New pc from dell, which one is the best? need your help

[martinmim]

Hey!

I'm planning to get a dell computer this week or next week:

what is the best cpu between those 2:
I want to play game and a little of video encoding

AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual-Core 5000+
or
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E4300 (1.8GHz, 800 FSB)

which computer is the best
http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=ca&CS=cadhs1&l=en&OC=E5202P_F_1E
or
http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=ca&CS=cadhs1&l=en&OC=E521A2P_F_3E

Notice that I will change the video card.

Thanks for your help

 

[m25]

For what you need (that is stock CPU operation without overclocking, since you're getting a Dell), the X2 5000+ just kills the E4300.

 

[Detson]

The THG CPU charts are an invaluable resource when choosing processors:


http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html

 

[JamieMole]

what video card do u plan on putting in there. Cause i highly doubt it will have enough power to cover any card thats decent. Does it have to be a dell ?

 

[MonocleCat]

Dude, you're getting a dell!

 

[zenmaster]

I would take the AMD if forced.
The problem with the E4300 is that the FSB is quite slow until it's OC'ed.

If you OC, the E4300 is awesome but not at stock.
You can't OC Dell's.

Why Dell?

Build your own and get a FAR faster and FAR cheaper system.

Dell's are great if you are looking in the $299-$399 range and don't want to game and want something quick and easy to setup.

If you really want a good system, build it.

 

[runswindows95]

Overall, the AMD is the best.

 

[delluser1]

Dell's are great if you don't want to game.

Quote editted

Why is it that everyone has this opinion ? My Dell is a better gamer than alot of custom built machine's and cost $200 less than the price of the base components when I bought it from the Dell outlet.
Now that there have been so many price drops, I have order what I need to build my own using parts from the Dell, but for the past 7 months I've had no problems tearing it up with the guys in my clan that build thier own, and my Dell actually peforms better than even some of the newer builds.

 

[ajfink]

You actually CAN OC that Dell thanks to the E4300 pin mod...but you run the risk of creating an unstable system / messing stuff up.

The AMD system will be faster.

 

[sailer]

Looks like one of those rare times that an AMD machine is more expensive than the Intel one. I'd choose the AMD 5000+ one. Especially given that you plan to upgrade the video card, because then the AMD machine might turn out cheaper if you're getting the upgrade from Dell. Otherwise, the AMD machine still is better overall.

 

[runswindows95]

Yeah, because the AMD comes with a 22" versus only a 20", and has a GPU versus integrated.

 

[zenmaster]

Mobo - $99
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16813128042

CPU - $115
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16819115013

2Gb Memory - $95
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098

Case - $50
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811119068

PSU - $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817128002

Video - 8800GTS - $270
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133193

XP Home - $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116056

Monitor - 20.1" Wide Screen w/HDCP Support and 5ms Reponse - $190
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824112007

Misc Keyboard&Mice&DVD- $70
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total $1100

The Dell E4300 when upgraded to the x1300Pro video card was about $1250.

This was the best card I could configure that system with.
The x1300Pro is not capable of running many games. The PSU also is likely not designed to be able to even handle a card like the 8800.

The w/PIN mod the E4300 could reach 2.4Ghz. This system could get to 3.0Ghz even using the Stock cooler.

So you are paying "More" for the Dell and its graphics are would likely be limited to perhaps a 7600GT w/o upgrading the PSU. While the 7600 is a decent card, its still not great. Even then you would need to pay to get this since they dont offer anything close to this powerful out of the box. And once you put that card in, your warranty may be voided. I know some manufacturers put various seals and markers to let them know if a system has been opened.

While it is true that Dell.Outlet.Com has some decent deals (I bought 3 laptops from there - Mine, Wife's, and Sister's), I just cant recommend their systems for gaming. Between the locked bios and low power PSU's, the base is simply not there to turn it into a great gaming machine.

 

[djgandy]

Is building own pc's really that hard these days?
I've been doing it since I was 11 and technology was slightly scarier back then(1997). I didn't have the internet to check if i screwed up either, i just had to figure it out for myself.

Give it a shot, you will learn things!

 

[delluser1]

The machine in my sig was $1200 with the addition of the 8800 GTS, which runs fine on the 375w/30 amp psu in the XPS 410.
The Corsair psu I thru in it just for the heck of it because it was the first purchase I made for a build.
The locked bios of the Dell makes it no less a gamer than any homebuilt machine, you just have to get it with the most powerful cpu that you can, and stay away from the units with the AMD chips because they come with a lower power psu and no room for a dual slot video card unless case mods are made.

 

[darkangelism]

buy something off the Dell outlet for cheaper.

 

[ajfink]

The machine in my sig was $1200 with the addition of the 8800 GTS, which runs fine on the 375w/30 amp psu in the XPS 410.
The Corsair psu I thru in it just for the heck of it because it was the first purchase I made for a build.
The locked bios of the Dell makes it no less a gamer than any homebuilt machine, you just have to get it with the most powerful cpu that you can, and stay away from the units with the AMD chips because they come with a lower power psu and no room for a dual slot video card unless case mods are made.

Did you do a clean Windows install, by any chance?

I think your tearing up your clan mates has less to do with the computer and more to do with personal skill. Facts are facts, a system built within the $1200 price range could outperform your Dell for sheer better specs. Not a big deal that you have a Dell, I'm not going to rip anyone for it, I'm just saying...

I hate that phrase.

 

[MonocleCat]

you just have to get it with the most powerful cpu that you can

This alone makes it silly not to build your own IMO. Buying the 'most powerful cpu' will add about $300 to the box, whereas buying a much cheaper cpu and overclocking it to be faster than the 'most powerful' is $300 cheaper. Also, building your own cuts out the $~200-2000 that dell tacks on, not to mention all the bloatware they throw at you.

To give you an idea of what I'm talking about, I arranged a rig on the dell website with similar specs to the one I'm planning on building, only with some lesser parts where my choices were limited. I ended up with a price tag of ~$4300 without a monitor! My rig will end up costing no more than $2400 WITH a 22'' Samsung 226 LCD and will offer me better performance, and the ability to overclock, etc.

Something to think about.

 

[goldragon_70]

The system in my sig was about $1650 to build that's including tax and shipping. I was doing some building comparisons a few months ago, and I found that for a $500 system I could build one for $500 with tax and shipping included and with the dell it wound up being more, with only a one year warranty, and the hardware had at least that if not more. I've also noticed if you try to deviate from there main build system configuration, it will be much more expensive then if you build it.

 

[Heyyou27]

You actually CAN OC that Dell thanks to the E4300 pin mod...but you run the risk of creating an unstable system / messing stuff up.

The AMD system will be faster.

If he's not comfortable building his own machine, what makes you think he'll do a CPU pin mod? :lol:

 

[zenmaster]

But that is the point of the unlocked Bios.

An E4300 is a far more powerful CPU in a custom PC than a E6600 is in a Dell box. You would need to get an E6800 or better to match CPU performance.

 

[zenmaster]

And the 8800GTS w/640MB of Ram is a non-Dell upgrade.

Note: Most manufacturer's recommend at minimum a 400w PSU for this card. While 375w is likely good enough, as you start adding extra HDDs and stuff you don't have much head room.

The major PSU upgrade was also a smart move.

It is also unlikely that his PC came with dual HDDs configured in RAID-0.
So most likely he added a 2nd HDD and set those for Raid-0.

What's really left of the Dell is the MB and locked Bios.
If that was upgraded for $99 it would let him boost the CPU to 3.0Ghz for a nice lift in performance.

 

[zenmaster]

That is the key with Dell and many of the others.
Buy the default config and dont do upgrades.

That is where they really stick you.

If you need a simple PC, they are good deals in most cases.

 

[delluser1]

I will try to reply to everyone that has posted since my last.

darkangelism, my machine came from the outlet and at the time it was about $200 less than the cost of the components.
____________________________________________________________

ajfink, no I did not do a clean install, I do have a copy of XP Pro and could but didn't feel like it. I manually removed the bloatware and the corresponding registry entries. I don't tear up my clanmates,my skills leave much to be desired. Yes a homebuilt $1200 machine could perform better than mine, but not much, and thanks to the price cuts it would cost less now.
____________________________________________________________

MonocleCat, you have to know what you are looking for and be patient when buying from the outlet, I've seen machines that have faster cpu's and more hardware than mine for even less than I paid. I would never buy a new machine from Dell because of the extra that they tack on. My machine does not offer the ability to overclock, but is quite powerful and with the addition of a Dell 2407 WFP, was under $1800. How much better performance are you going to get for the $600 more than I spent ?
____________________________________________________________

The point I'm trying to make is that just because it's a Dell, does't mean it can't game, you just have to know what you need for the experience that you wish to have.

In an effort to join the rest of my buddies with thier home built machines and the knowledge I have gained here, I have ordered an Asus P5NE-SLI board and 2 gigs of Crucial Ballistix@800MHz along with an Aerocool Masstige case (can stay on my left side like the Dell) to use with the parts from my Dell. My sig will change but my user name will stay the same.

My Dell

 

[MonocleCat]

Exactly, for the barebone desktop/laptop they are a decent deal depending on what you get. Just don't expect to do much else with it besides some word processing and internet surfing. Doing more than that will cost you.

Building a PC is a lot easier and has more benefits than most people think, and I'm sure we'll see many more people taking this option as time goes on.

 

[darkangelism]

the power supply in the 410 is 29 amps, and will run an 8800GTX. and you can get it shipped with raid 0.


and delluser1: i know your system came from the outlet, you have said that already...my 410 did also.