Good Price for PC for a light gamer?

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EniMysterEgma

Junior Member
Jan 26, 2006
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It's been a while since I've been in the computer hardware circuit and I need some advice. I want a new computer and this seems like a good start:

Gateway 835GM Media Center PC
Gateway 835GM Intel Pentium D 2.8 GHz (Dual-Core) / 1GB DDR2 / 250GB SATA HDD / DVD±RW Dual-Layer / DVD-ROM / Media Reader / Windows XP Media Center 2005 / Refurb. Media Center PC ( $649.99 at Tiger Direct)

Now, I'm not L33T, but I'd be able to construct a PC from Barebones and put in all the other components. It just seems to me that with shipping I wouldn't be able to find a much better deal. If I chose this refurbished (something that I'm not worried about) PC I would also choose these to supplement it:

XFX PVT42GUAD7 Geforce 6800GS 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 $189 + 4.99 3-day UPS from NewEgg

and maybe a Acer AL1714cb 17" 8ms lcd monitor for $199 AR (also from tiger direct to simplify things, unless I can find somewhere else that's (significantly) cheaper)

Anyway, I need some advice...
Any thoughts? Thanks...
 
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stevem326

Senior member
Apr 5, 2005
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Well, I'm definitely not an expert but if you want to do any gaming on that PC you might be a little limited because of the integrated graphics. I guess it all depends upon what you're trying to get this thing to do. If you shopped around you might be able to get a similarly spec'd system brand new somewhere...maybe Dell with some coupons? Have you looked at any local PC shops in your area? You can often get some good deals that way...
 
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EniMysterEgma

Junior Member
Jan 26, 2006
21
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Yes the system has integrated graphics but I would get a GeForce 6800GS.

And why a refub Dell xps over a refub Gateway?
 
Malladine

Malladine

Diamond Member
Mar 31, 2003
4,618
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Is media center fully compatible with games that list xp/2000/9x?

IMO $650 for that refurb. gateway is not a good deal.

You can build a budget gaming rig from individual parts for around $1000 with ease. Incl. the OS:

One example:

XP Home: $95
939 cpu: $160 (venice 3200+)
mb: $85 (msi neo4-F)
vid card: $165 (AR x800gto2 turbo - nice buy)
floppy/dvd drives: $60
keyboard/mouse: $50
ps/case: $100
1gb pc3200 ram: $85
sata hdd: $70
monitor: $200
total: $1070

That's just from memory.
 
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alimoalem

Diamond Member
Sep 22, 2005
4,025
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i'd go for a rig and not a prebuilt.

amd over intel

6800gs is perfect. you can get a pretty good computer fr $650 with no VGA card if you build it yourself
 
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mwmorph

Diamond Member
Dec 27, 2004
8,877
1
81
Originally posted by: Smartazz
Originally posted by: i1o0i
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16883103005

I think this one will catch your eyes. ;-]
Click to expand...

whoa, if I liked prebuilt rigs I'd probobly get that computer, def. go with it the video card should do the job.
Click to expand...

nice pc crap video card. a x600se is a 9600se with a pci-e bridge chip. The 9600se was antiqidated when it came out. 3 years later, it's struggling to do anything past 2d work.

Originally posted by: misanthropy
this system may be superior: http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopp...p&subcat1=rts&catLevel=3#defaultAnchor

I'm not sure that other system has a PCI Express slot.
Click to expand...

This pc is a decent deal. It has a pci-e slot since all x200s are native pci-e mbs.
 
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i1o0i

Senior member
May 20, 2005
262
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0
bamacre

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
81
Originally posted by: EniMysterEgma
Yes the system has integrated graphics but I would get a GeForce 6800GS.

And why a refub Dell xps over a refub Gateway?
Click to expand...

Better build, better design, probably better warranty as well. I posted some difference between an e-machine (owned by gateway) and the dell xps 400 HERE. It's toward the end of the thread.
 
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EniMysterEgma

Junior Member
Jan 26, 2006
21
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I have a couple of questions now. Is it really that important to get DDR2 ram or a DDR2 compatible mobo? also this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16883103005 shows nothing about the power supply. Is it right to presume it would be able to power a pci-e card and another optical drive? And since I haven't kept up with processors, what's up with it being 3500+ and 2.2GHz. And, is a dual core machine really any more efficient?
 
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Wall7486

Senior member
Sep 29, 2004
475
0
0
EnimysterEgma what is your budget. I think you'll have better alternatives than some of these pre-built. Just give us a price range.
 
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EniMysterEgma

Junior Member
Jan 26, 2006
21
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$700-800...

And I want a new monitor. At least a 17" with low response time. ~$200

Edit: Financial Aid baby!!!
 
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shoRunner

Platinum Member
Nov 8, 2004
2,629
1
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ddr2 is only for intel computer and currently does not offer many advantages over ddr because of its high latencies.
the 3500+ is simply the model number of the processor, the reason the 2.2ghz may seem slow to some ppl is the intel marking machine pushing that more mhz always = more speed. which is not the case as the 2.2ghz 3500+ easily outperforms a 3.6-3.8ghz p4.
dual core will not really help any with current games as most are not smp aware, dual core processors will help alot when you have 2 processor straining tasks going at once like ripping a dvd to an avi, and playing a game at the same time.
the 300w psu in the acer will easily take on another optical drive or hd, but it really depends on which card you go with as to whether it will run it or not. the 6800gs would be very close but the fortron psu in the acer is a quality brand so it may run it just fine.


i'll also add an even cheaper suggestion
http://e4me.com/products/products.html?prod=T6420
 
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Wall7486

Senior member
Sep 29, 2004
475
0
0
If i'm reading you correctly the monitor is not included in the 700-800 range I hope. If that's the case I'll reccomend the following. Look them up at the egg if you're interested.

Cooler Master Centurion 541 $45
Asus A8N-VM CSM 82
AMD Athlon64 3200+ Venice s939 185
Corsair ValueSelect 1GB 7 9.85
Forton 400W P. Supply 39.99
eVGA 6800GS 256MB 185(-10MIR-20MIR) 155 after all rebates
Western Digital Caviar 120GB 8 2
NEC DVD Burner 3550A 3 7.99
Samsung 740N-BLack 17" 8ms LCD 212.99
Windows XP Home 88.95 (If you need a copy of it)


1038.77
1099.97 after shipping
1069.97 after rebate

I think this is as good as I can make it, I think this will be much better than the ABS system overall because of the forton PSU and 6800GS. However, if this exceeds your budget. My suggestion is go for a evga 6600GT, which is $135.
 
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i1o0i

Senior member
May 20, 2005
262
0
0
Originally posted by: EniMysterEgma
I have a couple of questions now. Is it really that important to get DDR2 ram or a DDR2 compatible mobo? also this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16883103005 shows nothing about the power supply. Is it right to presume it would be able to power a pci-e card and another optical drive? And since I haven't kept up with processors, what's up with it being 3500+ and 2.2GHz. And, is a dual core machine really any more efficient?
Click to expand...


It's DDR RAM compatible mobo. I guess it'll be just fine on Forton 300watts power supply and I doubt you need other optical drive and I think dual core have some side effects on performance when multitasking.
 
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EniMysterEgma

Junior Member
Jan 26, 2006
21
0
0
Wall7486,
I like it. Will I only need all of that stuff, or will I need to spring for new ribbon cables and whatnot too? Do you know if that is usually included with all of the parts?
 
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