Dell Dimension 5150 (D04516a offer) for 689!!

hamster

I'm upgrading from a p3-850Mhz (5 years old)
- old usb ports. slow. 2 aging 5400rpm drives.
- Geforce2

Purposes:
* Gaming ( occasional high-end)
* Emulation (Amiga, Mame)
* Work horse
* General Use
* Broadband

Target:
Saw this on offer for €689 from Dell today if I go with Windows Home Media 2005. I can get xp pro for €739.
- Not willing to spend time building system but surely this is not bad!
- I also get Dell's 19" UltraSharp™ Digital/Analogue High Quality Flat Panel for crystal clear images (1907FP)
for an extra 80 euro (for a total of €761.60 indcd vat and delivery). Anyone recommend the monitor?

(D04516a) Dimension 5150

It's a Dell Dimension 5150 (seems to have 2 pci slots). Will research if 1 is pci-express x16. No need for extras.
I'm happy with onboard sound.

19" LCD Monitor
- I'm sure it is basic but it will do. It will be OK for gaming.

Dell Dimension 5150 Desktop
2.80Ghz Pentium D Processor 820 with DualCore Technology (2.80GHz,800MHz fsb,2x1MB cache)
- it's better than a P4 - and close to high end)

512Mb DDR2 Ram (2x256) - 4 slots
- Add more cheaply from shop4memory.co.uk. eg a 2nd matched pair 2x1Gb

80Gb SATA (7200 RPM - 8mb cache)
- Add more cheaply later in the year (eg. 320Gb)

16x DVD-ROM
- I have my own x16 DVD writer (ATA)

Printer Dell Colour Printer 725
- Not concerned but fine to have it.

No PCI Express card.
- Will be buying a 7600GT later in the year. Concern is will this be ok on the Dell. Anyone running this card on a Dell system with 300W or greater?

I'm going to do some research on the boards spec and see if I can find the manual online. The price is cheap and the core of machine is fine. A nice meaty processor that allows me to add on memory, harddrives and modern graphic cards.

What do people think of this? I don't really want to spend much (I think 750 is a steal) and I can the rest cheaply. Only concern is the videocard power requirements.

Come you guys! What do ye think? By adding cheaply to this core base and dump the crappy extras. This is a good machine especially for the price and add a decent videocard etc. Probably be worth 761 for the extrasharp 19" monitor.

Unless anyone knows of a better way short of building from scratch. I really do have little time these days. I built my last one in 2000 and did cost £1500 (exld a £300 Geforce2)! But let's explore the above option first.

hamster

Found html manual.

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim5150/sm/techov0.htm

Note the power supply further down the list and diagrams. Is this a normal ATX powersupply?

Seems to have the needed pci-express (hopefully full height). Not sure about use of the smaller one. But would be blocked by the fan of a videocard anyway?

And 2 pci slots.

trant

hamster wrote:

- I also get Dell's 19" UltraSharp™ Digital/Analogue High Quality Flat Panel for crystal clear images (1907FP)
for an extra 80 euro (for a total of €761.60 indcd vat and delivery). Anyone recommend the monitor?

I have a 1907FP and it's a great monitor, very bright and good contrast. Very good for gaming (much better than my old 19" flat panel one from Dell).

hamster

trant wrote:

I have a 1907FP and it's a great monitor, very bright and good contrast. Very good for gaming (much better than my old 19" flat panel one from Dell).

Thanks trant! I'll go with your advice. No harm for the slight increase in price.

Guys...
Just looking at the ATX... in the html manual. They seem have 12 pins instead of 10 per row - Is that right for ATX these days? I got an old 300W atx (2.01) from a box here at home and it has 10 per row (ie 20 pins).

hamster

Looks like Dell's 305W powersupply may do for the GT7600 card - according to the folk at Dell's forums. Must look further afield for confirmation.

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=game-gen&message.id=38236

This wouldn't be a bad system for 761+200(GT7600) = 961 (or thereabouts)

hamster

Anyone have views on this Pc?

astrofool

It's not bad for not building one yourself really

Bear in mind, that for €1000 ex. vat about 2 months ago (prices have fallen since), I built a dual core ath 64 3800+ 1gb ram, 19" tft, X1300, 160gb, DVD-Writer, Antec P150 case, MS keyboard + fingerprint reader/wireless mouse, Windows XP Pro to put price in perspective.

pchead

I'm thinking of getting one of these machines.

Anyone know if standard floppy/hard/optical drives will work with Dells.

I know in the past there were some issues with the floppy drives.

irlrobins

pchead wrote:

I'm thinking of getting one of these machines.

Anyone know if standard flopp/hard/optical drives will work with Dells.

I know in the past there were some issues with the floppy drives.

Yep standard drives work no prob.

hamster

Just an update folks... I ordered the above system last Monday. I got the Internet Receipt no. they give when you order it but I never got the order no. by today so I checked online and saw on their website that the PC config above is now 50 euro cheaper (ie base price is 648 euro!!) That's not a celeron that's a Pentium D 820 2.8Ghz and that isn't all that bad for decent gaming and work. Pretty balanced especially at that price.
They also doubled the Hard drive from 80Gb to 160Gb (I was going to get a replacement - no need now)
And thirdly - they knocked €50 off the price since Monday.

So I phoned and complained "Hey! I got no order confirmation yet - and its cheaper online already." The Sales folk let me cancel order and benefit for the extra 50 euro and the 160Gb drive. The final price is 805 euro!

I ordered the 7600gt and cable from Komplett.ie (220 euro). €1020 for no effort in building and a nice 19" LCD to boot.

TerrorFirmer

Astro I am surprised you went for such a weak gfx card with the rest of your lovely setup!

That is a good price considering the lcd....very good price.

astrofool

Aye, it was a business machine though, so as long as the gfx had the features ticked it was all fine (it's a passively cooled card as well ).

Another €50 would get an x1600 or 6600gt