Looking for a new computers. What baseline specs?

[KenM]

Also contrary to what people are saying, a CD-RW and DVD drive are nice, but not required at all. They come standard on most pre-built systems today, and aren't particularly expensive, so there's no reason not to have them, unless money is a real issue. DVD drives especially you could leave off, unless you're using your PC to watch DVDs, in which case you could just spring fifty dollars for a cheap DVD-player at Walmart.

IMO you need a DVD drive, alot of the newer games are coming on DVD format. Unreal Tounement 2004 comes in 2 versions, the 6 cd normal version, and a single DVD version. Its accually 2 DVD's, but the full game is on one of them. DVD's can hold alot more info on then then stardard CD Roms. If you don't have a DVD drive, can't load softare if its on DVD format.
I also think a CD RW would be good to make back up copies of your software.

 

[LightPhoenix]

IMO you need a DVD drive, alot of the newer games are coming on DVD format. Unreal Tounement 2004 comes in 2 versions, the 6 cd normal version, and a single DVD version. Its accually 2 DVD's, but the full game is on one of them. DVD's can hold alot more info on then then stardard CD Roms. If you don't have a DVD drive, can't load softare if its on DVD format.
I also think a CD RW would be good to make back up copies of your software.

And hence, not required. They're nice features, like I said, but hardly necessary. Maybe in five years DVD drives will be required, but there isn't a single game to my knowledge out there right now that doesn't come in a CD format, and I don't know any that are upcoming only coming out on DVD either.

Also, not sure why you need the CD-RW to make copies of software you already own. Important documents, yes. Saved games, if you really care about them, sure. Again, it falls into that nice but not necessary category.

 

[KenM]

Also, not sure why you need the CD-RW to make copies of software you already own. Important documents, yes. Saved games, if you really care about them, sure. Again, it falls into that nice but not necessary category.

Well, some people I know are really sloppy, and loose or break the real game CD's that you need to boot the game up. if you burn a copy and put it in a safe place, good to go.

 

[Chris Tavares]

And hence, not required. They're nice features, like I said, but hardly necessary. Maybe in five years DVD drives will be required, but there isn't a single game to my knowledge out there right now that doesn't come in a CD format, and I don't know any that are upcoming only coming out on DVD either.

Also, not sure why you need the CD-RW to make copies of software you already own. Important documents, yes. Saved games, if you really care about them, sure. Again, it falls into that nice but not necessary category.

I use my CD burner as a floppy drive, basically. Whenever I need to carry a file back & forth to work, nothing fits on floppies any more, but very little won't fit on a CD. So if I have to carry it with me, it goes onto the CD-R.

Considering that CD-RW drives are what, $30? It's a no-brainer in my opinion.