Wow, what do I do???

[ryanv12]

My father calls me this morning and tells me that he deposited $1500 in my account for a computer just now.

Ever since my Pentium 4 1.5 GHz computer, I've been paying for all my computer upgrades via my jobs. Is he doing this because he knows I'm relatively poor being a university student??

Regardless, the only choices I can decipher through my shock and awe is do I upgrade my computer to a X2/7800GTX desktop, or do I get one of those fantastic Dell Inspiron 9300 deals that's starting today with a P-M 1.86/go6800? I do need mobility because I'm away from my computer a lot, and my HP notebook isn't cutting it for anything besides microsoft office/web browsing.

This is a huge choice. I still haven't recovered.

I'm leaning towards the notebook because my desktop is pretty pimpin' already.

 

[Appledrop]

youd get better replies i would imagine, in off topic or at least GH.

 

[Bona Fide]

Yeah the X2/7800GTX seems like overkill, and it's largely unnecessary. You've got a nice OC processor, and you can probably also OC that video card to a 6800 Ultra.

Go for the laptop, but I'm not sure if you want to get a Dell. From what I hear, the only good products they make are their LCD monitors.

 

[TStep]

With a little research and buying discretion, I would believe that $1500 plus the sale of your existing stuff should yield you a very nice lappy plus a very competent desktop, no?

 

[ryanv12]

Originally posted by: Azzy64
youd get better replies i would imagine, in off topic or at least GH.

sorry...this is my favorite forum anyways

and yeah, I have researched a ton already because I was planning up a much smaller desktop upgrade with my own money. As for selling existing parts, they would be handed down to my family members...including my existing laptop.

Aside from Battlefield 2, my 6800GT has been more than up to the task for gaming with my 2005FPW at high details. I'm thinking of doing the laptop and then continue to use my own money to upgrade my desktop....best of both worlds!

 

[Bona Fide]

You really don't NEED to upgrade your desktop until at LEAST 2006. It's really nice, I bet you can get that Venice up to 2.6ghz with a small investment in an XP-90.

 

[ryanv12]

That Venice will be here tommorow actually. Last part I need...was coming from a P4 2.6c system . Then I'll really see what this sucker does in terms of overclocking.

Originally planned to do dual core, but pricing/availability of the 4400+ made me suspend that plan for a few months.

As soon as she gets back, I'm taking my girlfriend out for a nice dinner...what a nice day today

 

[Furen]

If you havent gotten your cpu yet you can always call whoever sold it to you and ask if they'd allow you to return it and exchange it for an x2 (paying the difference, of course). It's not really a necessary upgrade and it'd be 300 bucks extra but it might be worth it if you were really looking forward to dual core. I really wouldnt touch anything else on your system. Also, a 6800go is kind of overkill, since your desktop system is so much better anyway. You'd end up playing on your laptop once in a while but I dont think I'd be a primary gaming system.

 

[freethrowtommy]

I would go with the Laptop... I have a dell Inspiron 8200 and I still love the thing to death. Dell builds a pretty solid laptop and the screens on them are top notch!

 

[Furen]

heh, I just meant that he might be able to upgrade his system to an x2 and get a decent gaming laptop instead of going all out on the laptop.

 

[ryanv12]

Originally posted by: Furen
heh, I just meant that he might be able to upgrade his system to an x2 and get a decent gaming laptop instead of going all out on the laptop.

Well, I still have my own money and I had budgeted to have my computer up to an X2 and 7800GTX by the end of the year...it would just be incremental. I just ordered the all-out laptop, and I'm plenty satisfied with my desktop at the moment.

It's true that I'd rather game on my desktop...bigger screen, more memory, faster and all that. The point was, that I only have access to my desktop maybe 50% of the time that I'm not in class or doing work and that kind of stuff. I also go to school in Philadelphia and live permenantly near San Francisco, so now I can game when I go home

Thanks for your suggestions though, guys.