$300-400 computer upgrades, or *gasp* a console?

P

PHeller

First time out of the vault
I tried posting on my car forum, but not enough computer geeks, and I could post another car forum, but I though there must be a reason for this forum here, so ya.

I've currently rocking:

Sempron 64 2800 1.8ghz, a mild software overclock
1gig ram (no idea what kind or any of the specs right now)
40gb WD Raptor
640gb WD SE16
7600GT

I could reuse the case, fans, HD's, video card, peripherals, etc, so I don't need that stuff. Basically just a processor, ram, and mobo.

I'm aiming at ample playability of F3, but I don't require incredible graphics immediately, so I can wait to upgrade the video card.

Suggestions?
 
With 400 bucks you can upgrade to a very good rig. DO NOT go to the dark side!

Get a good cheap video card (8800 GTS 512 or ATI 4850), another gig of RAM, a quadcore AMD processor, and a cheap mobo to mount it all on and you're set!
 
Hmm I got a a BFG mobo for 90

EVGA 9600GTX for 140

4gb 800mhz ram for 100

and you can probably get a processor for 120-140 for a dual core 2ghz, AMD or Intel, whichever you prefer.

It's slightly over budget I guess.

I suppose that you might get better games for the console as the PC market seems to be dying...
 
Buy:

Radeon 4850 512MB (sapphire, gigabyte..doesnt matter)
Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3 - cheap, great motherboard
Intel Core2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz - processor
A-Data DIMM 4096MB DDR II 800MHz - memory

Then overclock the processor to at least 3.2ghz, and you have PC that will be able to handle all games on max details in 1650*1080.

Sell the parts that you won't need.
 
Definetly upgrade your PC. Consoles are for gaming ONLY.

A little off-topic, but what is the point of consoles anyway? Each passing day they start to resemble PCs more and more (hard-drive, internet, text editing abilities etc.), the only thing is that you can't change hardware\software components at all and are stuck with stock setting.
 
Ravager69 said:
A little off-topic, but what is the point of consoles anyway?
Click to expand...

Point of consoles is that some people prefer just playing on their couch in front of their TV instead of playing on their computer + they are mostly hassle free, no installation etc. People are lazy...plus, they (consoles) are of course cheap.

But I consider consoles inferior in every way - if there is multiplatform game, PC is the only choice. Better graphics, customization, controls..and I am not lazy so instalation plus some adjusting doesn't bother me.
 
For $400 you can buy a 360 and have $200 leftover to spend on booze. Don't be a fucking nerd-tool, consoles > PCs.
 
The 360 comes with a 3-year warranty but also a huge selection of turd-games. Most computer parts come with at least a 1 year warranty, but usually more.
If you do go with a computer upgrade, do yourself a favor and get a nVidia chipset card. Although some people say it's the card manufacturer's issue, I've seen a lot more (300%+) ATI chipset cards go flaky or just completely bad.

Console for Co-op/on-couch multiplayer (360 - fuck Sony).
Computer if you plan on gaming yourself or over the internets.

If it's specifically for F3, I'd go with the PC upgrade.
 
Makagulfazel said:
...do yourself a favor and get a nVidia chipset card. Although some people say it's the card manufacturer's issue, I've seen a lot more (300%+) ATI chipset cards go flaky or just completely bad.
Click to expand...

Thats bullshit and you are making STUPID generalisation. Please, don't do it.

I can say that I had nVidias and had a problem, and now I have ATi and its flawless.

Both make great cards, both work very well with new drivers.ATi has better bang for a buck, and is therefore better choice. Plus it supports dx 10.1 (eventhough that is going to be advantage in the future).Radeon 4850 512MB is the card with the best bang/buck ratio around.Last year it was nVidia GF8800GT, and then I would recommend that card. But now its not.

As for PC/console argument:

gameflowchartzv2.jpg
 
buy a pc, it's a lot more fun and fills more functions than a console. sure, there are more problems too, but if you know what you're doing it's a lot of fun to mess around in your pc.

get 2gb Corsair dominator ram, a decent mobo and an Intel 3.2 dual core cpu. good stuff that will last you long but still pretty cheap.

video card is a whole different story though. you never wrote what psu you have, but most likely you're gonna have to upgrade that if you get a powerful card. the new nvidia gtx 200 series requirte a lot less power than other recent cards but are among the most powerful cards right now. so if you have the money I'd recommend that.
 
Paul_cz said:
Buy:

Radeon 4850 512MB (sapphire, gigabyte..doesnt matter)
Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3 - cheap, great motherboard
Intel Core2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz - processor
A-Data DIMM 4096MB DDR II 800MHz - memory

Then overclock the processor to at least 3.2ghz, and you have PC that will be able to handle all games on max details in 1650*1080.

Sell the parts that you won't need.
Click to expand...

At newegg.ca it would cost me $724.98 for these 4 parts. For that much money I got my PS3 and about 5 games.
 
rcorporon said:
Paul_cz said:
Buy:

Radeon 4850 512MB (sapphire, gigabyte..doesnt matter)
Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3 - cheap, great motherboard
Intel Core2 Duo E7200 2.53GHz - processor
A-Data DIMM 4096MB DDR II 800MHz - memory

Then overclock the processor to at least 3.2ghz, and you have PC that will be able to handle all games on max details in 1650*1080.

Sell the parts that you won't need.
Click to expand...

At newegg.ca it would cost me $724.98 for these 4 parts. For that much money I got my PS3 and about 5 games.
Click to expand...

I've never been real big on consoles, the controls are too "meh", and it seems that you can never find anything other then shooters, racing games, or sports game.

I prefer the variety.

I bought an X-box years ago to play Halo and Halo 2. Haven't touched it since.
 
Well, PC games tend to go down in price relatively fast compared to console games.

Anyway, what do YOU really want?
 
Paul_cz said:
*Snip*
Click to expand...

I'm a 5-year computer technician. And not one of those shit-tastic firedog/geek-squad/random stupid techs. I'm a small-business tech that fixes around 85% of the computers that come in(Boss does most of the on-site work). I've also built over 1400 computers(Going off the serial tags). I've simply seen a lot more video cards with ATI chipsets freeze up/get lines/boot out of games with driver issues/etc. than nVidia cards while testing video cards at the shop. So...

I just wouldn't go with an ATI chipset card if it was my choice.
 
Makagulfazel said:
*Snip*
Click to expand...

Hmm, fair enough.But I gotta say I built my own share of computers (about two hundred, which is nothing compared against you I guess), and ATi/nVidia share was about 50/50. And they had both defective cards, again almost the same share. But for the last four years I had ATi (x800, then x1900xtx, now 4870) and all of them were without problems.I install the new catalysts every month, to keep up with the bugs being fixed.My friend has GF8800GT and can not play for example Splinter Cell Double Agent, Metal Gear Solid 2. I can play those just fine. Everyone has different experience.


rcorporon: hmm, I just went to newegg.com, at the price was just under 500 american bucks. I would say this is pretty reasonable price for a computer that will allow him play everything on maximum for at least year and a half (my guess).Especially since he can sell those older parts, and then of course PC is much more versatile than console.

links -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128345

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115052&Tpk=E7200

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211282

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102770
 
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