Want a New PC

[JesterHead1651]

Hey all.

Im currently using a Gateway Profile 4. Pentium 4 at 2.00 Ghz, 768 MB of Ram, 40 GB hard drive, 32 MB Intergrated Nvidia. I am looking to buy a new PC but i dont know which company to go with. I would just upgrade everything on this but it is IMPOSSIBLE since mostly everything is intergrated and it was designed for what it has. The only thing I can upgrade is the RAM. So I was looking at a few different companies and Compaq seems to catch my eye alot. They have alot of good options for not to steep of a price. Oh and I also should mention that I want this PC to have at LEAST a 128 MB video card and want it to be mostly a gaming/entertainment PC. My budget is about 1500 dollars. All opinions and feedback is appreciated. Oh yea and building my own is out of the question!

 

[The Power]

Gateway has a deal that i like alot. I saw this at circuit city but idk if it is where you are.
It is a media center pc wit Windows XP media center edition. It comes with the following
AMD Dual core 4200
Nvidia 6100
a tv tuner
1 gig RAM
200gb hdd
All for 869. That is a really good deal for me. If you want, you can just upgrade the gfx card cuz u will have room left in your budget. But check to see if ur PSU will handle it and stuff.

 

[Gamingfreak]

why is build your own out of the question? its a great learning experience and far better than buying a company one, i think u should at least look into it and u can always pick all the parts and have someone make it for u anyways heres what i think u should get

case - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811133145
motherboard - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136152
cpu - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103595
ram - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820227055
graphics card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130254
power supply - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103937
hard drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148105
monitor - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824116355

total price $1530

this comp would own for a very long time probably about 3 years, and i think u really should attempt to build it because it really isnt difficult, ive rebuilt mine about 3 times and i was a little worried at first but once u get started its easy also with that cpu u can overclock to about 3GHz so make sure u learn how to overclock and nothing will be able to slow this comp down

 

[JesterHead1651]

well possibly because i have been thinking about building my own, and it seems like it wouldent be a bad idea. im just afraid i wouldent be able to do it right. i know a somewhat good amount on computers in general but i have never actually attempted to build one on my own.

 

[Gamingfreak]

its really not hard, i thought the same as u when i got mine and i actually had it made for me but since then ive been changing parts out and so on and ive rebuilt it a few times and its super easy as long as u know what ur doing and plug everything in right

 

[JesterHead1651]

you said something there about overclocking, what is this?

 

[HRHunteRHR]

Tell us what you know before you get into overclocking. It's for your own good. But I'll put it in simple terms becauuse I don't want to go in depth right now.

It's where you make whatever you overclock, ram, cpu, gpu, run faster than it's supposed to by adding more voltage to it. This results in more heat and sometimes instability.


CPU means Central Processing Unit, and GPU means graphics processing unit. Dells and HPs and all the computers for sale at places like Best Buy and Target and major corporations can't be overclocked, but Alienware's can I'm pretty sure.

 

[The Power]

overclocking is only good if you have sufficent cooling and a good PSU. Also, gamer freak, i disagree with you saying that building is ALWAYS better than gaming. I got a new computer but didnt build it. I think gaming computers are usually the best to build but there are other computers for different purposes that dont require building.

 

[HRHunteRHR]

Building a computer is pretty much just building a small puzzle. It's REALLY easy. I won't be surprised if the major corporations use cloned monkies to put them together.

 

[Gamingfreak]

overclocking is only good if you have sufficent cooling and a good PSU. Also, gamer freak, i disagree with you saying that building is ALWAYS better than gaming. I got a new computer but didnt build it. I think gaming computers are usually the best to build but there are other computers for different purposes that dont require building.

i know but when u custom build u put exacly what u want in it and u put decent parts in it whereas companys such as dell use cheap motherboards and ram and so on