We're a Mac family, but I'm looking for a PC to play some Windows-only games: SWTOR, DAO, some stuff on Steam. We'll be hooking this up to our 55" Sony TV via HDMI and using a bluetooth keyboard/mouse, so we can also use it as an HTPC in the living room.
I have the option to get the following for $620 out the door thanks to a discount:
* Dell XPS 8300 i7-2600
* 8GB DDR3 RAM
* 500GB 7200 RPM HDD
* Nvidia Geforce GT530 1GB
Figured I'd buy this and use it as a basis for upgrading. Better video card (suggest?) + a 256GB SSD (or raiding 2x 128GB SSDs as I hear this provides better performance?). I like this idea because I don't have to shell out for everything at once, altho I'm keen on getting the SSD at the same time as the PC itself.
1.) Is this possible with the XPS 8300?
Versus the price of buying all the components individually, I figured the $620 price--which also includes RAM, the OS, case + PSU--was a good way to go vs building a PC (which I've done before... but not since 2005).
2.) Is there a better alternative out there? I'm all ears.
Again, this will be for games, so I'd like some power under the hood with the GPU. Trying to keep the TOTAL budget under $1k if possible.
Thanks!
I have the option to get the following for $620 out the door thanks to a discount:
* Dell XPS 8300 i7-2600
* 8GB DDR3 RAM
* 500GB 7200 RPM HDD
* Nvidia Geforce GT530 1GB
Figured I'd buy this and use it as a basis for upgrading. Better video card (suggest?) + a 256GB SSD (or raiding 2x 128GB SSDs as I hear this provides better performance?). I like this idea because I don't have to shell out for everything at once, altho I'm keen on getting the SSD at the same time as the PC itself.
1.) Is this possible with the XPS 8300?
Versus the price of buying all the components individually, I figured the $620 price--which also includes RAM, the OS, case + PSU--was a good way to go vs building a PC (which I've done before... but not since 2005).
2.) Is there a better alternative out there? I'm all ears.
Again, this will be for games, so I'd like some power under the hood with the GPU. Trying to keep the TOTAL budget under $1k if possible.
Thanks!