Getting a New Computer

[Daryl Z71]

Well Im going to get a new computer and I have a couple questions to ask anyone who knows. I want to know if this graphics card and Processor is any good for playing the newest PC games out there?

Video Card:

ATI Radeon HD 4350 graphics

With 512MB dedicated video memory and up to 3579MB total video memory as allocated by Windows Vista. DirectX 10 support and DVI and HDMI outputs. High-definition audio delivers clear sound.

Processor:

AMD Phenom™ II X4 910* quad-core processor

Multicore processing for extreme multitasking performance, Cool'n'Quiet™ 2.0 technology for efficient energy usage and HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology improve 3D graphics performance.

[Intrepidation]

The processor will be more than sufficient but the graphics card not so much.

[FAPTurbo]

The CPU should be just fine but that graphics card will be really hard pressed to even play something current at a decent resolution with eye-candy and good frames per second.

Who makes the computer, did you configure it online and how much is it? Also, what size screen/resolution will you be using?

Out of curiousity, it wouldn't be the 'HP Pavilion Elite e9120y,' would it? That PC has similar spec's, and I was reading that the 4350 is dreadful for gaming.

Edited August 15, 2009 by TheCaptain

[Daryl Z71]

Yep its the e9120y.

How about this one?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1218097998079

Also I appreciate any and all help you guys can give me.

[FAPTurbo]

The card in that one is similar to a 9600, I believe so the performance will be better. Are you averse to buying online, however? I priced out a Dell Studio XPS which has a Core i7 (really f*cking fast mother-f*cker') and a Radeon 4850 for $899 bucks. That's also with a 500GB Hard Drive, which is pretty hard to fill up, but you can upgrade to 1TB if you need. Don't worry about RAM, either. The Dell's 3GB may seem small, but it's totally fine for regular use and gaming.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/con...studioxps-435mt

Just scroll through that configuration bar at the bottom, hit the 'video card' icon, and then select the ATI 4850.

The 4850 is a great card if you're gaming even at 1680x1050, and it should last you a while. Like the HP's though, Dell's can be a pain in the ass to upgrade. The power supply may also be very limited, so if you intend to upgrade to a more powerful graphics card in the future, you'll have to consider a new power supply, but that will likely be a while if your needs are reasonable.

Another option is to build a computer yourself, but that takes a little more effort, and you won't be able to get that Core i7 at a similar price - but you may get a slightly more powerful graphics card.

Edited August 15, 2009 by TheCaptain

[Intrepidation]

You can also shop on newegg for whole computers and get better deals than from worst buy.

[Daryl Z71]

Well Im only looking at Best Buy because they are offering no interest for 18 months and a free upgrade to Windows 7. Thats really the only way I can get one right now. I bought a Samsung LCD Monitor today, but couldn't buy the tower because that one up there is available online only and thats the one Ive been eyeing up lol. My gaming needs arent to high right now, and in the future I'll probably just upgrade it if I have to. I would have done it with this computer, but like you said I would have had to upgrade the power supply, and buy the time I do that I can still only do so much to everything else so I figured it wasnt worth it.

[daves87rs]

The card in that one is similar to a 9600, I believe so the performance will be better. Are you averse to buying online, however? I priced out a Dell Studio XPS which has a Core i7 (really f*cking fast mother-f*cker') and a Radeon 4850 for $899 bucks. That's also with a 500GB Hard Drive, which is pretty hard to fill up, but you can upgrade to 1TB if you need. Don't worry about RAM, either. The Dell's 3GB may seem small, but it's totally fine for regular use and gaming.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/con...studioxps-435mt

Just scroll through that configuration bar at the bottom, hit the 'video card' icon, and then select the ATI 4850.

The 4850 is a great card if you're gaming even at 1680x1050, and it should last you a while. Like the HP's though, Dell's can be a pain in the ass to upgrade. The power supply may also be very limited, so if you intend to upgrade to a more powerful graphics card in the future, you'll have to consider a new power supply, but that will likely be a while if your needs are reasonable.

Another option is to build a computer yourself, but that takes a little more effort, and you won't be able to get that Core i7 at a similar price - but you may get a slightly more powerful graphics card.

This

[loki]

a friend with an old 939 athlon64 has the 4350 pretty sure and was playing CnC...3? on a ~17" monitor pretty well..

the radeon 4830, 4850 and 4870's are quite a bargain... i bought a 4770 before the 4850s broke the ~120 ish range... it's quiet, powerful, and uses less power than the 4800 series.

buy now advantages....obvious, you'll have the pc there.

if you wait.... windows 7 will all ready be on it, no hassle upgrading it, prices will only fall....

what's your budget and what do you plan to do with it?

[Daryl Z71]

a friend with an old 939 athlon64 has the 4350 pretty sure and was playing CnC...3? on a ~17" monitor pretty well..

the radeon 4830, 4850 and 4870's are quite a bargain... i bought a 4770 before the 4850s broke the ~120 ish range... it's quiet, powerful, and uses less power than the 4800 series.

buy now advantages....obvious, you'll have the pc there.

if you wait.... windows 7 will all ready be on it, no hassle upgrading it, prices will only fall....

what's your budget and what do you plan to do with it?

This is true. My budget for the tower is $1000.00 Like I said though I can only get it at best buy though which kinda sucks, but at least I can get a new one. Well all I plan to do on it is play trucking games like 18 Wheels Of Steel, Internet and, typing up letters and things like that. My needs arent to demanding I guess.

[loki]

This is true. My budget for the tower is $1000.00 Like I said though I can only get it at best buy though which kinda sucks, but at least I can get a new one. Well all I plan to do on it is play trucking games like 18 Wheels Of Steel, Internet and, typing up letters and things like that. My needs arent to demanding I guess.

i'm kinda surprised you want all that pc horsepower then.....

i'm betting that 4350 will be enough for those games, looking at minumum needs for it.

the 4350 is 2x what the previous 3450 is.

if that's what you want, go for it, or the like.

my advice: sounds like you don't need that much muscle though and that much money could be used beefing up other components.

find a good 2 core CPU with 2-4 gigs of ram, low to midrange video card, 500gb hard drive is fine, and just something that you know you can expand later. with the money you could save buy an external hard drive for back up if you don't have one.. and a decent battery back up.

my $.02

hope it helps, if not, well... damn. heh.

[FAPTurbo]

I poked around and came up with this:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1218092152998

It's got four cores, which is more than you'll need anyways, and an nVidia GT220 which probably should exceed your needs for a while. Also, there's a 750GB hard drive and a media card reader for digital camera cards.

Cnet also reviewed this one, and they've said it's a cut above a good chunk of the competition, and for the price, I'd say it's a winner.

The comments on Best Buy seem to suggest it has heat issues, so you might need to update the BIOS via the website after you get it set up. Of course, we're always here if you need help.

Edited August 15, 2009 by TheCaptain

[Daryl Z71]

I poked around and came up with this:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1218092152998

It's got four cores, which is more than you'll need anyways, and an nVidia GT220 which probably should exceed your needs for a while. Also, there's a 750GB hard drive and a media card reader for digital camera cards.

Cnet also reviewed this one, and they've said it's a cut above a good chunk of the competition, and for the price, I'd say it's a winner.

Wow that thing is a beast! Never heard of them though are they any good?

[FAPTurbo]

They're massive. In fact, they make a lot of the computers and components for other companies like HP; plus, they're perhaps the most well regarded motherboard manufacturer by enthusiasts and people who build their own computers.

I think it'll be no problem, as long as any possible heat problems are fixed through the BIOS.