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General discussion

OEM Computers Can Game

Jul 21, 2005 11:14AM PDT

well, i posted this on another forum and thought you guys might be interested. sry about the pics' links as it was in forum code, but you can still click on them.

Introduction

I had never really been a big computer gamer my whole life. Playing Ages Of Empires was fun and also Command And Conquer games. I wanted to become a pc gamer. I read reviews on Battlefield Vietnam and decided I had to get that game. I built a budget of $1200 and since I didn't want to spend any of that money on games and such, I asked the game for Christmas. I got the game and also Halo. Now, I was gaming on a Sony Vaio with a Pentium 4 1.8GHz, 256MB of RAM, and an upgraded gpu, the 5200. While this sufficed and met requirements for BFV, I got the habit of looking at my FPS and noticing they were not the best, so I decided to look for a new computer.

Build Or Buy?

Where to start? My original plan was getting an Antec P160 and adding a socket 478 P4 to it, but LGA775 was now created. I ventured into Shuttle saying that the G5 with support for PCI Express and LGA775 was the way to go. I loved the style of that pc, it was beautiful. I read countless user reviews and forums on this pc, discovering something that would eventually scare me out of building my own pc. I read that you had to connect a wire from the power supply to the mobo to power the graphics card. It was not in the manual and the thought of doing something wrong scared the crap out of me. So, I moved on. I found Velocity Micro's SX-V. I had configured it to a Pentium 4 3.4GHz with 1GB of RAM and a 6600GT, but the price was alot at $1600. Some may be asking why I wasn't looking at AMD. Being an Intel fan my whole life, i knew I wanted Intel power but that didn't make my decision. I blame PCI Express. When I started shopping for a pc, I read about the new graphics slot and how it was future proof. Well, they had me at future proof. In January, the month I would buy my pc, AMD did NOT have socket 939 motherboards with PCI Express, at least with Velocity Micro they didn't. Then how did I end up with a Gateway after looking at building it myself and looking at Velocity Micro? It still boggles me, but I knew I would NOT buy a dell, I never used one, and read bad things about it. Well, I decided that I didn't have $1600 and was scared of building my own Shuttle, so I checked out BestBuy. I went to a local BestBuy and saw that monster there. The Gateway 820GM, very powerful for it's day and at a great price of $1200. Although there were Sony Vaios there and also HPs, I wanted to try something new, as I saw it featured something called BTX which NO ONE ELSE HAD. It had 2 x 120mm fans, intake and out take, so I charged the $1200 and returned home with it not knowing how really potent this pc really was.

Specs Of This PC

The Original specs were slightly weak, but it was something special.

Intel Pentium 4 530 3GHz (Sadly, the 6xx series didn't arrive before January 3rd)
1GB (2 x 512MB) of PC3200 RAM upgrade able to 4GB
250GB SATA hard drive, room for 3
Dual Layer DVD burner and DVD ROM
Media Card Reader
ATi x300 128MB PCIe GPU
Windows Media Center Edition 2005

At first glance, most gamers say, ''Oh, that is weak''. But I can proove that this is a very Potent PC.

Pictures

http://www.supload.com/thumbs/default/the front.JPG

http://www.supload.com/thumbs/default/my pc_24.JPG
http://www.supload.com/thumbs/default/my pc_1.JPG
http://www.supload.com/thumbs/default/IMG_00126456.JPG

*Note that is not the original power supply.

with the 6600GT
http://www.supload.com/thumbs/default/IMG_03664564.JPG
http://www.supload.com/thumbs/default/IMG_0367-263885.jpg

Setup, Ease Of Use

When I first turned this pc on, it sounded like a jet plane. The two 120mm fans running at full speed is quite loud obviously but the noise winded down to an in audable level. i went through the normal XP setup with out a problem. The speakers it came with were actually OK for my taste, but the keyboard and mouse, I never used as I have a Logitech keyboard and wireless mouse. It ran fast and quiet, but I noticed something wrong. I looked in the back to dicover the read fan not moving. I opened up the case and found the IDE cable blocking it. I moved the cable and the fan started moving. That was my only problem really.

Amazing Upgrade Potential

Now, how to turn this $1200 pc into a gaming pc? Well, the first thing I wanted to do was replace the graphics card. I looked at an ATi x800xl which required a 350w power supply. Mine only had 300w. So, I went to my local Frys and purchased an Antec True 480w for around $120. It installed with no problems as the case uses a standard ATX power supply unlike dell. Months later, I bought a BFG 6600GT instead of an ATi x800xl. I had the money, but I read good things about this card and it doesn't dissapoint. So what's so special about this OEM pc? BTX. It is truely an overclockers dream. I managed to hit- 598/1336 with STOCK cooling for my 6600gt which is amazing. The upgrading is what is also cool. I have asked Gateway about upgrading the CPU and the motherboard and am quite shocked at what I found out. ''The CPUs are upgradeable even to dual core and the 6xx without a BIOS upgrade or any problems.'' The motherrboard? ''As soon as BTX motherboards becomes avaible, you can upgrade to them since it uses a standard BTX mounting and a standard BTX size motherboard.'' I know, it is truely amazing. An OEM pc that can be upgraded to 4GB of memory, a dual core cpu, and even a standard motherboard.

Cooling

The CPU is cooled by the 120mm intake fan hence it has no fan on it's heatsink. It will stay under 60 degrees celcious during gaming while still remaining un hearable. When I use SpeedFan, and have the fans running at a special setting at 1400RPMs, which is still quite, the CPU stays under 55, even during gaming. The GPU? Idels around 60 but with SpeedFan at the above settings, stays around 60 while gaming. This is amazing to me. The case is big and heavy, but quiet and cool.

Conclusion

This shows that an OEM pc, mainly Gateway, can be used for playing the latest games just by upgrading it a little. The x300 could play battlefield 2 even, but the 6600GT simply blows it away. I simply love this pc and wouldn't want anything else if I could do it over again. Thanks for reading this, and I hope I've changed people's idea of how OEM pcs can't be turned into gaming power houses. Sure, I could have bought a 7800GTX, but I'm happy with what I have and It plays BF2 at 1280x1024 which is my LCD's resolution with medium settings on and gets around 60FPS.

Discussion is locked

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RE:
Jul 21, 2005 1:10PM PDT

Are you sure because the only chipsets that support it are the 945 and 955x chipsets, the 820GM uses i believe neither of those, but a variant of the 915P chipset specifically for BTX chassis. I find that it can be upgraded to dual-core hard to believe. If you have this computer, can you tell me what motherboard you have?
ROger

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i have asked gateway
Jul 21, 2005 1:30PM PDT

about dual core and they said it will work. chipset is 915 something.

konny

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RE:
Jul 21, 2005 1:43PM PDT

If it is 915 something, it won't support. The pin-layouts for the dual-cores are different so you need the 945 or 955 chipsets. Sorry to disappoint you. But i so far don't believe tech-support from dell, emachines/gateway (thought they're probably best trained), HP/Compaq. I haven't dealt with sony, but i did own a sony desktop with no problems.

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(NT) (NT)ah thank you, i researched it and you are correct
Jul 21, 2005 2:13PM PDT
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Thanks Konny, good review, and
Jul 21, 2005 1:40PM PDT

since your January purchase of Model 820GM these other Gateway Media Center computers have come out:

Model 831GM Pent4 with 630 series (EM64T)
Model 835GM Pent D 820 series with dual core & EM64T
Model 840GM Pent D 830 series with dual core & EM64T
All for less than $1050 as the highest.

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i hate price drops lol
Jul 21, 2005 2:16PM PDT

less money for more power, its a shame.

konny

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less money for more power, its a shame.
Jul 22, 2005 7:23AM PDT

Oh well, thats life. John

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I agree completely
Jul 21, 2005 2:46PM PDT

My H.P. games very well also after some upgrades. Came with A-64 3300 running at 2.4. 512 of Ram and integrated video. 160gb h.d. D.L. Dvdburner. 9-1 card reader.
I installed additional 512 of ram, Fortron AX500a PSU, Chaintech soundcard, Leadtek 6800gt video card and some logitech speakers. I also purchased a 17" lcd.
Computer after rebate cost $579, Total upgrades including monitor= $700, Total cost $1279, Plays games great, Benchs in 3d03-05 right on par with all the rigs in it's class on the futuremark Orb.
I am going to be building a rig in the fall, However I don't think I will touch the value I got with this one. This one was purchased to feed my wife's Everquest addiction!! Happy She is quite happy with it!

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I've never understood this approach
Jul 22, 2005 6:34AM PDT

Why not build from scratch if you want a good game box? The cost is about the same and you know exactly what you're getting.

When you upgrade an OEM box you frequently void the warranty.
You typically get a cheap mobo (unless you buy a high end gaming system), as you found out.
The power supplies are always minimal.
The cases are frequently under ventilated (two 120's ain't bad though if the case has good airflow). Sometimes there's no room for additional fans which are almost always a must with highend Vid cards.
OEM RAM is typically high latency "value" RAM.
OEM HDDs tend to have slow response times, more important than RPMs for gaming, thought not as much a factor with SATA 150s.

For $1500 you could build this rig which would most likely out perform your OEM enhanced box.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1825477,00.asp

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yes, i could have built a more powerful system
Jul 22, 2005 7:04AM PDT

but i chose not to. my next pc, i say in 2 years will be a small form factor pc and that one, for sure, will be built.

"Why not build from scratch if you want a good game box? The cost is about the same and you know exactly what you're getting.

When you upgrade an OEM box you frequently void the warranty.
You typically get a cheap mobo (unless you buy a high end gaming system), as you found out.
The power supplies are always minimal.
The cases are frequently under ventilated (two 120's ain't bad though if the case has good airflow). Sometimes there's no room for additional fans which are almost always a must with highend Vid cards.
OEM RAM is typically high latency "value" RAM.
OEM HDDs tend to have slow response times, more important than RPMs for gaming, thought not as much a factor with SATA 150s"

i wouldnt say my mobo is cheap because it can be upgraded to the 6xx series and also was the only btx mobo on the market at that time. now gateway added the 945 chipset so i can live without ddr2 and dual core. yes, the power supply was minimal, hence why i replaced it before i did anything else. actually, my case has room for another fan, an 80mm right in front of the hard drive, but since its vented there already, and i can feel alot of air being sucked in there, i find that there isnt a need for it. the hard drive in mine is pure western digital with 7200rpm and 8mb cache and can be purchased at newegg etc. so gateway didnt crap out there. yes, a $1500 rig that i would have built would have outperformed this. but an oem pc is what you make out of it. i could add a raptor or a 7800gtx, but it games fine with a 6600gt. in two years when i build my sff pc, my budget will be higher than $1200, prob around $1600.

konny