Will this be a good gaming computer?

dy26197

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Jul 20, 2014
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I am considering buying the computer in the link below. I plan on using it for mostly gaming. I already have a gtx 960 4gb GPU.

Is this a good computer for the price?
Will it preform well in most games with a gtx 960?
Will the 960 even fit in the case?
Is there a better gaming rig for about the same price?

I know very little about computers so your help is greatly appreciated

Here is the link to the computer:
http://www.amazon.com/Dell-OptiPlex-Desktop-Intel-Quad-Core/dp/B00J2J15DG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1438630773&sr=1-1&keywords=i7+desktop&refinements=p_36%3A-50000%2Cp_72%3A1248879011

Here is a link to the computers specs:
http://www.cnet.com/products/dell-optiplex-990-mt-core-i7-2600-3-4-ghz-monitor-none-series/specs/

UPDATE: Forgot to mention that I also already have an EVGA BRONZE 600W PSU

UPDATE: I should also add that I want to play CPU intensive games like watch dogs, ARMA 3, and Space Engineers. I am hoping have a good frame rate with pc (50-60 fps or better). Even if i have to run at 720p thats fine.
 
Solution
I don't know what your current rig is, but a 4690 and a GTX960 4GB edition will run every game with 60fps. Not on the highest settings but it will run every game that is out right now and games that will be released within the next 3-4 years. That PC should be easily capable of running watch dogs at medium to high settings at 60fps.

I haven't played ARMA III, but looking at the recommended requirements i think you should be able to run it at ultra settings with 60fps. Same goes for Space Engineers.


Can I build something better for around the same price? If so what specs do you recommend?
 


This computer is refurbished (kinda scary I know. But it does have a lot of positive reviews).

My budget is about $450.00.

And 1080p is fine by me.
 


thats a pretty good build for the price, but you should add another 2x2gb to the ram the build comes with, so youll have 8gb in total, what most games today need.
and also i cant find what power supply is in that build and you need to check if its good enough for the gtx 960
 


A friend of mine gave me this PSU. Will it work in this case, and with the 960?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EON40CS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

 


ok forget what i said about the power supply, it has 265w, you need at least 400w psu for the gtx 960, and because you need to upgrade also the ram, i think you should build a rig instead of buying this one, give me a second and ill give you a good build for 450$ that will work with gtx 960
 


you mean you already have it or did he just give you an advice to buy this psu?
 


I already have it. My friend bought the gpu, and psu for a build he never put together. So he sold the gpu, and psu to me for $100
 


ok your very lucky to get these parts for 100$.. 😛
in that case, you should go with the premade build you gave and just upgrade the ram to 8gb instead of 4gb (shouldnt cost much)
 


Good to know!

So if I upgrade the RAM, and install my GPU, and PSU. What kind of performance should I expect out of games like Watchdogs, ARMA 3, and Space Engineers if I keep the setting on low to medium in terms of frame rate, and sim speed?
 


$450-500 Is all I can spend right now. It would take me about 2 or 3 more months to come up to $650

I should also mention that the same guy that sold me to psu, and gpu has a computer he would sell me for $400. The specs are:

A8 APU
4gb RAM
500GB HDD

But my friend said he thinks this computer on amazon is better for gaming, and that apu's with gpu's are kind of a no no. Something about he cache of an apu doesn't work well with a gpu.
 
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($214.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($72.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($46.89 @ OutletPC)
Case: NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($54.99 @ Micro Center)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit) ($86.75 @ OutletPC)
Total: $521.40
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-08-03 17:50 EDT-0400

I would recommend this build. If it is out of your budget, than change the case to a the cheaper NZXT Source 210. This build does include an operating system, but does not have a graphics card. I would recommend saving up for a 750ti, or a GTX960. And untill than you would have to game on the integrated graphics of the 4690. The performance of the integrated graphics is probably enough for simple games like league of legends, minecraft.

Nevermind, i saw you already have the 960. Than i would definitely recommend my build :)

And that PC he offered you is pretty much a scam (Way to expensive for what your getting)
 


your build is a 100$ more and it doesnt affect the performance much.. you whould go with the build that is better for you money wise
 
That is actually true, the 4690 does offer better single core performance though. And my build is new, and the PC he wants to buy is not. This one also has a new HDD, and a better looking case. Also the RAM and motherboard are probably better than what he would get out of that second hand PC.
 



So your build, and the Dell OptiPlex 990 MT on amazon will be about the same level of performance?
 
No, that CPU will perform better in certain games (The i7 2700k from that Optiplex 990). And will performe worse in others games, it will performe worse in games that don't utilize all the cores and threads of that 2700k.

What I tried to tell you, is that the motherboard in that PC is probably just a crappy standard Dell one, and the RAM is clocked at 1333MHz, which doesn't have to be a bad thing. But you just don't know what exact specifications those sticks have. And swapping the PSU in that case will be pretty hard, because those standard prebuild PC's have crappy cases so that everything fits perfectly. Also the HDD of that second hand PC is used, and you just don't want a shady used harddrive.
 


Well your build does have a huge advantage in that everything is brand new. Also I think your build is a little more future proof as it should be more easy to upgrade. So for about the same performance (give or take). I think I will go with your build.

But before I commit to anything I would like to have a rough idea on how well it will perform in the games I mentioned. What would be your guess as to what the average fps will be with medium settings in Watchdogs, ARMA 3, and Space Engineers. These games aren't even playable even with everything on its lowest settings with my current rig. I am really hoping to get 50-60 fps in these games. Is this even possible with either of these computers?
 
I don't know what your current rig is, but a 4690 and a GTX960 4GB edition will run every game with 60fps. Not on the highest settings but it will run every game that is out right now and games that will be released within the next 3-4 years. That PC should be easily capable of running watch dogs at medium to high settings at 60fps.

I haven't played ARMA III, but looking at the recommended requirements i think you should be able to run it at ultra settings with 60fps. Same goes for Space Engineers.
 
Solution


Awesome!!!

I think I'm going to go with your recommendation!!!

Thank you very much for all your help!!!