Second Life capable PC?

trap4

I've been using a netbook (Dell Mini 9) for the last number of months as a desktop (and laptop) replacement, i.e. my full time PC so obviously my horsepower and graphics requirements have been very modest. That's because I work in Firefox all day long and rarely need to start another application.

However that has changed with a new project I'm involved in where we need to do quite a bit of work in Second Life. It galls me to have to get a new PC for the sake of one application but it's time to bite the bullet, so my question is simply this - what is the cheapest PC I can get that will comfortably run Second Life and also offers a little future proofing. Is it all down to the graphics card? Or do I need to go for higher spec CPU and more RAM too? If any one could give me the outline of a spec that would meet my requirements I'd very much appreciated it.

cherryghost

the second life graphics engine is rubbishly optimized, theres not much difference going from a low end to a high end graphics card, the difference is barely noticable. A decent budget pc would be more than enough in any case:

Cheap Case: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=326919
PSU: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=343135
Motherboard: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=386362
Processor: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=376380
DVD Drive: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=343919
Memory: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=313834
Hard Drive: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=355538
Graphics Card: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=396589

Boom. 440 euro altogether. Good case, PSU can last a couple of upgrades, Motherboard can too, processor cheap as chips, overclocks like a whore, memory 2GB is perfect, Hard drive grand, graphics card good value (reduced :P).

A perfect budget build, with nice options to upgrade

trap4

>Cheap Case: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=326919
>PSU: http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=343135

etc...

Crikey, you expect me to build it myself?!?

Actually I'd enjoy the challenge but I don't have the first clue about how to do it. Any pointers? Anyone giving classes? :cool:

And thanks for the advice.

Cuddlesworth

A basic Vostro pc from Dell would do it, one of the ones with the integrated x4500 gdx chips. Including Vat it comes to around 420.

trap4

Huh?! Seriously? I know nothing about graphics in PCs but I was sure I'd have to get a fairly capable graphics card to run Second Life well?

cherryghost

yeah it should be grand. as i said, theres feck all difference from low to high

also, ill keep my mouth shut before i yap on next time :P

Cuddlesworth

trap4 wrote: »

Huh?! Seriously? I know nothing about graphics in PCs but I was sure I'd have to get a fairly capable graphics card to run Second Life well?

Have you tried to run it on a Mini9? Second life really isn't demanding in terms of games, its about 8 years behind everything else. TBH, its not really a game.