computer questions

[ysobel]

For the purposes of this post, feel free to assume money is not a concern. (It is, but I would rather figure out what I want, and scale back from there as necessary, than worry in advance about what's affordable &c.)

So. Due to the fact that my laptop is not usable (except in safe mode with b0rked graphics, which pretty much translates to not at all), I am looking at getting a new machine. Windows, because, for all its flaws, it's what I'm used to.

I am leaning strongly towards a desktop, despite my history of laptops, for several reasons, among them: a) modularity, so that e.g. a kablooeyed video card can be solved by /replacing the video card and not the entire freaking motherboard/ ahem; b) modularity, to better adjust for accessibility concerns; and c) it's not like I /can/ use laptops as laptops anyway.

Problem is, I have no idea what I need. (Or want.)

Most of what I do (writing, watching video files, chatting, lots of multitasking) would not be a strain on pretty much any currently-sold machine. Things that are an issue:

* Accessibility. I can't adapt to equipment, so it must adapt to le moi. (I know that's horrid pseudo-French, but shush.) I have a Kinesis Freestyle keyboard that I'm ... sort of still working on getting Right For Me, but anyway ... other suggestions welcome though.

* Gaming. Guild Wars and WoW. Not simultaneously, but, y'know. Need to have stuff that copes with those.

Any suggestions or info would be awesome...

Comments

[pne]

I really like my computer! Intel i5 750 CPU, 4 GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics card. (Since I'm not a heavy gamer. I can imagine it'd be enough for GW and WoW, too. Otherwise consider the 5870 - nVidia graphics cards seem to be power-hungry, hot, and hard-to-get compared to ATI ones.)

When I did some research, I saw the i5-750 + 5770 combo several times; that seems to be a "sweet spot" as regards value-for-money in the mid-range segment.

FWIW.

Oh, and I spent €900 on it, but that included the OS (Win 7 64-bit) and 5-year warranty (including free pick-up in the first three of those years), so the box itself is probably along the lines of €700, or about $950.

[jeshyr]

Unfortunately I have no earthly idea about non-Mac computers, nor am I dumb/rude enough to evangelize, so I can't help you here. All I wanted to say was for the benefit of anybody else who's not aware, the Kinesis Freestyle is a standard USB keyboard for the purposes of the computer's knowledge and so it will work with any Windows computer you could get as long as it has a USB port.

Good luck!
r