$850 budget...

[roguerower]

PLUS!!!! Depending on where you go to school, your school might have a deal with Dell. Mine does and it allowed my to save quite a bit when I bought my laptop 2 years ago. My sister just recently purchased an Macbook using our school's deal and saved 2-300 dollars on a $1k laptop.

 

[Noobtastic]

What is the difference between:

Single Drive: 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability [Included in

and

Dual Drives: 48x Combo + 16x DVD+/-RW w/ dbl layer write capable [add $40]?

Also, will the x1950pro fit in the 9200 case?

 

[Noobtastic]

also the resolution on the dell 20 inch is 1680x1050...does battlefield 2 support this? Will it put more stress on my gpu?


How does that compare to a 1400x900 monitor?


I honestly rather buy a monitor retail.

 

[Noobtastic]

GAH!

Why doesn't Dell have a option for no monitor?

I don't want their s**ty @ss monitor.

edit: Should I choose an extended warranty? They have accidental protection, 24/7 phone assistance, economy plan, 3 year economy plane, dell on call....wtf...???

edit:

this is what I have:

My System Details
Intel® Core? 2 Duo Processor E6320 (4MB L2 cache,1.86GHz,1066FSB)
Genuine Windows Vista? Home Basic
FREE Upgrade! 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs
320GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache?
Single Drive: 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability
I will select a 27in wide flat panel monitor from the large display section
256MB nVidia Geforce 7300LE TurboCache
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
My Accessories
13 in 1 Media Card Reader
No Modem
No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system)
Dell USB Keyboard
Dell® 2-button USB mouse
My Software
Microsoft® Works Suite 2006 -Includes MS WORD 2002,Encarta 2006 + more
No Security Subscription (30-day trial)
My Services & Warranties
1 Year On-site Economy Plan
6 Months of America Online Membership Included
Purchase is not intended for resale.
Also Included
Dimension 9200
Windows Vista? Basic
No Digital Music Software Requested
No Digital Imaging Software Requested
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 7.0

without monitor - $808.

Is this a good deal?
Your build was 850 WITH monitor...wtf?

 

[dclive]

At this point I think it's becoming a bit redundant - if you're interested in it, jump. If not, don't.

The 1950 should fit, but you could put "1950" and "Dell 9200" into Google and you'd know for sure in a few seconds.

The difference in the two CD options is exactly like it says - one is 2 optical drives, one is just one optical drive.

 

[Noobtastic]

Originally posted by: dclive
At this point I think it's becoming a bit redundant - if you're interested in it, jump. If not, don't.

The 1950 should fit, but you could put "1950" and "Dell 9200" into Google and you'd know for sure in a few seconds.

The difference in the two CD options is exactly like it says - one is 2 optical drives, one is just one optical drive.

Why would someone need more than two?

Does it increase performance?


According to newegg, identical parts to the 9200 dimension would be $953 + 150 build fee (with 500 watt PSU and DDR 800 memory though.) shipped to California.

Dell is $808 shipped.


Also, does Dell install Vista for you?

edit: i searched for x1950pro compatibility with dell but to no avail..

 

[JustaGeek]

After reading the last few posts, I wish i could say: go ahead, get my Dell! (OK, I know it was lame...)

But I can't!

There is no way he can fit his Video Card in the Dell or HP case. And even if he somehow manages to accomplish that, it will be like in an oven in that little space.

I had to re-package my HP into a larger case in order to fit all the components properly, and have some room for extra fans, Hard Drives etc. And it was the only way to keep the temperatures down, too.

As soon as he does that with Dell or HP, he loses his warranty.

And he will need a new Power Supply. HP or Dell usually supply very generic PS', just to satisfy current power requirements. My HP was only 250W - enough for GeForce 440 8x AGP, but way too inadequate for BFG 6800NU that I have upgraded to. And I punched a hole in the side of the case to make room for an extra fan to cool the CPU.

But when I tried to fit the BFG 7800GT, it was SO tight that I can't believe I did it. And it was HOT.

If he decides to go with Dell, he should make sure that he orders the Video Card, 2GB memory and all the options from them, so they can properly take care of the Power/Ventilation issues. This way he will get to keep the 1 year warranty, too.

 

[Noobtastic]

Originally posted by: JustaGeek
After reading the last few posts, I wish i could say: go ahead, get my Dell! (OK, I know it was lame...)

But I can't!

There is no way he can fit his Video Card in the Dell or HP case. And even if he somehow manages to accomplish that, it will be like in an oven in that little space.

I had to re-package my HP into a larger case in order to fit all the components properly, and have some room for extra fans, Hard Drives etc. And it was the only way to keep the temperatures down, too.

As soon as he does that with Dell or HP, he loses his warranty.

And he will need a new Power Supply. HP or Dell usually supply very generic PS', just to satisfy current power requirements. My HP was only 250W - enough for GeForce 440 8x AGP, but way too inadequate for BFG 6800NU that I have upgraded to. And I punched a hole in the side of the case to make room for an extra fan to cool the CPU.

But when I tried to fit the BFG 7800GT, it was SO tight that I can't believe I did it. And it was HOT.

If he decides to go with Dell, he should make sure that he orders the Video Card, 2GB memory and all the options from them, so they can properly take care of the Power/Ventilation issues. This way he will get to keep the 1 year warranty, too.

What??

I don't want a s**ty 128 bit 8600GTS.

I want the x1950pro or performance equivalent.


I was told the 350 watt PSU is perfectly fine. One guy says he is running an 8800GTS with the same PSU and no tampering with hardware arrangements or cooling.


WTf?!

 

[dclive]

I don't see a cost for the OS. That's $150 for Home Prem in the homemade build.

RE: CDs - think about it for a second; if you don't see a reason, you don't need it.

Dell installs whatever OS you buy from them.

C'mon - are these serious questions? At this point this has gotten a bit funny. There's no way in the world you should be buying from anyone but a large OEM.

 

[Noobtastic]

Originally posted by: dclive
I don't see a cost for the OS. That's $150 for Home Prem in the homemade build.

RE: CDs - think about it for a second; if you don't see a reason, you don't need it.

Dell installs whatever OS you buy from them.

C'mon - are these serious questions? At this point this has gotten a bit funny. There's no way in the world you should be buying from anyone but a large OEM.

What?

What about that person above who said all those things about gpu's not fitting etc..?

Did you have to mess with your hardware to fit the 8800GTS??

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: JustaGeek
After reading the last few posts, I wish i could say: go ahead, get my Dell! (OK, I know it was lame...)

But I can't!

There is no way he can fit his Video Card in the Dell or HP case. And even if he somehow manages to accomplish that, it will be like in an oven in that little space.

I had to re-package my HP into a larger case in order to fit all the components properly, and have some room for extra fans, Hard Drives etc. And it was the only way to keep the temperatures down, too.

As soon as he does that with Dell or HP, he loses his warranty.

And he will need a new Power Supply. HP or Dell usually supply very generic PS', just to satisfy current power requirements. My HP was only 250W - enough for GeForce 440 8x AGP, but way too inadequate for BFG 6800NU that I have upgraded to. And I punched a hole in the side of the case to make room for an extra fan to cool the CPU.

But when I tried to fit the BFG 7800GT, it was SO tight that I can't believe I did it. And it was HOT.

If he decides to go with Dell, he should make sure that he orders the Video Card, 2GB memory and all the options from them, so they can properly take care of the Power/Ventilation issues. This way he will get to keep the 1 year warranty, too.

That's not correct, and a quick look at Anandtech's wattage usage reports can prove that quickly (links have been posted repeatedly; I'm sure you've seen them by now.) A GTX uses max 300W or so, and he's buying a card that would use far less power.

I could slide the 8800GTS/320 into my (300W) Acer E700. I couldn't put a hard drive in the slot immediately parallel to it, but it fit.

This is fearmongering. There's no way nVidia will make a card that won't fit in today's cases. Seriously, folks!

Still don't believe? Read Dell's forums: http://www.dellcommunity.com/s...&query.id=281661#M4397

How do you know the 1950 won't work in the Dell 9200? Anandtech's reports say the 8800GTX takes about 300W, so a 1950 Pro will take considerably less - and he's got 375W, not just 300W.

I think you're a bit alarmist, JustAGeek.....the info you're giving isn't right, as you can see from the posts on Dell's boards.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: Noobtastic

Originally posted by: dclive
I don't see a cost for the OS. That's $150 for Home Prem in the homemade build.

RE: CDs - think about it for a second; if you don't see a reason, you don't need it.

Dell installs whatever OS you buy from them.

C'mon - are these serious questions? At this point this has gotten a bit funny. There's no way in the world you should be buying from anyone but a large OEM.

What?

What about that person above who said all those things about gpu's not fitting etc..?

Did you have to mess with your hardware to fit the 8800GTS??

No, I didn't, aside from, as I said, removing the hard drive that was directly parallel to it. His message was alarmist.

Ultimately, if you want, just get the 8600GTS for $200, and you won't have to change a thing. Obviously this stuff, which most would consider trivial stuff, is very concerning for you - so just have Dell put the 8600GTS in there and be done with it.

 

[JustaGeek]

I was just talking about my past experiences with 6800 and 7800 series cards from NVidia, and HP Pavilion case - nothing to do with recommendations for you.

It was just an example of your potential problems, if you tried to fit your x1950pro into the Dell case.

And I do not agree that the 350W power supply is sufficient to accomodate the large and power hungry (especially under load) x1950pro.

If you want a solid performer, built right and specifically designed to your individual needs, just let the gentleman build it.

30 days is more than enough to weed out weaknesses and resolve possible issues.

 

[dclive]

JustAGeek - from a logic point of view, your posts just aren't making sense. Dell sells 8800GTX, straight from the factory, for the 9200 - with that same case, with that same 375W PSU! Obviously, since this is the case, putting a little 1950 Pro in there won't even cause the PSU or case to blink.

Please, stop being alarmist. This entire "I need a 500W PSU to have more than a CPU and Intel graphics card in my machine" has gone on for long enough. This is silly.

 

[JustaGeek]

Your honor...

The defense rests.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: JustaGeek
And I do not agree that the 350W power supply is sufficient to accomodate the large and power hungry (especially under load) x1950pro.

Can you show a web site that says a 1950 Pro would need more than 225W or so in a normal Core 2 Duo with a hard drive, DVDRW, and normal kit?


http://www.anandtech.com/cpuch...owdoc.aspx?i=2855&p=12

...says a P965 chipset with 7900GS will take about 160W under full gaming load.

http://anandtech.com/cpuchipse...howdoc.aspx?i=2903&p=7

...says a P965/C2D 6400 uses about 190W under full gaming load - with an 8800GTX.

What numbers do you have that show the load of a 1950 Pro that would require over the Dell 9200's 375W PSU, and why do you think Dell sells the 9200s with a 375W PSU, if it won't work correctly?

Honestly...fearmongering.....

 

[Noobtastic]

Is the 8600GTS worse than the x1950pro???


The 8600GTS is 128 bits!!! What the hell is up with that??!!



Will that affect games like battefield 2, 2142, and future battlefield games? (ill be playing max settings..)

 

[Ika]

XbitLabs says that the X1950 Pro uses about 67w at full 3d Load. There's no way the rest of his system will use more than 300w. Thus, the 375w PSU that comes in Dell systems should be enough.

And, while this thread is funny (and sad, in some ways), I support dclive in his strive to get Noobtastic to get a Dell, dude!

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: Noobtastic
Is the 8600GTS worse than the x1950pro???


The 8600GTS is 128 bits!!! What the hell is up with that??!!



Will that affect games like battefield 2, 2142, and future battlefield games? (ill be playing max settings..)

Tip: STOP LOOKING AT NUMBERS and start looking at benchmarks! The question you asked takes about 5 minutes with Google. I really hope you're capable of doing that, because my mother is. Who cares about 128 bits vs. 256 bits - the only thing you should be caring about is what performs better at the resolution you want.

 

[Noobtastic]

Originally posted by: Aflac

Originally posted by: Noobtastic
Is the 8600GTS worse than the x1950pro???


The 8600GTS is 128 bits!!! What the hell is up with that??!!



Will that affect games like battefield 2, 2142, and future battlefield games? (ill be playing max settings..)

Tip: STOP LOOKING AT NUMBERS and start looking at benchmarks! The question you asked takes about 5 minutes with Google. I really hope you're capable of doing that, because my mother is. Who cares about 128 bits vs. 256 bits - the only thing you should be caring about is what performs better at the resolution you want.

But I can't seem to find any reliable benchmarks.


I found two sites, and only one has battlefield 2 - but the site looks iffy.


Do you know anything about the 8600GTS? Cnet gave the EVGA 8600GTS a 6.4!! I'm not sure which brand dell uses..

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: Aflac
XbitLabs says that the X1950 Pro uses about 67w at full 3d Load. There's no way the rest of his system will use more than 300w. Thus, the 375w PSU that comes in Dell systems should be enough.

And, while this thread is funny (and sad, in some ways), I support dclive in his strive to get Noobtastic to get a Dell, dude!

Check out the URLs just posted - his entire system, with 1950 Pro, would probably use around 200-250W under full load.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: Noobtastic

Originally posted by: Aflac

Originally posted by: Noobtastic
Is the 8600GTS worse than the x1950pro???


The 8600GTS is 128 bits!!! What the hell is up with that??!!



Will that affect games like battefield 2, 2142, and future battlefield games? (ill be playing max settings..)

Tip: STOP LOOKING AT NUMBERS and start looking at benchmarks! The question you asked takes about 5 minutes with Google. I really hope you're capable of doing that, because my mother is. Who cares about 128 bits vs. 256 bits - the only thing you should be caring about is what performs better at the resolution you want.

But I can't seem to find any reliable benchmarks.


I found two sites, and only one has battlefield 2 - but the site looks iffy.


Do you know anything about the 8600GTS? Cnet gave the EVGA 8600GTS a 6.4!! I'm not sure which brand dell uses..

Tomshardware.com -- and if your game isn't reviewed, draw a consensus from the other results.

 

[Noobtastic]

Originally posted by: dclive

Originally posted by: Noobtastic

Originally posted by: Aflac

Originally posted by: Noobtastic
Is the 8600GTS worse than the x1950pro???


The 8600GTS is 128 bits!!! What the hell is up with that??!!



Will that affect games like battefield 2, 2142, and future battlefield games? (ill be playing max settings..)

Tip: STOP LOOKING AT NUMBERS and start looking at benchmarks! The question you asked takes about 5 minutes with Google. I really hope you're capable of doing that, because my mother is. Who cares about 128 bits vs. 256 bits - the only thing you should be caring about is what performs better at the resolution you want.

But I can't seem to find any reliable benchmarks.


I found two sites, and only one has battlefield 2 - but the site looks iffy.


Do you know anything about the 8600GTS? Cnet gave the EVGA 8600GTS a 6.4!! I'm not sure which brand dell uses..

Tomshardware.com -- and if your game isn't reviewed, draw a consensus from the other results.

What is your opinion of the 8600gts?

 

[dclive]

Please look at www.tomshardware.com and develop your own understanding.

 

[Noobtastic]

I don't understand what I'm reading:

http://www.tomshardware.com/20...eforce_8600/page9.html


Will this card run battlefield on max settings with zero lag/stutters??