sorry if its not in the right section but i couldnt figure if it went in this or "other pc hardware" anyways...i wanted to get a new computer at a reasonable price... and i saw this one! I think its pretty good...but im not completely sure, since i just recently started getting an interest into computers and everything... what do you guys think? is this good? i was hoping to get a good graphics card for gaming for when i feel like gaming... something that may run Fallout 3... your help and opinions would be really appreciated Picture in the homepage Key Features Form Factor Desktop Processor AMD Athlon 64 X2 2.5 GHz Installed Memory 4 GB (DDR2 SDRAM) Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Home Processor Processor Type AMD Athlon 64 X2 Processor Speed 2.5 GHz Processor Manufacturer AMD Motherboard Video Output Interface PCI Express Memory RAM Technology DDR2 SDRAM Installed RAM 4 GB Installed Cache Memory 1 MB Technical Features Integrated Input/Output Ports USB 2.0 x 9 • RJ45 Lan Port x 1 • PS/2 Mouse x 1 • PS/2 Keyboard x 1 • FireWire (IEEE1394a) x 1 • RJ11 Phone Jack x 1 (Input) • HDMI x 1 Expansion Slots: PCI Express x16 x 1 Memory Card Slots: Memory Stick • SmartMedia • Memory Stick PRO • xD Picture Card • Micro Drive Memory Stick • SD Memory Card • CompactFlash Card type I • CompactFlash Card type II Hard Drive Hard Drive Capacity 320 GB Hard Drive Rotation Speed 7,200 RPM CD / DVD Optical Drive Type DVD-RAM Audio / Video Video Out Ports DVI x 1 • 15 Pin D-Sub VGA port x 1 The NVIDIA® GeForce® 8200 chipset
Take this by a guy who tried to run CS:S on a X2 3800 (Windsor) @ stock. I ran it at lowest possible settings, and I was getting like 20 FPS =D. Again, this was with a IGP, what you are doing? Or close to doing nVidia 8200? Take my advice, to either abandon this computer, and look for a better deal, or at least go and buy the computer, buy an extra video card. Depending on budget, you can probably run FO3. EDIT: in fact, the 8200 is an IGP. What you can do is find tweaks and get FO3 to lowest resolution/detail as possible. Then, overclock the X2 5200+? to maybe 3.2 ghz or so, if possible. You've got loads of ram ~ turn as much ram you have into video memory buffer. It will be slow, but it will work. Another alternative, is again, to buy a video card. Any will be better than an IGP, which will greatly offload your CPU from doing 3D rendering; CPUs were NOT designed for graphics, but more overly, general calculations. $25 - $50 - be better off with last generation GPU kings (ie. 7900GS/GT/GTX, etc, or stuff like 8600GTs, 2600XTs, if you can find them that cheap that is). With this money, you'll be off with a DX 9 Card. Hopes that, you may be able to get a decent or low-mid end DX10 card are low. 9500GT may work too, if you find them for that cheap. Last gen Kings will probably own them though. 4650, maybe not... =D 50 - 75 - What you'll get here is probably 50% -100% better than what you will get with a $25-50 range. Cards (ex. 9600GSOs (rb.8800GSs are some stuff that I recommend people getting for this amount of money). Note: Go for SPs -> Mem bandwidth -> Memory =D. Cards you might find for this range may include: 8600GTS (sucks balls though =D), 8800GS (aka 9600GSO), HD4650, HD4670, maybe 3850. 8800GS will probably be better than all of these (get the 192 bit, 96 SP, 384/768 variation, over the 256 bit, 48 SP, 256/512 variation). $100 - $150 - loads here. Like last year for the 8800GT, this year, everyone is like HD4850. Yep, get that if you can. For this money, almost any card is good (according to MSRP- ie. don't get a 7600GT for $150). ie. 9600GT,8800GT,(almost any G80 card - GTX, Ultras), 9800GTX+*, 4830, 4850, 4870, etc etc. Basically it. I should actually copy the GPU recommendation part, so I can use it later on =DDD Good Luck!
Agreed. Integrated graphics, Geforce or not, are still horrible for playing games, and as games go, Fallout 3 is one of the more demanding ones. I would NEVER recommend buying such a PC to upgrade as it usually isn't possible. Try finding a PC with at least a Geforce 9600 or Radeon HD4600 series card in it.
Yeah I would aim for at least a 9600GT or HD4670. Integrated graphics are practically useless for the newest games. I have a friend who went with a 9600GT and he is gaming quite comfortably at 1680 res, even in Crysis with some tweaking. In all honesty, I think your money would be better spent building your own PC vs buying it prebuilt. You can save quite a bit and almost always get a higher quality and much faster PC in the end.
i was planning to build my own...i even bought the case for it... but i thought i might save a some money with this.... and i though it wouldnt be that bad if it was integrated since it was NVIDIA... i have two last question... what kind of pc would you recommend buying... and im also planning on building... what motherboard and processor would you recommend?? something decent, yet not too pricey?? in processors, is AMD better? or Intel?
All integrated graphics are dire, regardless of brand. ATI ones are poor, nvidia ones worse, Intel ones are absolutely horrendous. You will never save money buying a prebuilt PC over building one yourself as long as it isn't a budget workstation. If it's any kind of performance PC, building yourself is the way to go. I couldn't say what I'd recommend specifically until I know your budget, but generally, I would stick with Intel.
wll, my budget is between...375-475... yea, probably not alot to go on, but i dont have much of a budget...
Well Intel vs AMD is going to get interesting very soon with the new AM3 platform coming up. As well as the Phenom II 925 and 945 and all their cheaper, but overclockable lower speed siblings Intel currently remains the best buy as of now though. Depending on the currency, you might have enough to build a nice machine. If in USD, it'll get you a PC for sure. But it would be better at about $500. If in GBP, then you're talking a decent lower mid range machine.
and more importantly, the X2 7750's rival, the E5200 for just $80. The Q6600, the 9950's rival for $190, and the Q9400, the Phenom II 940's rival for $250.
sorry i didnt specify its american curenncy i looked up all the processors you mentioned and i like the X2 7750...decent price, decent specs what kind of motherboard do you recommend? is and x38 any good?
No an X38 motherboard is Intel only. Your looking for a socket AM2/AM2+ if you choose AMD and a socket LGA775 if you choose Intel. For AMD boards I would highly recommend the AMD 780 or 790 chipsets. If you choose Intel, an X38 board is one of the best, but they really aren't available any more. They've moved on to X48 now, which are mostly the same with better overclocking(I am told).
For what it's worth, the E5200 has now been price dropped to $75, making it slightly better value than the X2 7750. Estuansis is right, X38 is an intel chipset, in the same way that 780G is an AMD chipset. (By the way, your definition of the X48 is entirely accurate)
your right i just looked it up, it has been price dropped... ive only been using intel all this time, and i think id like to try AMD... what about in power supply... what do you recommend... i saw a 450 watt corsair for about 70-80 dollars... is that a good recommended brand?
yup it is... well then, i guess im all set on everything... i have the harddrive from my old computer and the dvddrives for the moment being... seeing as itll be the first computer ill build, im pretty psyched about this =D so i think ill go with x2 7750 and AMD 780 Chipset and an 8800GS sound good? all i have left is the 2 gigs of ram i think ill get...(whats recommeded in that?) ddr ddr2? does it really make a difference?
Don't get a 8800GS, you can get an HD4830 for the same sort of price, which will be much better. You will have to use DDR2 with the X2 7750 - it's not really what's best, but what fits.
Yeah DDR2 is what you need to use. Basically any 2GB kit will work but I recommend Corsair, Patriot or Mushkin memory. Look for a CAS latency of 4 if possible. Also agreed on the 8800GS. A 4830 or 9800GT will be faster and can be had for a similar price.
dont those need ddr3 memory though? ok so heres what i came up with 9800GT-$150 xs7750-$85 AMD780-is about $90???? 2gb ram-$40 total- about $350-375 installed with xp of course haha is that right??
