Looking to upgrade computer for low cost and need assurance...

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

Looking to upgrade my computer, for 500 or around that, and I want to get some assurance from others that NWN will continue to run, and that I can continue using GMAX.

 

What I am looking at right now, is an Alienware Alpha, just the baby, with windows 8. Here's the breakdown:

 

   Processor

Intel® Core™ i3-4130T Dual-Core processor (3M Cache, 2.9GHz)

   Operating System

Windows 8.1 64 Bit, English, Exclusive Alienware Alpha Console Interface

   Video Card

Alpha chassis with NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX GPU 2GB GDDR5

   Memory

4GB DDR3L 1600MHz Memory

   Hard Drive

500GB SATA 6Gb/s

   Game Controller

Xbox 360 Wireless Controller (Black) with USB adapter

   Wireless

Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 1x1 + Bluetooth 4.0

 

 

 

My question is this, does anybody have any personal data on this machine, and is it capable of doing all this older stuff I want to do, while at the same time playing the newer stuff I know works on it?

Would you suggest this machine for graphics editing? 3D model creation? General www use?

 

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deathangel008]

               

CPU is designed to use less energy which makes it slower (the i3 4130 without T has 3,4GHz); 4GB RAM is not exactly much, and which GPU exactly does it have? there are tons of "NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX GPU" with 2GB GDDR5.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

It is custom for that machine, so I hear, and has issues with begin updated properly as others of its type (doesn't register during update). I don't expect that will be a problem, since by the time I can fund my want to play some of the newer games, this machine will be out of date anyway, or somebody will have fixed that tiny issue. What I want it for is creation. And I want it to be much faster that what I have. I deal in game textures and photo editing a lot. I don't play a lot of games at the moment, except in testing and trying them out. I can't even play diablo 3 on this machine.

 

Dell Inspiron 1545

Windows 7 64

Intel Celeron 900@2.19GHz

2GB RAM

 Mobile Intel 4 Express Chipset

 

What I want most is the ability to run everything NWN 1 and 2, as well as play games from the last 5 years, without hiccups. My current computer cannot display bump/normal mapping, does not like to play with procedural textures in NWN, and the video sucks. My guess is the wifi is also starting to die, and I hear this Alien has great wifi power.

 

 

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Gruftlord]

               

Is there a reason you want such a small form factor?

For 500 bucks you could get a desktop pc that packs more punch from any kind of company.

Heck, i even bought a whole laptop for my mother for christmas for 500 that has a comparable cpu (though probably a weaker gpu. i assume the alpha has something close to a gtx860m, which is a damn fine card and should run everything from 2014 with medium-high settings)

Websites like cpuboss let you easily compare the power of cpus and gpus nowadays (cpu is important if you want to do texture and mesh editing). Just type a cpu name vs another cpu name into your favourite search engine and you will find pages that give you a nice rundown of the differences.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Kantr]

               

Well, those specs will let you play older games from the past 5 years you should get 8gb of ram though and 1tb hd

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

Definitely want more drive space. I already have 2 tb of crap I don't want to lose.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deathangel008]

               

Is there a reason you want such a small form factor?

For 500 bucks you could get a desktop pc that packs more punch from any kind of company.

and this is what i would recommend, build an ATX PC. btw @ MerricksDad, 500 what? dollar? pound? euro? could you build the PC by yourself?


anyways, as a suggestion:

an i3 4XXX without any letter behind the number (for example the i3 4330)

a cheap H81 MB

8GB RAM (2x4GB, not 1x8GB!)

any 1TB HDD

any cheap case

a Nvidia GTX750(ti) or an AMD R7 260X (or look for used parts, like a GTX660ti/670 or HD7870/7950, they are much more powerful)

a "good" 400 or 500W PSU, no cheap crap

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

I haven't put together my own machine since 1999, and hadn't intended to ever do so again.

 

I'm either looking for something portable, or something compact. So either a laptop at $500 or less, or a compact, easy to get out of the way, desktop for the same price. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, and I expect it to not be.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

Will this machine play games as graphics intensive as Skyrim? Because I can get up to 6 of these for only 399 each. Each with memory ranging from 4 to 8 GB

 

http://outlet.us.del...s=22&l=en&s=dfh

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_CaveGnome]

               Deathangel008 suggestions make sense for me. I would recommend the same components. Try  adding a SSD drive to your machine. Even an entry Level 128 GB drive will enhance greatly your productivity. personnally i would stick to windows 7 64bits (dont like .
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

I don't much care for win 8 either, but without building this myself, they're all asking higher for win7. Why?!

 

Bah, I'm so cheap

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_henesua]

               i don't recommend the ram bump on a laptop as that reduces battery life. and if this machine is really just for nwn and similar activities you likely aren't gaining much if anything from that ram.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deathangel008]

               

I haven't put together my own machine since 1999, and hadn't intended to ever do so again.

may i ask why not? you get the most "bang for the buck" if you build it by yourself.

 

I'm either looking for something portable, or something compact. So either a laptop at $500 or less, or a compact, easy to get out of the way, desktop for the same price. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, and I expect it to not be.

with a notebook for "500$ or less" you will have no fun at all when playing "newer" games like skyrim. your link doesnt work for me, so i cant say anything about the offered PCs.

 

i don't recommend the ram bump on a laptop as that reduces battery life. and if this machine is really just for nwn and similar activities you likely aren't gaining much if anything from that ram.

lol really?

4GB really isnt much, and more RAM is never bad. (i have 3,5GB RAM used right now, without any game running '>)

 

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_henesua]

               MD, don't be persuaded to over buy computer components. If all you want is NWN and GMax and a refresh on hardware, then just go for that. The argument that it never hurts to buy more is nonsense.

Only buy what you need.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deathangel008]

               

lol at calling recommending 8GB RAM instead of 4GB "over buy". buying an i7 5930K or a R9 290X for playing 10 year old games is "over buy".