.

it is 15 or 16. way too long for me. Babysitting will work too, but not many people I know that would want my services don't have lawns (appartment) and the ones that do have lawns wouldn't need a mower.

I have to formulate more schemes :D

Dog waling and car washing...i used to do that...before i got ill..lol

anyone have any other combos. cheap as possible (well duh), include the monitor, mouse, and keyboard. the operating system should be xp, and it should be able to run the sims 2 and 3. I would like the best graphics possible.

it's really going to be a crap shoot whether or not sims 3 will run on a machine you'll be getting before we even have a clue what the specs will be for sims 3.

~Katy

well, I won't be getting the computer until pretty close to the release. I just like having a ballpark estimate of what I have to earn and I earn faster when I have a goal

Nobody can tell you what you will need to make a machine capable of running TS3.. if you have about $500 and build on your own or about .. maybe $750 or something for someone to build for you then that's a pretty well certainty..I figure since even the most demanding games can be played on systems like that at least on lower settings..beyond that.. who knows.

okay sorry to bump this back up, but I just built another one with comparable specs, that is cheaper (I'm only 13, so buying a computer is a lot for me).

Operating system Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit) edit
Processor AMD Athlon(TM) 64 X2 5600+ dual-core - 2.8GHz edit
Memory FREE UPGRADE to 3GB DDR2-800MHz dual channel SDRAM from 2GB edit
Graphics Card 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT, TV-out, DVI-I, HDMI edit
Networking No Modem edit
Hard Drive 500GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive edit
Primary CD/DVD Drive LightScribe 16X max. DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti drive edit
Front Productivity Ports 15-in-1 memory card reader, 2 USB, 1394, video, audio edit
TV & Entertainment Experience ATSC-NTSC TV tuner with PVR, FM tuner, remote edit
Sound Card Integrated 7.1 channel sound w/front audio ports edit
Security Software Norton Internet Security(TM) 2008 - 15 Months edit
Productivity Software Microsoft(R) Works 9.0 edit
Speakers HP stereo speakers (2.0) edit
Keyboard and Mouse HP keyboard and HP optical mouse edit

sorry about the little edit buttons but I copied it.
I know the graphics aren't as good but this is probably the most graphic intense game I play and I've seen other peoples graphics with this card. I also heard that 3GB in vista is comparable to 2GB in XP. If that isn't true I could POSSIBLY get 4GB.

Thanks in advance for your help.

How much is that HP?

And no even with more ram you will get better performance in XP over Vista.

$859.99
without a monitor

The difference is only $100 from the HP to the AVADirect computer and the AVADirect is superior in so many ways .. if you need to knock $100 off of it let me see what I can do.


Actually all I had to do was drop the 9600gt card to a 8600GT EVGA card and the price is now $845.60, which is cheaper than the HP. For $865.76 you can increase the 250gb drive I originally configured with for the 500gb WD5000AAKS Western Digital drive.

okay thanks a bunch.

I didn't really want vista anyways

eVGA, e-GeForce 8600GT 575MHz, 1GB DDR2 800MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, VGA+DVI, HDTV Out, Retail

or the GTS one?

I disagree, my Vista works Sims 2 very well.

well it could work very well, but how do you know if it is better?
XD

mayakii: I never said TS2 WONT work on Vista, I said you will get better performance with XP There is a difference, and it is an indisputable fact.

I chose just the 8600gt to get that price. You might as well go up to the 9600gt if you were thinking about the 8600gts because it's only about a $16 difference, but there is a large difference between those cards and just the 8600GT. If you choose the 9600gt we're back where we started at about $950..

without a CD-RW drive will I be able to use CDs?