Re: What about a box-stock Dell for sims (and other games)?

Go with the 4100 - the i820 has had problems with the SDRAM implementation, since it was originally designed for RDRAM only. The 815 seems to be a better chipset, and I think the 4100 is cheaper for what you get in the box. I'd upgrade to the Soundblaster Live (lower CPU useage and better sound) and the GeForce 2 GTS (longer time until your video card is outdated). They're good investments for the money, especially the soundcard. Rick

Since I know you all like talking about your gear (what guy doesn't?) and I am a notebook-only person, I thought I would ask here for expert (and sim oriented) advice on desktops. I have a friend looking for a new desktop, and the possibilities for "build it yourself" are rather limited in Switzerland, plus the 3yr on-site warranty of Dell machines seems quite attractive. What are the opinions of the Dell Dimension XPS or 4100 for a gaming system? Specifically, the XPS uses an i820 chipset, the 4100 uses an 815e chipset. Are there any differences / advantages of one over the other? Do the Dells support overclocking through the BIOS? They come with a 32Mb TNT2. Upgrading to a 32 Mb GeForce is about 120 USD extra, or 163 USD for a 32Mb GeForce2 GTS. Again, for average sim use, is there a huge difference in performance? The standard soundcard is a SB 64V. The upgrade to a SB Live is 25 bucks. What are the advantages of the SB Live? thanks for any input. Stephen

"Stephen Ferguson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:399beaef$[email hidden]... > Since I know you all like talking about your gear (what guy doesn't?) andI

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> am a notebook-only person, I thought I would ask here for expert (and sim > oriented) advice on desktops. I have a friend looking for a new desktop, > and the possibilities for "build it yourself" are rather limited in > Switzerland, plus the 3yr on-site warranty of Dell machines seems quite > attractive. What are the opinions of the Dell Dimension XPS or 4100 for a > gaming system? > > Specifically, the XPS uses an i820 chipset, the 4100 uses an 815e chipset. > Are there any differences / advantages of one over the other? Do the

Dells

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> support overclocking through the BIOS? > > They come with a 32Mb TNT2. Upgrading to a 32 Mb GeForce is about 120 USD > extra, or 163 USD for a 32Mb GeForce2 GTS. Again, for average sim use, is > there a huge difference in performance? > > The standard soundcard is a SB 64V. The upgrade to a SB Live is 25 bucks. > What are the advantages of the SB Live? > > thanks for any input. > Stephen > > >

The SB 64V is an OEM only implimentation integrated onto the motherboard. For $25 it's probably worth it just to get the machine with, and configured for, a real sound card. It'll save you all the trouble of disabling the built in if and when you change it.

Yes, go with the 4100. I have a Dell 4100 PIII 933mhz, 128mb ram, 32mb Geforce 2 GTS, and SB Live. I am running full detail 1280x1024 in both Grand Prix Legends and Grand Prix 3 and get great frame rates. GPL stays maxed at 36fps with full mirrors at the back of the grid running a full field of cars. Of course this is using the D3D patch. I am also running the Nascar Heat Demo at full detail 1280x1024, and the benchmark test within the game shows 49 fps. It does not offer the bios tweaking that an Abit or Asus motherboard might allow, but the 3 yr. warranty does come in handy. At work, they have replaced hard drives, video cards, and motherboards usually in 24-48 hours at out location. I have custom built many machines myself from scratch, buying the motherboard, video cards, processors, memory, cases, etc., but this time when I priced out the parts vs. the same specs in a system from Dell, the Dell was actually cheaper(plus already configured). Only negative when I bought mine was that they did not offer the 64mb GeForce 2 with the 4100 system, only with the XPS-B(with the ridiculously expensive RDRAM). Now I see on their web site that they just started offering the 64mb GeForce 2 on the 4100. Doh! Unless you plan on running 1600x1200 resolution, you might want to stick with the cheaper 32mb version of the GeForce 2. It still flies. Don Chapman [email hidden] Stephen Ferguson <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:399beaef$[email hidden]... > Since I know you all like talking about your gear (what guy doesn't?) andI

Quoted text (9 lines)

> am a notebook-only person, I thought I would ask here for expert (and sim > oriented) advice on desktops. I have a friend looking for a new desktop, > and the possibilities for "build it yourself" are rather limited in > Switzerland, plus the 3yr on-site warranty of Dell machines seems quite > attractive. What are the opinions of the Dell Dimension XPS or 4100 for a > gaming system? > > Specifically, the XPS uses an i820 chipset, the 4100 uses an 815e chipset. > Are there any differences / advantages of one over the other? Do the

Dells

Quoted text (14 lines)

> support overclocking through the BIOS? > > They come with a 32Mb TNT2. Upgrading to a 32 Mb GeForce is about 120 USD > extra, or 163 USD for a 32Mb GeForce2 GTS. Again, for average sim use, is > there a huge difference in performance? > > The standard soundcard is a SB 64V. The upgrade to a SB Live is 25 bucks. > What are the advantages of the SB Live? > > thanks for any input. > Stephen > > >