Forum Home
Press F1
 
Thread ID: 88203 2008-03-18 23:00:00 Advice for PC specs .... compaq XP desk top Winnie (6405) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
650634 2008-03-18 23:00:00 Am looking at getting a second hand computer and would appreciated your advice whether this is a good one for my son..I don't have a clue about specs ...he plays a lot of games on his pc and home work.
He has an old windows 97 at the moment which is slow and a pain.

thanks
Wendy
-`--`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-
Compaq P4 2.4GHz + 17" + XP Pro

CPU Speed: 2.4 GHz
spacer
spacer
spacer
Memory: 512 MB
spacer
spacer
spacer
Hard drive: 40 GB
spacer
spacer
spacer
CD / DVD: CD reader
spacer
spacer
spacer
Monitor: CRT monitor
spacer
spacer
spacer
Compaq Evo D51S sff Desktop PC and 17" CRT monitor similar to photo.

An awesome machine in perfect working order. Comes with a Windows XP Home Edition COA licence and disc.

* Pentium 4 2.4 GHz CPU
* 512MB DDR RAM
* 40 GB hard drive
* CD ROM drive
* 64MB onboard Intel 845G video
* onboard sound
* floppy drive
* 10/100 network
* 2x RAM slots
* 2x PS/2 ports
* 4x USB ports (2x front, 2x back)
* 2x PCI slots
* 1x AGP slot - unused (half height)
* 1x serial port
* parallel port
* Matching Compaq keyboard & mouse

Internet ready if you are using a broadband router, will need a 56k modem installed if using dial-up.

Running the following software

* Windows XP Professional with COA licence sticker and latest critical updates installed. Original XP CD included as per 2nd photo.
* AVG 7.5 - Anti-virus
* Ad-Aware - Anti-spyware
* Spybot - Anti-spyware
* Adobe Acrobat Reader 8
* Windows Media Player 11
* Internet Explorer 7.0
* Open Office 2.2 (freeware software similar to and compatible with MS excel, word and powerpoint)

PLUS

Compaq/HP S7500 17" matching CRT monitor similar to photo.

Upgrades and downgrades available.

*** 90 DAY RTB HARDWARE WARRANTY ***

I can buy for about $275
Winnie (6405)
650635 2008-03-18 23:19:00 Fine for most things, but useless for modern 3D games. Erayd (23)
650636 2008-03-18 23:36:00 Am looking at getting a second hand computer and would appreciated your advice whether this is a good one for my son..I don't have a clue about specs ...he plays a lot of games on his pc and home work.
He has an old windows 97


* 512MB DDR RAM
* 64MB onboard Intel 845G video
* 1x AGP slot - unused (half height)


Compeletely useless for gaming. In fact any 2nd hand PC will be almost certainly useless for gaming.
Gaming drives the hardware industry so the hardware is useful for about 5 minutes and then you need to upgrade again.

Its OK for Grannies internet box. And even then I would want to know what BRAND the components inside are.

For instance what brand hard drive? What brand motherboard?


Also there was no WIndows 97. It will be WIndows 98 or WIndows ME.
pctek (84)
650637 2008-03-18 23:52:00 I dunno maybe is it possible to get a 2nd hand PC and put in a good video card and run the games at a lower resolution, if that's possible that maybe a good price point. Oh, and you can use your current monitor and keyboard and mouse to save a bit of money.

Or maybe a cheap new PC about $400 for the box and then put in a video card for around $300?
Nomad (952)
650638 2008-03-19 00:00:00 I dunno maybe is it possible to get a 2nd hand PC and put in a good video card and run the games at a lower resolutionWouldn't work - AGP is old tech; it isn't fast enough to run a 'good' video card. The PSU probably wouldn't be up to it either. It's also worth noting that there's only a half-height space for the video card, so you're not going to be fitting anything even halfway decent in there. There's also not nearly enough ram for a gaming system.


Or maybe a cheap new PC about $400 for the box and then put in a video card for around $300?Much more like it, but it's still probably going to suck. If the goal is to build a gaming PC, then they should be buying new and not skimping on hardware. If games are a nice bonus (but not essential) then the machine that was listed in the original post will do just fine for most tasks. It just won't be any good as a gaming PC.
Erayd (23)
650639 2008-03-19 00:30:00 Thanks for that - most helpful

Cheers
Winnie/wendy
Winnie (6405)
650640 2008-03-19 04:14:00 Ok if you are using AGP, the very last nVidia AGP card was a 7800GTX, and the very last ATI/AMD AGP Card is the 2600XT. They are much more expensive than PCI-E Cards... SPARTAN 860 (2618)
650641 2008-03-19 05:40:00 So if he were to play the odd pc cd game he needs more ram?
Is it worth upgrading or just buy a bigger hard drive?
Or just buy a better pc?
He's 12 :o)
Winnie (6405)
650642 2008-03-19 06:41:00 What games is he looking at to play? qazwsxokmijn (102)
650643 2008-03-19 07:25:00 he says gun and motor racing games Winnie (6405)
1 2