Dell Computer Configuration (***** 2new choice's *****)

The 6600 and 3 or 4 gigs memory. Better card
You'll need it with Vista.

I would do that but I can't afford it. Is that still the best without modification?

737FLIER wrote:

I would do that but I can't afford it. Is that still the best without modification?

Be sure that you have empty slots for more memory soon, 2 is squeezing it.

It does it has 2 more. which ones are the second and third best.

737FLIER wrote:

It does it has 2 more. which ones are the second and third best.

My guess the 6700 then the AMD, better CPU.

so the 6700 is better than the AMD even thoug the AMD has 2 more gigs of memory and double the graphics card.

737FLIER wrote:

so the 6700 is better than the AMD even thoug the AMD has 2 more gigs of memory and double the graphics card.

It's easy to add more ram or a better card later than to replace the chip, especially on a Dell board.

Don't settle for second best, wait another few months and get the best you can.

If I could never get a better card or more ram would the E6700 still be better.

Does anyone think the new configuration at the top is any good.

get a 6700 with 4gb ram, 8800 640mb, hahaha.

if you can't get it from dell, get it from hp, or build one yourself.

p.s. i heard there is a better card than the 8800. it will be available in apr.

I gotta generally respect Radarman's opinion, But I'm getting good results with FSX on winXp with 2gb of ram. I've watched system performance and everything including FSX is using maybe 1gb of memory resource. Don't know about what it'll be with Vista. But I'm not going to Vista till year end because none of my applications INCLUDING FSX will run under DX10 till then!

I agree the intel core2duo's are hands down better presently. FSX under DX9 does need a LOT of cpu power, the E6700, maybe a tad better.

Since you are constrained by cost, have you looked on newegg or mwave and priced components? puters pretty much just snap together like leggos. (snicker - snicker).

what I'm running:
Intel DP965LT ATX mainboard (P965express chipset)
Intel onboard Azalia sound & 82566c LAN
intel Core2Duo E6600@2.4ghz
Generic intel approved thermally advantaged ATX case
Thermaltake 775D copperbase heatpipe cpu cooling fan
Corsair 2x1gb duel channel DDR2@800mhz
Gigabyte nVida 8800GTX w/768mb DDR3
Memorex DVD-CD R+RW drive
Western Digital 1600YS SATA hardrive
Antec NeoHe 500watt power supply
Samsung 215TW 21" widescreen (1680x1050) DVI LCD
winXp SP2

Ok, so which of the 4 is the best

737FLIER wrote:

Ok, so which of the 4 is the best

Build your own.
Give us a price and some one here will point out what to get.

I don't want to mess around with that. I will spend the extra. Which is best?

737FLIER,

It all depends on what you consider "best".

If you think that you'll never use a monitor resolution higher than 1900x1200, then the configs with the 320 MB GTS are fine. I just ran across some review of 320 MB models at

http://www.guru3d.com

which show that the 320MB models perform essientially the same as the 640s until you go to something on the order of 2500x1600. But for a price diff of only $60 to go to 640 MB, that's not a lot extra to pay for being able to go up in resolution if you want to.

Personally, I am waiting another month before buying anything because I'm waiting for ATI to come out with their counter-offering to the 8800s, which should exert some downward price pressure. Memeory also seems to be going through a period of price drop again, so I'm waiting to see how low it will go.

Plus it might be worthwhile to wait out the arrival of the FSX patch to see how the "performance" part of the patch works; maybe you can live with your current system a bit longer.

The monitor I am getting has 1280 by 1024 so is the 320 just as good as the 640.

Vista yuk.... 😳 Been watching the long line of folks having software compatability issues with Vista the past few weeks and it isn't going to get better until they release a decent Service pack for it.... Pretty bad when your OS hogs the system resources and leaves you crawling...

As for Dell I can't complain about that, my Desktops and Laptops are all Dell and they keep going and going... And when they do have issues Dell they service them straight away!

DaFirmCEO wrote:

Vista yuk.... 😳 Been watching the long line of folks having software compatability issues with Vista the past few weeks and it isn't going to get better until they release a decent Service pack for it.... Pretty bad when your OS hogs the system resources and leaves you crawling...

As for Dell I can't complain about that, my Desktops and Laptops are all Dell and they keep going and going... And when they do have issues Dell they service them straight away!

You must buy them (Dells) as a business not a consumer.

mdaskalos made a good point, vid card ram seems to determine how much display resolution you can run.

This weekend I added another display onto 8800gtx w/768mb and FPS was unchanged. I don't understand that, is the vid card loffing?

Yea I learned about Dell during a long stint with FOX and when I left to start my own company I remembered how well Dell performed and they have not let me down...

I have to admit though depite owning all Dell's I have been considering an Alienware Laptop for my personal mobile gaming machine, they have some sweet configurations....

RadarMan wrote:

You must buy them (Dells) as a business not a consumer.

DaFirmCEO wrote:

Yea I learned about Dell during a long stint with FOX and when I left to start my own company I remembered how well Dell performed and they have not let me down...

I have to admit though depite owning all Dell's I have been considering an Alienware Laptop for my personal mobile gaming machine, they have some sweet configurations....

RadarMan wrote:

You must buy them (Dells) as a business not a consumer.

Dells business division treats their customers much better than the consumer division.
For a business buy Dell, for home use your stuck with the worse techs in the world.

Alien was good, since Dell bought them...no idea, but buy it as a business so you get the best support.