Korean Job Discussion Forums

detourne_me · Joined: 26 May 2006

Now the trouble is I've been out of the loop for a while, so Could you please recommend some specs, and what prices I'd be paying.
I just need the PC now, since I already have a 23" Samsung HDTV ready monitor (just my PC is from last year, and low-profile = not upgradeable)

Really, I only want to be able to play games like Dragon Age, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and Champions Online at full graphics.
I'm willing to spend a million won.
Could anybody help me out, please?

Also I'll probably be getting Windows 7 - Should i just umm "get it myself" or are the guys in Yongsan available to load it?

dazzed · Joined: 26 May 2007

You should check out www(dot)danawa(dot)com

It'll have most of the shops in yongsan. then do go make a list of what you want as in price and performance.

I'm bit out of the loop myself but this site should get you started

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Stay away from the small shops.

Go to ICODA, on the 2nd floor of the Sunlung building. They speak English, too. Big shop... new parts... warranty on the computers they build.

www.icoda.co.kr

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

The guys in Yongsan might not have English Windows 7. If I were you, I'd try to purchase it direct from Newegg or Microsoft and download the ISO online in English. I have Windows 7, and love it. I had a few bugs at first, but turns out those were due to a bad mainboard I now replaced.

Here's the full version, but you can buy an OEM version from the USA for about $120:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=windows+7+oem&x=0&y=0

OR download from MS for more $$:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=5958&tag=rbxccnbzd1

Go with 64-bit, in any case. You might want to just get a vista or XP crack for now and then. Icoda might be able to swing you an English version.. not sure though! Here's a good deal. Add another 2 gig of RAM, Windows 7 OEM bought online from NewEgg, and maybe upgrade the graphics card (if you need):

http://www.icoda.co.kr/i_selling/selling_selling_index.html?sell_num=836

Other ICODA deals:
http://www.icoda.co.kr/i_orangepc/index.html

I'm living proof that you should STAY THE HECK AWAY from the small vendors. I was going to buy ICODA again, but was there on a Sunday and had an itchy trigger finger -- went with a small shop. NEVER AGAIN! Small shops just try to sell off the problem junk parts as new. Also, as I learned the hard way, the small shops don't warranty the parts (I had 3 failed parts in this recent build) and tell you to take them to the vendor's main store for troubleshooting. Pure hell.

You really don't need something quad-core. Buy a nice dual-core and spend more on a nice graphics card.

If you really do want quad, you can't go wrong with an Intel i5 chip:
http://www.icoda.co.kr/i_product/pro_diy_orange.html?it_num=136461

If you want to play it safe, here are some HP/Samsung/LG/Etc. models, which you can get with or sans monitor:

http://www.enuri.com/view/Listmp3.jsp?cate=0401&menu=true&islist=

detourne_me · Joined: 26 May 2006

Hmm. I'm still humming and hawing about the PC.
These are my current specs:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4600+ 2.4Ghz
RAM: 4Gb
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 9300 GS

Maybe my problem is just the Graphics card. It's a 256Mb card.
Would I be able to get a 512Mb low-profile card and be able to play Dragon Age with decent settings?

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Dig around in here:

http://www.enuri.com/view/List.jsp?cate=0705

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Would this be enough card?

http://www.icoda.co.kr/i_product/pro_view.html?it_num=123781&ref=enuri

This would be much better:

http://www.icoda.co.kr/i_product/pro_view.html?it_num=119852

You really should read this article about that game and CPUs/GPUs:

http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,698666/Dragon-Age-Origins-System-Requirements-Benchmarks-and-Graphics-Tuning/Practice/

detourne_me · Joined: 26 May 2006

wow!
Thanks for all the help!
Looks like I'm just over the minimum processor requirements for Vista, definitely enough memory, and yeah I need a new video card.

That Sparkle card looks fantastic, and within my budget for sure. What makes it a better card over the 9600GT?
You said Icoda is in the Sunlung building in Yongsan? Maybe I'll stop by tomorrow if i have time.

I was wondering about Windows 7 though. I heard the 32-bit version tops out RAM at 3Gb, So would i essentially lose a gig by changing OS?

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Graphics card link:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090627092153AAGWPMo

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts/gaming-graphics-charts-q3-2008/3DMark06-v1.1.0-HDR-SM3.0-Score,793.html

Yeah, anything 32-bit will top out at 3gb, so you'll lose a gig for sure. Not sure if your old build will even do 64 bit.

Honestly, that i5 link I showed you at Icoda is a great deal if you decide to go with something new. I just bought an i5 machine a few weeks ago, and it was 100,000 more than that (if I'd gotten the base DVD-R drive instead of my blu-ray). The i5 beats up every quad chip but maybe the top-most extreme quads, and it's somewhat energy-efficient. It's about 90% of an i7 for a fair chunk less money.

By the way, I saw that that game you wanted to play is said to do much better with a quad core chip.

Really, Icoda is a class place. It's a smidge more expensive than the cheap bargain places, but in my experience, you DO NOT want to mess with the cheap places. The bad video card I had to return to the small shop yesterday just got boxed and put back on the shelf right in front of my eyes!

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Oh, and make sure whatever graphics card you get fits the slot you have for your old machine.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

red_devil · Joined: 30 Jun 2008 Location: Korea

Bit overpriced but decent specs:
http://www.icoda.co.kr/i_product/pro_view.html?it_num=144281

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Reappropriated · Joined: 08 Aug 2009

How did things go today. I am probably going to do the same thing monday (with what will probably end up being a similar computer), so it would be nice to hear about how things went. Did you go to Icoda? Was the process easy?

detourne_me · Joined: 26 May 2006

So I went to Icoda. I decided on just getting the GeForce 9800GT today.
Thanks Bassexpander! Icoda was great, simple straightforward, told hem what i wanted, paid, got a receipt, and they told me to pick it up in a half hour.

Then I went and saw 2012. Great movie, but kinda weird, it looks like it was shot on video or in HD video.
Then I picked up my graphics card.
Just got home a few hours ago. First I had to switch the PCI slot cover, no problem.
Put it in there, turned it on... black screen but windows loads up... what gives?

Forgot bout the power supply! So now I have to go back to Yongsan and pick up an adapter from the 4-pin to the 6-pin for video cards.
D'oh!
I'm guessing the parts shop just above hooters would be the best place to look right?

Now.... I'm going to backup my stuff and make the switch to windows 7.
hope it goes smoothly!