New Computer

ID:24443
 
Dec 19 2006, 4:51 pm (Edited on Dec 19 2006, 4:57 pm)
That's right, Kunark's rawkin' a new computer, and it's massively awesome.

Dell Optiplex GX260
Pentium 4 2.8 GHz (3.0's ever-so-slightly slower but twice as cheap little brother)
512 RAM
Windows XP Professional

Sadly, it's a business-intended computer so I need to buy a video card for it. It's integrated graphics controller is really nice and can actually run some decently high-level games (and higher-level games than I could before), but I need a higher performance card so I can pretty much run any game I want. I'm also going to get another 512 stick of RAM, which will just help everything run better.

Plus, with Windows XP now, I can actually run free games and use new compilers and Photoshop! Wewt!

Thanks, Robinhood Fund!

Dec 19 2006, 4:53 pm
that's like what my schools use. It makes me sad, because my computer can't even almost keep up with them D: but how do you expect to block Altavista and Byond with only 256MB of RAM?! oh noes need more power!!!!
Dec 19 2006, 4:54 pm
Well, Vista comes out in about a month or fifty, so you'll need a new computer in about 8 years.
Dec 19 2006, 4:58 pm
I'll probably upgrade to something state-of-the-art next year.

And I aint touching Vista until it's been sufficiently mauled by viruses.
Dec 19 2006, 5:03 pm
I just got a Dell XPS 400 over the summer and its cool
Dec 19 2006, 5:03 pm
You didn't build it?

I mean, don't get me wrong, Dell has nice deals... if you're not okay with building your own. But I figure someone like you should easily be able to find some compatible parts online and put it all together. I don't even think I needed a screwdriver when I built mine.
Dec 19 2006, 5:38 pm
What sort of expansion slots you got on that motherboard. If it's only an AGP and no PCI-Ex16, then you're going to have to spend more money on weaker cards because it's an outdated interface. It also means that in a year or two, you'll have to get a new computer for the PCI-Ex16 expansion slots for the graphics cards (and possibly CPU too, since there aren't any motherboards with PCI-E slots with older CPUs)
Dec 19 2006, 5:46 pm
Kunark is that "Robinhood Fund" really true?
Dec 19 2006, 7:11 pm
Danny:
http://www.robinhoodfund.com/cast-your-votes/wish/id/63

Narky, you should do a "help me help others" or "weekly wish" wish for me! I am basically a programmer, PC games developer, mediocre artist, [even more] mediocre guitarist, and what-have-you, and I haven't the hardware to render/process/handle projects very well! Unlike your old PC, mine has XP, though that's just as much bad as it is good; software is compatible, but also so slow that it dislikes the idea of actually running. My motherboard is currently dying, and something is terribly, terribly wrong with it when it boots up (which is very discouraging of the shut down process).

There are a handful of other quirks, but you can always feel free to interrogate me for more. I would basically give you more buttsex than any of Robin Hood's Merry Men could ever manage, if you hounded me up a working system. :P
(I'd shoot for a Me,Myself,I wish, but I'm not 18. I see nothing on the recipient's required age---and so suitable, as many people wish for stuff for their kids, I can imagine!)
Dec 19 2006, 8:50 pm
I got a free RHF wish with my gwabs order and been looking for someone to use it on, so why not?

This is granted that someone else closer to me doesn't come up.
Dec 19 2006, 8:54 pm
I mean, don't get me wrong, Dell has nice deals... if you're not okay with building your own. But I figure someone like you should easily be able to find some compatible parts online and put it all together. I don't even think I needed a screwdriver when I built mine.

I'm not very technical, so I was scared out of it (By I think it was AC Wraith). It seems like I could build one off of a barebones computer, but whoever it was told me that it wasn't a good idea unless I really knew what I was doing.

It's all good, though, I got this computer for only a little more (when including that I'm buying more RAM and a video card) than if I had built one using a barebones with Tiger Direct.
Dec 19 2006, 9:00 pm
D4RK3, I'm not sure if I checked in the right place, but I think it's PCI. I tried looking in the device manager and found some stuff that mentioned PCI in the System Devices, but none that said AGP.
Dec 19 2006, 9:09 pm
... PCI but no PCI-E? hrm

Well you might want to take a peek inside your box them. AGP is a brown slot, and should be near the middle of the side of the board. PCI-E can be found in the same place, and is black. I think they have pictures on wiki

Of Course, if you can find out what model your motherboard is, you can just look it up on the manufacturer's website. I think it mentions the model in the Control Panel somewhere, I forget where.
Dec 19 2006, 10:49 pm
HO
Dec 20 2006, 8:29 am
Pentium 4. Sigh. :(

The Core Duo is much better. :D
Dec 21 2006, 11:38 am
Kunark wrote:
I mean, don't get me wrong, Dell has nice deals... if you're not okay with building your own. But I figure someone like you should easily be able to find some compatible parts online and put it all together. I don't even think I needed a screwdriver when I built mine.

I'm not very technical, so I was scared out of it (By I think it was AC Wraith). It seems like I could build one off of a barebones computer, but whoever it was told me that it wasn't a good idea unless I really knew what I was doing.

A barebones kit is just a bunch of parts taken into a bundle. All it does is take the "matching compatible parts" step out of it.

It really doesn't take much more knowledge to build a computer than it does to plug in all the components (i.e. keyboard, monitor, mouse) you use everyday. Plus, there's tons of guides online.

Oh well, what's done is done. Just keep it in mind next time! ;]

Dec 21 2006, 10:09 pm
Oh, and D4rk3, it was in fact a PCI slot. I ended up getting a Radeon 9250 PCI, which is pretty much nearly as high as it goes for PCI :P
Dec 22 2006, 8:28 am
D:

Get a new motherboard.