Decent gaming computer?

[lbdm2002]

So my husband is deployed and I decided to purchase him a new computer. He is a big gamer and is always complaining about his old computer. So....I purchased this on a whim..can you tell me if it will be decent?



AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Windsor 3.0GHz Socket AM2 125W Dual-Core Processor

320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

NVIDIA Geforce 9500GT DDR2 PCI Express w/DUAL-LINK DVI-I+HDTV OUT+CRT Video Card

It has windows XP professional, which I was told is better for gaming than Vista.

I paid $675 for the unit (it is custom built with a silver alienware case/light kit). Did I over pay...and will he be happy with the computer?

 

[Route44]

How much RAM (memory) does the system have? I would say that for the most part it will do him fine. The only thing that I would have definitely changed is the video card for gaming.

Is this a final sale? Do you know someone who can help you in buying a different video card if that is what you choose to do?

By the way, wonderful gesture on your part. :grinthumb

 

[hellokitty[hk]]

Decent choices for the price...the weakest part is as Route44 mentioned, the graphics card. Honestly at $675, there are not too many manufactures that would give you something similar for the price. The RAM is probably not a problem.

By the way, wonderful gesture on your part.

Yes very thoughtful, ^^.

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

Nice move

But you did overpay. $675 could have gotten you much, much better parts. But I'm not sure if you would have been comfortable building a PC by hand, so if that is the case, it's fine. It will play most games decently, but he won't be able to turn up the graphics settings without taking serious hits in performance.

What kind of games does your husband play BTW?

 

[Julio Franco]

We just recently updated our builders' guide. Anything in there, even the lowest spec could make a decent gaming computer with a proper graphics card added to it:

https://www.techspot.com/guides/buying/

 

[lbdm2002]

Before he left, he was playing Guild Wars. The new computer has 3 GB RAM. As far as the video card goes, on his current computer, we recently upgraded his card. It is a VisionTek X1300. The specs on the box say that it is Dual Link DVI, 256 MB GDDR2 Memory, 3.3V PCI Bus, ATI Avivo display enhancement technology. Would it be better to switch this out and put it in the new computer?

Oh wait...this says it's a PCI card and the one in the new computer says PCI Express. They aren't compatible, are they?

 

[lbdm2002]

Oh yeah...and his old computer...it has a 2.8 GHz Processor and 1.0 GB Ram So seems like regardless, a decent upgrade? I also upgraded him from a 15" flat screen monitor to a 22" widescreen HD monitor. I'm hoping that everything arrives and I can figure out how to hook it all up before he gets home.

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

Yep, in fact it is a fantastic upgrade from the old PC. But since the new screen will probably have a optimum resolution of 1680x1050, I would recommend getting a new video card. But that may mean a new PSU too.

Still, Guild Wars and WoW will work decently on the card, as long as he keeps the resolution and some of the graphics settings turned down.

 

[Route44]

To answer your question, PCI and PCI-Express are not compatible and as Rage says it is certainly a significant upgrade.