Desktop Hardware for Second Life
Many folks will be upgrading their hardware to get a crack at these emerging virtual worlds. Here are some options for further rumination. Laptop suggestions will be posted soon.
Desktop
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- Select 2gb RAM, and either of the nVidia 7900 cards. Don’t worry too much about the processor differences (not worth price difference in my estimation), unless you are someone who keeps their desktop for four years or more, and have extra cash lying around.
- Note, if you can find an XPS400 on Dell Outlet with a Duo or Duo 2 processor, at least 1gb of RAM, and an nVidia 7300LE video card, that would likely be a good buy. Upgrades to the video card could be accomplished fairly easily in a year or two with the large form-factor XPS 400 models.
- Note that at Dell Outlet on 2006.11.17 the 20″ wide monitors are $289 and 24″ monitors are $609.
- UPDATE Nov 18, 2006: The Dell E207WFP 20″ wide monitor is now listed at only $246. Unbelievable!
Apple iMac 24″, $2,299 as available on 2006.11.17
- Upgrading the ram to 2gb and the video card to 256mb is all that is needed to get this powerful 2.16ghz intel processor 250gb hdd monster. Very nice indeed. Only hardcore video editors will need greater processing power (e.g., a second chip and the need for the more expensive Mac Pro, which adds more than $1,000 because of the separate monitor and increased base price).
- Good deals for students and faculty through the local campus bookstores where MACs are sold. For UH Manoa students, check out the campus bookstore. Note, minimum of 1gb RAM, nVidia GeForce 7300 GT 128mb on the video, and 24″ monitor, otherwise this simply won’t provide the value over the next 2-3 years as 3d interfaces take over the 2d web and virtual environments become mainstream.
Monitor discussion
- Why the 24″ screens? Well, they are brighter, have greater resolution, the same refresh rate, and provide 30% greater viewing area. If you are looking at machines which you will have for at least the next three years, it makes sense to invest now, as the dividends will pay out over the life of the investment. Imagine if you could purchase a pair of glasses that would give you 30% greater viewing, would you? Now, if you only have one eye, would 30% greater vision be worth the price? I see mouse, keyboard, and monitor as being vitally important to the overall system. A super duper processor and crappy monitor, hmmmm. After all, we supposed to be optimizing the carbon, not the silicon. If the objective is to upgrade the monitor when it comes down in price, then fine. But set a date or time after which the value received would be greater than waiting longer for a $100 or so drop in the price. For myself, when I can get a 24″ monitor for $500 with shipping and tax, that is when I do it, and sell my current 20″. I figure I can then do the upgrade for about $200-250, sometime around or after the holidays…
- For the iMac, because of the embedded monitor, it is vital to spend the additional $500 to go from a 20″ to 24″ monitor from the beginning. (Apple understands that, hence the premium price, while the difference between the Dell 20″ and 24″ wide monitors is around $350.) Also, the 24″ iMac provides an upgrade from an ATI Radeon X1600 to an nVidia GeForce 7600 GT. As mentioned, upgrade to 256MB on the video card if there is an opportunity.
As we can see there is a premium on Apple computers over the Dells. However, it all comes down to personal preference and pocketbook size these days, as interoperability is increasing, especially when it comes to Second Life and related applications.
Miscellaneous
- Logitech Internet Chat Microphone/Headset
- Mac Mighty Mouse or Microsoft Optical Mouse (I recommend against wireless mice as they are heavier, have added battery maintenance issues, and are much more complex and cause problems in this age of overloaded short-distance radio devices (when your microwave, your portable phone, and your mouse all try and talk on the same chat channel…)
Related posts:
- Laptop Hardware for Second Life
- Minimum Computing Environment – Windows Edition
- Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Debuts to Asus EeePC 901 price drop – $500
- Real World and Second Life interpenetrate
- Asus EeePC 1000H One Month Review
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