help me choose a new, fast, PC :)

[Valken]

Dell are terrible when it comes to providing decent videocards and memory and their upgrade prices are very bad but they *do* make nice, reliable computers overall and their cases are great for upgrades etc (unless you want to change the mobo in which case you're ****ed)

Only on the low-end stuff, move aboue the ?1k mark and they use some very good components.

I agree with the comments about the cases, they are a work of genius, as you can take the machine apart with out even needing a screwdriver.

I'm not really talking about the quality of components though more the standard amount of RAM they provide (no more than 256MB) and the generation out of date videocards they include in even their flagship 8300 series. I have an 8200 (their top machine 18 months ago) which I got despite my usual habit of self building and I'm totally happy with it but it did come with a **** video card and the upgrade was too pricey via Dell... likewise it only came with 128MB RDRAM as standard and the upgrade cost was extorsionate so I got the system, upgraded the monitor, speakers and HD and picked up RAM and a GF4 Ti4200 from komplett.

[Valken]

I dont understand why people keep on perpetuating the myth that to keep up with PC games you need to upgrade every 6 months.

Yeah... it's weird that the internet is awash with potential upgraders who are "holding out" on getting a PC so that they can run Doom3 and Half Life 2... In reality a reasonably specced PC will run these games pretty well without the need to go nuts with GeForceFX's and RAM counts measured in gigabytes.

[kingalibenarbia]

U guys really think i need more than 512mb ram? and does anyone know why dells 18 inch FP TFT has a 30ms response time whilst the others have 20 -25? is 30ms a lot? i have no idea whether thats 30 hundredths, thousandths, or millionsthshths.

[Valken]

I think that getting more than 512MB RAM is a good idea... you can never have too much (unless it's more than 2GB in which case windows won't support it).

Those Dell TFTs have a 30ms refresh rate becasue they're "ok" and not "very good". But they usualy do good-ish deals on those screens if you're desperate for one.

ms = milliseconds which is thousandths of a second.

[kingalibenarbia]

hmm... should i go for

2.8ghz processor, 512mb RAM, and 18inch digital TFT

or

3.0ghz processor, 512mb RAM, and 17inch non digital flat screen

or

2.8 Ghz processor, 1024mb RAM, and 17 inch non digital flat screen

[Fire]

Non digital as in a TFT without a DVI input? I'd stay clear of that as the only major benefit of a TFT is the sharp and crisp DVI picture.

I'd go for the first option. Still very powerful and you'll have a great picture on the monitor to play on

Oh, and that Dell 8300 does seem to be a really good PC according to the description on their page, kudos to Dell for making their top spec machine actually top spec

[kingalibenarbia]

the only thing that worries me is the whole 3/100 second delay time... i mean, after 30 secs i would have lost a whole second of stuff, wouldnt i? then again it wouldnt be too noticeable

[Valken]

I recently bought a 17" TFT monitor with a 25ms refresh time and it's perfectly fine for even the fastest paced PC games... you *do* need a TFT with a DVI input in my opinion though otherwise you lose some of the benefits of a digital monitor.

[kingalibenarbia]

its weird tho - i would buy the 17 inch digital version as it has a quicker response time and would be cheaper - but dell dont list it as an option on the customise page, yet on the "more info" monitor bit it says u can get one for the 8300. i emailed dell about it last week but they havent replied. strange.

[Valken]

You'd be better off calling them about that... regardless of what they claim Dell's online customer care/tech support is appaling and would insult a chimpanzee.

I didn't get my LCD from Dell by the way... mine came with a 21" Sony Trinitron monitor with a dell badge on it.