Member Avatar for Dynasty

Heres what i need. I play FPS's like BF1942. I have no computer.

So i was thinking of buying some bundle from like compaq?
and putting a new vid card and upgrading the ram.

Is this a good idea?

I was planning on the comp bundle to be around $500-600.

and spending about 200 on the vid card.. and another 100 on ram..

Well this is what im doing.. and I need someone to point me to the
best comp for what I need. from best buy or WHERE ever.

Can anyone HELP ??

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Tarnished13lade

Dani AI

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A concise, practical checklist for the upgrade plan described by : a modest prebuilt around $500–600 plus roughly $200 for a graphics card and $100 for RAM can work, but the value depends entirely on the base system’s upgradeability. The three parts that matter most are (1) the graphics card, (2) the power supply, and (3) the motherboard/physical fit. A good GPU on a weak PSU or in a cramped case will cause more problems than it solves.

Key things to verify before buying a prebuilt:

  • Expansion slot compatibility (make sure the board supports the same slot type as the chosen card).
  • Number/type of RAM slots and the memory standard the board accepts.
  • Physical clearance inside the case for a full‑length card and any cooling constraints.
  • Power supply quality and available connectors (enough wattage and the correct plugs for the GPU).
  • Whether the system uses standard ATX connectors or proprietary wiring that limits upgrades.

On the value tradeoff: ’s point about locally assembled systems giving more horsepower per dollar is valid—local builders usually allow component-by-component selection. ’s concern about warranty and legitimate software is also valid—whether buying custom or brand-name, insist on written component warranties and proof of a valid OS license or restore media. Brand systems are simpler for out‑of‑box support; custom builds usually stretch the budget further.

Simple installation and troubleshooting steps to reduce risk: install RAM and GPU outside the case if possible, confirm all power leads are connected, boot to BIOS to verify basic detection, then install chipset and graphics drivers from manufacturers. If the system fails to POST, remove nonessential cards/drives and test a minimal configuration; if instability appears under load, recheck PSU capacity and temperatures. Following these checks preserves upgrade money and avoids common compatibility pitfalls.

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Member Avatar for Tarnished13lade

try some custom pc sites, there are quite a few around, another bet would be somewhere like Dell or Tiny, but i'm english so i don't know whether they deliver over there

Dell do not surea about Tiny.

If you wanna go the full hog then www.alienware.com is your place!

Member Avatar for Catweazle

I would avoid name brand PCs if gaming is the goal. Purchasing locally assembled systems can get you much more machine for the same price.

Member Avatar for Tarnished13lade

Yeah but the thing is, with a name brand PC you're getting official windows software that you can verify, and be happy! and you can get a warranty, you have to be careful with locally assembled PC's because they can have pirated versions of windows..

Member Avatar for Catweazle

Silly sausage. All you need to do is ensure that the OEM Windows CD is supplied along with the machine.

Edit: Having Windows supplied with such a system is usually a reasonably small extra cost ;)

Member Avatar for Tarnished13lade

Fair enough.. you win!

mine's custom anyway, i need a new one though cuz HDD is 18.6 gig

Anyway it works fine, it runs ET and i can download stuff so :-)

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