Upgrading PC

[Poulary 0]

Hi all

I think modern games are running slow on my PC and i was wondering if anyone could help me with what i should upgrade (its time to update)

Here is my system Infomation

  Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp2_gdr.040517-1325)

          Language: English (Regional Setting: English)

System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation

      System Model: Dimension 8200              

              BIOS: Default System BIOS

         Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 2.53GHz, ~2.5GHz

            Memory: 512MB RAM

         Page File: 212MB used, 1037MB available

       Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS

   DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

DX Setup Parameters: Not found

    DxDiag Version: 5.03.0001.0904 32bit Unicode

---------------

Display Devices

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Card name: NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4600

Manufacturer: NVIDIA

Chip type: GeForce4 Ti 4600

DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC

Any other infomation needed?

i was thinking a Memory upgrade from 512MB RAM to 1GB

Thx

[Sniperwolf572 758]

I would suggest RAM (1 GB minimum) and a new GPU.

[Acecombat 0]

Yeah it depends on which way your leaning with this upgrade. If your a OFP freak like us waiting for OFP2 to pop out and show us what will make it run as smooth as ice lolly or are just an ordinary guy who plays every game with equal dedication and wants them to run well , both have separate routes in terms of upgrade.

If your a OFP freak , just upgrade your GPU to a 6600GT or 6800GT since you probably have a AGP slot these are highest cards you can go to , cards beyond them are all PCI-E I assume. And anyway the 6600GT is cheap.

Also stick in another 512 MB or RAM and you'll be fine. Your CPU can hold out for another year or so before needing an upgrade , enough time for SOME damn news on OFP2 .

If your an average gamer and want to play all present/next gen games fast then do a total overhaul get a PCI-E compliant mobo and probably a geforce 7 series card depends on your budget. 3.0Ghz+ CPU would be nice with 1 GB of RAM and you'll be all set to rock out on any game.

[JdB 151]

Quote[/b] ]System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation

If you (or anyone else) ever decides to get a new pc, never buy one from one of the mayor manufacturers, like Dell, HP etc. As much as they may claim to be ''gaming rigs'', they always come out bad when magazines test them. It is much better to buy the components seperatly, and construct the pc yourself (or have someone who knows what he is doing to do it for you).

Chances are you'll have a faster pc at the same price or even less then a standard system.

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

Incorrect. Dell actually makes pretty good systems. And the Benchmarks since the Dimensions 8300 were always relatively good.

The only problem poulary is, that you cant simply buy Ram in a shop. Dell often uses its own special memory which is incompatible with most systems. So if you have to order some additional Ram then you will see that they charge tripple the amount.

To upgrade your Dell computer is pretty chalenging. Why? Because I tried it during the last 2 months.. and there are limitations.

Quote[/b] ]Chances are you'll have a faster pc at the same price or even less then a standard system.

That is not true. Even in the cheapest online shops you wont get a price for single components comparable to the one of Dell and others, simply due to their economy of scale.

But I agree, paying a price for a self-made system is worth it. On the other hand in 2 years you will need to build a new one from the scratch anyway, (new socket, new Ram, new graphic adapter)

[crashdome 3]

Quote[/b] ]Chances are you'll have a faster pc at the same price or even less then a standard system.

That is not true. Even in the cheapest online shops you wont get a price for single components comparable to the one of Dell and others, simply due to their economy of scale.

But I agree, paying a price for a self-made system is worth it. On the other hand in 2 years you will need to build a new one from the scratch anyway, (new socket, new Ram, new graphic adapter)

Actually, I've been proving this to my boss every day for the past year. We are normally purchasing inexpensive Dell systems for workstations and I continually prove we can buy cheaper if we piece-build them from NewEgg.com. I average about 12% cheaper cost from them than from Dell.

HOWEVER, if you include the cost of me spending hours actually bulding it, then it becomes more or less equal. Combine the fact we get discounts every now and then from Dell, we do continue to purchase about 60% of our systems from them. If you are a home user, these factors may not apply and a custom system is usually cheaper if you do not purchase retail.

I guess it all depends on location, labor cost, and desires.