Dell 4700 for civilians 499$ with monitor...Should I ask an active duty relative? Hmmm ethical dilemma

[CRPGer]

http://configure.us.dell.com/d...l=en&oc=4d47w13a&s=bsd

Already posted by luvtosave [THANKS alot!!] :thumbsup:

Order detail - order placed 2005-01-20 11:58:57
Dimension 4700 Pentium® 4 Processor 530 with HT Technology (3.00GHz, 800 FSB),
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition Qty: 1

Memory 512MB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 400MHz (2x256M)

Keyboard Dell Quietkey® Keyboard

Monitor FREE! 17 in E173FP Flat Panel Display

Video Cards Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 900

Hard Drive 80GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)

Floppy Drive and Additional Storage Devices No Floppy Drive Included

Operating System Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition

Mouse Dell 2-button scroll mouse

Network Interface Integrated Intel® PRO 10/100 Ethernet

Modem No Modem Requested

Document Management Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 6.0

CD or DVD Drive Single Drive: 48X CD-ROM Drive

Sound Card Integrated 5.1 Channel Audio

Speakers No Speaker Option
...[bunch of Dell crap software I will delete]..

*******Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options Promo, 2 Year Limited Warranty plus 2 Year On-site Service*********
B2YOS59

Mail- In Rebate $100 Mail In Rebate

Save $100 on select Dimension? 4700 desktops through Dell Small Business.
Expires on 2005-01-24 06:30:00 - $100.00

Sub-Total $699.00
Shipping $0.00
Estimated Tax $32.75
Total $731.75

 

[cownipples]

If your not a gammer it should be fine me personally I don't like intergrated graphics and sound unless its soundstorm by nvidia, I think its an average deal not hot! just my opinion.

 

[CRPGer]

Thanks for the input. I have a great monitor and an old machine with my home office apps. I plan on switching monitors, getting a ~50-70$ 5.1 sound card then looking for a ~200$ Nvidia 6600 GT ... eventually I might be able to get really smoking with a PCIe card

So I would have ok sound, nice graphics, 512 DDR2 with 2 empty slots and a new monitor to go with my older system...for

632 + 50 + 200 = 882$ I cant figure out a better way to price a comparable ungradable system... I appreciate all feedback.
Anandtech forums have been giving me more up to date info than I can get anywhere else. Thanks again!

Computer Role Playing Gamer

 

[CRPGer]

Do I need to join the military for a better deal ;p

...unless you guys can point me somewhere else..?

I guess I can cancel the deal if needed. I would rather build my own with AMD64
but could not figure out a way to get the same specs for my dollar.

_Gaming_ is a main concern

But the only RPG that ever burned up my hardware was EQ2..
they are usually pretty hardware forgiving

Everquest 2 has a funny warning if
you set the graphics beyond medium...(well not funnly like UR2004's {OWWW Sh1T} but funny)

**Warning most systems can not run at this level! at high it says something like
Almost no systems can run at the performance level...do you really want to use this level?

I quit EQ2 after becoming immersed in the artistic granduer of WoW,
even though its basic cartoony looks are funky enough
to be cool on basic hardware.

I will use a FPS, but mainly for lan use with friends
[who drink and dont care so much about graphics details as long as they 'Frag']



Thanks in advance for helping me decide on how to spend my paychecks..
I have been saving up for over a year.
My last computer purchase was 5 years ago
and the upgrading isn't helping anymore.

I hate Diminishing returns
and the fact that I dont meet game recquirements...



Computer Role Player

 

[JohnDoh]

17" lcds are not for gaming, if want a dell mine as well wait for one there sub $300-$400 deals with min 2.8ghz p4

then get a flat screen (not lcd) 19" crt (NOT FROM DELL) monitor like $100-$250 that blows away 17" lcd

 

[NiKeFiDO]

as far as ethics go, get the deal, ask your relative

ALSO, LCDs are OK for gaming if you get a sub 20ms one, dont worry about these people who tell you otherwise, because they are fine unless you are pretty picky.

 

[CRPGer]

JohnDoh-

Thanks for the advice. I will DEFINATELY switch monitors to my current computers monitor. Even though the Dell is suppose to be 16 ms and can be OK for a drunken lan fragfest when connected to my 'obsolete' 1.3 GZ P4 256 RDRAM Nvidia 5200.

Having 2 systems will give me a passable lan to play URT 2004 with my brother..Ill just put him on the older machine ;-)

The key to getting this machine is its PCIe slot which will accept all the hot cards coming down the pike for some time.

2yrs at home warantty is ok also. Plus I have _never_ felt bottlenecked by the CPU ( Except for Morrowind...I hope they fixed that crappy code for ES iV Oblivion) . This board also takes the newest ram, which matters a little (maybe). Anyone got some RDRAM 512 sticks lying around HAHA getting burned on that was fun.

My current monitor costs more than this system and will last me another 20 years (got it refurb for 450 retails at 1850 widescreen sony CRT 26 inch I think cant even figure out the inputs composite and 'diagnostic?').


NikeFiDO-

I am looking into getting the machine from my relative...since it is 100% legit as a bona fid gift and I give him gifts all the time I think I can say to my self that he can honestly not expect renumeration...just continued family gift exchanges trying to one up each other without quid pro qou.

Or maybe that just BS..the PX really is for our underpaid service members, I hate to think that the machine should be sitting on timmys desk. Except Timmy can't webcam his Dad in Iraq because all the Dells were taken from the supply chain by greedy non service members who knew someone at the PX....

Damn conscious....

Thanks again for the input! I'm gonna think about it and have my relative cart it up and then decide...He may keep it for himself!

 

[fintheman]

*yawn* at the whole I still have a CRT so I will say its better just because I don't have an LCD

 

[JACKHAMMER]

Originally posted by: fintheman
*yawn* at the whole I still have a CRT so I will say its better just because I don't have an LCD

I have both, and I would take my CRT over my LCD for gaming.

 

[CRPGer]

fintheman

I guess my long post was boring or you are tired...I will try to respond and discuss the reason for my monitor purchse

CRT are superior for quick response times and other properties like resolution changing options etc.. I agree that it is currently the best computer display technology

The 499 deal would be just barely acceptable to me without the monitor BUT since it has a 299 retail monitor (which I could sell if I was so inclined and get back 150-200$)
This makes me think the deal is possibly warm and that others may be interested...it seems justifiable to ask the experts here for an opinion

I juiced the computer up a bit for 100$ more 2.8 ->3.0 CPU 256 RAM --> 512 and 80 GB HD --> 160 GB HD

The computer has PCIe DDR2 and ATA so I think its fairly upgradable.

I appreciate constructive critisism. I'll try to be a more productive forum member and find out some better deals (not reposted like this one)

Have a good one!

 

[CRPGer]

JackHammer-

I agree completely.. Sorry if I made CRT vs LCD a thread within my thread, not sure that there is any doubt for those who have real desire for the best gaming performance,
of course eveyone has an opinion and the Apple Cinema stuff always makes me drool for some reason.

By the way the military discounts seem to be dead cuz the links to dell aren't working and some other posters say you now have to buy some training thing that makes up the difference in the civilian small business vs the military deal.

Also if you go straight to the dell site, its added about 68$ to the cost because the monitor is now an upgrade and not free.

If someone can help me get an equivalent system by shopping for parts from newegg,zipzoomfly,monarch or wherever I would appreciate it.

The dell 2 year on site does make me want to stick with this deal...it seems like a hot one to me...personal monitor preferences aside.

Thanks for reading!! If anyone sees me on Thunderlord at Wow my character is IX...or nine in latin