Computer Buying Help

No matter if that card has 512 Mb or 1 Gb, it's still limited by a 64-bit bus and the most likely unreasonably low amount of core processors. Your not going to be able to play BC2 on decent settings without dropping over $100 on a GPU. Just pick up a 4850 or better.

I think Crimson showed me a 4870 for like $110

If you want to get a cheaper more powerful gpu for gaming, you can get last years top end cards 4870 or 4970 for much cheaper. You won't get DirectX11 support but you may find a bargain deal (if stores have them in stock) on older 'sorta-outdated, but still very capable of playing newer games)

Ok let me just make it clear...For one, I hate going to Dell, or Bestbuy, or Futureshop or whatever retail store to purchase a computer. I use to get computers from MDG Canada, but they are a f'in joke and have awful service and prices.
I would never go with Dell ever!!! After seeing my parents get suckered into a wasted $1200 computer!!! Sure 8GB RAM sounds nice, intel i5...the ATI 5450 speaks volume about the type of computer your really getting. Since that card is among the lowest 5000 series, it doesnt require much power, or give you much performance. So from that you can tell that the Power Supply your gonna get will be bear minimum to run the specs of the computer listed and the motherboard will prob only support a single Graphics card, most likely limited to the 8gb ram too.
I possible do more research online with Newegg.com or whatever US stores. Try to make it clear to your parents that if you source the parts from Newegg or somewhere else you will be getting much more, for the same price. And tell them that it won;t be a pile of **** after a year.

I think you meant to put that here..lol...

And to add to that, they give you a very crappy motherboard and PSU. Their RAM is okay, but its not the best, they also give you a seagate HDD which burns out very easily. My school ordered a bunch of new dell PCs for the lab, and after about a month, already, about 10 PSUs died and a few HDDs, DVD Drives, and Motherboards died too
UNLESS you buy an XPS desktop. BUT XPSes are really expensive and not worth buying either...you can litterally build yourself the same computer for half the price.
For motherboards, I think ASUS make the best ones, and Corsair makes THE BEST RAM, and don't buy a seagate HDD

Its a Studio XPS 8100. Ive looked at HP and Gateway, but its even less for the same price.

The model is the Studio XPS 8100. Im going to Best Buy tomorrow just to demo a similar spec XPS 8100. That way I can see the entire thing and know more about it.

The other graphics card I could go with is the 1024MB nVidia GeForce GT220. Better or worse?
Edit: I just found this, which shows the GT220 doubling the performance of the 5450. http://www.techspot.com/review/244-ati-radeon-hd-5450/page7.html

Its a Studio XPS 8100. Ive looked at HP and Gateway, but its even less for the same price.

The model is the Studio XPS 8100. Im going to Best Buy tomorrow just to demo a similar spec XPS 8100. That way I can see the entire thing and know more about it.

The other graphics card I could go with is the 1024MB nVidia GeForce GT220. Better or worse?
Edit: I just found this, which shows the GT220 doubling the performance of the 5450. http://www.techspot.com/review/244-ati-radeon-hd-5450/page7.html

I still say don't get a dell, but the 220 is MUCH better, it was accually on sale for $20 last week but it has 20 FPS in BC2, at 1600 x 1050.
And the studio XPS isnt a true XPS
They're just trying to sell it with that name so more people would buy it...
Because now, it's all Alienware...Which is too overpriced..
Look at what the athiest built for $400

Check Slickdeals.net before you buy any of that. A lot of times you can get stuff cheaper on there. I built my wife an i3 rig, not high end, but got it done for about $380. This is her setup:

Intel Core i3-530 Clarkdale $88 after rebate for the processor and mobo
GIGABYTE GA-H55M-S2H
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case $40
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner $20
Linksys WMP300N-RM PCI Wireless Adapter $16
CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory $40 after rebate (price mistake)
Western Digital Caviar Black WD7501AALS 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache $60
SAPPHIRE 100296HDMI Radeon HD 4670 1GB 128-bit DDR3 $60
Antec earthwatts EA500 500W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.2 80 PLUS $20 (Staples clearance)

Total = $344 (About $380 with taxes, and shipping on some stuff)

Now, lets mod that build

Intel Core i7 930 $300
ASUS P6X58D-E LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard $175
COOLER MASTER RC-690-KKN1-GP Black SECC/ ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case $40
ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner $20
CORSAIR XMS 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 Desktop Memory Model CMX6GX3M3A1333C9 $150
Western Digital Caviar Black WD7501AALS 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache $60
SAPPHIRE 100296HDMI Radeon HD 4870 1GB 128-bit DDR3 $120
Rosewill RV2-600 600 W $45

$910 + shipping and handling + Tax
IT is so much cheaper to build your own with better specs.

Is that prebuilt? Because I cant hand build it myself.

EDIT: ANd is the BC2 FPS on high or low? I can live with low. Have been for a year on HL2.

Probably going to buy this weekend.

lol..i get 35-60 fps on hl2..and I can play fine

Is that prebuilt? Because I cant hand build it myself.

EDIT: ANd is the BC2 FPS on high or low? I can live with low. Have been for a year on HL2.

Probably going to buy this weekend.

You have to build it yourself, just go to Tigerdirect or someother computer store and ask them to build it for you, it only takes 30 mins to put everything together... I forget, but i think it gets 30 FPS on BC2 @ 1600 x 1050 with 4 AA

Is that prebuilt? Because I cant hand build it myself.

EDIT: ANd is the BC2 FPS on high or low? I can live with low. Have been for a year on HL2.

Probably going to buy this weekend.

You have to build it yourself, just go to Tigerdirect or someother computer store and ask them to build it for you, it only takes 30 mins to put everything together... I forget, but i think it gets 30 FPS on BC2 @ 1600 x 1050 with 4 AA

Oh yea, building computers is really easy, just watch a vid on youtube while you build your computer. I built one at age 12, and you're 15 so i think you can do it

Oh yea, building computers is really easy, just watch a vid on youtube while you build your computer. I built one at age 12, and you're 15 so i think you can do it

You'll put your foot in your mouth saying stuff like that, depending on the person (nothing against you Nacho). But your right about building one, you can literally just look it up on YouTube. I linked a guy that walked you through putting it together piece by piece and did a really good job at it IMO. Secondly, do not settle for playing BC2 on low settings. Yes it's better than HL2, but you'll end up hating yourself for it later on. You want to be able to play on at least medium settings.

Oh yea, building computers is really easy, just watch a vid on youtube while you build your computer. I built one at age 12, and you're 15 so i think you can do it

You'll put your foot in your mouth saying stuff like that, depending on the person (nothing against you Nacho). But your right about building one, you can literally just look it up on YouTube. I linked a guy that walked you through putting it together piece by piece and did a really good job at it IMO. Secondly, do not settle for playing BC2 on low settings. Yes it's better than HL2, but you'll end up hating yourself for it later on. You want to be able to play on at least medium settings.

Well, I built a computer without help..., its not really hard...All you have to do is unpack everything, put ram and cpu in mobo, put thermal paste on cpu, add the fan, put mobo in case, add gpus, add psu and hook upeverything....

I'd say that at least 20 people I work with wouldn't be able to do it. They would put the thermal paste on their RAM and jam it into the slots backwards or something of that sort.

I'd say that at least 20 people I work with wouldn't be able to do it. They would put the thermal paste on their RAM and jam it into the slots backwards or something of that sort.

Accually, my first build was easy, the thermal paste was already put on the fan, so all i had to do was add the fan and secure it on the mobo.

I'd say that at least 20 people I work with wouldn't be able to do it. They would put the thermal paste on their RAM and jam it into the slots backwards or something of that sort.

I do see what you're saying, not everyone can build one, but nacho can (I think so atleast)

Even if your unsure about building the computer, you can ask a local place if they build them for you, they may charge $50 or $100, but for the $900 build ME just made, spending an extra $50 or $100 for piece of mind and a way better computer (spec wise) ifs definetely worth it.

Also:
Dell XPS series = Overpriced
If I got my new system specs on a XPS system it would have cost me $2500 or more, but by sourcing the parts myself i saved $600 to $1000

TY for placing my post there ME, didnt mean to edit it on a previous post, meant to post as a new