Expert: Bobbert - 11/8/2008

Question
Hi. My motherboard has died, and thus I am looking for a new computer system, as it will cost almost as much to fix the old one.

The main activities I do are: Use internet, burn DVD's, Play limited amount of games such as Flight Simulator X, Doom 3 and NHL Hockey 2004.

What specs for a computer system would you suggest? With my current system, I was only ever able to run Flight Simulator X on low settings, or else it would be very choppy and slow to run. Ideally, I would like to be able to run this on full settings. I know this is probably not possible though, as I am on a budget of around $1000.

The main points I am considering between is whether a Dual Core will be OK, or if I should get a Dual Core Quad, and also which video card may be most suitable.

Thanks

Answer
Well, for the tasks you've described, a dual core could be considered overkill by some, however I'd say it fits the bill just right (why waste your money on a quad core, when you aren't really doing anything to utilize the extra processing power?).

Graphics card wise, it really depends on where you're looking for a new computer, if you're custom building it yourself, you can buy more or less anything, so I'd go for something like a Radeon HD 4850 or Radeon HD 4870, which will handle all three of those games VERY nicely, however if you're purchasing from an OEM builder like Dell Computer or Gateway Inc, you'll be limited to what products they offer. In which case, something like Radeon HD 4650 might be what you settle for, another option of course is to purchase the machine you'd like, ignore the graphics option, and upgrade to a more powerful card on your own.

Honestly, something in the modern midrange (such as Radeon HD 4650 or GeForce 9600GT), will cut through Doom 3 and NHL Hockey 2004 with zero trouble (basically full max with no lag), Flight Simulator X is a bit more demanding (especially considering its Microsoft's attempt to bridge between game and commerical application). The performance will still be quite good with the HD 4650/GeForce 9600, however I'm not entirely certain it will run full max (it should do better than lowest settings though).

If you have any questions, feel free to query me again.

-bob