i can get a decent desktop to play SL at med to high-sh graphics settings for less than $600!

[Randi Thistle]

i'm not a builder, i don't do anthing techie inworld. i want to fly around, look at stuff and take photos sometimes, thats about it. i just want a nice visual experience. i want it to run as well as people's inworld videos on youtube.  i *don't* need the monitor or keyboard.

seems like most i've looked at lack in one important area or another. i get hemmed up with graphics card and/or  not being able to get it with windows 7. and i am thinking windows 8 is still an issue.

[Cincia Singh]

Define "decent"? Windows 8 is not an issue for SL. I've been using Windows 8 since it was in beta and SL runs fine on it. My computer is an AMD FX-6100, 8GB RAM, a GTX550Ti 1GB video card and a 600W power supply. I run SL between high and ultra all the time with a 160m draw distance and I get 20-60 fps.

[MizzKittenzz]

I have 8Gigs of Ram currently, with a whole 1 Terabyte Hard Drive, and I'm running on AMD FX 6100 Six Core Processor 3.30 GHz - AMD Radeon HD 6670 Graphics. I can play Second Life with really no hiccups, with the settings all the way up to Ultra, nothing less. Also I used to play other games like DiabloIII, WOW, and The Sims 3 on the highest settings... I agree with the above poster, Windows 8 really doesn't affect the game whatsoever as I am using Windows 8, I actually enjoy Win8. The PC I'm currently using is from IBuypower, they have really good gaming PC's, I  hope to possibly get one of their laptops they have now the "Valkyrie" it's a BEAST! Expensive but REALLY good specs!

Now I admit the price is high for these PC's and you could probably get a cheaper PC with similiar if not the same specs, but they do use the best of the best in their hardware! They seem to have the best sound system, etc. On their site you can go there and literally custom make your PC and choose the lights colors on the case, choose how many fans you want, and even a new cooling system they use which is called "liquid cooling", now they have desktops with literally 10 fans to ensure that their PC's will never ever overheat... LOL

Heres the specs of the tower I'm currently looking at which is the best of the best on their that I know of;

Intel Core i7-4930K Processor
Custom Liquid Cooling
32GB DDR3-1600 Memory
2x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 2GB
120GB SSD + 2TB HDD
24X DVDRW
Windows 8.1 + Office 365 Trial
iBUYPOWER Erebus XL Full Tower Case

I may either go with one of them as there are different versions of the build etc, or just custom build one of their Valkyrie laptops on their site.

To be honest though even if you didn't ever get one from here as typically they are at least near the $2,000 to $5,000 dollar range, in order to really get the best in graphics I usually make sure to at least spend $800 to $1,000, I won't go under $800 and yes I mean for just the "Tower". I honestly doubt you could play SL on High with a computer below $600 maybe I'm wrong I dunno, but like I said for me, I typically wanna spend no less than $800 on a desktop.

I mean why be cheap about it when you know PC's usually last a good 5 years or more, and even if the Hard Drive fails in it which is usually the case of a PC gone awry, you can usually just replace it with a new and improved Hard Drive. For me the extra $200 or more is worth it in the long run... I mean it's gonna last for a good while which makes it worth it, if you buy a PC under $600 by next year it will be somewhat outdated, so I usually try to get a good one that I know no matter what it has at least a couple or so years to go before it needs upgraded. Then again it depends on what brand and what quality....

For that price range you listed, you're probably looking at a 4-8GB's of Ram which now they have around 32GB's of Ram. And the graphics card would be probably decentish, for second life you're looking at probably running a game on Medium at best, any higher you could probably notice some hiccups. Maybe you could get a 1 Terabyte Hard Drive for that price, but now they have a 4 Terabyte and of course those SSD's lol which I currently don't recommend. So in the end those are the typical specs for that price range, pay more you get more out of it, and it's so worth it! You should see Second Life on Ultra Setting! SO WORTH IT! Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying you need like a 4TB Hard Drive, and 32GB Ram stick, etc, but alls I'm trying to say is get something that will last and still not be obsolete for a few years to come lol...

For me currently 16GB is perf, but then again I'm greedy I want the 32GB lol, and I wouldn't mind having a 2TB Hard Drive, and the best Graphics Card for the time being.

 

OH and PS. No offense, don't go with a DELL, the price is not the only thing cheap about it... LOL