i wanna get into the pc gaming but the problem is, i don't have a pc computer. i have my basic computer right now which is an hp pavillion with intel celeron processor, 1200mhz, 1.20ghz, and 256 mb ram and windows xp. i am on a budget so i don't wanna spend so much money on this. i already looked at the budget pc thread but is it possible for me to upgrade my pc to be able to play the latest games like F.E.A.R. and world of warcraft? how much would it cost me the least? thanks.
For one, with most factory built PC's, it can be really hard to "upgrade" your system. (they make it that way, so you HAVE to but a new system, not just "upgrade.") All around, if you can assemble your own build.. You're looking at $400 for a semi-decent budget machine, since you won't have to buy a monitor or anything like that, and technically, you can keep your HD(s) if you so choose.
MOBO and Processor, ABIT UL8 Uli with Athlon 3200+ $189.00 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1960831&CatId=0 If you are wanting to play games like F.E.A.R., you can't cheap out on your AGP graphics card. Not saying your "cheaping" out on your MOBO/CPU combo, that's a MASSIVE step up, and it's a good CPU. I'll give you some different selections with your graphics cards, because, there's about a million out there from $20 to $600. Starting cheap. Sapphire 9800SE $75.50 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102670 GeForce 6600 $88.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814121197 Sapphire X1300 $98.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102673 Powercolor X700 $119.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131307 XFX GeForce 6600GT $132.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150089 Sapphire X800 GTO $169.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102609 eVGA GeForce 7800GS $299.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130274 I know that last one was a big jump in price, but with AGP, the newer cards get kinda expensive. PCI Express is the "new" graphics card technology and soon AGP will be extinct. Makes that MOBO look kinda crummy, but you'll spend more on a PCIx board. Check this one out. $239.99 Asus A8S-X SiS Socket 939 ATX Motherboard and an AMD Athlon 64 3200+ http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1943172&CatId=0 But with this board, the graphics card search starts all over again. search www.newegg.com for GPU's, best selection/price I've found. If you plan on keeping your HDD's, RAM and optical drives, the only thing you have left to purchase is a case. There's almost as many cases as there are graphics cards, so just look around. You can find a decent case with a PSU for like $60. But I would suggest at least having 512MBs, 1GB prefferably. RAM can be cheap too, you can get a 1G stick for like $60-70 if you shop around.
so if i'm building my own pc, should i get this http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1960831&CatId=0 then this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131307 then a new hdd, cooling fan, case, and ram? am i missing anythng here? what is the recommended hdd size? also can i get this kind of case http://cgi.ebay.com/PC-ATX-10-Bay-T...864906785QQcategoryZ80168QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem and this kind of hdd http://cgi.ebay.com/WESTERN-DIGITAL...790616773QQcategoryZ99249QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Mostly, yeah. Except the HD. If you don't do alot of media storage, then 80G will prob do you fine for a while, but SATA is alot better that IDE. I looked on Ebay, but it's hard to judge how much your actually going to spend, but I would definately go SATA, all the way. Find a HD with at least an 8MB cache too. The one you're looking at has a 2MB cache.
should i get this then http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127223 i think it's the same product that you gave me earlier but it's cheaper though. then this, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131307 or this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150089 then hdd http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822135106 then i gig ram and then this case http://cgi.ebay.com/PC-ATX-10-Bay-T...ryZ80168QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting then i gb ram right. am i missing anything else here? how hard is the installation? do i need a professional to install all of these for me? thanks a lot for your help man.
i thought the cpu is already included on this, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127223 or is this the one that has a cpu... http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1960831&CatId=0 and you also gave me a link to this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102670 do you think this one is good enough? i mean i don't wanna sound like i am cheaping out or anything but i ship out for the navy in like 4 months so i don't wanna spend like thousands on this. is this graphics card will rok on recent games though? i also found these combo mobo man http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ubcategory=446&description=amd+athlon&Ntk=all
For a start the first board definately does not have a CPU with it. The second one does, but it's oem which means theres no heatsink/fan with it. None of the cards you've listed will rock with any of the latest games. They will play them and they'll play okay in lower settings, but pretty soon will be unable to play games on the horizon without having problems. HDR is here now, you should be looking for support of that with any new card. Looking at the advert you showed with the m/b and cpu, you need to take a step back and stop reading the sales crap: You need to do some reading before buying or your going to be very dissapointed. I'm not saying you have to spend a fortune, but having reasonable budget and doing your homework will get you something you'll enjoy rather than being let down by.
@Big Yeah that link I gave him for the UL8 was OEM, I missed that, the link I gave him for the PCIx board was not. By the way, did you catch he's shipping out in a few months. The build in my sig costs around 900, that's without a monitor or speakers. He wanted to go budget, but still play some good games for 4 months. He didn't say when he got back in a year or 2 that he expected it to run brand new games smooth as butter. He just wants to be able to play some games out there now without video processing errors, and failing to meet system requirements. The X700 that he chose will play most newer games at med quality, and that's all it sounded like he wanted. @lckillah BTW here's a link for a different MOBO/CPU combo, with AGP. (retail) $189.00 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1647361&CatId=0 Oh and BigDK's right about the case you bought, in the pictures they make it seem like it comes with a Power Supply (PSU), but it does not. You can always buy one seperate from the case and install it, or find a different case with one already installed. Oh and those Athlon XP Mobile boards you were looking at are not very good at all. They'd be better than your Celeron, but far short of the Athlon 64 your looking at.
BTW way BigDK. How rich are you? edit* Apple's got a Cinema 30" HD, if you wanted to change your sig.
thanks byron02. do you think they have this kind at newegg? i wanna get pretty much everything there cuz of the shipping and everything you know. also you're right about me not expecting the computer to run well in 2 years. obviously i will upgrade this when i get back or during my vacations. but what exactly do i need to build a computer man. thanks a lot for your help bro.
@byron02 Seems you have problem with my Sig, if it's what I use then I'll post it, sorry it appears to offend you. Looks like the green eyed monster is taking over! I know the kit I have is expensive, but if I want something I just go and get it, it’s as simple as that, I don't drink or smoke, my PC's are one of my personal luxury items and the cost is only relative to one’s income. I'm not rich at all, quite well off yes!, I work hard and get paid very well for the work I do, I'm lucky that I'm good at what I do, and I enjoy it. As for the monitor, I know there’s a bigger one, but the one I have is more than adequate for what I do, if I change it, you can be sure I'll change the Sig. I also have a pair of Sony SDM-M81's on another machine running in Twinview on another PC spoilt for choice really.
Holy cow, yes I just noticed your signiature too. Don't go AGP, that's an outdated platform and you won't find many new cards appearing with it. Go for something like an A8N Ultra instead, the reduced cost of the graphics card outweighs the increased cost in buying the better motherboard.
so how much would a decent budget computer that could run doom 3, swat, world of warcraft and f.e.a.r. cost me?
FEAR? Budget computer? Those don't go together. I have a £1800 ($3500) PC that's on average of all the parts about a year old. It can't run FEAR at all. Still, beside the point, I just don't have enough RAM that's all. What I'd prescribe for that list is: Athlon64 3500+ 2x Kingston 1GB PC3200 RAM (CAS 2.5) Asus A8N-E Motherboard 256MB X850XT PCI Express Graphics 160GB Seagate NCQ Barracuda S-ATA 7200rpm 8MB This lot comes to $700 on newegg plus shipping. These should see you through those games easily.
@sammorris $3500 and you couldn't run fear? man how should a $700 computer run this then. see the thing is, i am shipping out to be a navy seal soon in about 4 months so i just need like a budget gaming system that's why i am cheaping out lol. also, i just spent like a sh*t load of money on x360 plus all the games and accesories and stuff. so do you think i should just wait like maybe 3 years from now to start building my own or should i go for the $700 budget that you suggested? would it run the games that i listed though? thanks bro
so this is pretty much what i need then: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103533 $201 then 4 of these so it's 2gb http://cgi.ebay.com/SAMSUNG-1GB-PC3...866716934QQcategoryZ74942QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem about $110 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131530R $72 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102505R $160 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822145082 $50 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811145047 $29 http://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion...=N82E16827101131&MainItemList=N82E16827101131 $20 that runs about roughly $667.94 including shipping. what do you guys think? will it run the latest games? do i need anything else besides these cuz i am burnt right now. if i need anything else then i might just wait 3 years till i get back from the military lol. post your reply please!