Do You Need A New Computer?
<div class="IPBDescription">I just got into the 21st for CHEAP$$$</div> If you are like most people, do don't have a good computer, or even one that is half decent. With GFX and CPU intense games coming out more and more. Games like:
-Half Life 2
-Doom 3
-Home World 2
-Far Cry
Your are going to need a better computer to be able to play them.
This is the conclusion I came too yesterday.
My Computer is good but I have needed a better one for some time.
Pentium 3 866mhz
512mbs sd pc 133 ram
1 x 30gb HDD
1 x 20 gb HDD
Windows 2000 pro
It was slow and crapy to me and I needed better stuff.
I have a GF 4 ti 4600 and my system was robbing it of performance.
I have wanted to get a REALLY good system for some time but don't want to buy something like a P4 3.2ghz w/ 800mhz FSB only to have it out dated a week later by a new monster and me out 3000 - 5000 bucks.
This is a post for everyone who REALLY needs to get a new comp and doesn't have the money.
YOU CAN DO IT!
I just bought a barebones system ( barebones: No vid card, no sound card, no HDDs, no monitor, no key board, no mouse, no speakers) for 400 bucks. I have HDDs and I have a really good vid and sound card, speakers and a monitor, mouse and keyboard... So why did I need all that? I just needed a new Power house!
I was able to find on Ebay something that will hold me over into the next eneration of games for only 400 bucks canadian (500 after shipping and taxes).
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 Processor 2.4GHz FSB533 512KB
Memory: 256MB DDR266 PC2100 Memory (Major Brand)
Mother Board: ASUS ASRock X533 Mother Board
Audio: Sound Blaster compatible AC97 Sound
Network Card: Onboard 10/100 Mbps Network Card
Case: Standard ATX Case
Power Supply: 300 Watt Power Supply
Software: All original utilities, drivers and cables plus anti virus software
Warranty: 1 Year Parts & 3 Years Labor Warranty Free
PLUS FREE: WD 120GB HDD at 7200rpm
I have windows 2000 pro and all the rest that wasn't included so I will be set for another year now.
REMEMBER I ONLY PAID 500 BUCKS TOTAL!
I did't think it was possible but it really is.
If you don't need something don't get it.
If you have a keyboard and mouse and GFX card and sound card.
Look for a cheap system with only the things you need!
Most people can get 500 bucks, for me thats nothing at all!
So now I still have alot of money not wasted and something that will be able to hold me over for games like the ones above!
NO MORE REASONS WHY YOU STILL HAVE A P2 with 64mbs RAM.
Arn't you sick of having 10 fps and running every game at the bare minium of GFX, your missing out and thats a crime! Update like I did, its cheaper than you think!
TRY EBAY!
-Half Life 2
-Doom 3
-Home World 2
-Far Cry
Your are going to need a better computer to be able to play them.
This is the conclusion I came too yesterday.
My Computer is good but I have needed a better one for some time.
Pentium 3 866mhz
512mbs sd pc 133 ram
1 x 30gb HDD
1 x 20 gb HDD
Windows 2000 pro
It was slow and crapy to me and I needed better stuff.
I have a GF 4 ti 4600 and my system was robbing it of performance.
I have wanted to get a REALLY good system for some time but don't want to buy something like a P4 3.2ghz w/ 800mhz FSB only to have it out dated a week later by a new monster and me out 3000 - 5000 bucks.
This is a post for everyone who REALLY needs to get a new comp and doesn't have the money.
YOU CAN DO IT!
I just bought a barebones system ( barebones: No vid card, no sound card, no HDDs, no monitor, no key board, no mouse, no speakers) for 400 bucks. I have HDDs and I have a really good vid and sound card, speakers and a monitor, mouse and keyboard... So why did I need all that? I just needed a new Power house!
I was able to find on Ebay something that will hold me over into the next eneration of games for only 400 bucks canadian (500 after shipping and taxes).
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 Processor 2.4GHz FSB533 512KB
Memory: 256MB DDR266 PC2100 Memory (Major Brand)
Mother Board: ASUS ASRock X533 Mother Board
Audio: Sound Blaster compatible AC97 Sound
Network Card: Onboard 10/100 Mbps Network Card
Case: Standard ATX Case
Power Supply: 300 Watt Power Supply
Software: All original utilities, drivers and cables plus anti virus software
Warranty: 1 Year Parts & 3 Years Labor Warranty Free
PLUS FREE: WD 120GB HDD at 7200rpm
I have windows 2000 pro and all the rest that wasn't included so I will be set for another year now.
REMEMBER I ONLY PAID 500 BUCKS TOTAL!
I did't think it was possible but it really is.
If you don't need something don't get it.
If you have a keyboard and mouse and GFX card and sound card.
Look for a cheap system with only the things you need!
Most people can get 500 bucks, for me thats nothing at all!
So now I still have alot of money not wasted and something that will be able to hold me over for games like the ones above!
NO MORE REASONS WHY YOU STILL HAVE A P2 with 64mbs RAM.
Arn't you sick of having 10 fps and running every game at the bare minium of GFX, your missing out and thats a crime! Update like I did, its cheaper than you think!
TRY EBAY!
Comments
But yeah if you are somewhere near this timeline where the motherboards support older RAM sticks,then well...start saving up!
Question to Maj : Did it,by any chance come with the newer CPU processor together with it?
zippy
And though my prices are in USD, it's easy to get a good machine even off-the-shelf:
Enermax Aluminum Case (400W PSU) - $60
ASUS A7V8X (w gigabit ethernet + 6-chan Dolby onboard) - $129
AMD Athlon 2500+ (Barton Core) - $89
512MB PC3200 DDR (Corsair) - $89
SBLive! Value - $29 (The on-board audio has problems for some people, and an SBLive! is easily as good as an Audigy unless you have $500 speakers)
Thermaltake Volcano 7+ - $39 (Solid copper heatsinks are a straight-up godsend)
You REALLY want at least a 350W power supply, 400W+ if you can get it for a good deal to circumvent system instabilities due to power shortages. Especially if you're going to be using a higher-powered video card (ATI Radeon 9500+, GeForce 4+) as they tend to draw a lot. Many would go with a Soyo Dragon Platinum for the molex power connector right next to the AGP slot, but I prefer ASUS... rock-solid motherboards.
Even if you're going for an economy machine, it's good to know which parts REALLY need to be splurged on for best performance (mobo is a given, while RAM, surprisingly enough, is not. Most generic brands perform just as well as Corsair).
A Radeon 9600 Pro is the best bang-for-buck card out there, and you normally can find them for around $150 at the low end, so long as you are sure to go with a Built By ATI, and not a third-party vendor. As well as being a neccessity for playing upcoming games at <i>actual</i> best quality.
Additionally, this really doesn't belong in GD, so <span style='color:orange'>*Phased*</span> to Off-Topic.
Got to remember not everyone has the skills to build a computer.
I could have done it that way but like I said, I just wanted something to hold me over till the next gen of Super Processors come out.
Now I will have something that can handle games like Homeworld 2 and HL2.
A good place to pick up components for cheaper-than-retail is a computer show, if they off them where you live. The other option is shopping online, naturally.
It's a shame shops like Alienware and Voodoo create such a markup on their machines, many of which are assembled from parts any old schmoe can buy. Sure, someone else is putting it together for you, and it is warranteed, but does that justify a $1500 or more markup? Nope.
I am FOR SURE going to go get my self 2 sticks of 512 tonight.
I should have opted for more ram when I bought it but that 1 stick of 256 PC2100 ddr is 3 times better than my 2 stick of 256 sd pc133 that I have now.
<a href='http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=25' target='_blank'>http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mai...tail.php?UID=25</a>
Im running it with a gig of PC133, a 1800+ and a geforce3 TI, And it works damn good.
Apparently even the newest processors don't let it run at it's maximum capacity, so I may have to invest in a new processor and/or mobo in the near future.
And a sound card that doesn't cause Elite Force 2 to crash <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo-->
Whats your system specs and what kinda card is it?
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Actually, HL2 (unsure if that was a typo, Zip) is based upon the Source engine, a near-total rewrite.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Um.... maybe he was talking about Home World 2?
zippy <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Uh....no. Your just wrong. They started with a total rewrite, like HL2 did. Homeworld 2 is not using ANYTHING near the same graphics engine. First off, the old one barely required...anything. Now, it requires 32mb graphics card(which it'll have a FPS of .0000003), and a T&L supported graphics card.
Or, in lamens terms- a damned good card(for us poor people). So, HW 2 DOES take a lot of power, even on lowest settings.
HL2 won't.
D3...my god, YES IT FRICKIN WILL!!! WE MUST HAVE CASES MADE OF ICE!!!
And Far Cry...what is that? ::confused::
2.6ghz amd xp
1.5gigs of pc2700 ram
2x 80 gig hds in raid 0
radeon 9700pro
nice case with a clear side and a light up fan connected to the clear side, plus two in the back and one in the front
470watt power supply
52speed burner
and at last 16speed dvd drive
man what a deal <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
2.6ghz amd xp
1.5gigs of pc2700 ram
2x 80 gig hds in raid 0
radeon 9700pro
nice case with a clear side and a light up fan connected to the clear side, plus two in the back and one in the front
470watt power supply
52speed burner
and at last 16speed dvd drive<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I would like to know where you got these parts and how you got a 2.6ghz amd xp, all under 700.
DUDE TELL ME NOW OR I WILL GO SHOOT MYSELF. <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo-->
It's pretty simple to get a computer up and running, but running well and for more than a short time is a completely different matter. Learning things the hard way isn't so smart when there's big money involved.
I have 2 connects in the computer industry and they siad they both could get me things like
dual AMD 3200+ pros
4 GB rd ram in 1024 sticks
HDD at 15000 rpm in the 200 gig range
yada, yada... For dirt cheap like 2000 bucks for a super system that would put other systems to shame!
But I am going to wait till intell and AMD come out with there next gen pros and ATI comes out with its next SUPER card.
I don't want to spend alot of money if I don't have too.
I only bought this comp because I hate my current POS!