I'm not going to any time soon but I'd like to know if I wanted to get a better desktop to play current gen games could I just replace/upgrade some things from my computer or would I have to go and scrap what I have and start fresh?

So this is my comp though I'm not computer literate so I might get the wrong names for what I mean or miss important parts or something. using dxdiag:

Case: Dell E521
Processor: AMD Athalon 64 3200+, MMX, 3DNOW, 2.0~Ghz (although I've been told windows sucks at detecting AMD correctly or something and It's actually around 3.2Ghz? wut?)
Memory: 958 mbs (I just round it up to a gig but meh.)
Video card: Nvidia GeForce 6150LE 256 mb

And I suppose I'm missing other things but I'm not really sure where I'd look. Anyways this computer runs Starcraft2 with all settings set to the lowest or 'none' when available and gets around 8-12 fps at 1024x768 (or whatever the lowest resolution is allowed by Starcraft2. I forgot.). I left the monitor out because I think if I wanted to replace it with something better I could just go out and buy any kind of monitor unlike other parts to a computer where only certain parts will work with other certain parts (I think right?) so I didn't really see it as a important.

The aim is to run a current gen game on normal (low/normal/high/ultra) smoothly. What needs to be replaced and with what? I wish it was just a matter of more ram and a better video card but I really doubt thats all that needs to be changed. Sigh.

What else would you guys need to know and how would I find out about my computer specs and should I just scrap this computer and start from scratch or what? Because any upgrading will most likely take place any time soon price isn't a big deal. I'm also very curious to see how much money this would cost.

The CPU is fine.
RAM upgrade recommended.
Better graphics is vital.

To know which parts fit your system we need to know your motherboard model (referred as system model by dxdiag) and manufacturer.
If you want to potentially save money and upgrade your existing RAM rather replacing it we need to know more about your RAM too. DDR2? Number of memory sticks? CPU-Z will let you find out those details.

That work?

For the SPD tab slots 3 and 4 have the 512mb's and slot 1 and 2 are empty if that matters. I would not know.

The entire thing is just really bad. You might as well throw together something custom. Buying DDR2 RAM is a waste and any GFX you put in it is just going to get bottlenecked by the RAM and CPU.

The board probably has the potential to support newer processors, but the maker probably wouldn't release BIOS updates for one that old to add new CPU support.

It can be much cheaper to upgrade, though, if he doesn't have the $500 to make a new good computer. If there's the proper slot, a $80 (hell, $50 or less) GPU may be all he needs to play SCII at normal. I would also go for another GB of RAM if possible, but if you can run SCII on 900MB with a bad video card, you'll be able to do it with a good one.

A 2.0 GHz single core probably won't be enough to run SC2 on good settings. My dual core Athlon 64 X2 2.4 GHz even struggles some on the higher settings when you get into the battles, and this was in the stage of the SC2 beta when you could only have up to 4 players in the game.

The motherboard in my system is still getting BIOS updates for new CPU support (Asus M3A78 Pro, about 2 years old), but I don't think I would expect Dell to still provide updates for new CPU support for something as old as what you have, especially for a board that was already an older generation chipset at its time. My board was the latest model when I got it (it became available for sale on Newegg shortly before I was going to buy a different board, IIRC), and Asus seems to support their stuff for a while.

Since I can, I'm probably going to upgrade my CPU sometime, either to a quad core or 6 core (my board even supports the current fastest 6 core Phenom). Graphics card will come after that, though probably much later. My Radeon X800 GTO² is the oldest component in my system, but is still doing fine for now (probably why it is the oldest part of my system ), which I can configure to be identical in performance to the X850 XT PE and have proper cooling installed to do so.

Post has been edited 2 time(s), last time on Sep 5 2010, 9:38 pm by ShadowFlare.

So the recommendation is that nothing I have can be salvaged and that I'm better off getting a custom built? It seems like upgrading my computer to it's fullest with it's limitations isn't recommend/worth it right?

Well this has been informative

You could check Dell's site to see if they have any BIOS updates for your system. If there are any, tell us the date on the newest one. This would give us an idea of whether you could use a newer CPU in that system (but I think it is very unlikely there is any update new enough). That CPU is probably going to be the biggest thing slowing down the system if you upgrade other parts. If your motherboard won't support a new CPU, you might as well upgrade the motherboard, too. Also, with the amount of RAM you have, you will be needing to buy new RAM anyway.

Other than if your motherboard unexpectedly can support a somewhat newer CPU, the only other upgrade that might be OK would be a graphics card, if your system has a PCI Express x16 slot and you have a power supply with a high enough rating, because you could still use it when you replace the other parts.

I'd still say that if money is a major constraint, you should just go for a cheap new GPU and leave it at that. It'll let you play SCII on low at a respectable framerate. And you'll always be able to transfer it if you make a new computer.

The latest update was for 9/4/07 last time I check although I'm not using up to date BIOS as I hardly ever upgrade anything on my computer until I have to. Bad habit I guess.

Where would the slot be if I had one? Where would I check the rating of my power supply?

I was thinking along these lines. Even though Ex said that whatever I'd get that was at a decent level it would get bottle necked by other parts... well I figured I could always get them anyways and use them in their um... how would you say.... untapped state and then use them to their full potential when I'd go for a serious custom built in the even later future. Though those parts might be outdated by then time I'd decided to use them. I really wouldn't know as I have no clue about stuff in this field.

I'm okay with muddy looking textures and no AA. My priority will for the most part be the Framerate. Laggy response can be kind of game breaking with certain genres while post processing and AA would hardly mess with anything but immersion at best in my opinion.

:C

Nvm at my statement the CPU would be fine. Didn't think it'd actually be clocked at 2GHz.

If you have a PCI Express slot you could buy a new GFX (and a PSU too, if necessary) for now and buy the rest of the computer later. Performance will be significantly better, but the CPU will still bottleneck you and generally make StarCraft 2 a pain if there's more than 10 units on your screen.
Upgrading the RAM would be possible but wouldn't help much and couldn't be reused in a new system. I advise against it.

So no, you cannot salvage any of the core components (CPU, GFX, RAM, Mobo) but you can probably keep your drives, the case and periphals.

Yea If I'm spending the money for the main bulk of a custom built pc I probably wouldn't mind spending more for something like a new case. Something with subwoofers and a bigger resolution sounds better too... I doubt I'll salvage anything now. Very informative and while I'm being informed with information could you help me out on understanding what exactly is effected by:

CPU
GFX
RAM

mostly a game...

I've always just made up in my own head as to what they actually specifically do I figured RAM was to make the computer fast and the graphics card was what added the skin/texture on objects ingame. Never even considered what the CPU actually did.

Someone enlighten me

CPU is processing speed, calculating damage done, probability, all that. GPU is graphics, and does graphics stuff. RAM is just memory that can be quickly accessed by the OS. It's what stores the image you're photoshopping but didn't save yet, what lets your OS run, etc. 4GB is generally the never-worry-about it standard right now, and the faster the better, I really don't you'll notice the difference between 1GB DDR2 and 1GB DDR3 (I believe it's just 40% faster).

Again, grab a cheap (get Ex to help you choose one) GPU (after checking if you have the PCI express slot) and see if it runs SCII well enough for you. I'm definitely not convinced that ten units will screw your current CPU. If it's not good enough, start saving money and just use the GPU and possibly PSU (power supply unit) on your next build. No money wasted, no waiting.

So I opened up this comp that I am currently on (atm of this post it's closed when on of course). Should the PCI express slot be above where the modem part should near the back? I've found what pretty much looks exactly like the image in the wiki page. From what I can infer theirs a 1X and I'm really not sure if it's an 4X or 16X right above it but I'd say it looks like a 16X. Then again I really have no clue about this. Actually I was going on memory. The bigger bar like possible slot candidate is alot longer than twice the length of what the 1X could be so I'd say it's a 16X as pictured in the wiki page although it might be a brand thing but it's not yellow but black. I figure color has importance when it comes to computers.

Anyways on a side note I have this even older pc laying around. It's pretty small. The chode of computers I guess you could say. It's an old HP and I opened it up since it's pretty much a junk computer I no longer use but after taking out the HDD from it's spot (cables still connected) it got me thinking if I could use anything from it and add it to my current computer? I'd LOVE to be able to access that old HDD as it has a TON of old photoshop resource files that I would so desperately enjoy to have accessible.

Thoughts? If possible anything else that I may be able to salvage from that computer? Maybe sum RAM

I understand now why people go out and customize their cars and computers. It does seem like fun.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Sep 6 2010, 12:49 am by MadZombie.

You can access the old HD, just switch it to slave, plug a spare cable into it + power cable, and boot up. Go to My Computer and it should be there under your current HD.

Or your HD will blow up if your power cables are crossed the wrong way.

>.>
<.<

I don't remember their being a spare data cable only a power cable for a second HD. I don't supposed the data cable is permanently glued/fixed to the old computer. Could I just pull it out and salvage that too?

Should be able to, although if you have a dell there's a good chance there's only one plug on one cable that plugs into the only available slot for data cables. That's what dell does so yeah if you're lucky you can plug it in somewhere though.

I can't look right now because I'm using this current computer obviously but Their are two rails one is being used by my original HDD and I figure the second one is meant to be for a second drive since theirs also a second power cable to it. Though I'm not going to actually try to put it into my new computer until I get a second opinion. I'm still not sure how much um.... power output my computer has. I figure adding something like an HSS would pull more power and theirs supposed to be a limit on how much can be used.

Also about the RAM from my old HP.... hm?