Currently I have a Dell dimension 4600. Its old but it does what I tell it, up until I install and try to run Call of Duty: world at war. Ive done some research and found that my Nvidia GeForce 5200 isn't supported. I need some suggestions on what I should upgrade to. The computer currently has 512mb ram and outputs 250w. There is one agp slot and several pci slots (not express). I really don't want to get a new computer (Ive only got so much money.)
PCI Express? Can we get the rest of your specs, like PSU and etc?
It may be best to scrap the entire build if it's too old to logically support anything beyond next year in any way.
1 C1431 Processor,80532,2.8G,512K,533,Socket N
1 7N242 Keyboard,104 Key,US,Silitek, LC,MG
1 W1668 Kit,Mouse,PS2,2 Button,Wheel, Logitech
1 0R533 Card,MM,Audio,SB0203
1 R1888 Kit,Speaker,120V,A425,Altec Lansing,Dell Americas Organization
1 R1141 Compact Disk Read Write,48X32 IDE,F5,Samsung,Midnight Gray
1 9Y452 Card,Graphics,128MB,NV34, Dimension
1 N0806 Hard Drive,40GB,I,7.2K,80G/P Seagate-Alpine
1 J1894 Kit, Software, WP Product Suite 11, English
1 N2999 Kit,Software,Money-2K4 Standard,Original Equipment Manufacturer,English
1 P2643 Kit,Software,Microsoft Encarta2k4,Original Equipment Manufacturer,English
1 R2553 Kit,Software,Overpack,WXPHSP1ACompact Diskette/W Documentation,English
1 G2876 Kit,Documentation/Diskette Software,Cyberlink,4.14 Dimension
1 8W234 Display,Flat Panel Display,15,D,E151FPB,Midnight Gray,Dell Americas Organization
2 U3420 Dual In-line Memory Module,256333M,32X64,8K,184
1 X2746 Digital Video Disk Drive,16X IDE,Half Height,External Midnight Gray
wow. 512MB of RAM. there is no way you are going to be able to play that game without a RAM upgrade trust me. i have call of duty 4 and i know the minimum RAM for that is i think 2 or 4 GB of RAM. you need at least 2 GB to have a good gaming experience with call of duty
Yes, 2GB of decent speed RAM (I would say 800Mhz) is sufficient for pretty much all games out at the moment. No game requires 4GB of RAM in a basic 32bit system, seen as the computer doesn't recognise more than 3GB of RAM, thus defeating the purpose. Only reason I have 4GB is because it came as a free upgrade :)
I think you will struggle with the graphics upgrade, simply because AGP Cards aren't produced much anymore, therefore aren't totally up to standard.
Quote from: .invertus on November 15, 2009, 08:35:32 AM
Yes, 2GB of decent speed RAM (I would say 800Mhz) is sufficient for pretty much all games out at the moment. No game requires 4GB of RAM in a basic 32bit system, seen as the computer doesn't recognise more than 3GB of RAM, thus defeating the purpose. Only reason I have 4GB is because it came as a free upgrade :)
I think you will struggle with the graphics upgrade, simply because AGP Cards aren't produced much anymore, therefore aren't totally up to standard.
there are several operating systems that recognize more than 2GB of RAM. the oldest operating system that only recognized 2GB is xp. anything newer than that can recognize more. Windows 7 now recognizes somewhere around 160GB
I think you will find that is wrong. Only 64-bit OS's will recognise more than 3GB worth of RAM. 32-bit will not.
i recomend this (http://www.mpcgamers.com/smf/index.php?topic=1165.msg14638#msg14638) or that (http://www.mpcgamers.com/smf/index.php?topic=1165.msg14760#msg14760) or even here. (http://www.mpcgamers.com/smf/index.php?topic=800.0) i plan on creating a super small pc build with SLI dual exhaust configuation. (http://www.hothardware.com/articleimages/Item1151/nvidia-nforce-780a-sli.jpg)
Quote from: keenmike on November 20, 2009, 02:32:34 PM
i recomend this (http://www.mpcgamers.com/smf/index.php?topic=1165.msg14638#msg14638) or that (http://www.mpcgamers.com/smf/index.php?topic=1165.msg14760#msg14760) or even here. (http://www.mpcgamers.com/smf/index.php?topic=800.0) i plan on creating a super small pc build with SLI dual exhaust configuation. (http://www.hothardware.com/articleimages/Item1151/nvidia-nforce-780a-sli.jpg)
if you wanna super small desktop. Go buy yourself a mac mini. it is insanely small and it packs the heat of 64-bit technology and dual core processors
Mac minis are not good for games, which Link wants. Link also wants to use Windows. If I remember right.
Not a good choice.
Quote from: Jedikiller on November 20, 2009, 05:01:53 PM
Mac minis are not good for games, which Link wants. Link also wants to use Windows. If I remember right.
Not a good choice.
idk about gaming. i know that my macbook pro is great for gaming, so if you are reffering to the OS then there are no problems there. Also, you can always just run Windows on a MAC. no bigge
a question, about keeping it simple. which would be simple and effective for link?
Quote from: keenmike on November 20, 2009, 10:31:20 PM
a question, about keeping it simple. which would be simple and effective for link?
well i dont really do it very often but its either going and buying a pc or building one. Mac mini's are small and they are really nice computers. Also, if he really hates MAC OSX then he can install Windows through boot camp. IF you wanna see the technical specifications for this desktop its at the link below.
http://www.apple.com/macmini/specs.html
How about we all go back and read through the original post. He is looking to upgrade. NOT BUY A NEW COMPUTER. So I'm gonna have to say lets swing this back onto the actual topic, or this is gonna get closed.
Unfortunately, at this point, it doesn't look like he's going to be able to upgrade anything to anything even remotely current without buying almost all new components. It might actually be cheaper to just buy a whole new system.
Indeed. But telling him to buy a Mac mini is not answering his question :confused:
Macs are NOT designed for gaming unless you plan to get a Mac Pro/MacBook Pro. MP and MBP isn't even designed for Link's budget in mind. Macs aren't designed for a budget in the first place.
/end of mac discussion on this topic
Quote from: ag on November 21, 2009, 01:50:52 PM
Macs are NOT designed for gaming unless you plan to get a Mac Pro/MacBook Pro. MP and MBP isn't even designed for Link's budget in mind. Macs aren't designed for a budget in the first place.
/end of mac discussion on this topic
ok fine ill stop with the mac ideas. but you will most likely need a new computer, and since ag has BANNED me from saying to word mac, you will need to get a windows-based pc. I suggest a dell (alienware).
Hold your horses there my son. I would only recommend an Alienware if you've got the money. Which he obviously doesn't, and neither did I. Custom builds are easy to acquire from a variety of independant companies these days, and if you go with the right ones you get very good quality and service. Being UK I used one recommended, Arbico. But they don't do Stateside deliveries. Have a look around, and definitely compare prices, if you get confused come back and we can decipher the specs for you. After all, you want to get as much bang for your buck as the cliche goes.
link, what do you think?
invertus is right. Alienware are the best WINDOWS BASED computers for gaming , but only if you have the money. I still recommend a Dell. Maybe a Studio or a XPS computer. (XPS are the more expensive one) Also, you may have stated this before but are you looking for a desktop or a laptop? Both of the ones i suggested are laptops.
The problem with Alienwares is that they are horribly expensive for what they give you, unless you go for one of the laptops, I suppose.
The best thing to do for the lowest price possible is build the system yourself from the bare components. Techreport has a great system guide written out that details the optimum builds and prices for components, giving you a pretty good estimate of the total cost of the PC and a brief description of why they chose the parts they did.
http://techreport.com/articles.x/17787
i will wait for link.
And here I be. Ive pretty much given up on an upgrade. Im now looking for a whole new pc all together. I am NOT going to get a mac and install windows. I hate macs and will never get one. Im also planning on just buying one, not building one. Im looking for something under $1k. I already have things like speakers, a monitor (1600 x 900 resolution :D), keyboard, etc. I only need the cpu. As for specs, for now ill just say is that I would like it to be able to run cod 5. Ill get specifics later if anyone wants them.
Well if you really don't want to build one, thats your perogative, but it would be the best buy for ur buck. Second best in my book, would be to get a powerspec from www.microcenter.com (http://www.microcenter.com) . They generally are very respectable computers, at a much better price. Sure they seem pretty tacky chinese, but everything these days comes from the same places. And in this case, cheaper http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0317393 (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0317393). you may want to upgrade the graphics card, that is your perogative. Again- i would like to vouch for the Buildyourown. But hey, you are you.
I have heard mixed things about places that build them for you, like Cyberpower and the like. You may want to try there, as they seem to be pretty cheap for what you get.
(https://www.swbfgamers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.paraorkut.com%2Fimg%2Fpics%2Fglitters%2Fl%2Flets_go_shopping-5142.gif&hash=503929a60030506cf2735949da6cfce8ad7ef2ca)
it takes a while, just search for pcs with specifications you want to play the games you like.
Quote from: Voldelf on December 06, 2009, 08:53:44 PM
Well if you really don't want to build one, thats your perogative, but it would be the best buy for ur buck. Second best in my book, would be to get a powerspec from www.microcenter.com (http://www.microcenter.com) . They generally are very respectable computers, at a much better price. Sure they seem pretty tacky chinese, but everything these days comes from the same places. And in this case, cheaper http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0317393 (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0317393). you may want to upgrade the graphics card, that is your perogative. Again- i would like to vouch for the Buildyourown. But hey, you are you.
Site looks good. I looked at the one model you recommended. Looks good but I think I would be better off buying something cheaper and getting a vid card to upgrade it. (who needs 1TB of memory?)
very possible after christmas desktops are second to laptops. so i think it wont be hard to find one at a good price.
Yeah Keenmike's got it right, but there's always the possibility of gettin a shell-esque comp for christmas (not knowing ur life, i suppose that could not be an option) then upgrade some parts, depends on the shell comp.
Quote from: Link on December 07, 2009, 11:59:29 AM
Site looks good. I looked at the one model you recommended. Looks good but I think I would be better off buying something cheaper and getting a vid card to upgrade it. (who needs 1TB of memory?)
@ Link: small office servers need 1 TB of memory- hence this computer.
i am going to do the math on voldelfs' pc choice. it looks cool.
well, i guess since you dont like mac's im gonna have to suggest a pc. :sick:
i would recommend a dell above all else. the Studio series or the XPS series are the best.(laptops) I dont have much info's on desktops, i perfer mobility.
Dell is a very nice company in you plan on buying a computer for everyday use, however they aren't decent gaming computers (disregarding their Alienware lineup, which are almost as overpriced as Macs).
The computer I'm trying to replace is actually a dell dimension 4600 with a nvidia gefore 5200 video card and a processor clocked at 2.8 ghz. Its a great model but the thing is it's 2+ years old and not up to running cod 5.
i wish you all the best, link. (http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/shopping_teams.png) voldelf, whats your take on pc builds? (http://www.mpcgamers.com/smf/index.php?topic=1165.msg14638#msg14638)
Lol, my PC is nearing four years old and can run everything on high just fine :D but I want DirectX10 so I will have to upgrade sooner or later. X1900 all the way baby
Check out those sites I mentioned!
Link, one more time I would like to advocate for building your own computer. The first PC i ever owned I built, and its really not that difficult. The most difficult part is designing. And I have no doubt that there are several people on this forum who would be willing to help you. I certainly would, from what I've seen keenmike builds a pretty sweet little rig, and red is a maniacle, borderline obsessive computer builder. And these are but three in many, many members. But for some, building just isn't there thing and I must accept that. From personal IT experience, dells are great if you work with a hundred and fifty identical imaged and hardwared machines. But on the one on one scale: not that great. This is why i would not recommend buying one as your upgrade. (You have one now, and if you can't upgrade it to viability, what does that say about dell?)
i personaly lowered my full size atx motherboard (http://www.xfire.com/blog/keenmike/856614/) in to a tight case with 1/16 of an inch room to spare. i wanted to get as much out of the exchanges from the overly priced parts they sold me. i lowered the thing with the cpu and fan all together assembled. i originaly had a plan to buy this but got talked out (http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4120378&CatId=13) of it. i dont think it to hard to install a cpu. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6NbPMQgwPM)
I agree, its very easy to install a cpu, and every other part. I don't quite get your small case thing (could be a space thing?) But again, whatever works for you.
Ok, how bout since looking for a computer has been driving me nuts, Ill look around and see how much it would be to build it. Any help would be appreciated since I have no idea what Im getting myself into.
jedikiller, which one (http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=X1900&sa=N&start=0&ndsp=18) do you have? do you have pictures? link, no matter which parts you get i think there should be a color theme. (http://www.mpcgamers.com/smf/index.php?topic=1165.msg14638#msg14638)
Yea, all I need is a green case with 3 cd drive, one red, green, and blue...
Anyways back in reality.
Ive found some parts I like. All I want to know now is will they work:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118030
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115056
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148163
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133304
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066
Free 3D Vision glasses, very nice. cool choices. you mother board needs DDR3
(https://www.swbfgamers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi725.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fww253%2Fkeenmike%2Focz.jpg&hash=797a5e27454232c913a165c5f290b89aa1b4a0ee)
72.00 OCZ Gold 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1066 (PC3 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G10664GK (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227346)
Quote from: keenmike on December 09, 2009, 01:43:05 PM
Free 3D Vision glasses, very nice.
If that was about my color sceme, then you are way off.
So will something like this work:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148304
Quote from: ag on December 08, 2009, 06:36:51 PM
Dell is a very nice company in you plan on buying a computer for everyday use, however they aren't decent gaming computers (disregarding their Alienware lineup, which are almost as overpriced as Macs).
OMG, i gotta say alienware is the only computer on earth for home use that is more overpriced than mac. and im sure that the only reason i still support mac is because i didnt m=pay for my computer :P
Red just nailed that. I do disagree on the Video Card a little bit, but only because I'm me. Other than that he COMPLETELY nailed it. I would make sure everything is futurable. Make sure ur Mobo has some version of the i chipset on it, because that is where the market is going and fast. But see Link? so bloody easy! And yeah, don't pay attention to builds based on looks. The amount of people who see your computer and care are ooooooo none?
i have this as a line up, first micro atx, second color and price are equal and third brand and specks are also equal. either can over ride the other. its fun. all choices are cool. some brands i dont want to even consider like ecs. i like dual exhaust gpus but will consider a cool looking thin sexy looking gpu (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133304) like links' choice which includes free 3D glasses.
Red. :wub:
I suggest you take the advice as posted by Red, he knows exactly what he's doing.
another big factor is if you are able to get the gpu and mother board in the same brand that is way cooler. xfx or evega both have cool cards and gpus. not to mention msi and asus also. when you find a cool choice hurry because an 80.00, dollar mother board Asus P5G43T-M Pro Motherboard MicroATX, Intel G43, Socket 775, SATA, PCI Express 2.0 x16, Intel SpeedStep, USB, 8GB DDR3, Hyperthreading support might become unavailable. (http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5344015&CatId=13)
Ok, updated list.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022 (Power unit)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130435 (Video card)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136358 (Hard Drive)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231144 (RAM)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128372 (Mother board)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118030 (CD drive)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115056 (Processor)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066 (Tower)
Coming in at a rough estimate of $590
Im also considering getting 2x RAM.
Looks pretty good to me :)
Look quite good, however I might recommend going with a better-known brand of RAM. RAM has to be the most iffy part of hardware and stability is key. But I think it looks great as a whole. :props:
As far as I remember, G.SKILL is a relatively well known brand of RAM though. Corsair and Kingston obviously top it, but I've heard G.SKILL used a lot...
Thanks for the help everyone. Now I just have a couple more things to do: figure out what to do about the OS, convince my mom its better than a XPS 9000 on sale at $760.
For OS I'd recommend Win7, but if you happen to have an XP install disc I'd dual-boot it since such a recent release would most likely have comparability issues (I can't run the robot programming software for our robotics team on my Win7 :( )
@link: try and find a static remover (i'm blankin on the real name), anyways, its like a bracelet that grounds you essentially. YOu just put the other end on something conducting and wham good to go.
i found the mother board i like (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131602) over GIGABYTE and ECS. i hope you end up with a cool mother board link.
Mike. He. Is. Not. Going. Micro. Simples.
link, i cant wait for pictures of your system. does anyone else have pictures of there pc?
Well, things didn't work out. My mom found that building the pc would be lot of work and she just didn't want me to have something go wrong considering how much it would cost. She ordered a XPS 9000. Its got a radeon 4350 vid card which I don't think will be able to get close to what I had picked out.
correct, i have a friend at work thats want to put a pc in a model truck shell. if he collects the money i plan to help him assemble the parts. good choice any way link, did you get the price you said erlier?
As Red said, building a PC is not as much hassle as people think, generally there's only one slot anything will fit in, and it's all described in the manuals that come with it. It's a shame, but the XPS should do you for COD5.
Building the PC is the easy part, designing it was the hard part- sorry to hear about that, make along the road soon you'll get a chance to upgrade your video card...