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General discussion

Top spec Dell - can't play games!

Mar 15, 2004 7:54PM PST

I know somebody who has a Dell 3Gig TFT screen WinXP etc it's no slouch but it can't play any games like Age of Empires. keeps comming up with missing Direct Draw something. Is it to do with the graphic card setting or DirectX?
Seems it's a business only model. Which is odd if it can't handle basic 2d games like Empires. Any clue? Thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Re:Top spec Dell - can't play games!
Mar 15, 2004 8:07PM PST

wot graphics card has it got?

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Re:Top spec Dell - can't play games!
Mar 15, 2004 9:01PM PST

Direct Draw is part of DirectX. Dell won't object if you download it from Microsoft, and install it. But, depending on the graphic card, the game might still refuse to go. Business models tend to come with simple graphics, no 'top spec game machine' at all, whatever the RAM, CPU and hard disk may be.

Kees

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Re:Top spec Dell - can't play games!... What they don't tell you.
Mar 15, 2004 9:05PM PST

Let me share this.

They won't tell you that you get to install updated drivers, DirectX, OS updates and more to get games to play.

There, I've told you the secret...

Bob

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Re:Re:Top spec Dell
Mar 16, 2004 4:31AM PST

gee don't know the graphics card. But casual browsing the specs I couldn't see one! Well not a common name one as it would stand out. So will visit their home oneday to determine. I got directx 8.1 on a disc but never tried it on this pc. Bloomin marvelous that it won't work out of the box. Stay clear of fancy name machines and buy the ones that are truly multimedia. if it plays games it can do business software. Not vice-versa it seems, not without messing about.

Don't know when I'll be over their house next but I'll come back if no joy. over and out...

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It's not very amazing, IMO, ...
Mar 16, 2004 5:26AM PST

that bookkeepers and such don't want to pay for the latest video card, a DVD burner and a few 100 W of surround sound for a business PC, but prefer to spend the money on XP Pro in stead of XP home, and possibly useful business software.
It's more amazing other people find it amazing. Well, maybe the Dutch are avaricious after all.

Kees