Building/Upgrading a PC for TS2

[SpaceDoll]

Yeah, with my 1.3 GHz processor and 512 max memory and 40 gig hard drive, I might trade ya mine and pay, um, $1.42 a month.  Do you take PayPal?

Just Kidding (I must reel in my Retardo Land replies).  That computer is worth it if yours is very sucky and you can't afford to get one without payments.

You could probably do better (but maybe pay more in the long run--what are the payments?) at a Rent-A-Center.

[J. M. Pescado]

* J. M. Pescado stares blankly.

Don't fall for that "payments" bullshit. Especially on brand-name computers, those are worthless. It's just a transparently obvious attempt to sucker stupid people into an extended contract that will cost more than buying the computer in the first place, and keep you paying for it after the computer is junk in a year, and eventually they just let you keep the stupid thing because it would cost them more to collect and reprocess it than to simply write it off.

[SpaceDoll]

Have you ever seen the deals at rental outlets (like Rent-A-Center or Aaron's)?  In 1984, my mom bought a VCR at one, and ended up paying over a grand when payments, interest, and late fees were all over.   

Glad it wasn't Beta.

[J. M. Pescado]

How is that a *DEAL*? And don't go knocking Beta, I still use mine.

[SpaceDoll]

No deal.  Semi-psychotic, drug-addled decision making.  Don't worry, she's better now.  What do you watch on Beta?

[J. M. Pescado]

No deal.  Semi-psychotic, drug-addled decision making.  Don't worry, she's better now.  What do you watch on Beta?

Anything I happen to tape, which is not a lot seeing as I don't watch TV anymore, plus my TV is broken? Which was mostly old Star Trek episodes anyway.

[SpaceDoll]

Oh, that clears it up: if there is anything you want to see on Beta, it's because you put it there yourself.  TV, ehh, not so much.  Now, if you had a Beta video camera, maybe.

Edited to get this beautiful, wonderful, helpful thread back on track:  Tom's Hardware has a new Best Video Card for Your Money article--http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/10/31/the_best_video_cards_for_your_money/

[KatEnigma]

Hi, my telephone company is offering this Dell desktop computer for 36  monthly payments.  I would so value your opinions on the specs for this machine! 

DELLTM DIMENSIONTM C521 desktop computer

-Processor:AMD Sempron¿ 3400+
-Memory:512MB, DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz
-Hard Drive:80GB Serial ATA
-Monitor:17 inch E773
-16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW)
-Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6150 LE Integrated Graphics GPU
-Dell A225 Speakers
-56K PCI Data Fax Modem
-Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
-Integrated 10/100 Ethernet
-Dell USB Keyboard & Optical Mouse
-Genuine Windows¿ XP Home Edition
-Microsoft¿ Works 8 (does NOT include MS Word)

I do realize the Nvidia cards are not recommended for good Sims2 play, but I would replace that with an ATI Radeon Card 850PRO or 1600PRO I believe it is.

Thank you.

Ummmm.... no LOL

We needed a laptop (DH did for work) quickly and we didn't have the cash at hand, so we let Dell talk us into one of their monthly plans. Minimum payment was $45- $10 towards the computer, $35 in interest and fees.  At Dell's rates, the computer will be a doorstop before you are done paying for it. We have since transferred the balance to a new CC under one of the "no interest for X months" deals.  Even if we don't pay it off before then, the interest on our CREDIT CARD is a heck of a lot less than Dell's so what does that tell you? Don't let them sucker you.

As for the computer, TS2 will use every bit of 2 GB of RAM, and the Sempron processor is good for office applications, not gaming.  I CAN play TS2 on my laptop with its Sempron processor, but it's pretty slow. I certainly wouldn't have bought it for Sims, but unfortunately, my computing and financial decisions can't just revolve around gaming. LOL  The card is the least of your worries, and it's not exactly new technology.

[J. M. Pescado]

We needed a laptop (DH did for work) quickly and we didn't have the cash at hand, so we let Dell talk us into one of their monthly plans. Minimum payment was $45- $10 towards the computer, $35 in interest and fees.  At Dell's rates, the computer will be a doorstop before you are done paying for it. We have since transferred the balance to a new CC under one of the "no interest for X months" deals.  Even if we don't pay it off before then, the interest on our CREDIT CARD is a heck of a lot less than Dell's so what does that tell you? Don't let them sucker you.

RIPOFF! Just sell some some junk, or if you don't have any, sell your ass. You can't possibly need it that badly, and how do you NOT have enough money to pay for that? Computers are not expensive, nor do they need to be replaced THAT often. Are you seriously trying to say you don't even have that much? What the hell are you doing with all that money? You said he needed it for work, which means he has a JOB. How do you waste that much money?

[MxxPwr]

Hi, my telephone company is offering this Dell desktop computer for 36  monthly payments.  I would so value your opinions on the specs for this machine! 

DELLTM DIMENSIONTM C521 desktop computer

The processor falls way short for most/all games, even TS2.

Bottom line: Dell.com says it's a $359.00 computer. Unless it's $9.95 a month with no strings attached, it's not a good deal.

Even still, if you can buy a $150.00 video board to put in it straight up, why not $350.00 straight up for the whole computer?

ETA: The E773 monitor included in the package is a refurbished CRT monitor. As far as adding value to the package; it doesn't.

[J. M. Pescado]

Bottom line: Dell.com says it's a $359.00 computer. Unless it's $9.95 a month with no strings attached, it's not a good deal.

Yes, well, dell.com is full of shysters and thieves. $250. For the entire package. No more.

[nectere]

I cant figure out why her phone company is acting as a middle man for Dell...weird.

And Sempron sucks. as does Dell, none of the really cool stuff in the box is upgradable...get an HP if you going to go name brand. You can still get a presario from HP for under 500 easy that works just fine for the sims, I got mine at Best Buy in April for 509, and once I cleaned the OS proper I havent had any problems with it, hell it even has intergrated video! (all sims/video/graphics options available with no lag, loads over 4gigs in less than 6mins etc)

Hp has payment plans too by the way, and I dont think anyone would buy a shoe from a clockmaker so why buy a computer from a phone company?

[MxxPwr]

I cant figure out why her phone company is acting as a middle man for Dell...weird.

The only thing I can think of, since I'm pretty sure only Dell can sell new Dell, it that the whole thing is refurbished. Of course, that just makes things worse, because now the computer ain't even worth $250.

[nectere]

Well, Dell does have that model listed for the same price on their website, new...why they need the phone company or the phone company feels it needs to be a go between...

[miros]

Obviously, this is some sort of marketting deal between the two, which explains the higher prices... Dell's gotta cut the phone company in on the profits!

[V]

The phone company already has all the information and intimidation tactics worked into their business model so it is very simple for them to add the cost of your computer onto your phone bill and threaten to cut off your phone if you don't pay the computer portion of your bill. And although they don't need any additional perks from any low-life computer company they probably have them anyway.

It is clearly a communist conspiracy and not to be trusted.

 

[ZiggyDoodle]

The January 2007 issue of PC World includes a review of desktops under $1,000.  That cheap Dell is somewhere near the bottom of the list.


http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,123848;page,1/article.html

[J. M. Pescado]

If you're looking to buy a new computer, I would NOT buy a new package deal like that, especially with monitors. Monitors are grossly overpriced, the technology underlying them hasn't changed in years, and you don't need a new one when your old one will do fine. Monitor technology has not fundamentally changed since the invention of the television and there is absolutely no reason to buy a new one. Especially when some whiny wussies wanting to trade to some new-fangled, unreliable, dodgy, useless-for-gaming LCD monitor would happily unload their good, old-fashioned, heavy ion-bombardment-tube on you for free.

[Rose Outlaw]

* Rose Outlaw loves her LCD (ViewSonic VA902) ...

3 CRTs practically died one after the other, while this one is doing fine.
The only "big screen" left around here is my father's 19'' which he runs with a 800x600 resolution. So sad to see.

I'm just missing one thing with LCDs... hardly any room to put notes onto, neither Post-it nor directly pen-on-plastic.

[twistingsims]

  well um *cough* guess I won't be buying that one!!!    I know I was being a silly twit even thinking about it but I was just hoping for a quick fix, and I did have a feeling it would be a dud, to good to be true type of thing!! 

I know I can get a custom-made tower for at least $600.00 + tax Canadian with specs for gaming purposes, as indicated in these posts, but I will have to wait and save up the money for that  Now with Christmas coming up, no chance in hell with that.

My game is just soo slow loading up played lots and going to community lots, and I can't play any lot larger than the 3 x 3.  I know I shouldn't complain, but seems like such a shame to play like that with a game which has soo much potential.

Oh well, hopefully in the new year!  Thank you for your opinions, I do appreciate them.  I knew you guys would tell me the harsh honest truth! 

[miros]

Tell everyone to give you VisaBux cards for Christmas...

[J. M. Pescado]

switch the OS to XP professional, and request the manufacturer include a Vista Ultimate upgrade coupon.

What manner of jargle is this? Switching the OS is something you do yourself. And what is this nonsense about an "upgrade coupon? Do you work for Microsoft or something? GET YE SPYWARE-PEDDLING BUTTOCKS FROM MY SITE!

[miros]

Why pay for the OS it comes with, then the OS you want?  Just have them put the right one on first.

[Rose Outlaw]

Why pay extra $$$ to a company for a different, most likely more expensive OS to install, when you got a bunch of unused discs of your preferred OS in that CD rack right by your side?

[KatEnigma]

Most companies are giving the Vista voucher for free.  So if I were going to buy a new computer from some idiot company right now, I'd go ahead and take the voucher and trade it in for Vista next month.

And then the CD would sit in a file drawer until SP1 is released.    Most people are going to want to upgrade eventually, so why not get the upgrade for free?  Except that when I do make the change, kicking and screaming, I'm going to want the 64 version (it's going to be a thousand times more secure, since it prevents anyone from changing the kernel, even AV's who are throwing a fit about it, which it why it got removed from the regular versions) and I don 't think they're giving out vouchers for that, only the regular version.