Need some advice

J

Joshinator

Christian Gamers Alliance TeamSpeak 3 Server Opera
Aright, here's the deal, right now I play Cs:s on integrated graphics and I get around 20-50 fps with all the settings turned down. And on top of that, the game has some graphics errors (which I can live with). Cs:S is pretty much the only game that I have on source that I can play almost lag free. Dod:s lags and HL2:DM lags a little bit (Depends the server and game mode). So I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions (I don't know if I will actually get a computer, I just want suggestions so I can look) on a computer under $300 (It can be something that would be on ebay) that will play games like Tf2, Cs:s, Dod:s, L4d, and Ut3 on low-medium settings pretty much lag free. Though out of those, I mainly want to play tf2 and Cs:s. This computer would only have to last 2-3 years (And it would be nice if the computer was upgradeable so I could upgrade anything that would need upgrading) and I don't mind too much how old the computer is already as long as it will play most games on low-medium settings. And thats about all I have to say. So thanks for your help and please suggest away.

One more thing, I will be trying out a computer I've had in storage for a while. It's 7 years old so chances are it won't run even Cs:s. But I gotta try it.:D
 
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I think a little bit of info on your current computer would be helpful. If you have a PCIe slot or agp slot open then I would get a cheap graphics card and get off the integrated graphics. My first computer had integrated graphics and I put a G-card in it and my fps make a huge jump in CS, that was all that was out at the time.
 
I use a macbook first generation intel gma 950. You can't change the g card in these. It's truly amazing I can play cs at all on this machine.
My other old windows was an intel pentium i think and the g card was some kind of ATI if i remember correctly. Would it work to change the intel pentium to something newer and change the g-card to a newer card?
 
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Joshinator said:
I use a macbook
Click to expand...

:HAHAHAHAHAHA:

Gaming on a macbook :p

For $300 you can't get into a completely new machine (including monitor, OS, keyboard, mouse, etc) that can play games like TF2. Is there anything like that you can reuse?
 
I have a keyboard and monitor and mouse and I have a copy of windows but I will most likely be using Ubuntu linux with a program called wine.
 
In that case, I think you can squeak in at just over $300 for a solid little rig:

Mobo - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186151
CPU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103211
RAM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820161172
Video - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143161
HDD - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136075
Optical - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135196
Case/PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147099

System Specs - Athlon 64 X2 @2.6Ghz, 2GB DDR2 800 RAM, GeForce 9600GT/512MB graphics, 160G SATA HDD, DVD Burner, 400W PSU.

Total price (before shipping) - $318

**EDIT** both the mobo and the video card have $10 mail in rebates, which gets you back under $300 after you get those back.
 
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I don't know yet. I appreciate you posting the build, but I think I might have to wait a little while. I will keep this build handy though because if i choose to get a new comp this will most likely be it. Thanks for your help.
 
Sure thing, I love doing system builds like that, especially being given a budget and trying to get the best bang that I possibly can.


If anyone else wants help speccing out a new box let me know.
 
One thing you might try on your macbook is make dedicated memory usage for you video. I believe the setting is in your bios if mac has one most pc's have this setting.
You may have to add memory to your system if you go this route.
 
nothing is going o imporove the intel gma performnace....he's doing all it's ever going to do. HIs chnoices are buy a mac with a better video card or build a pc.
 
Just wanted to say, I built this comp, and I love it. It plays Cs:S on high. However I am now thinking of upgrading the mobo, the ram, and the cpu.
 
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