UPGRADE or BUY new

[vampman1]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

i all ways upgrade/build my own comp that way you will get what you want and not some generick peace of ****

[SO19Visionaries]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

i would go with a new PC i have a dimension 2300 2.5ghz sitting in the other room, it doesn't even have an AGP slot, u checked to see if urs has because otherwise it would be a pain in the arse to buy a graphics card and then find out u dont have one.

[GeoffRowley]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

From all the advice I've been given, I suppose theres no real other option the to buy a new computer. I've been looking at ncix.com and I suppose I'll buy one from there, after fiddling around with the options and finding a good, compatible videocard. It's around $1100, but to anyone who could find a computer on www.ncix.com that could play bf2 at low/medium settings, cheaper then that, lease send a link. Thanks.

[GeoffRowley]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

From all the advice I've been given, I suppose theres no real other option the to buy a new computer. I've been looking at ncix.com and I suppose I'll buy one from there, after fiddling around with the options and finding a good, compatible videocard. It's around $1100, but to anyone who could find a computer on www.ncix.com that could play bf2 at low/medium settings, cheaper then that, lease send a link. Thanks.

[GeoffRowley]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

This seems to be the cheapest, yet most efficient computer i could build, and not to expensive eatheir. Any thoughts about it?

http://secure.ncix.com/ncixpc/index.php?action=config&id=331574&subid=2#j109

[lil_jimmy_norton]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

This seems to be the cheapest, yet most efficient computer i could build, and not to expensive eatheir. Any thoughts about it?
http://secure.ncix.com/ncixpc/index....4&subid=2#j109

That's decent. You could still go lower and play BF2 on med/low just fine. That will get you mostly high. If the money is an issue. If money isn't an issue that's pretty good.

Don't forget to get an operating system with that, it doesn't look like that is included in your price.

[knghtwhosaysni]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

This seems to be the cheapest, yet most efficient computer i could build, and not to expensive eatheir. Any thoughts about it?
http://secure.ncix.com/ncixpc/index....4&subid=2#j109

lol wow that's actually a pretty nice computer and a very decent price :)

That 7600gt can probably overclock to almost get the fps of a 7800gt. I bet you could play all high with that compter at 1024x768, maybe turn down a couple things if you want to play at 1280x1024.

And the OS is included, it's just at the bottom of the page

[GeoffRowley]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

Why thankyou. All of your help has been beneficial. A new computer it is. Should be shipped around the end of April.

[GeoffRowley]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

Unless someone can find me a cheaper, but around the same quality computer that can be shipped to Canada, totaling 1300CDN or less with shipping and whatnot.

[RAF92_Warhawk]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

I have a P4 Intel 1.8 Ghz... and a 9800 PRO w/ 256 MB, and 1 gig of system memory..... IT SUCKS!!!!!! I have to play on 16 size servers and even then I hardly get frames over 30+...(when I am standing completely still).... You probably could play on that system but you will be missing out on A LOT of fun...

[WildLegba]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

DANG, that IS a good deal.

In general, if you build your own computer you are going to pay more since you are paying retail on every component. Dell, for example, has a heck of a lot more buying power and so they get components for a fraction of what you or I would pay. The flip side is that when you build your own, you have an "open standards" PC that you can upgrade piecemeal. A lot of Dell's parts are custom and don't work in any other machine or with non-dell parts. I have always built my own machines but I'm a geek...

The unit listed is a good compromise. It is an open standards machine and a very agressive price.

One suggestion: upgrade to 2 gigs of ram right now when you purchase it. BF2 runs *much* better on two gigs, and keeping your number of modules to two sticks has some advantages, particularly if you overclock in future. Also, you can bet Vista and the apps that run on it will have steeper memory requirements. Better to be able to upgrade to 4 gigs instead of being maxed out at 2 gigs (4 x 512 modules) and having to take a bath on selling the old 512's to make room for the 1 giggers. It is cheaper to upgrade now than later.

BTW, those are nice quiet cases. Good choice all around.

[SO19Visionaries]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

DANG, that IS a good deal.

In general, if you build your own computer you are going to pay more since you are paying retail on every component. Dell, for example, has a heck of a lot more buying power and so they get components for a fraction of what you or I would pay. The flip side is that when you build your own, you have an "open standards" PC that you can upgrade piecemeal. A lot of Dell's parts are custom and don't work in any other machine or with non-dell parts. I have always built my own machines but I'm a geek...

The unit listed is a good compromise. It is an open standards machine and a very agressive price.

One suggestion: upgrade to 2 gigs of ram right now when you purchase it. BF2 runs *much* better on two gigs, and keeping your number of modules to two sticks has some advantages, particularly if you overclock in future. Also, you can bet Vista and the apps that run on it will have steeper memory requirements. Better to be able to upgrade to 4 gigs instead of being maxed out at 2 gigs (4 x 512 modules) and having to take a bath on selling the old 512's to make room for the 1 giggers. It is cheaper to upgrade now than later.

BTW, those are nice quiet cases. Good choice all around.

LOL no completely the wrong way round if you were to build a pc then buy from dell with the same spec dell would cost alot more dell costs less on cheap generic component based pc's they cant match the price of a home built top end PC.

I.T. component retailer mark up's are very little

[WildLegba]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

OK, build me this for the listed price ($999):

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=DXPS400G2&s=dhs

Don't forget to include the 19" LCD, the 1 Gig of DDR2 (that is DDR2, not DDR) ram, the Pentium D 820, and the OS. That's close to $700 at retail right there. And then we need the case, motherboard, power supply, DVD-Rom AND DVD-RW drives, video card, keyboard/mouse, hard drive, etc. You might get close, but then you have to build it.

And that's just Dell. Head over to eMachines and you'll see even more aggressively priced stuff.

LOL no completely the wrong way round if you were to build a pc then buy from dell with the same spec dell would cost alot more dell costs less on cheap generic component based pc's they cant match the price of a home built top end PC.

I.T. component retailer mark up's are very little

[knghtwhosaysni]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

OK, build me this for the listed price ($999):

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=DXPS400G2&s=dhs

Don't forget to include the 19" LCD, the 1 Gig of DDR2 (that is DDR2, not DDR) ram, the Pentium D 820, and the OS. That's close to $700 at retail right there. And then we need the case, motherboard, power supply, DVD-Rom AND DVD-RW drives, video card, keyboard/mouse, hard drive, etc. You might get close, but then you have to build it.

And that's just Dell. Head over to eMachines and you'll see even more aggressively priced stuff.

I'll take you up on that challenge :)
CD/DVD Burners (RW Drives)
1 LITE-ON 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model SHW160P6S05 - OEM $36.99
ATX Computer Cases
1 COOLER MASTER Centurion 532 RC-532-SKN1 Black Aluminum bezel, SECC chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $69.99
Internal Hard Drives
1 Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600JS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $75.00
Monitors - LCD
1 AMV S1916 Black 19" 12ms LCD Monitor - Retail $219.99
Video Cards
1 SAPPHIRE 100140-GN-H Radeon X300SE HyperMemory 256MB HyperMemory (64MB Onboard VRAM) DDR PCI Express x16 Low Profile Video Card - OEM $45.00
Power Supplies
1 Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-380 ATX12V 380W Power Supply - Retail $59.99
Speakers
1 Logitech S-100 BLK 5 Watts RMS 2.0 Speaker - OEM $7.00
Keyboards
1 Logitech Internet Pro Desktop 967457-0403 Black PS/2 Wired Standard Keyboard Mouse Included - OEM $17.00
Memory - System
1 WINTEC AMPO 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model 3AMD2533-1G1K-R - Retail $71.55
Intel-compatible Motherboards
1 ECS PT880PRO-A (1.0A) Socket T (LGA 775) VIA PT880Pro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $54.99
Processors
1 Intel Pentium D 820 Smithfield 800MHz FSB LGA 775 Dual Core EM64T Processor Model BX80551PG2800FN - Retail $217.00
Operating Systems
1 Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2 - OEM $86.95
Subtotal: $961.45

$40 under, but I guess you do still need to build it.
But I think one of the biggest reasons for building it yourself is that you don't void any warranties if you open up the case. And everything is upgradable, whereas Dell and other such companies have cases that may not allow for a new PSU to be installed.

[imported_goya]

Re: UPGRADE or BUY new

you need a new computer

1 SAPPHIRE 100140-GN-H Radeon X300SE HyperMemory 256MB HyperMemory (64MB Onboard VRAM) DDR PCI Express x16 Low Profile Video Card - OEM $45.00
Processors
1 Intel Pentium D 820 Smithfield 800MHz FSB LGA 775 Dual Core EM64T Processor Model BX80551PG2800FN - Retail $217.00
Operating Systems
1 Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2 - OEM $86.95

the video card is a piece of sh*t. dont get ati get nvidia 6800 with at least 128 mb, best to get one with 256 mb for pcix-x16 for around $160. make sure it's got 256 bit memory interface and not 128 bit memory interface.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130271 for $155 after rabate
or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130263 for $100 after rebate.

why have him buy a dual core ht cpu when windows xp home edition does not support dual core nor ht? he needs windows xp pro to make use of the fancy hardware your recommending.

also before buying a dual core cpu or a ht cpu you need to read this kb article from microsoft about poor gamer performance issues with windows xp and dual core cpu

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=909944

also AMD Athlon 64 3700+ 1GHz HT Socket 939 Processor - Retail $214

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103622

beat the crap out of p4 d 820 on gaming

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html

also get nvidia nforce 4 chipset motherboard for amd64 it rocks...

finally make sure that the motherboard supports at least 4gb. the next set of games will need it. and get 2 gb for now.