PC Gaming

[Fallen Oreo]

Ok so I am really mad/confused I want to be a PC gamer but its like all the videos and stuff i read say oh well if you want to be good get an alienware or something thats like $1200 blah blah blah and the thing is i dont have that much money to throw around so i was wondering is a cheap computer that like runs XP still good for pc gaming?

[Suicune]

LolAlienWare.
You're better off with a custom built PC.
What computer you use shouldn't matter too much just as long it meets the system requirements of the game you're wanting to play.

[Commander Thor]

LolAlienWare.
You're better off with a custom built PC.
What computer you use shouldn't matter too much just as long it meets the system requirements of the game you're wanting to play.

Pretty much this.

You can build a pretty cheap, pretty powerful gaming computer for around $400 (Minus the monitor/speakers).
If you go the OEM route, you will pay around $600-700 for a 'cheap' gaming computer, if you want something that will be able to play games at a fairly high quality, you'd be looking at at least a $1000 investment.

[ManyPearTree]

I received an Alienware M17x as a gift from my grandfather. The total cost for its configuration was $2500.. I was like :O.. My M17x performs equally to my desktop which my dad built for around $1000 (i7-970,2 crossfire hd 5770's, 1tb seagate, Win7 Ult.). Pre-built gamers, especially laptops, are extremely overpriced.

If you don't want to hassle with building your own PC, a starter desktop like this (http://www.amazon.com/CyberpowerPC-Gamer-GUA110-Desktop-Computer/dp/B004PINTZG) get the job done for casual gamers without raping your wallet.

[anonymous53]

I received an Alienware M17x as a gift from my grandfather. The total cost for its configuration was $2500.. I was like :O.. My M17x performs equally to my desktop which my dad built for around $1000 (i7-970,2 crossfire hd 5770's, 1tb seagate, Win7 Ult.). Pre-built gamers, especially laptops, are extremely overpriced.

If you don't want to hassle with building your own PC, a starter desktop like this (http://www.amazon.com/CyberpowerPC-Gamer-GUA110-Desktop-Computer/dp/B004PINTZG) get the job done for casual gamers without raping your wallet.

Not that. Cyberpower is horrible build quality. Horrible customer support. Worst buying experience I've ever had.

[ManyPearTree]

Not that. Cyberpower is horrible build quality. Horrible customer support. Worst buying experience I've ever had.

I wouldn't know lol. I just did a quick Google search for budget gamers and this one came up with decent specs for the price.

[Shadowhunter]

meh my laptop is nothing fancy but it's a Dell Studio 15...and I hardcore game on it just fine...I think with everything I got put on it..it came up to around $1100... aion works fine on it so I am pretty content

[Rayquaza]

I got a cheap old Dell inspiron laptop, fine with gaming...Lulz. 4GB of ram :-)

[MrZero]

If you wanna go really low budget, you can always also look for second hand deals.
PC life expectancy is pretty solid (as opposed so those flimsy xboxes^^), so it's not that big of a gamble. My friend got his last PC for 300-something$ with monitor and 5.1 speakers included and it plays new games just fine.

C2D 2.5ghz, 8800gts, 4gb ram, most games are console ports nowadays anyway so you don't really 'need' too much power, except for the poorly optimized ones.

[Drake14]

You dont need alienware its real expensive haha :)

[TheMatrix]

i can play some 3d games on my custom-built pentium4 machin from 2006....

maybe i could play call of duty

if 3gb ram and 3ghz is enough....

[Commander Thor]

i can play some 3d games on my custom-built pentium4 machin from 2006....

maybe i could play call of duty

if 3gb ram and 3ghz is enough....

Depends on how good your video card is.
In most video games, the biggest bottleneck is the video card, not the CPU.

(Also, it would help if you had a P4 Extreme Edition (It's hyper threaded).)

[TheMatrix]

Depends on how good your video card is.
In most video games, the biggest bottleneck is the video card, not the CPU.

(Also, it would help if you had a P4 Extreme Edition (It's hyper threaded).)
Yaay! I suppose I can, then.
If an nVidia GeForce FX 5500 with 256MB VRAM is enough, that is.
I think I have the Extreme edition. It's hyperthreaded, that I know.

[Commander Thor]

Yaay! I suppose I can, then.
If an nVidia GeForce FX 5500 with 256MB VRAM is enough, that is.
I think I have the Extreme edition. It's hyperthreaded, that I know.

Eh, I'm not fimiliar with nVidia's line of GeForce FX series GPUs, but looking at your 256MB of VRAM, you're most likely not going to get smooth gameplay on like high settings, or perhaps even medium settings. You may need to play on minimal settings.

[CaptainObvious]

yeah no, a 5 series is not going to cut it. i have an 8800 gt and it can play most modern games relatively well, but it's still pretty bad, frankly.