Some help choosing please

[Manji022]

So my rig (A DELL DIMENSION C521 that amazingly still runs the newest games) is dead or at least very near death. I am a gamer and I want something that will run the newest games and make them all shiny and pretty. Now, the way I figure it this Athlon 64 X2 3800+ 2.0GHz has been doing the job and it is old. So then a newer system with a better CPU should really do well. The problem is I dont know enough.

So, I am thinking that the systems I list here should get it done and do it with a few upgrades. I know that memory and video card upgrades will be needed but I am saving for a really good system but need to game in the mean time. Any advice would help out a lot.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883108362

K320-30192GU Cant find a link for this one oddly. Core i3 3.2GHZ, 6GB DDr3 Ram, 1TB HDD,

http://www.emachines.com/products/products.html?prod=ET1352-53

As I am sure you can see price is the big issue here. I dont have much budget at all and so I am struggling to save as it is. A cheap system that can just do 'good enough' is all i need for now. Normally I would save and just buy it outright, but since I am need now I have to finance it (hence the bestbuy links) so if anyone knows a good place to get the system with something like the bill me later feature I could really use the advice.

Thanks a lot for the help in advance guys and gals.

 

[Atotalnoob]

Build it yourself =D

 

[Manji022]

Lol I really want to! I just need something that will do while I get the parts to build a good rig. This silly DELL was my first PC and I learned a lot (the hard way since it is a dell) about upgrading and installing. I want to make my own system and do it right once I get the parts, in the mean time I just want to have something that will work.

This thing is getting old and she still runs but she keeps dying on me lately. Could be the PSU, maybe the 9800GT is going, maybe she just wants to die. In any case I need an upgrade anyway but it does not have to be spectacular, thats what I want from the system I build.

 

[Atotalnoob]

None of those links go to a computer....

 

[Manji022]

I see... thanks for pointing that out lol, I will fix that asap

 

[COLGeek]

If you are going to buy a pre-built, what is your budget? Of the 3 systems you listed, only 2 can be viewed and I would choose the Lenovo over the eMachines, hand down.

Regardless, both Dell and HP are running some great holiday deals and you can get some good deals from sites like newegg.com. I would recommend that you get a capable discrete GPU as well with your system (add yourself or buy with the system) as opposed to using an integrated GPU solution.

 

[Atotalnoob]

I can't view any of them D,=

If you really want prebuilt, I'd get from Cyberpowerpc, Ibuypower or Digitalstorm

 

[Manji022]

Thanks for the advice. I know Iam going to need a good GPU and that is why I am looking at systems that are in the 400-500 range. Just enough CPU and RAM with a decent GPU is what I have always had and seems to do the trick.

atotalnoob, the bestbuy links did the same thing to me and for some reason they always just redirect eventhough they work if you copy and paste.

So I take it the Core I3 is a good cpu? I really just know that my Athlon X2 is what was holding this system back and that an I3 should be better.

Oh sorry, the Lenovo also has an option to come with a Core I3 CPU, I dont know if the Athlon II X2 is better.

 

[Manji022]

Wow, thanks thats a very cool find. I may just look into this a bit more.

How does this look? Phenom2 X2 N620 2.8GHz 500GB 4GB(2DM) DVDRW(LS) 15.6HD(1366x768) BV WLAN NIC 5-in-1 ATI Radeon HD 4250 Entertainment Cam NB PC for $550? The Phenom2 X2 is good from what I hear.

 

[Manji022]

Thanks again kitaware! Ok so here are the apps I will need primarily:

Gaming, the newest stuff obviously, although I use my PS3 mostly for gaming I would like to run PC titles like civ 5 and sims 3 (my wife is in love with the sims too lol) at max.

Photoshop. I do a lot of concept work with this so it is important.

UDK. The concept work is for a game I am creating with a small team. I know that a work station is really needed for this but for now just being able to do some basic work is good.

3DS Max, again, building a game.

Let me be clear that I do know that a budget system is NOT going to cut it for game development, but I just hope it will do for the basics like level design and 3DS. Fortunately the team is doing most of the technical work, I am the concept and story guy. I wrote it they are helping to build it.

I think that building a system on Cyberpower or Ibuypower is my best choice now. The I5 seems a good choice so how about this:

* CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-650 3.20 GHz 4M Intel Smart Cache LGA1156 [-30]
* HDD: 500GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 16MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Single Hard Drive)
* MEMORY: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module [+94] (Corsair or Major Brand)
* MOTHERBOARD: [CrossFireX/SLI] EVGA P55 TR Intel P55V Chipset DDR3 Socket 1156 mATX Mainboard w/ 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, USB2.0, SATA-II RAID, 2 Gen2 PCIe, & 2 PCIe X1 [+1]
* SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
* VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card [+79] (EVGA Superclocked [+15])

It turns out to be more than I wanted to spend but with the option to pay over time it is managable.

 

[Manji022]

Again, yes it helps, thanks. I dont know much about raid but I will take your advice on that

 

[mosox]

ASRock M3A770DE
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157176
AMD Athlon II X4 640 + GIGABYTE GV-R577SO-1GD Radeon HD 5770
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.544486
G.SKILL NS 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231396
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS 500GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148395
LITE-ON Black 24X DVD+R
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106289
SeaSonic S12II 520 Bronze 520W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151094
HEC Blitz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121096

$512.92

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/274745-13-step-step-guide-building

 

[Manji022]

Wow thats not bad at all, thanks mosox. I think I need to upgrade the cpu a bit but I found this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.556810

What do you think of that?

 

[mosox]

That Athlon CPU is cheap but strong but if you want a Phenom and a more modern mobo you can get this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.564823

 

[Manji022]

Excellent! I think that will do. Also, just for laughs here is a link to a question about my rig I asked a while back It is clear I needed to upgrade anyway lol.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=31&post=280935&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

 

[Dylan80]

Stay away from e-Machines... I think this is common sense in the tech world LOL

 

[Manji022]

I have heard that they are not too bad, but then again this is from standard users who just check mail, facebook and play solitare lol.

 

[mosox]

For gaming the GPU is much more important than the CPU. If you increase your budget get a HD 6850 and the Athlon, the games will run much better than on a Phenom + 5770.

 

[Manji022]

I am thinking that is going to be the best option, especially since I am now looking for a job again. I hate Michigan lol

 

[Atotalnoob]

^ +1

 

[Manji022]

Oh wow thats close! I live in Wayne. Thank you much for the offer of help too, I appreciate it a lot. Hopefully I can find some work soon then I will start building a system. I have a slight advantage since I am living with my parents again. My dad had cancer and I moved in to help them out. Now that the cancer is gone (WOOHOO) I am still here. They like having me around and they also like my girlfriend so she stays here a lot too. All is well We always joke about her having an apartment for her cats.

Got a little carried away with the life story there, sorry bout that. Anyway, I am thinking that I may just build an I5 system and run another 9800GTX in SLI. The card is still pretty good and I can always upgrade that easily. The only question I have is does SLI support multiple monitors? My HDTV is awesome as a monitor and my HP w2338h monitor is 1080P so i would like to keep both.

Oh quick edit:

If I upgraded the PSU and graphics card on my current rig would that help out any?

one more edit to be clear: I said my wife loves the sims in an earlier post, she is my girlfriend whom I refer to as my wife. So i am not cheating on anyone, girlfriend and I are going to get married at some point so I just call her my wife often. she likes that

 

[Manji022]

Woah nice finds, I had not really considered upgrading this one any more but now it seems reasonable. I have windows 7 now so no worries on that. It is easy to do with the disc, I know what you mean.

 

[Atotalnoob]

ahaha I just had to install win7 without a disc.... wasn't too hard actually.... Just had to find a non-pirate mirror and make an ISO image....

 

[Manji022]

Wait a sec? is the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130579 really better than http://www.walmart.com/ip/PNY-Technologies-XLR8-9800GT-EE-512MB/11084847? As far as the size of the card goes, lets just say that my C521 has a "custom" case, as in I took some tin snips to it long ago to make the 9800GT fit lol.

 

[Manji022]

Lol, the side panel is off entirely, mostly for cooling. The back of the case is cut and bent to allow for the card. Its a monster lol. My friends call it the frankenstein. I also have duct tape holding my dvd drive in place because my old one died and the new one, for whatever reason wont stay put.