new Off the Shelf computer for my son

[Bender]

my son's computer died the other day. Need an inexpensive off the shelf replacement. I'm talking $450 absolute max. I know that I would probably get crappy video at that price, but I plan to buy a separate video card after getting the cheap machine.

I am looking at this one: Newegg

Since i don't know anything about PCI express (we still have AGP machines), I want to know if this machine has a slot for a separate video card. It looks to me like I can put a PCIe x16 card in.
I'm assuming the integrated graphics it comes with won't play modern games very well, such as MW2.

Note: this machine is on sale locally for $429. and it looks like you get a lot for the price - 4GB ram, 640GB HD, DVD burner w/Lightscribe, Windows 7 home premium. I'm just concerned if I can upgrade the video.

any better deals appreciated.

[PM5K]

Buy him an Xbox and the cheapest computer you can find. Why aren't you fixing the one he already has?

The integrated graphics won't play much of anything, and you can upgrade the video if the power supply can handle it, and since it's a slimline it probably can't, a quick check shows that it probably has a 220 watt power supply and most newer cards will require between 300 and 400 watts.

I'm not really sure why you would though, most people either build or have something built, or buy something and use it, not buy something and then crack it open and upgrade it.

I bet if you looked hard enough you could find something better than that for that much money (550.00?)

[Cry Havoc]

my son's computer died the other day. Need an inexpensive off the shelf replacement. I'm talking $450 absolute max. I know that I would probably get crappy video at that price, but I plan to buy a separate video card after getting the cheap machine.

I am looking at this one: Newegg

Since i don't know anything about PCI express (we still have AGP machines), I want to know if this machine has a slot for a separate video card. It looks to me like I can put a PCIe x16 card in.
I'm assuming the integrated graphics it comes with won't play modern games very well, such as MW2.

Note: this machine is on sale locally for $429. and it looks like you get a lot for the price - 4GB ram, 640GB HD, DVD burner w/Lightscribe, Windows 7 home premium. I'm just concerned if I can upgrade the video.

any better deals appreciated.

PCI is now the standard for GPUs. It's hard to even find AGP cards anymore by comparison.

[Bender]

I haven't bought an off the shelf computer since around 1990. I have home-built all my machines since then.
I thought it would be cheaper to get an inexpensive off the shelf machine, and stick a decent video card in it.

His current machine, which I home built several years ago, has an amd 64 processor, 2 hard drives, 1Gb RAM, and an ATI AGP video card that Cry Havoc recommended a few months ago. I think it's the top AGP card that was still available at the time.

The front lights on the machine just kind of flicker forever... and it never boots up. The fans inside are not turning either, the processor fan does not turn and the case fans don't either. Maybe it needs a new power supply? It's only a 300w, and the video card recommends 400w minimum.

Seems it would be cheaper to get the off the shelf unit. That way he would go from 1Gb ram to 4Gb, and from 250Gb hard drive to 640Gb, and go from XP to Win 7, plus get a newer format mobo.

The off the shelf machine I mentioned is only $429 on sale. And my son already has an xbox 360. I didn't see what power supply the off the shelf machine had, thanks pm5k... I would want 350w minimum.

[I. Hustle]

What you need to do is make sure the left ventricle is connecting with the flux transistor. That is what makes the fans move. Have you checked the oil in the gigaram yet? If not then I suggest the you continue to punch in the choke until it megahertz. Have you looked at the pressure in the XML/RSS feed? I bet you haven't played with your binary digit have you? Have you? pppfffttt what a n00b.

[Bender]

I play with my binary digit plenty.

[I. Hustle]

I play with my binary digit plenty.

hhhhmmmm and that still didn't get it going then huh? Then did you try these keys <enter> : ###

[CubanMustGo]

Add Frys Electronics to your list of places to check. I work for a major computer manufacturer, and even with my employee discount often find better prices there. It's a shame they don't have one in SA, but they do ship if you never find yourself up this way.

[Drachen]

Go to pricewatch.com and look at the desktops. While you are there, you may find that it is far cheaper to build even a cheap desktop. Pricewatch is the place to go for parts or systems. I dont think you will be disappointed.

[Bender]

decided to do another build. Picked up an Antec 200 case and a Cooler Master 500watt PS tonight.

not sure what mobo/proc combo we will get yet.

[Drachen]

well, as you are looking for parts go to pricewatch.com that website doesn't sell anything per se, but they poll 1000's of websites to find the lowest price on whatever item you are looking for.

[baseline bum]

I'd never take pricewatch over newegg, especially in Texas where I wouldn't have to pay sales tax when buying from newegg. There are just too many online retailers who try to screw you over to not give business to one that does right by its customers (while still offering great prices) like newegg. I have used newegg many many times and have only gotten something bad from them once (a very expensive monitor). It technically didn't meet terms of return (I think there's a minimum number of dead pixels before they're supposed to take it back), but I had absolutely no problem getting a full cash refund back on it when I told them I wasn't satisfied with the product. The phone call must have taken 3 minutes total, and as soon as it was delivered back, I got my money.

Every other order has been great. For example, I ordered a monitor from them on a Sunday night right before Christmas this year (when they had to be swamped), and they still had it shipped early Monday morning. You never have to worry about them lollygagging in getting your order shipped or saying they have something in stock on the website when they don't. They must also have some special agreement with UPS, because they're the only company I have ever seen that doesn't have its packages beat to by UPS.

[Heath Ledger]

Tigerdirect.com ususally has some incredible deals on barebones computers.

[Bender]

I think I have bought from newegg before, and I just got a 46" Sony Bravia HDTV from Tiger Direct last month. I'll check both places.

[leemajors]

the lowest prices on pricewatch are usually from sketchy places. Once newegg came along I hardly checked it. It was a great resource in the early 2000s though.

[to21]

Live here in SA?

Since here at work we're a Dell shop, us IT folks buy refurbed PC's/laptops from this dude:

http://www.sa-pc.com/index.asp

Then plugged them up with all the "leftover" high ends parts "lying" around here. Plus, if it were for my kid, I'd buy something cheaper for him.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Ok. I've never understood how PC's "die". I pretty much have a fossil. Socket 845, I think. P4 HT 3.2. It's clearly outdated. I do online stuff, music writing, and light gaming on it and it's still chugging along. It's even running pro tools 8 with omnisphere so it's not like it isn't being taxed. I even bought the chip second hand. The same goes for the board after that stupid RAM mistake I made. I'm not claiming to be an omnipotent computer god but I think people just give up on their pc's entirely too quick. I can even say I've only seen a BSOD about 2 times in my life, but that's another rant.

[Bender]

Live here in SA?

yep. I got the case & PS at Altex. Altex isn't the cheapest place around, so I'll be getting the rest at cheaper places.

Ok. I've never understood how PC's "die".

well, it turns on, and the lights on front flicker very fast, but nothing ever happens, the fans aren't turning, no boot up. it's a home-built machine, as is mine, but mine, even though older than my son's, is working great.

My son wants a more hard-core gaming system anyway. He bought the case & PS himself ($120) with b-day & xmas money he still had.

[leemajors]

Power supplies flame out and die, RAM goes bad, HDD's start to grind, motherboards blow up. Anything can happen - power surges while you're not at home, whatever. It's just nice to be able to hot swap parts if it does. Part of the reason I don't have a laptop or a Mac.

[Libri]

I'd never take pricewatch over newegg, especially in Texas where I wouldn't have to pay sales tax when buying from newegg. There are just too many online retailers who try to screw you over to not give business to one that does right by its customers (while still offering great prices) like newegg. I have used newegg many many times and have only gotten something bad from them once (a very expensive monitor). It technically didn't meet terms of return (I think there's a minimum number of dead pixels before they're supposed to take it back), but I had absolutely no problem getting a full cash refund back on it when I told them I wasn't satisfied with the product. The phone call must have taken 3 minutes total, and as soon as it was delivered back, I got my money.

Every other order has been great. For example, I ordered a monitor from them on a Sunday night right before Christmas this year (when they had to be swamped), and they still had it shipped early Monday morning. You never have to worry about them lollygagging in getting your order shipped or saying they have something in stock on the website when they don't. They must also have some special agreement with UPS, because they're the only company I have ever seen that doesn't have its packages beat to by UPS.

I have also been very pleased with Newegg. I ordered RAM for three different computers and the RAM have worked perfectly. I also bought a computer case. I am now looking to get some hardware from them for a build. So far, it has been a good experience.

[Bender]

Power supplies flame out and die, RAM goes bad, HDD's start to grind, motherboards blow up. Anything can happen - power surges while you're not at home, whatever. It's just nice to be able to hot swap parts if it does. Part of the reason I don't have a laptop or a Mac.

yeah I know. I was tempted at first to get an off the shelf box, but then when you have to put in a better PS, and a better video card... might as well just put something together yourself. Nice thing about off the shelf boxes is that they come with windows 7 basically free.

[baseline bum]

yeah I know. I was tempted at first to get an off the shelf box, but then when you have to put in a better PS, and a better video card... might as well just put something together yourself. Nice thing about off the shelf boxes is that they come with windows 7 basically free.

That's a of a price to pay for the crap motherboards, cases, and hard drives off the shelf desktops have though. It's not like 8-12 years ago when you saved enormous money home-building, but you still get much better components for similar money.

[baseline bum]

Ok. I've never understood how PC's "die". I pretty much have a fossil. Socket 845, I think. P4 HT 3.2. It's clearly outdated. I do online stuff, music writing, and light gaming on it and it's still chugging along. It's even running pro tools 8 with omnisphere so it's not like it isn't being taxed. I even bought the chip second hand. The same goes for the board after that stupid RAM mistake I made. I'm not claiming to be an omnipotent computer god but I think people just give up on their pc's entirely too quick. I can even say I've only seen a BSOD about 2 times in my life, but that's another rant.

CPUs can start producing way too much heat as they get older. It's like they slowly fry themselves in a nasty feedback loop.

[PM5K]

I've never heard of a changing TDP, but whatever.

[baseline bum]

I've never heard of a changing TDP, but whatever.

My old AthlonXP 1800 was running about 30 degrees Celsius hotter near the end compared to when it was new, measured from BIOS (though it was also the same in Windows). Even with more powerful case fans and the speed of my CPU fan cranked up, my temperatures were way up. I'm not an electrical engineer, so I could be wrong in the claim (and was making it from anecdotal evidence); maybe it was something stupid like the thermal pad between the die and the heatsink getting loose or something, but the trend upward in temperature of that CPU vs. increasing time was undeniable.