Will I see a big difference, getting a new computer

[Papagayo]

I got HalfLife 2 for Christmas and needed to get a new computer..

My old machine was just too choppy when playing CounterStrike2, so my wife said I can get a new machine to play the game..
I'm getting my machine today..


I spent $500 for the following system..

Dell sc420 ($323)
P4 3.0 ghz
512 DDR2 ram
80 gig data drive
ATI x700 pro (micro center $159)

my old system

Athlon 1.2 ghz
786 pc133 ram
60 gig 5400 rpm hdd
ATI 8500


How much improvement will I see?



ps.. I will be modding the PCI-E slot to accept the ATI card..

 

[SaltBoy]

Originally posted by: Papagayo
my wife said I can get a new machine to play the game..

I call shens.

 

[new2AMD]

Is OT really where you want to ask this?

 

[FoBoT]

same video card? some improvement, but i would think for a game like that you should get a faster vid card

 

[JohnAn2112]

Originally posted by: Papagayo
ps.. I will be modding the PCI-E slot to accept the ATI card..

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: Papagayo
I got HalfLife 2 for Christmas and needed to get a new computer..

My old machine was just too choppy when playing CounterStrike2, so my wife said I can get a new machine to play the game..
I'm getting my machine today..


I spent $500 for the following system..

Dell sc420 ($323)
P4 3.0 ghz
512 DDR2 ram
80 gig data drive
ATI x700 pro (micro center $159)

my old system

Athlon 1.2 ghz
786 pc133 ram
60 gig 5400 rpm hdd
ATI 8500


How much improvement will I see?



ps.. I will be modding the PCI-E slot to accept the ATI card..

The X700Pro will push CS:S ok. For that particular title i think you can get away with 512MB, but 1GB is needed for many titles today.

I have heard nothing along the lines of needing to mod any PCI-E slots on dell machines.

 

[Gothgar]

Originally posted by: Papagayo
I got HalfLife 2 for Christmas and needed to get a new computer..

My old machine was just too choppy when playing CounterStrike2, so my wife said I can get a new machine to play the game..
I'm getting my machine today..


I spent $500 for the following system..

Dell sc420 ($323)
P4 3.0 ghz
512 DDR2 ram
80 gig data drive
ATI x700 pro (micro center $159)

my old system

Athlon 1.2 ghz
786 pc133 ram
60 gig 5400 rpm hdd
ATI 8500


How much improvement will I see?



ps.. I will be modding the PCI-E slot to accept the ATI card..

You will notice a gigantic improvement

edit: what are you modding on the PCIe slot to accept the ATI card? It should just fit in there, granted it is a PCIe slot of course, the card doesn't come AGP as far as I know...

another edit: It isn't Counterstrike 2, is it Counterstrike Source, and you got a PC game so your wife is going to let you buy a new computer to play it?

 

[AmigaMan]

The SC420 is a server class machine not a desktop type machine. As such it has a crippled PCI-e slot that's not a full x16 or whatever. But it's just a little piece of plastic that once removed, will enable full x16 functionality. Not bad for a server that costs $274 (see Hot Deals and this thread).

 

[Papagayo]

sc420 has 8x PCI-E slot.. The Videocard is 16x PCI-E..

I just have to remove the dividers..

no shens..

It's suppose to be delivered today, but UPS people has not delivered it yet.. Getting pissed..

 

[Kishan]

definitely a big improvement- my rule of thumb is to upgrade when you can get at least double increase in clockspeed. I went from a P3 1GHz to a A642800, which was a nice bump. I just hate all the people who have P4 2.8's and want to get a643200's and such-seems like such a waste of money.

 

[Gurck]

*bites tongue on comment about Dell customers and posting in the proper forum*

 

[Kishan]

Originally posted by: Gurck
*bites tongue on comment about Dell customers and posting in the proper forum*

yeah he should post in the correct forum after 700 posts.

however, where can he build a PCI-E box for so cheap? Maybe he can since the price is really around $500 with vid card.

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: new2AMD
Is OT really where you want to ask this?

Excellent point.