Anyone bored enough to spec a comp for me?

[Kel]

Having saved a bit more money than expected this month I'm contemplating buying a new computer. But I must admit I get easily confused with specs and am a bit worried about paying out for something which I could have got cheaper/better elsewhere.

If anyone is bored enough to try and make one for me here are the rules:
1. UK supplier please as I don't think delivery costs and import charges would be nice (not to mention me actually understanding them :) ).
2. I still don't have much money to spend, so I'd be looking at around £400-600 inc VAT and delivery.
3. Obviously for that price I'm not expecting top-of-the-line, I'd like something that beat my current set-up (shouldn't be hard):
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3800+, MMX, 3D NOW, ~2.4GHz
Memory: 1022MB RAM
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.000.0904)
Graphics Type: 256MB ATI Radeon X1300 PRO
Total Memory: 256MB
4. I'd like it to have a reasonable chance of lasting me a few years before becoming obsolete.
5. I don't need a monitor, but will need an operating system (pref windows), I have office at home so it's not an issue if it comes with the pile of crap which is Microsoft Works.

I've come up with a couple of comps myself, but the graphics seem a bit on the low side, problem is I don't really know what to expect at that sort of price range.
The one i was looking at is http://www.meshcomputers.com/Default.aspx?GCLID=CL-90vGyvJMCFQ2rQwodATiQCA&PAGE=PRODUCTVIEWPAGE&USG=PRODUCT&ENT=PRODUCT&KEY=361215

Removing the monitor, but not adding to any of the options it ends up at £425 (can add £20 for a Nostromo N52), I have a feeling that the graphics could be better though, but wasn't sure if any of their upgrade options were worth getting.

[Noxxy]

Hello Kel,

Need a few hints to help us all out a bit (which in turn will help you) - the most important thing you need to think about is...how many accounts are you going to play on the PC?

What I mean Kel is...are you aiming to play 5 instances on the 1 box or perhaps you just wish to be a 2/3/4 boxer?? Or maybe, you plan on going full vetra and looking for a really cheapy slave box (i.e., one of many?)

The other thing you really need to think about is your intended use - full games? work box? bit of both? overclocking? ship anchor?

In saying all these things - I'll make a guess you want to 5box on 1 PC. Your budget of 600-800GBP is about 824-1236AUD - if you have a look at this site http://www.overclockers.com.au/wiki/Gaming_Machine - the $1250AUD intel is a pretty good box which will last you a fair while. You have most of the bits you need to 5 box EXCEPT you will need more ram (4g to start). It also doesn't include an OS - so add in another 136AUD (65GBP) for vista 64 home premium. All up, you should be ok to 5 box with reasonable fps. If your feeling rich, go for 8g ram.

Yes, I know it is Aust. No, I don't expect you to freight it over. I have given you the link so that you can basically get an idea of what is a 'sound' PC so you can do some snooping around at your end of the world.

Good luck and gratz on the upcoming pc purchase

PS: the link you included in your post is unique to you and your pc (i.e., a cookie was placed on your pc and yours alone) - noone else can look at it - will have to cut'n'paste if you wish to show us.

[Kel]

Ah, sorry about the link, I changed some of the options and I wasn't sure if they'd be saved if I copied that link, but i'll give it a go.

As for the use, mainly I use my PC for solo WoW in raids and also for dual and 5 boxing (which my current machine will run). I could set-up an array of pcs, but the new one would be the main (with my current one and my bfs old one being slaves), I think withe power costs I'd prefer to have one machine for it.

I'm by no means expecting anything super flash, my current one is good enough by my standards for 5-boxing, I just realised I have enough to potentially upgrade.

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

[Eteocles]

The basic 5boxing specs have been fairly standard among the scattered posts related to it that do pop up:

6600-series Intel Quad-Core Processors(AMD's just can't compete in performance, much as I <3 AMD)
8800 GT(not GTS) vidcard(get the 512mb ddr3 versions if possible; XFX brand ones usually have it)
4gb RAM is commonly accepted/necessary
Since you'd be switching from amd to intel you'd need a new mobo to go with it, differing sockets, which'll run around $100/50 pounds/euros/whatever it is that's worth twice as much as the dollar lol
If your PSU isn't at least 600, or 650w, I'd upgrade that too as 8800s + quadcores can eat a fair bit of power and with how big the 8800 is(long as mobo is, as tall as from mobo to case almost lol) you'll want decent air circulation too, a case fan at the least(My new case came with 2 + a meshed front; 1 up front pulling air into and through the HDs, and a 2nd in back blowing it out through a grate; my PSU has a huge fan on it's underside as well as the back blowing air through the case and out/away as well)
Feel like I'm forgetting something but I can't think of what...but either way if you shop around a lil you should be able to find all you need easily within your price range as I spent on all of the above + a few other items and it only ran me $900, which would be very much uneducated-guesstimated around 450 euro