Asus essentio

[mapitts]

After struggling with problem after problem with an old computer I am getting a new one. Will this run RW2012? Here are the specs.

Overview
Specifications
Customer Reviews
Accessories

Warranty Terms - Parts 1 year
Warranty Terms - Labor 1 year limited
Product Height 15.7"
Product Width 6.7"
Product Weight 18.1 lbs.
Product Depth 16"
Gaming Series Yes
Processor Brand Intel®
Processor Intel® 2nd Generation Core™ i7
Processor Speed 3.4GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz)
Cache Memory 8MB on die Level 3
System Memory (RAM) 8GB
System Memory (RAM) Expandable To 16GB
Type of Memory (RAM) DDR3
Hard Drive Type SATA (5400 rpm)
Hard Drive Size 750GB
Graphics NVIDIA GT 520
Video Memory 2GB
Audio High-definition with 8-channel (7.1) support
Speakers None
Network Card Built-in 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)
Wireless Networking None
Recordable DVD Drive Yes, double-layer DVD±RW/CD-RW
Recordable DVD Drive Speeds 8x DVD+R DL; 8x DVD-R DL; 16x8x16 DVD+RW; 16x6x16 DVD-RW; 5x DVD-RAM; 48x32x48 CD-RW
Direct-Disc Labeling No
Digital Media Reader or Slots Yes, digital media card reader
Available Expansion Bays External: 1 (5.25"); Internal: 1 (3.5")
Available Expansion Slots 2 PCI
USB 2.0 Ports 10 (4 front, 6 rear)
Keyboard Description USB gaming
Other Control Devices (mouse, etc.) USB mouse
Operating System Platform Windows
Operating System Windows 7 Home Premium
System Version 64-bit
Software Included Adobe Reader
ENERGY STAR Qualified No
Best Buy PC App Yes
HDMI Output Yes
Blu-ray Player No
Graphics Chip NVIDIA
Drive Capacity 750GB
UPC 886227055562

[Hawk]

Best Buy wouldn't be my first choice for anything computer. They tend to sell the cheaper stuff on the market, and I'm not necessarily talking price either.
Even though they rate it as a gaming computer, their stuff is more for the average home user that just wants to surf the Internet, use email, and office apps.

That said, that 5400 RPM drive isn't a good idea. I would recommend at least a 7200 RPM drive, or if you have the money a 10,000 RPM or an SSD.

Here's some reviews of it at the Best By site.

http://reviews.bestbuy.com/3545/4602964 ... eviews.htm

Here's another review. Scroll down to post #6. This is the same computer you're looking at.

http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index ... 641.0.html

[arizonachris]

Nice CPU, nice amount of RAM, Win 7 64 bit is a definate must these days. The graphics card is on the low end, and as Hawk said, you're better off with a faster RPM hard drive. The 1Tb 7200rpm Seagate drives are the fastest on the market these days, and not expensive. Overall, looks like a nice system!

[PapaXpress]

Warranty Terms - Parts 1 year
Warranty Terms - Labor 1 year limited
Product Height 15.7"
Product Width 6.7"
Product Weight 18.1 lbs.
Product Depth 16"

If you are going to run RW then you need something better. A 2.3 year warranty is a must! And the width? 6.7" inches? Don't you know most cabs are 10ft?



OK, so what I would like to know is what series the i7. Is it the older Sandy Bridge or the new Ivy? And then is the motherboard a Z6x or Z77 chipset? The difference between them is longevity. The sun is setting on the Sandy Bridge series, and Ivy Bridge is its successor. I suspect that Bestbuy may be clearing out its old SandyBridge Z66/67 stock.

[mapitts]

Can't afford much more. Also do not have a lot of computer know how. My old computer is a second hand computer and would run RW 2010. It would barely run RW 2012, and the system kept crashing along with other computer problems. Will this new computer run it at all and will I be able to use TSX? Sorry, I am running out of options. Could I buy the 1Tb 7200rpm Seagate drive and put it in this new computer myself?

[arizonachris]

That PC should run RW ok, maybe not with TSX on, or the frame rate will be really low. With that speed hard drive, you will see stutter when the game loads the next tiles. That's why a faster drive is better. And Sandy Bridge is fine for a few years. Ivy Bridge is not mature enough yet. (and too expensive!)

It's easy to add another hard drive, but, if Win 7 is already on that 750Gb drive, you have a problem. See if they can just upgrade the hard drive for you, that would be easiest. But, if that's what your budget allows, go with it.

I tell folks all the time, don't upgrade just for RW, upgrade because it's time!

[mapitts]

I am having mixed emotions here so let me get this straight. It will run RW 2012 OK with the TSX turned off. Am I still going to be struggling with low frame rates at medium settings?

[arizonachris]

Yes, it should run RW fine with TSX turned off. Frame rates should be fairly good. With TSX on, even my high end PC will struggle on certain routes, like WCML. Only issue is with TSX off, you don't get all the rain and lighting effects, maybe some shadows missing too. (you did notice I said "should", with this game, nothing is a for sure thing) I would think you can run RW at high settings, graphics detail at 10. If RW still runs the same after this new build, you will still have a nice, new PC! The only drawback is that slow RPM hard drive. You will still get stuttering. See if you can upgrade that.

[Hawk]

According to the two links I posted previously, that video card isn't all that great either.

[mapitts]

How about either of these? I really thank you for your time and knowledge. Sorry so long, but I really do not know what else to do. And so you will also know if it helps your research, they are from Best Buy, sorry Hawk.

Overview
Specifications
Customer Reviews
Accessories

Warranty Terms - Parts
1 year limited
Warranty Terms - Labor
1 year limited
Product Height
18.5"
Product Width
8.1"
Product Weight
32 lbs.
Product Depth
19.5"
Gaming Series
Yes
Processor Brand
Intel®
Processor
Intel® 3rd Generation Core™ i7
Processor Speed
3.5GHz (3.9GHz with Turbo Boost)
Cache Memory
8MB on die Level 3
System Memory (RAM)
16GB
System Memory (RAM) Expandable To
32GB
Type of Memory (RAM)
DDR3 SDRAM
Hard Drive Type
SATA III (7200 rpm)
Hard Drive Size
1TB
Graphics
NVIDIA GTX 560
Video Memory
2GB (dedicated)
Audio
7.1-channel HD
Speakers
None
Network Card
Built-in 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN
Wireless Networking
None
Recordable DVD Drive
Yes, DVD±RW/CD-RW
Direct-Disc Labeling
No
Digital Media Reader or Slots
Yes, digital media card reader
Available Expansion Slots
1 PCI Express x16, 1 PCI Express x1, 1 PCI
USB 2.0 Ports
2 USB 3.0 (rear); 4 USB 2.0 (2 front, 2 rear)
IEEE 1394 Ports
1 (rear)
Keyboard Description
USB multimedia
Other Control Devices (mouse, etc.)
USB mouse
Operating System Platform
Windows
Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium
System Version
64-bit
ENERGY STAR Qualified

No
HDMI Output
Yes
Blu-ray Player
No
Graphics Chip
NVIDIA
Drive Capacity
1TB
Discrete Graphics
Yes
UPC
848604001081

Or this?

Warranty Terms - Parts
1 year limited
Warranty Terms - Labor
1 year limited
Product Height
18.5"
Product Width
8.1"
Product Weight
32 lbs.
Product Depth
19.5"
Gaming Series
Yes
Processor Brand
Intel®
Processor
Intel® 2nd Generation Core™ i7
Processor Speed
3.4GHz (3.8GHz with Turbo Boost)
Cache Memory
8MB on die Level 3
System Memory (RAM)
8GB
System Memory (RAM) Expandable To
16GB
Type of Memory (RAM)
DDR3 SDRAM
Hard Drive Type
SATA II (7200 rpm)
Hard Drive Size
1TB
Graphics
NVIDIA GTX 550 Ti
Video Memory
1GB (dedicated)
Audio
5.1-channel high-definition support
Speakers
None
Network Card
Built-in 10/100 Ethernet LAN
Wireless Networking
None
Recordable DVD Drive
Yes, DVD±RW/CD-RW
Direct-Disc Labeling
No
Digital Media Reader or Slots
Yes, digital media card reader
Available Expansion Slots
1 PCI Express 2.0 x1
USB 2.0 Ports
8 (2 front, 6 rear)
Keyboard Description
USB
Other Control Devices (mouse, etc.)
USB mouse
Operating System Platform
Windows
Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium
System Version
64-bit
ENERGY STAR Qualified
No

HDMI Output
Yes
Blu-ray Player
No
Graphics Chip
NVIDIA
Drive Capacity
1TB
Desktop Types
Desktop Computer
Discrete Graphics
Yes
UPC
848604000374

Getting a 4 year warranty as well.

[Hawk]

they are from Best Buy, sorry Hawk.

No need to say you're sorry to me. You're the one buying it. If that's what you want, good luck to ya'.

[mapitts]

To be honest, I am totally lost when it come to computers. I am a pipe fitter / welder by trade and cannot do many of the simple tasks that all of you make sound so easy. I was looking to buy a custom built computer but, the price was way too steep for me. Add in not much of know how and here I am. I was hoping that it was possible to buy a package if you will, but that seems to to not be the case.

[Hawk]

I'm not saying don't buy a Best Buy rig. Just don't expect top of the line hardware.

[arizonachris]

Either one of those last two you posted the specs of would run really, really nice. The video cards are a big cut above that 520 you listed at first. The 550Ti is a nice card, the 560Ti is what I have. Both will run RW really well. 16Gb is a heck of a lot of RAM, RW and other programs will never use that much, so 8Gb should be fine. Both the i7 CPU's are fine, too. And a 1Tb drive, you are set!

[buzz456]

If you are going to run RW then you need something better. A 2.3 year warranty is a must! And the width? 6.7" inches? Don't you know most cabs are 10ft?



OK, so what I would like to know is what series the i7. Is it the older Sandy Bridge or the new Ivy? And then is the motherboard a Z6x or Z77 chipset? The difference between them is longevity. The sun is setting on the Sandy Bridge series, and Ivy Bridge is its successor. I suspect that Bestbuy may be clearing out its old SandyBridge Z66/67 stock.

How do you find out which is which? I don't see that listed anywhere in the specs.