Computor Question

[Sir Goulum]

Heres a 'customized' computor from Gateway that I'm looking at. Please feel free to suggest anything. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Intel Pentium 4 Processor 2.0GHz with 512K L2 Advanced Transfer Cache
256MB RDRAM PC800 Expandable to 2GB (2048MB)
80GB UATA100 7200RPM Hard Drive
3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive
40x/12x/48x CDRW
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Microsoft Works Suite 2002- Including Microsoft Word and Encarta
128MB NVIDIA GeForce4 MX440G Graphics with TV Out
104+ Keyboard
GCS 300 Speakers
Sound Blaster AudioPCI 128D
Logitech USB Optical Whell Mouse and Gateway mouse pad
5 PCI and 1 AGP (Expansion Slots)
6 USB (2 in front and 4 more in the back), Parallel, Serial and 2 PS/2 (external Ports)
Integrated Ultra ATA Controller
1 Year Limited Parts/Labor/Onsite/ 1 Year Limited Support
Eposon Stylus C42UX with USB CABLE

This is all for $1 979.12 Canadian!!!

[skywalker]

Hate to beat a dead horse (since video was the issue in your last thread on this subject), but the video card on this machine is not a very good one. Stay away from the MX Geforce4 cards if you can. I'm sure others here can give good reasons why. I believe the MX cards are a weaker variety, on par with Geforce 2 cards. (Correct me if I'm wrong, guys!)

Mark

[ 09-05-2002, 08:04 PM: Message edited by: skywalker ]

Rex has a GeForce4400TI
He says the MX GeForce4 cards suck and to stay away from them.
I wouldn't know...I'm still running an old VooDoo3500, but he is a hard core gamer and knows his PCs & parts.
He also had an optical wheel mouse that was dead in no time. Not that he is hard on them, but he says they suck too
Other than those things, the rest of it is a real deal.

[ 09-05-2002, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: Moni ]

[Animal]

That's a pretty decent deal. A couple of points. PC800 memory is expensive and although 256MB is reasonable, it'll cost $$$ should you want more.
I've never heard of those speakers, and they probably sound like crap, but that's an easy fix.
The GF4MX is a reasonable card, no matter what anyone else will tell you. The only difference between that and the GF3Ti and GF4Ti is the lack of programmable pixel shaders. No games are using that at the moment anyway and probable won't for some time, so unless you plan to run FPS's at 2048 by 1536 I wouldn't worry about it.
I notice you didn't mention what the mobo is. Check the upgrade policy with Dell and see how hard it would be to upgrade in the future. You don't want to get stuck with a machine you can't upgrade.

Sorry, Gateway not Dell. Oops!

[ 09-05-2002, 08:44 PM: Message edited by: Animal ]

[Sir Goulum]

Originally posted by Animal: Check the upgrade policy with Dell and see how hard it would be to upgrade in the future. You don't want to get stuck with a machine you can't upgrade.

How do I check that? I'm living in canada, so the go to www.gateway.com/ca. I'm not good at finding things like that. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ 09-05-2002, 08:55 PM: Message edited by: Sir Goulum ]

[Animal]

After rumaging through their website I can't find much information so it may be worth a call. Remember, your spending $2000 here, so it's worth a long distance phone call or two to make sure you know what your getting.
Incidently I did find this http://www.dailyedeals.com/free_onli...ns/gateway.htm
There's some online coupons here, which might save you some $$$ on your purchase. I didn't research it to much though, as I've no interest in buying from Gateway

[Lady Blue03]

Thats a pretty damn good machine Al, except i could get the same thing for 900$ , if only my parents would let me *sigh*

[Sir Goulum]

Originally posted by Lady Blue03: Thats a pretty damn good machine Al, except i could get the same thing for 900$ , if only my parents would let me *sigh*

Wheeere??? Is it from a friend or something??

[Lady Blue03]

Well, my brother is excellent at getting deals and puttin the thing together. I would have paid all of it too, bit nooooooooooo my parents wanted to keep this pos instead

[The Hunter of Jahanna]

MX cards suck because they are just GeForce 2 cards with a new processing chip. It is like sticking the processor from a Playstation2 into an Atari 2600. Otherwise your system seems pretty tight. I have gotten 2 machines from Gateway and both are still in use. Their stuff is totaly upgradeable and has none of the proprietary software that some other companys dump into their systems, compaq being the WORST offender for that stuff. Also Gateway will send you the acctual windows disk instead of just some half assed system back up disk that some other companys send you.For the money the only way you could get a better machine would be to build it yourself or spend a little bit more and go for an Alienware machine.