HP ENVY Phoenix Desktop help please

encisivo

Honorable
May 16, 2013
8
0
10,510
THANKS IN ADVANCE! I'm thinking about upgrading to a better computer after the summer. I am planning on purchasing the ENVY Phoenix Desktop for about $1,110. I don't know much about computers, because i got into gaming PCs about 4 years ago. I need some help on deciding if this is a good enough rig. Games i would be playing are Battlefield 4, Skyrim, Counter Strike, and Call of Duty. Bellow are the Product features, and ill post the URL from the website:

Product Features

3rd Gen Intel® Core™ i7-3770 processor
Features an 8MB cache and 3.4GHz processor speed with Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz.
Intel® Core™ i7 processor
Features 8-way processing for ultimate smart performance. Intel® Turbo Boost Technology automatically speeds up your processor when your PC needs extra performance.
12GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM
For multitasking power, expandable to 32GB.
Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support
Records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL media; also supports DVD-RAM.
2TB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 rpm)
Offers spacious storage and fast read/write times. A 16GB disk-caching solid state drive enables enhanced performance.
AMD Radeon HD 7670 graphics
Feature 1GB dedicated video memory for lush images with intricate detail.
15-in-1 front-panel media reader
Supports SmartMedia, xD-Picture Card, MultiMediaCard, Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard, MultiMediaCard mobile, MultiMediaCard Plus, Secure Digital, miniSD, CompactFlash I/II and Microdrive formats.
Also supports Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick PRO Duo formats.
4 USB 3.0 and 8 USB 2.0 ports
For fast digital video, audio and data transfer.
Built-in high-speed wireless LAN (802.11a/b/g/n)
Connect to the Internet without wires.
Bluetooth 4.0 interface
Easily link with other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as a mobile phone or MP3 player.
Built-in 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet LAN
For quick and easy wired Web connection.
Microsoft Windows 8 operating system preinstalled
Provides a stable platform for word processing, Web navigation, gaming, media storage and more.
Software package included
With CyberLink PowerDVD, CyberLink PowerDirector, CyberLink PhotoDirector and more. Includes 1-month trial of Microsoft Office 365.
Intel, Pentium, Celeron, Centrino, Core, Viiv, Intel Inside and the Intel Inside logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

URL: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP---ENVY-Phoenix-Desktop---12GB-Memory---2TB-Hard-Drive/6890832.p?id=1218810615267&skuId=6890832
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator
Hate to tell you this but that computer in no way shape or form will handle BF3 or Call Of Duty. Junk GPU, junk motherboard, non over clockable CPU, slow hard drives, limited proprietary form factors that make upgrading near impossible, and the OS is loaded down with tons of crap you don't need. And buying from Best Buy you have to deal with their atrocious Geek Squad service for maintenance. You'd be throwing money away on a system that you'll be chucking within a year.

You can do way better than that for $1100:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($169.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($134.98 @ Outlet PC)
Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($63.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: OCZ Vector Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card ($309.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($64.99 @ Microcenter)
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 620W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($65.98 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.94 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $1134.81
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-05-16 00:34 EDT-0400)

Building your own rig is not that hard (there's tons of resources out there that can help you), and you'll get a far better system that will last you years longer than any junk off the shelf Gateway, Dell, or Acer machine will.
 

encisivo

Honorable
May 16, 2013
8
0
10,510
Im running this:

AMD Athlon II X2 215 Processor (2CPUs) ~ 2.7GHz
4096MB RAM
Nvidia Geforce 9800 GT

... As you may/can tell, i dont know much about computers.
My current setup can play Battlefield 3 on low settings with 25-30 FPS. Medium Graphics isn't a problem to me at all. Im not picky. Im willing to spend around $1,000 and i have no clue how to build a computer for i am not a tech savvy person and would possibly not correctly create one. Im not looking for a "super-amazing-godly-rig." Sorry for being stubborn, im just worried i might purchase one and have it not running as good as i wish it would.
 

g-unit1111

Titan
Moderator


Any rig you can buy off the shelf at Costco or Best Buy is a junk, garbage, crap system. It will not hold up to any rig you can build yourself. Even if you don't know how to put together a rig, you can have someone in IT build it for you, or you can buy the parts and take them to a local IT shop and have them assemble the parts for you. Trust me, that rig you're originally thinking of getting won't last more than 6 months - 1 1/2 years before you'll be chucking it for a new rig (do a Google search for "planned obsolescence"). The parts are junk (especially the power supplies), the CPUs are watered down, and the GPUs will barely get 5+ FPS on medium or high settings. Not to mention the OS is loaded with garbage software that slows down the rig and makes it practically unusable.

If you want to buy that piece of junk fine, I won't stop you. But it's not a gaming rig by any stretch of the imagination, and if you come back in six months complaining that this rig isn't giving you the frame rates you want on the games you want to play, don't say I didn't warn you.