Good gaming computer?

[TomballGuy05]

Initially I was going to go with Dell, but I started looking into Alienware because this computer will be used for alot of gaming...and also writing papers/internet and little things. I have a few questions. I was looking at the Aurora and Area-51, is the only big differance between the two the type of processor used (Intel vs. AMD?) If that is the case, I would want to go with AMD because they are better suited for gaming correct? So what is the differance between the Aurora 7500 and Aurora 5500...one just can't be upgraded as much as the other? I built an Aurora 5500 and I would like to know how it would be for gaming:

Warranty: 90-Day AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional with Service Pack 2
Chassis: Alienware® Full-Tower Case - Conspiracy Blue
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling 510 Deluxe Upgrade
Processor: AMD Athlon™ 64 FX-55 Processor with HyperTransport Technology
Motherboard: ABIT AV8 - VIA K8T800 Pro Motherboard
Memory: 2GB Corsair™ XMS Extra Low Latency DDR PC-3200 SDRAM at 333MHz - 4 x 512MB
Graphics Processor: NVIDIA® GeForce™ 6800 Ultra 256MB DDR3 w/Digital and S-Video Out
System Drive: High Performance - Serial ATA - 400GB Serial ATA 7,200 RPM w/8MB Cache
Primary CD ROM/DVD ROM: Lite-On® 16x DVD-ROM Drive with Software DVD Decoder
Secondary CD ROM/DVD ROM: NEC® ND-3520 16x Dual Layer DVD±R/W Drive
Floppy Drive: 3.5" 1.44 MB Floppy Disk Drive - Black
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster® Audigy® 2 ZS High Definition 7.1 Surround Firewire (IEEE® 1394)
Network Connection: Integrated High Performance Gigabit Ethernet
Display One: NEC 19" LCD1970GX-BK MultiSync - Black
Display Two: No Monitor
Keyboard: Microsoft® Basic Keyboard Black
Mouse: Microsoft® Basic Optical Mouse Black
Alienware Exclusive Offers: Gamespot Complete - Free 90-day Trial (a $20.85 value)
Alienware Exclusive Offers: 10% off your next EB Games online purchase
Productivity Software: Microsoft® Office 2003 Small Business Edition - OEM
Free Alienware Mousepad: Free Alienware® Mousepad
Desktop Enhancements: Exclusive AlienGUIse Theme Manager
AlienInspection: AlienInspection - Exclusive Integration and Inspection - $99.99 Value - FREE!
AlienWiring: AlienWiring - Exclusive Internal Wire Management - $99.99 Value - FREE!

Would I benefit from the 7500 if the specs were the same? Are dual video cards needed or are they only noticable to few hardcore gamers? Thanks for you're help, Ryan

 

[mgoldb2]

Would I benefit from the 7500 if the specs were the same? Are dual video cards needed or are they only noticable to few hardcore gamers? Thanks for you're help, Ryan

The only benfit I can see with going with the 7500 is a better motherboard. The VIA K8T800 Pro chipset is not as good as a nforce 4 SLI chipset. WIll this really matter to you. Well you might get a few fps more from the nfroce 4 chipset but nothing very major. Where it will proberly make a big difference is if you ever want to overclock.

I would perfer to have the motherboard with the nforce 4 chipset but if there a big cost difference it proberly not needed.

EDIT: just notice one other important factor. The 5500 motherboard uses AGP while the 7500 PCI-E. The next generation of graphic cards only seem to be comming in pci-e. If you ever plan on upgrading the graphic card when you own this machine then you definally should go with the 7500.

 

[TomballGuy05]

Ok I messed around with the 7500, and I have a few questions. FX-55...good gaming processor correct...I won't be regreting not going with an FX-57 or an X2 4800+? Memory...do I need 2GB, or is 1GB enough? Low latency vs. Ultra-low latency...big differance here? Is the NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7800 GTX going to be a nice card, or would I benefit alot from a dual setup? Video cooling system...waste of money? Lastly, system drive. 80GB, 160GB, 250GB, 400GB, 74GB, 320GB...the 74GB is at 10,000 rpm's instead of 7,200 rpm. Would the extreme performance 320GB be the best for a computer used 75% for gaming? I came up with this setup:

Warranty: 90-Day AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2
AlienRespawn: Alienware® Respawn Recovery Kit
Chassis: Alienware® Full-Tower Case - Conspiracy Blue
Power Supply: PC Power & Cooling 510 Express 650 Watt peak power
Processor: AMD Athlon™ 64 FX-55 Processor with HyperTransport Technology
Motherboard: Alienware® nForce™4 SLI™ Chipset Motherboard PCI Express
Memory: 2GB Ultra Low Latency DDR PC-3200 SDRAM at 333MHz - 4 x 512MB
Graphics Processor: NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7800 GTX PCI Express 256MB DDR3 w/Dual Digital and TV Out
System Drive: High Performance - Serial ATA - 400GB Serial ATA 7,200 RPM w/8MB Cache
Primary CD ROM/DVD ROM: Lite-On® 16x DVD-ROM Drive with Software DVD Decoder
Secondary CD ROM/DVD ROM: NEC® ND-3520 16x Dual Layer DVD±R/W Drive
Floppy Drive: 3.5" 1.44 MB Floppy Disk Drive - Black
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster® Audigy® 2 ZS High Definition 7.1 Surround Firewire (IEEE® 1394)
Network Connection: Integrated High Performance Gigabit Ethernet
Security Software: Norton™ Internet Security ™ 2005
Display One: NEC 19" LCD1970GX-BK MultiSync - Black
Display Two: No Monitor
Speakers: Logitech® Z-5300e 5.1 280-Watt Speakers
Keyboard: Microsoft® Multimedia Keyboard - Conspiracy Blue
Mouse: Microsoft® IntelliMouse Explorer 4.0 - USB - Conspiracy Blue
Alienware Exclusive Offers: Gamespot Complete - Free 90-day Trial (a $20.85 value)
Alienware Exclusive Offers: 10% off your next EB Games online purchase
Productivity Software: Microsoft® Office 2003 Small Business Edition - OEM
Free Alienware Mousepad: Free Alienware® Mousepad
Desktop Enhancements: Exclusive AlienGUIse Theme Manager
AlienInspection: AlienInspection - Exclusive Integration and Inspection - $99.99 Value - FREE!
AlienWiring: AlienWiring - Exclusive Internal Wire Management - $99.99 Value - FREE!

Any ideas? Thanks, Ryan

 

[mgoldb2]

FX-55...good gaming processor correct...I won't be regreting not going with an FX-57 or an X2 4800+?

Right now for pure gaming I think the fx-57 performs the best. It not that major over the fx-55. unless they close in price the athlon fx-55 will be more then good enough for your need.

Now the x2 4800 might be worth conisdering. Being dual core it will have some big benfits mutitasking. Good if yo like me and do lots of things at the same time. Should be good for gaming also but the athlon fx-55 might be slightly better for most games today. This might change when more games take advantage of both cores of the x2 4800. x2 4800 proberly a better choise if you plan to keep this computer for awile.

Memory...do I need 2GB, or is 1GB enough? Low latency vs. Ultra-low latency...big differance here?

The truth 1gig is enough for most people. I personally do alot of things with my computer and put 2 gigs in it. If you dont mind spending the money go ahead and get 2gigs. latency does not make a big difference and I proberly would only get the ultra-low if you plan on overclocking.

Is the NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7800 GTX going to be a nice card, or would I benefit alot from a dual setup?

Save your money and just get 1 geforce 7800GTX. It more then good enough to handle any game out now on max settings.

Video cooling system...waste of money?

Proberly not needed unless you overclocking

Lastly, system drive. 80GB, 160GB, 250GB, 400GB, 74GB, 320GB...the 74GB is at 10,000 rpm's instead of 7,200 rpm. Would the extreme performance 320GB be the best for a computer used 75% for gaming? I came up with this setup:

Spending alot for a small drive just because it 10,000rpms a waste of money. The truth is it makes a very small differnce. Just get a big drive at a size that you think will give you more then enough space for everything you ever plan on doing.

 

[Praetor]

it not that major over the FX55.

well other than the inclusion of sse3, tweaked memory controller and temp drop that is. wther it's worth the price jump or not...

but the Athlon FX55 might be slightly better for most games today.

granted but between 150fps and 138fps, nobody is gonna notice that (or if they will, they'll die in whatever game they're playing). between the single-core fx's and dual-core x2s, you really should be shooting for the dual-core procs if your budget can handle it

lastly, system drive. 80gb, 160gb, 250gb, 400gb, 74gb, 320gb...the 74gb is at 10,000 rpm's instead of 7,200 rpm. would the extreme performance 320gb be the best for a computer used 75% for gaming? i came up with this setup:

have a look at HDD 101.

 

[TomballGuy05]

Ok, I think I have everything but the processor figured out...I am trying to decide between the FX-57, FX-55, or X2 4800+...If I were to go with the X2, would the FX-57 be much better for gaming? It's only $36 more than the X2 4800...but the X2 has dual core so it would be better for multitasking. This is what I came up with:

FX-57, FX-55, or X2 4800
2GB Low-Latency Dual Channel
NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7800 GTX PCI Express 256MB
500GB (250GB x 2) Serial ATA 7,200 RPM w/16MB Cache
Creative Sound Blaster® Audigy® 2
NEC 19" LCD1970GX-BK MultiSync - Black
Logitech® Z-5300e 5.1 280-Watt Speakers
Microsoft® Office 2003 Small Business Edition
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2

Now I have a Pentium 4 2.6GHz, 512 MB, 80GB Hard Drive...how do I find out what video card I have? Would this be a noticable upgrade in all around performance...especially in gaming? Thanks, Ryan

 

[dragon2309]

Yes, in many cases it is the CPU and Graphics card that limit gaming possibilities, a decent highend graphics card will work wonders for extreme gamers

 

[Praetor]

ok, i think i have everything but the processor figured out...i am trying to decide between the FX57, FX55, or x2 4800+...

really the decision is between FX57 and x2-4800 and regarding it, i wrote up a bit in CPU 101 to deal with it (section3)

how do i find out what video card i have

stick thread: QUESTIONS 101.

 

[xDarkWizardx]

really the decision is between FX57 and x2-4800 and regarding it, i wrote up a bit in CPU 101 to deal with it (section3) QUESTIONS 101.

I enjoyed your car analogy in the CPU 101. Hey! That procsessor got a HEMI?

But as we all know HEMI now a days is just a marketing term and none of the "HEMI"s now actually have hemispherical cylinder heads.

I thought another good place for a car analogy would be when your trying to describe the diffrences between AMD and INTEL. One could say AMD is a turbo charged I4, like the Lancer Evolution VIII and INTEL is a big V8 like a LS1/LS6 Corvette.

Just some thoughts

 

[Praetor]

Hehe nice (but lets stay on topic )