First time DSer; looking at Vanquish 1-3

Budget:
[$1,000 max]

Expectations:
[I plan to run two monitors at 1920 resolution.]

Usage:
[Primarily MMORPG gaming, although I will watch some movies and do some work on it (Word documents, PDFs, many open web pages). I'd like a computer that runs WoW, Mass Effect, Diablo 3, Elder Scrolls Online, and Wildstar (which I expect/hope to play the most of these games) at constant 60 FPS or higher on "High" graphics settings.]

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Specifications:
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Hello Community,

I have an Alienware m17x R3 that I bought two years ago. It already cannot run WoW at higher than "Low" settings without serious FPS fluctuations. Ditto for Diablo 3. A costly mistake, but lesson learned. I've read glowing reviews of DS, so I'm hoping to clarify a few things before deciding which system to get.

I'm looking into the Vanquish level 1, 2, and 3. I anticipate playing mostly MMORPGS with this computer, particularly Wildstar, and I'd like to run those games at "High" settings with a constant 60 FPS or higher (I sit quite close to my monitor and therefore notice drops below 60). 1920 resolution and two monitors.

I'd appreciate any advice, anecdotes, or benchmarks that speak to these particular games or similar games.

Also, I have never had a cooling system, and I notice the L3 features one. Will this cooling system require more maintenance/upkeep/cleaning than a system without one? I am NOT computer savvy--never built my own machine and I rarely tinker with my computers' hardware.

Thank you in advance.

Edited by WhiskeyGuy - 12 Jan 2014 at 11:37am

Thanks for your thoughts, bprat. I'll look more closely at the level 3

On a related note, do I need to upgrade my monitor so that I can see everything I'd be paying for in a new desktop? My current monitor is: http://reviews.cnet.com/lcd-monitors/dell-s2330mx-23-inch/4505-3174_7-34859190.html

Edited by WhiskeyGuy - 12 Jan 2014 at 5:59pm

Dear Community,

I pulled the trigger and bought a Vanquish 3! Typing from it now!

I had a few quick questions I'm hoping someone might have thoughts on.

When I first turned on my computer, I noticed that my monitor would now show the desktop while I had my HDMI cable plugged into the computer. However, when I instead used a DVI cable and plugged it into the graphics card, the monitor worked great. My questions:
(1) is there no way to use HDMI (there is no HDMI on my graphics card)?
(2) which type of cable is "best"--DVI, HDMI, something else?
(3) I'm currently using a cable that has DVI/HDMI ends with a HDMI to DVI converter on one end. Am I limiting my graphics potential by relying on a converter?
(4) I'm thinking of getting a second monitor--do you recommend any good for gaming? I currently use this dell and am eyeing this Azus--would it be an upgrade?

http://www.amazon.com/Asus-VS247H-P-23-6-Inch-Full-HD-LED-Lit/dp/B005BZNDS0/ref=lp_1292115011_1_1/182-8029993-7265820?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1393829203&sr=1-1

http://www.dell.com/ed/business/p/dell-s2330mx/pd

Thank you!

Edited by WhiskeyGuy - 02 Mar 2014 at 11:28pm

It maybe a mini-HDMI or micro-HDMI, which would usually come with an mini-HDMI to HDMI adapter. Here is a photo of the different types of HDMI connectors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HDMI_Connector.jpg

Edited by danjw1 - 03 Mar 2014 at 7:52am

Thanks for your help. You're right: there is an HDMI slot in the video card.

Are the video ports in the motherboard useless?

Yep, the mobo's video ports nestled among the USB, audio, etc are disabled when a graphic card is installed.   It is a good question and does come up. 

Have fun.

Thanks all! You've saved me a great deal of time.

I have one final question: now that I've moved from a laptop, I'm in the market for a second monitor to use to browse the web, gchat, etc. while gaming on my main. My current monitor is this Dell and I'm wondering if I should upgrade to a better gaming monitor, such as the Asus below, or just a very basic monitor to use as my secondary monitor and keep my Dell as my main.

Dell: http://www.dell.com/...dell-s2330mx/pd

Asus: http://goo.gl/XR5pwH

Originally posted by Counsel Originally posted by WhiskeyGuy Thanks all! You've saved me a great deal of time. I have one final question: now that I've moved from a laptop, I'm in the market for a second monitor to use to browse the web, gchat, etc. while gaming on my main. My current monitor is this Dell and I'm wondering if I should upgrade to a better gaming monitor, such as the Asus below, or just a very basic monitor to use as my secondary monitor and keep my Dell as my main. Dell: http://www.dell.com/...dell-s2330mx/pd Asus: http://goo.gl/XR5pwH Unless you're very into high-speed PvP in your MMOs, I don't think you'll see a host of benefits from going with a high-refresh gaming monitor (120/144Hz); they're generally more useful for those who playing twitch-style FPS titles such as Call of Duty or Team Fortress 2. If you do upgrade, I'd recommend a modern IPS display with decent input lag and g2g ratings, such as the P2414H. (http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_p2414h.htm). This should give you all the responsiveness you need for RPG gaming, while giving a big boost to image quality - IPS does have significantly better color and viewing angles than your typical TN display.

You can still play Tf2 on a 60hz monitor though