Why Not Asus CG5270

[LBinFL]

The requirement is an everyday computer for online and some gaming (mostly strategy). Prefer store bought or build to order online. This is not a custom build or any desire to overclock. That said why not an Asus CG5270-BP004 for $650 and put in a modest card for it's low end 400w PSU?

It is locked in to older tech; however, it does have an Asus board with an Q8300 and 8 gigs of ram (800). Frankly, I have not seen anything close at this price point. Cyberpower would be close with mostly better parts but they are still 750+.

I've always liked Asus boards and have had 3. They seem to have mixed reviews regarding their PC's however.

My thinking was to pick this up and in two years buy a new PSU and graphics card if needed (for now it would run a $69 PNY 9800GT EE on the 1 PCI-eX16 it has). The prior model came with a modest card and wireless card (BP003) but was $750.

So please can I hear every reason this is not a good buy or conversely any reasons why it is. Thank you.

LB

ps I was required to put one of the pre sets in the sub category- might I suggest allowing "other"?

 

[LBinFL]

Hi I'd like to answer my own question having now checked the box out at BB. Besides a graphics card it needs case fans and a wireless card. Once you open the box you void the warranty so anything that dies you have to eat past the return date and in Fla for computers it's 14 days not 30.

So since the Corsair 650W PSU is selling for $100 I'm instead going to order a computer online as I have done many times in the past. With this PSU, a Q9400 with 4 gig (800) I can get a box built for about $600 with win 7. In a few years I can always swap the board/chip/ram.

In any case I'll check out cyberpower and ibuypower but I haven't ordered a computer in a few years so is there someone else I should check out as well.

 

[Spinnalis]

LBinFL,

I have this system (ASUS CG5270), and did the things you were talking about. I upgraded the PSU to a solid 750w unit and upgraded the exisitng Nvidia 220 it came with to an Nvidia 260 (MSI OC Twinfrozr). I also added two 120mm case fans. The motherboard will not support dual video cards, but I'm not into taking it that extreme anyway. As you know the case on this system is enormous....much more for show than anything else, but everthing runs very cool inside.

In all, the upgrades cost me about $350, which brings the total cost of the unit to about $1,000-$1,100. I think that's pretty good for what it is. I figure I could build a super hot gaming system for around $1,500 that would be better (and that will probobly be my next project), but this one can take all I have thrown at it so far.

I'm tinkering with overclocking it now so we'll see what it can stand.

 

[Hizaki]

I've "had" an CG5270 that is until i found out that the motherboard is locked and it cannot be overclock or change many settings that otherwise make some upgrades incompatible. I sold parts away and used the motherboard and ram for a htpc. The case although big has only support for a micro motherboard. Asus technical support had not much info on their built since they couldn't really tell me the actual specs of the board only a "reference". Also there was an update for the gt 220 pre installed graphics card that gave me a blue screen for a while after windows 7 upgrade, too me about a week to finally figure out that it was bad video driver and how i could fix this. I think anyone who has any desire to upgrade should build or have their computer built to make sure that they can upgrade their computers in the future.