Dell System, Need to upgrade components?

lightngsvt

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Dec 8, 2010
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Hello, new here. I have a questions, I have a Dell Precision T3400 that I want to put into service as an HTPC and light gaming system. I've had the system for probably 1.5 years now and have yet to use it! The system consists of:

Intel Core 2 quad core
4GB 800mhz DDR2 RAM
1- 500GB 7200rpm SATA HDD
1- DVD-RW
1- 16-n-1 card reader
2- ATI FireGL video cards V3600
1- 525 watt power supply
integrated NIC and sound
64bit Windows Vista Business edition

I want to replace the video cards with an MSI Hawk GTX 460 and possibly upgrade to 8GB 1066 mhz DDR2 RAM, do I have enough power for this system? Do the HDMle, I cards like the Hawk also do audio? How do the cards get the audio signal from the PC?

What I'd like to use the system for:

MS Flight Sim X
Call of Duty: Black Ops
various racing sim games
streaming video / audio to the home theater w/ 50" 1080i plasma TV

DO I have a system that can handle what I want to use it for? Are there any upgrades I need to do? I'll probably upgrade to one of the versions of 64 bit Windows 7 for the OS in the near future.
 
No, except for the video card. Dell systems aren't designed for upgrading. Be sure the dell power supply has the proper connector if a faster video card requires it. If you want to upgrade, build your own system next time. I worked at dell several times in manufacturing. The boards have no memory adjustments or bios updates available for faster cpus or ram.
 

lightngsvt

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Dec 8, 2010
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18,510
Yes, it has 2- 6 pin connectors.

I used to build my own systems, but got out of gaming and hadnt built one in a few years. I got this one as a bonus from work, seems like a good system for the price (Free).

So should I be able to run at ~30fps while gaming with the Hawk?