PC question

[NovaStar]

I am looking to buy a computer for my daughter for x-mas. I was wondering what does the amount of MHz stand for when compared to the processor speed. She wants the Sims-2, I am looking for a good computer that will help her with school as well as gaming. Gateway has a start up computer with 330mhz etc... I don't know how to go about shopping for a suitable computer, I know some of you guys on this board are very knowledgeable. I need your help.

[Bacardi151]

Re: PC question

I am looking to buy a computer for my daughter for x-mas. I was wondering what does the amount of MHz stand for when compared to the processor speed. She wants the Sims-2, I am looking for a good computer that will help her with school as well as gaming. Gateway has a start up computer with 330mhz etc... I don't know how to go about shopping for a suitable computer, I know some of you guys on this board are very knowledgeable. I need your help.

If you dont feel like building your own rig, then i would go with a dell purchase. First see the recommended specs for the game you want, then get a computer with a little more juice.


Not too dificult, but i can see how it might be a bit overwhelming. Ultimately you want a fast processor and as much RAM you can get. Hard drive space, although not as important for a small family computer, can fall roughly in the 40 to 80 gig area.

Add to that a monitor, sound card, video card, speakers, and any other peripherals you want.

After all that, i still think dell will give you the best deal.

[Bacardi151]

Re: PC question

I am looking to buy a computer for my daughter for x-mas. I was wondering what does the amount of MHz stand for when compared to the processor speed. She wants the Sims-2, I am looking for a good computer that will help her with school as well as gaming. Gateway has a start up computer with 330mhz etc... I don't know how to go about shopping for a suitable computer, I know some of you guys on this board are very knowledgeable. I need your help.

If you dont feel like building your own rig, then i would go with a dell purchase. First see the recommended specs for the game you want, then get a computer with a little more juice.


Not too dificult, but i can see how it might be a bit overwhelming. Ultimately you want a fast processor and as much RAM you can get. Hard drive space, although not as important for a small family computer, can fall roughly in the 40 to 80 gig area.

Add to that a monitor, sound card, video card, speakers, and any other peripherals you want.

After all that, i still think dell will give you the best deal.

[NovaStar]

Re: PC question

Thanks for your response Bacardi. Here the specs for the computer I am looking at. I choose Gateway because I have an account with them, and the service they have given me in the past has been good.


Gateway 3250S

PRODUCT DETAILS

Rebate: $100 Mail-In Rebate (Limited Time Promotion -- not reflected in price)

Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2

Application Software: Microsoft® Works 8.0

AntiVirus Software: Norton AntiVirus 90 day introductory offer

Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 505 (2.66GHz)

Chipset: Intel® 915GV Chipset

Memory: 256MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM (333MHz)

Hard Drive: 80GB Serial ATA100 7200rpm hard drive

Floppy Drive: Floppy drive not selected

Optical Drive: 48x/32x/48x CD-RW

Extended Service Plan Including Limited Warranty: Desktop Value Service Plan -- 1 year parts/labor/no on-site/1 year technical support

Case: Gateway 6-Bay Mid-Tower Case

Expansion Slots: 2 x PCI Expansion Slots (1 slot available)

External Ports: (6) USB 2.0 (4 in back, 2 in front), (1) IEEE 1394 Firewire Port, Audio ports, Parallel, Serial, and (2) PS/2

Certification: Energy Star Compliant

Monitors: VX750 17" Flat CRT Color Monitor (16.0" viewable)

Video: Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 900 with up to 128MB shared DDR memory

Keyboard: Gateway Premium 104+ Keyboard

Mouse: Two-Button PS/2 Wheel Mouse (no mouse pad included)

Music Sampler: Napster 2.0 and 150 Song Sampler (pre-loaded on hard disk)

Sound System: Integrated Intel® High Definition audio

Speakers: 2-piece speaker solution

Modem: 56K PCI data/fax modem

Network Adapter: Integrated Intel® Pro 10/100 Ethernet Adapter

Internet Service Provider: Six months America Online® Internet access

Part Number: 1008288






ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Processor:
Intel® Pentium® 4 515 Processor
2.66GHz, 533MHz FSB, 256KB cache

System architecture:
Intel 915GV Chipset
533MHz Front Side Bus

Memory slots:
Four Sockets on Motherboard (184 pin)
Expandable to 4GB

Disk controller:
1 floppy drive channel
Two IDE interfaces supporting 4 IDE devices UDMA 33, ATA 66/100 support

Audio:
Intel® High Definition Audio

Case:
Gateway™ 6-bay mid tower case (ATX)

Dimensions:
7.25"(W) x 16.00"(D) x 14.25"(H)

Weight:
23 lbs (CPU only, no packaging)

Expansion bays:
Two External 5.25" bays
Two External 3.5" drive bays
Two Internal 3.5" drive bays

Expansion slots:
2 PCI (1 available)

I/O Ports:
Front
2 x USB 2.0
1 x USB 2.0 Ports (media reader)
Microphone jack
Headphone jack

I/O Ports:
Rear
PS/2 Keyboard Port
PS/2 Mouse Port
4 x USB 2.0 Ports
1 x IEEE 1394 (6 pin)
x Serial Port
1 x Parallel Port

1 x VGA Port
1 x RJ11 (on PCI modem)
1 x RJ45
1 x Microphone Jack
1 x Audio Line Input
1 x Audio Line Output

Certifications:
UL 1950, FCC Class B







Price: $659.98


Here are the specs for the Sims-2

600 MHz P3 processor
256 MB RAM if Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 98 or Windows 2000
At least 3.5 GB of hard drive space
If you have a non-T&L capable video card (such as TNT2 or Intel Integrated for example) then you need at least:

1.5 GHz processor
256 MB RAM if Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 98, or Windows 2000
At least 3.5 GB of hard drive space
Recommended video cards (and the more video memory the better):

ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
Nvidia Geforce 4 or FX series cards


What do you think?

[NovaStar]

Re: PC question

Thanks for your response Bacardi. Here the specs for the computer I am looking at. I choose Gateway because I have an account with them, and the service they have given me in the past has been good.


Gateway 3250S

PRODUCT DETAILS

Rebate: $100 Mail-In Rebate (Limited Time Promotion -- not reflected in price)

Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2

Application Software: Microsoft® Works 8.0

AntiVirus Software: Norton AntiVirus 90 day introductory offer

Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 505 (2.66GHz)

Chipset: Intel® 915GV Chipset

Memory: 256MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM (333MHz)

Hard Drive: 80GB Serial ATA100 7200rpm hard drive

Floppy Drive: Floppy drive not selected

Optical Drive: 48x/32x/48x CD-RW

Extended Service Plan Including Limited Warranty: Desktop Value Service Plan -- 1 year parts/labor/no on-site/1 year technical support

Case: Gateway 6-Bay Mid-Tower Case

Expansion Slots: 2 x PCI Expansion Slots (1 slot available)

External Ports: (6) USB 2.0 (4 in back, 2 in front), (1) IEEE 1394 Firewire Port, Audio ports, Parallel, Serial, and (2) PS/2

Certification: Energy Star Compliant

Monitors: VX750 17" Flat CRT Color Monitor (16.0" viewable)

Video: Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 900 with up to 128MB shared DDR memory

Keyboard: Gateway Premium 104+ Keyboard

Mouse: Two-Button PS/2 Wheel Mouse (no mouse pad included)

Music Sampler: Napster 2.0 and 150 Song Sampler (pre-loaded on hard disk)

Sound System: Integrated Intel® High Definition audio

Speakers: 2-piece speaker solution

Modem: 56K PCI data/fax modem

Network Adapter: Integrated Intel® Pro 10/100 Ethernet Adapter

Internet Service Provider: Six months America Online® Internet access

Part Number: 1008288






ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Processor:
Intel® Pentium® 4 515 Processor
2.66GHz, 533MHz FSB, 256KB cache

System architecture:
Intel 915GV Chipset
533MHz Front Side Bus

Memory slots:
Four Sockets on Motherboard (184 pin)
Expandable to 4GB

Disk controller:
1 floppy drive channel
Two IDE interfaces supporting 4 IDE devices UDMA 33, ATA 66/100 support

Audio:
Intel® High Definition Audio

Case:
Gateway™ 6-bay mid tower case (ATX)

Dimensions:
7.25"(W) x 16.00"(D) x 14.25"(H)

Weight:
23 lbs (CPU only, no packaging)

Expansion bays:
Two External 5.25" bays
Two External 3.5" drive bays
Two Internal 3.5" drive bays

Expansion slots:
2 PCI (1 available)

I/O Ports:
Front
2 x USB 2.0
1 x USB 2.0 Ports (media reader)
Microphone jack
Headphone jack

I/O Ports:
Rear
PS/2 Keyboard Port
PS/2 Mouse Port
4 x USB 2.0 Ports
1 x IEEE 1394 (6 pin)
x Serial Port
1 x Parallel Port

1 x VGA Port
1 x RJ11 (on PCI modem)
1 x RJ45
1 x Microphone Jack
1 x Audio Line Input
1 x Audio Line Output

Certifications:
UL 1950, FCC Class B







Price: $659.98


Here are the specs for the Sims-2

600 MHz P3 processor
256 MB RAM if Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 98 or Windows 2000
At least 3.5 GB of hard drive space
If you have a non-T&L capable video card (such as TNT2 or Intel Integrated for example) then you need at least:

1.5 GHz processor
256 MB RAM if Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 98, or Windows 2000
At least 3.5 GB of hard drive space
Recommended video cards (and the more video memory the better):

ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
Nvidia Geforce 4 or FX series cards


What do you think?

[Brian_OS]

Re: PC question

If you are going to buy that computer upgrade the ram to a gig and get a new video card.

I went to Best buy becasue I have an accoutn with them and had them buid the following.. It runs most games at high rez including Sims 2

3.0 gig pentium 4
1 gig of ram 2700
80 gig harddrive
STI 9800 pro

that's the kind of specs I would sugest if you want to game on your new rig

[Brian_OS]

Re: PC question

If you are going to buy that computer upgrade the ram to a gig and get a new video card.

I went to Best buy becasue I have an accoutn with them and had them buid the following.. It runs most games at high rez including Sims 2

3.0 gig pentium 4
1 gig of ram 2700
80 gig harddrive
STI 9800 pro

that's the kind of specs I would sugest if you want to game on your new rig

[NovaStar]

Re: PC question

Thanks Brian and Bacardi, I really appreciate your help.

[NovaStar]

Re: PC question

Thanks Brian and Bacardi, I really appreciate your help.

[RoyalBoyle78]

Re: PC question

Buy an E-Machine, you will get a great PC, Trust me. With Dell/gatway or your doing is buying the name. I'm a Pc-Tech and The inside is what matters, Trust me don't buy the name, when you open up a PC is all the same. I had my E-Machine for the last year and had 0 problems.

Specs on My PC

Amd Athlon 2800 processer(there are a lot faster ones out there, for you to chose from)
120 Gig HD
512 MB Ram
Free Lexmark printer with my purchase
17" Falt screen monitor
Speakers
Plus $330 with rebates

when it was all said and done I only paid $750. Great buy IMO.

[RoyalBoyle78]

Re: PC question

Buy an E-Machine, you will get a great PC, Trust me. With Dell/gatway or your doing is buying the name. I'm a Pc-Tech and The inside is what matters, Trust me don't buy the name, when you open up a PC is all the same. I had my E-Machine for the last year and had 0 problems.

Specs on My PC

Amd Athlon 2800 processer(there are a lot faster ones out there, for you to chose from)
120 Gig HD
512 MB Ram
Free Lexmark printer with my purchase
17" Falt screen monitor
Speakers
Plus $330 with rebates

when it was all said and done I only paid $750. Great buy IMO.

[NovaStar]

Re: PC question

What's up Yonkahs. What is an e-machine?

[NovaStar]

Re: PC question

What's up Yonkahs. What is an e-machine?

[RoyalBoyle78]

Re: PC question

What's up Yonkahs. What is an e-machine?

Whats up Nova, this is an E-Machine

[RoyalBoyle78]

Re: PC question

What's up Yonkahs. What is an e-machine?

Whats up Nova, this is an E-Machine