Is My system good enough?

[Un4gIvEn1]

actually, i am not a retard when it comes to a comp, me and my friend built his computer just a couple of months ago from scracth, i am an electrical engineer(still in school) so i know what im doing.

I have a friend that has a Bachelors degree in Electronics Engineering. He doesn't know a thing about computers, other than how to test a circuit on the board. Also, you said it's a laptop... so how did you build it from scratch a couple months ago?

 

[Maveric169]

I have to say I am shocked by the Ignorant and Abusive flames made by members of this forum! Some of you need a good smack upside the head with a 2x4 till you can post a reply with some common decency.

If you can't be helpful don't post a reply!

 

[ShepsCrook]

Let's see. It is:
Dell Dimension 8400 Desktop
Pentium 4 540 Processor 3.2ghz Socket LGA775
512MB 2x256MB DDR2 Ram
80GB Western Digital SATA Drive
Ati Radeon X300SE 128MB Video card with S-Video Out
SB Live 5.1 with Advanced HD
Dual Drives: I think one is a DVD/CRDW Drive, and the other is just a CDrom Drive.
Windows XP Home SP2
It comes with a bunch of Dell software already installed. Like Burning software and whatnot. Speakers, keyboard and mouse. No monitor included. It's got a pretty nice Heatsink inside. Works pretty well.

The reason that I am not using it and only booted it up once to make sure it worked, is because I already have 2 computers that are more powerful then it. I am just using the LCD monitor that came with it.

I would have liked a laptop if it had a little more on the video card and a P4M processor.

 

[Murlo26]

if you would read a little more closely to the post you put up, you would realize that me and my friend built "his computer" not mine, i have the laptop, geez.

 

[Murlo26]

Let's see. It is:
Dell Dimension 8400 Desktop
Pentium 4 540 Processor 3.2ghz Socket LGA775
512MB 2x256MB DDR2 Ram
80GB Western Digital SATA Drive
Ati Radeon X300SE 128MB Video card with S-Video Out
SB Live 5.1 with Advanced HD
Dual Drives: I think one is a DVD/CRDW Drive, and the other is just a CDrom Drive.
Windows XP Home SP2
It comes with a bunch of Dell software already installed. Like Burning software and whatnot. Speakers, keyboard and mouse. No monitor included. It's got a pretty nice Heatsink inside. Works pretty well.

The reason that I am not using it and only booted it up once to make sure it worked, is because I already have 2 computers that are more powerful then it. I am just using the LCD monitor that came with it.

I would have liked a laptop if it had a little more on the video card and a P4M processor.

well it does have a pentium 4 just not hyperthreading, its really good just not a gaming computer, and i paid like $1700 for it, but if you dont want it then i will drop it. But how much do you want for your comp, because with no monitor and half as much ram, im assuming it has to be a "bit" less than what dell is selling theirs at.

 

[ShepsCrook]

I have to say I am shocked by the Ignorant and Abusive flames made by members of this forum! Some of you need a good smack upside the head with a 2x4 till you can post a reply with some common decency.

If you can't be helpful don't post a reply!

If you hadn't noticed, everyone has made up and moved on, you're the only one that's still going on about this. Maybe you should move on too.

 

[Murlo26]

actually aparently unforgiven hasnt moved on but i really dont care. And shepscrook did you see all my previous questions? ANswer plz?

 

[ShepsCrook]

Oops sorry. Didn't even notice it. My initial thought was 700-800. Although, if you can get your hands on a Nikon Coolpix 8800 Digital Camera, I'd definitely trade for that. I've been eyeing one of those for a long time.

 

[Murlo26]

i will see what i can do, but probably not just because i will need a monitor and that will cost a few hundred bucks, plus i get an extra 512 Mb ram from dell with a free offer. Sorry, but if i can find that camera i will trade, i will ask around with my friends.

 

[Un4gIvEn1]

I have to say I am shocked by the Ignorant and Abusive flames made by members of this forum! Some of you need a good smack upside the head with a 2x4 till you can post a reply with some common decency.

If you can't be helpful don't post a reply!

Your post wasn't helpful, now was it.... It only proceeded to stir things back up.

 

[Un4gIvEn1]

actually aparently unforgiven hasnt moved on but i really dont care. And shepscrook did you see all my previous questions? ANswer plz?

I was not tryign to put you down, I was simply stating that you said you are in a field that has nothing to do with knowing anything about computer administration... Also, I did not realize you were speaking on a different PC, I thought you were still talkinga bout your laptop.

 

[Murlo26]

acutally i have had to take some computer classes in computer programming and computer hardware and architecture, which is off topic of our posting now about a new comp for me, but just so you know.

 

[ShepsCrook]

Yeah, that Nikon Digital Camera costs about $800 and then a $100 mail in rebate. I'd also throw my Digital Camera. (Olympus D560 3.2mp with everything, including a 256MB and a 128MB XD card). I love that Nikon Coolpix 8800 because it uses Micro drives to store pictures and I have an extra 4GB Micro drive sitting around.

 

[Murlo26]

That might be a good deal if i had a camera like that sitting around, but i looked it up and its more like $1000 with a $100 rebate, and with the comp your trying to sell me which has no monitor and much less ram, i have to say no, no matter what, unless you were willing to sell it to me for around $550(i would consider it then). Otherwise it is not worth it for me, but thanks anyways.

 

[ShepsCrook]

Check on www.newegg.com they have it for $819 or something like that then a $100 MIR.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=30-113-123&depa=7

Actually it's even less now.

 

[Murlo26]

regardless it is still not a good deal for me because i would have to pay $700 for that and then i would have to buy a monitor and what not, plus the extra ram on the comp, so it just doesnt work out, sorry.

 

[ShepsCrook]

No problem. I can understand that. I wouldn't mind the laptop if I actually had some use for one, but I don't travel, I have a PDA with wireless...

I would strongly advise the Dell Dimension 8400 deal that's going on. That's really good with the GB of ram and the LCD. It's after MIR's but still.

 

[Murlo26]

yeah that is what i am trying to get, it seems like a great deal

 

[LeeJend]

Here's the "what to watch out for list" for those great deals from Dell (HP & Compaq).

RAM - must have >768MB for the latest games, 512 doesn't cut it. They may use up all the slots so you can't add your own without replacing theirs.

Graphics - Don't get anything with built in graphics. It can be problematic when upgrading to AGP, even factory upgrades, and you are paying extra for something you won't use.

Graphics II - they screw you royally on graphics card upgrade prices to from the basic systems. They may also sell you cards with uncommon letter designations after the number (like 6800LE, 9800SE, these usually stand for loosers edition or substandard edition). These funny numbered cards are "crippled" from the factory to provide less performance.)

Operating System - They have a special "repair" CD instead of a regular Windows CD. DO NOT LOOSE IT! If you can make a real windows CD from the repair CD do so as soon as you get the system. Make another CD with all the special "Dell only" drivers on it for when the download site no longer supports your PC (in fairness this is more an HP & COmpaq problem than Dell).

Customer Support - Learn the languages and dialects of India. Also learn to tolerate the attitude of Indians towards US customers.

Overclocking - forget it. Most brand name PCs have minimal setup options in Bios to minimize the need for customer support.

Add-in Sound, etc - compatibility may be an issue. The Bios and MB features are stripped down to cut costs. This may create compatibility issues.

Power Supplies - Here Dell has been very good in the past. HP may be undersized for upgrades. Check the current ratings on the 3.3, 5, 12V outputs. The required ratio between the 3 voltage outputs has changed twice in the last 5 years.

Bottom line:
1) You are buying a stripped down machine at rock bottom pricing in the hope you will buy their expensive upgrades and warantees. (Sounds like economy car dealers doesn't it?)
2) They do not expect you, or want you, to try and upgrade yourself so they make it as hard as possibnle. It costs them support dollars and lost profits to make it easy for you. Also, they will try to void the warantee if you do any upgrades. (Just happened to a gaming buddy of mine).

I have several buddies at work who bought "off the shelf" for the low price. They hate to see me coming now because of the imminent "I told you so".

Good luck.

 

[Murlo26]

well now that you bring it up, could you check out the dell 8400 on their website, i mean sheepscrook said it was good too, and the stats look really good. Is their anything wrong with it? Remember i only really want to play halo 1 pc for now, then i will upgrade my graphics card when i need to, and it has pci express, so that should work out well. Please tell me if i am wrong with anything. plus you get a gig of ddr2 ram, which is nice, again tell me if i am mistaken.