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Cheap-ass gaming rig / upgrade dell optiplex?

  • 19-11-2013 10:32pm
    #1
    cdaly_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,440 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    New poster in the forum here. I'm trying to do a cheap-ass upgrade to an old Dell Optiplex GX520 to use as a gaming rig. It has a 1.8GHz processor, 1Gb RAM and whatever on-board graphics. It only has standard PCI slots for an add-in GPU. Games would be the like of 'Rome Total War' or 'Beyond: two souls'.

    First question is, could I get a <100 EUR GPU to plug into the existing machine and get any sort of reasonable performance on these games?

    From reading here, it sounds like the Optiplex is not that easily upgraded (proprietary formats?). Am I going to end up having to replace everything to get anything reasonable? Or can I do a mobo, CPU, RAM, GPU upgrade with the existing bits? Is it the case that IDE controllers are no longer on mobos? Are the IDE-SATA converters any good so that I could re-use my existing 250G disk?

    I'm not a gamer nor an MS Windows user (totally linux household) so I don't know my way around gaming performance or Windows maintenance. If I run an MS Windows machine exclusively for gaming, do I still have to worry about all that anti-virus stuff?

    Replies to the stock questions below.

    Thanks for reading...


    1. What is your budget?     As little as possible. 400 EUR? Can I do it for 200?

    2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? Linux / Gaming (stuff like 'Rome Total War', 'Beyond: two souls')

    3. Do you need a copy of Windows? Unsure. I have an XP install. Would that:
    a) Be up to modern gaming?
    b) Have drivers for more recent GPUs?

    Alternatively, is Win 7 the way to go and how much RAM do I use up running it?

    We're a linux house, the only MS OS is the XP install on this machine and it's not allowed out on the 'net. With modern games, is there a mandatory 'net aspect or can they be played stand-alone?

    4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? Dell Optiplex GX520 1.8GHz processor, 1Gb RAM, PSU. Research here suggests this is not really upgradeable without replacing almost everything? I also have a 250Gb IDE disk to use. Will I be able to use that with a new mobo?

    5. Do you need a monitor? No

    5a. If yes, what size do you need.

    5b. If no, what resolution is your current monitor and do you plan to upgrade in the near future?     1280x1024, No

    6. Do you need any of these peripherals? No

    7. Are you willing to try overclocking? Maybe, can I do it cheaper if so or do I end up having to spend more on cooling?

    8. How can you pay? Credit Card/Paypal

    9. When are you purchasing? Xmas

    10. If you need help building it, where are you based? No


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