Need Technical Expierience

[Chris134]

Hello, I recently purchased a DELL GX270 SLIM and have a question.
First i want to post the stats.
I bought a 1GB ram upgrade, so it will be 2gb of ram
Intel P4 3.2GHz CPU
1GB PC2700/333MHz DDR SDRAM (Dual Channel Capable) - 4 DIMM Slots, 4GB Max.
80GB Hard Drive
CDRW/DVD Combo Drive
Integrated 96MB Video
Integrated Audio with Line In/Out/Mic
Integrated NIC
1 Half-height AGP & 2 Full-height PCI Slots
2 PS/2 Ports
8 USB Ports, 2 on the Front
1 Serial Port
1 Parallel Port
Standard 15-pin VGA Port
Power Cord
I dont know if there will be any formatting with my copy/paste.
What i want to do is upgrade the power supply and video, i wasnt able to buy until they refilled stock. What happened was, they changed the half height PCI-e into AGP . So, im out of luck, i dont know what card to get, and i want to be set for the next few years. The computer hasnt come yet so i still have my old one (had it for 6-10 years) It is 2.4 Ghz, Nvidia Gforce 6800 (AGP), 600 watt power supply, and i not long ago upgraded my ram to 3gb hoping to fix my lagg in games. (only 1.5-2gb would work)

In the end i want to sell the current system and upgrade my new one's graphics and probably power supply. That is my question, what card and power supply combo should i get?

[RicheemxX]

Hey Chris, first I want to shoot you a welcome to TIMO. Then I want to ask why on earth you'd buy that old of a system in the hopes of it lasting a few years? I don't know the exact specs of the old system you had but in terms of gaming and being outdated this "newer" one isn't much better than what you already had.

How much did you spend on it? Would it be possible to cancel the order and possibly buy something different?

edit: additionally if you can't return it and want to go with the upgrades we'll need to know what your budget is and location (on the US or abroad - if abroad some retail site suggestions would help as well)

[Chris134]

200$ total.
I liked the processor. I cant de-order anyway, it seems to me a new power supply and video card from there would be good.
Budget:not over 150$ but seeing as i only have 50$ rigght now try shooting for 100$.
USA, east coast North Carolina Specifically.

[RicheemxX]

Dude you way over spent on that machine, but that's a moot point now!

What games are you looking at playing?

Does your old system have an ATX tower, any chance of pulling the parts out of it an using that power supply and that case?

I ask because with a slim case and olnly having an agp port you are going to be very very limited on upgrade options

[Chris134]

its custom and has some Intel case, ATX tower? i have no clue. Games? Empire Total War. The slim is supposed to habe 2 full pci slots.

[RicheemxX]

Ok well here's the thing, I assume your old system is a 2.4ghs P4 right? If so here where you stand (in the simplest way I can put it)

So now for $200 you've only bumped your chip 800mhz (yeah you have a new chip but still not anywhere near what you could have gotten) which in terms of some of the newer chips you could have gotten isn't much especially for $200!

A slim case means a slim or low profile video card and it also means a small form factor power supply. Full width cards won't fit the case properly the same goes for bigger better psu's. Thus the reason most people that like upgrading don't buy slim cases or ditch them for bigger cases with more room.

You've got an old but decent AGP card - so now you'll need to get a bigger better AGP card to make any of this worth while. PCI cards are old school and even your old system with that 6800 is going to be better than your new setup with any slim pci video card you might find.

If you can re-use your old case you might be able to re-use your power supply depending on make and model and then you could get a decent AGP card. If not then about the best option for a low profile gpu would be this Newegg.com - ASUS AH3450/DI/512MD2(LP) Radeon HD 3450 512MB 64-bit DDR AGP 8X HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

[Chris134]

Are you kidding? the one im getting is suposed to be that basis for a good system. The one i have now wont play a single damn game, on any of the three hard drives i have. Ive seen such as the sparkle 9400 i think looked real nice though it didnt have a fan. 200$ includes 35$ ram upgrade and 20$ shipping or so.

EDIT: i dont know what it is making my computer like this, but its on the verge of dying. I am lucky that it simply turns on, Is there a way i can buy a tower case and move everything into that? i have trouble just plugging it in.

[RicheemxX]

Quote:

Are you kidding? the one im getting is suposed to be that basis for a good system

No sadly I'm not kidding, you are dealing with tech that is way old here man. AGP has been on its dying leg for years....and well the P4 is about 4-5 (if not more) generations back. For $200-300 you could have put together a much newer, much faster AMD or low end Intel system that would slaughter that rig.

[Chris134]

Whats the chances of me selling what i get?
I was supposed to get PCI-e but didnt, and i want to sell the one i have now.
I also have 3 hard drives. 1 30gb 1 250gb 1 120 gb i want to sell.
IDK how to give you the true stats on my current computer, but even all of this on ebay, whats it worth and from this adding maybe another 100$ budget what SHOULD i get?

[Chris134]

Look, this is frankly heart-breaking news. How i am situated with pretty much no income and stuck at home all the time with nothing to do, i was hoping once i upgraded this slim i would be good for all my games. The computer i have now might not even turn on tommorow or the next day, its just a matter of time, thats why i needed a new one. with a serious 100$ budget but with only 50$ atm what does anyone suggest i do? I have a friend with a computer similar to this and he plays games my pc cant, don't know why a card and PS upgrade to that slim wouldnt play every game out there. (He is playing pretty big games IMO).