I've been browsing here for a couple of days and have discovered that I am clearly really out of touch on graphic card technology!
My son was recently given his grandmothers "old" PC (A Gateway 5200S - Pentium 4 - 2.8MHz - 512 MB RAM) and I would like to upgrade it a little so he can play some of his computer games. He is only 8 and isn't playing the latest, greatest stuff yet - but I am hoping that we can keep this machine going for him for a couple of years. I'm sure he'll need something more then, but it would be nice to have something that will "just work" for a while. The games he plays that seem to stress the graphics the most are Crazy Machines and Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 (with Wild and Soaked). Most of his other games are still the young-kid educational stuff that run easily even on older computers. However, I am sure we'll be adding to the list soon since he loves RCT3 and wants more simulator type games.
I am looking at adding an ATI X1950Pro and some more RAM. I think I will also need to upgrade the PSU since the one in there is only 300W. Does anyone know if I should expect problems doing this to a Gateway? How proprietary is their stuff? Will a standard PSU be OK or do I have to get something proprietary from Gateway? The machine does have PCI-E slots, so my only real concern there is if the card will fit in the case - since it is a mid-tower and doesn't seem that tight I am hopeful that will be OK.... Of course, the memory upgrade is easy and I have done that before in Gateways so no concerns there.
Is there anything important I am missing here? I'm hoping to do this upgrade for $300 (or less) and would rather not get hit with a big surprise in the middle of the job!
Thank for any help,
pdarrah
My son was recently given his grandmothers "old" PC (A Gateway 5200S - Pentium 4 - 2.8MHz - 512 MB RAM) and I would like to upgrade it a little so he can play some of his computer games. He is only 8 and isn't playing the latest, greatest stuff yet - but I am hoping that we can keep this machine going for him for a couple of years. I'm sure he'll need something more then, but it would be nice to have something that will "just work" for a while. The games he plays that seem to stress the graphics the most are Crazy Machines and Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 (with Wild and Soaked). Most of his other games are still the young-kid educational stuff that run easily even on older computers. However, I am sure we'll be adding to the list soon since he loves RCT3 and wants more simulator type games.
I am looking at adding an ATI X1950Pro and some more RAM. I think I will also need to upgrade the PSU since the one in there is only 300W. Does anyone know if I should expect problems doing this to a Gateway? How proprietary is their stuff? Will a standard PSU be OK or do I have to get something proprietary from Gateway? The machine does have PCI-E slots, so my only real concern there is if the card will fit in the case - since it is a mid-tower and doesn't seem that tight I am hopeful that will be OK.... Of course, the memory upgrade is easy and I have done that before in Gateways so no concerns there.
Is there anything important I am missing here? I'm hoping to do this upgrade for $300 (or less) and would rather not get hit with a big surprise in the middle of the job!
Thank for any help,
pdarrah