Shortmedia, I call to you for help.

IonFizzleIonFizzle
edited December 2003 in Hardware
Okay, here's the deal. My brother is currently running a dell box with these specs (my old box).

1.3Ghz Pentium 4
256MB PC800 SDRAM
32MB GF MX 400
180watt PSU

okay, i want a computer for him that will let him play BF1942 against me at medium to high detail, smoothly. We'll be on a LAN so net speed will not factor in on FPS.

Absolute must-have components
-Motherboard
-PSU
-Processor
-RAM
-Graphics

Case and fans and cables we have.

If you'd like to help, try building me a good fast system for as CHEAP as possible. No excess is needed, barebones-fast would be perfect.

Thanks ^_^

Comments

  • GnomeWizarddGnomeWizardd Member 4 Life Akron, PA Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Abit NF7-S ( good mobo is key to solid system )
    2500+
    ATi 9200
    Ram for ocing get him 2x 256 meg sticks of kingston cheap non oc get some generic from newegg
    PSU cheap would be generic from newegg but I say get an enlight for cheap/ decent Good ould be enermax and above brands


    But with what he is running just get a 9600xt, More ram and a bigger PSU and run that 1.3 till it dies
  • IonFizzleIonFizzle
    edited December 2003
    Gnome, I priced that system at $386. Wow, good job, thanks!

    Any other tries are welcome, but thats a hard act to follow.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    I would stick him with a better video card, as the 9200 is abysmal.
  • IonFizzleIonFizzle
    edited December 2003
    Any reccomends? I might be able to go a little higher.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited December 2003
    The NF7-S is a great mobo, none better IMO for an AMD system. Barton 2500 is great too, cool it with a good hsf like an SLK800 or SLK900 and a TT Smartfan2. Spend some bucks on a good psu though; you don't want some Deer crap that will fry and take the whole system with it. I would also recommend buying good PC3200 ram like XMS3200C2 Corsair or Kingston HyperX 3200 or 3500. If you buy the XP2500, I promise you that you will be making it an instant XP3200 by bumping the fsb speed to 200. For a vid card I would get at least a ATI 9600 non-pro. This will be more money than Gnome's choices but it also cuts down on potential trouble areas if you run into problems getting it going.:)

    If you want to go cheaper on the ram, newegg has some Kreton PC3200 for $36 a stick(256MB). I bought a stick of this for Christmas to get an early model nforce2 board going and I presently have it running at 2-2-2-11 timings on a 176 fsb, so I don't think it will have any problems running a 200 fsb.
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    If you just upgrade that box, DO NOT get a new psu and put it in there...the PC will be toast.

    Do you know what kind of audio he has?

    when you say "Case and fans and cables we have.", are you referring to the dell? If you are, then you'll need a new case...the dell cases are not exactly the most compatible.
  • MadballMadball Fort Benton, MT
    edited December 2003
    I would just buy a faster video card for his current pc. Newegg has a 9700pro for $219, or get a 9600XT for around $180. He'll be able to run BF1942 easily.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited December 2003
    Uh Madball, a Pee4 1.3 on sdram runs as slow as or slower than an 800 P3. That was 1 sorry-ass machine when they came out and were absolutely owned by the Tbirds.
  • MadballMadball Fort Benton, MT
    edited December 2003
    I run BF1942 on a 900mhz Tbird w/256mb pc133 and a 9500pro. It runs fine and medium detail. His should too.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited December 2003
    Your 900 Tbird owns that box of his too.:D Anyways, he said that he want to change the mobo proc and psu out anyways, which I don't blame him.
  • IonFizzleIonFizzle
    edited December 2003
    muddocktor, those are fantastic reccomendations but I simply do not have the funds.

    The dell cases aren't compatible, you say?

    And Madball, really? I'll make sure to try it first then.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    All enthusiasm aside, madball is right: A video card upgrade is one of two things you need to accomplish your mission.The other is a memory upgrade. If you up the memory to 512 and add a good video card, you can easily play BF1942 on that system. I play on a Pentium M 1.3ghz laptop with 640mb of ram and a mobility radeon 9000. When I am on battery, my processor runs at 667mhz and the game runs fine.

    Remember, these guys are all gurus with top-of-the-line systems... Can't really blame them for cringing at the dell's specs ;D
  • LawnMMLawnMM Colorado
    edited December 2003
    Just stay away from Intel this time around, please!
  • WiredWired
    edited December 2003
    If it's a 1.3 Ghz, then it's probably what, a 4100 model? All of the Dell PCs have the motherboards physically connected at the factory to a proprietary pull out tray. There are no motherboard connections for a standard motherboard. Tiny PSUs as well. Go out, spend some cash on a crappy case and a GOOD PSU.
  • IonFizzleIonFizzle
    edited December 2003
    its an 8100, but if its true about the connected mobo that sucks and ill need to grab a new ATX case.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    If you change the PSU, you'll have to get a new board, and vice/versa. Dell is not ATX compatible.

    Oh, and 180w is sufficient for that system, assuming it has 1 hard drive, 1-2 optical drives, and a floppy.

    A system with an Athlon XP 1800+ under full load, 2 40GB 7200rpm/8mb HDDs, a CD, a floppy, and a crappy 15" crt that draws >75w by itself is only pulling ~200w of power total. This is according to the APC UPS on Habitat For Humanity's server.

    Power supplies don't need to be as big as some of you think they do. I just finished installing a Radeon 9700 Pro in a friend's system. The system is a P4,1.9GHz/400, an ASUS i865GE mATX board, a 60GB 5400RPM WD HDD, a floppy, a 52x CD, a 32/10/40 CD-RW, and a SmartFan2. It has a 235w PS. Yes, 235w. It's a generic PS, too (It's a PowMan PS, came with the InWin case). You know what? I checked the +5 & +12v lines when we couldn't get the 9700 working properly in his old MSI board. They were at +12.05v & +5.1v.

    I'm almost positive that Dell 180w could handle a 9600XT without a problem.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    primesuspect wrote:
    I play on a Pentium M 1.3ghz laptop with 640mb of ram and a mobility radeon 9000. When I am on battery, my processor runs at 667mhz and the game runs fine.
    Just don't try to play Desert Combat .6 ;)
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited December 2003
    Ugh 9200. I pwned a 9200SE with my 8500LE. There is an 8500LE in the refurb section for $40. Anyway get something better than a 9200.
  • MadballMadball Fort Benton, MT
    edited December 2003
    Ion, try your 9700 in his box. If the game runs fine, then save some money for now and go that direction. I sometimes think the people around here have tons of money to burn. They always recomend more expensive upgrades than people had in mind.
  • GnomeWizarddGnomeWizardd Member 4 Life Akron, PA Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Something better than the 9200 try to get ur hands on a 9500 pro and a 9600xt I got the 9600xt and I love it!
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