ebay.com/itm/Vamery-GTX-650-2GB-128Bit-DDR3-PCI-E-3-0x16-Graphics-Video-Card/131447316607?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D6e79d08561d142fba5d815ab61c9143a%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D131447316607 so i have a pc my friend gave me, i threw an 800 watt power supply in it (it was missing one initially) and it had a celeron D that i’m upgrading to a quad core intel core 2 Q6700, i’m also bumping it up to the max amount of ram the PC can handle. the computer stock is a dell dimension E520 that i’m trying to upgrade for gaming on a $125 budget, my friend will give me the CPU for $30, but idk how much a 4 gig ram upgrade is yet, just is this any good and is there anything i can change (and yes i know i can build my own from scratch, the issue is that you try building your own from scratch on a $125 budget)
EDIT: i probably shoulda mentioned i’m not looking for uber high performance, i just need playable on even the lowest settings, because this computer is a massive upgrade from what i have right now, because my current machine is a laptop from 2010, ive already gotten used to framerates of 15 FPS
If I understand correctly your friend is going to sell you a GTX 650 for 30$?
The car is obviously not a super-duper high performance card, but for 30$ I’d buy it.
Although the Q6700 might keep you from playing more modern games, it should be enough for Skyrim w/o too many mods and stuff like that.
[quote=“TrackpadUser”]If I understand correctly your friend is going to sell you a GTX 650 for 30$?
The car is obviously not a super-duper high performance card, but for 30$ I’d buy it.
Although the Q6700 might keep you from playing more modern games, it should be enough for Skyrim w/o too many mods and stuff like that.[/quote]
no the processor for $30 and the card from the ebay link for about $50, my friend got ine from the same person so i know its not a scam
Tbh, if you want a good PC then stop wasting money on a shitty pre-built PC. Save up and custom build one for about 600 USD.
i will eventually, i just need a bit of a “filler” since it took me a year just to get the $125, once i get the cash i will go full custom but i just need something to hold me over, i should be able to get a job next year which should help
Where abouts are you located?
i’m in new york, why?
Try checking Craigslist for PCs and PC parts every now and again.
Not sure what kind of gaming you do, but I wouldn’t waste money on this setup. First step is to ditch the LGA775 motherboard and upgrade to newer socket. If it takes more time, then it takes more time, but with the setup you’re talking about you won’t be doing any realistic gaming. The LGA775 socket is severely outdated and does not support any modern CPUs. They’re fine for normal desktop operation, but useless for modern gaming (released in 2004), and even if you get the best you can, what you’re thinking about purchasing is already nearing the upper limits of the spectrum, which means you can’t upgrade further. You really should upgrade the motherboard to an LGA1155 (still fairly old at 2011 release) or better (LGA2011-3 is most recent socket) so you’ll have decent quad-core processors available. If you’re seriously on a budget, get an LGA1150 motherboard and CPU combo from someplace like NewEgg.com. You can get decent for around $225 including decent HD2xxx-4xxx integrated processor (graphics will vary by processor chosen). From there you should be able to upgrade significantly as you save money, including a better processor and dedicated graphics card. Even 2011 boards aren’t that expensive, so it really is an option even on a budget.
Unfortunately there is also a difficulty with Dell chassis, as they don’t always fit normal formats (ATX, mATX, etc.), so upgrading the rest of it can be a challenge. You’ll have to find out the dimensions of the current board and figure out which format you can upgrade with. The one undeniable fact is, you’re going to have to upgrade this motherboard for gaming, unless you’re playing Bullfrog’s Hospital Tycoon or The Sims 1/2. The support for LGA775 processors just isn’t there anymore to extend it’s life for heavy duty use.
Some simple ideas (this is the $225 upgrade I was talking about):
ASUS P8B75-M/CSM LGA 1155 Intel B75 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - $82
paired with
[quote=“07CobaltGirl”]Not sure what kind of gaming you do, but I wouldn’t waste money on this setup. First step is to ditch the LGA775 motherboard and upgrade to newer socket. If it takes more time, then it takes more time, but with the setup you’re talking about you won’t be doing any realistic gaming. The LGA775 socket is severely outdated and does not support any modern CPUs. They’re fine for normal desktop operation, but useless for modern gaming (released in 2004), and even if you get the best you can, what you’re thinking about purchasing is already nearing the upper limits of the spectrum, which means you can’t upgrade further. You really should upgrade the motherboard to an LGA1155 (still fairly old at 2011 release) or better (LGA2011-3 is most recent socket) so you’ll have decent quad-core processors available. If you’re seriously on a budget, get an LGA1150 motherboard and CPU combo from someplace like NewEgg.com. You can get decent for around $225 including decent HD2xxx-4xxx integrated processor (graphics will vary by processor chosen). From there you should be able to upgrade significantly as you save money, including a better processor and dedicated graphics card. Even 2011 boards aren’t that expensive, so it really is an option even on a budget.
Unfortunately there is also a difficulty with Dell chassis, as they don’t always fit normal formats (ATX, mATX, etc.), so upgrading the rest of it can be a challenge. You’ll have to find out the dimensions of the current board and figure out which format you can upgrade with. The one undeniable fact is, you’re going to have to upgrade this motherboard for gaming, unless you’re playing Bullfrog’s Hospital Tycoon or The Sims 1/2. The support for LGA775 processors just isn’t there anymore to extend it’s life for heavy duty use.
Some simple ideas (this is the $225 upgrade I was talking about):
ASUS P8B75-M/CSM LGA 1155 Intel B75 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - $82
paired with
thanks for the help, but yeaah, this dell chassis is not standard unfortunately, but as for the games i’m playing i wont be playing the latest of the latest, probably games from 2012-2013 plus GTA5, i’m not trying to get a hardcore gaming machine, i just need something better than what i already have because i don’t have much more than $125 making upgrading what i already have the only viable option (and i only have this much cash from another system i sold) because as i said i know i have to leave it and build my own, my problem is the cash just isn’t there right now, plus if i just get the processor i will have no money left over for the motherboard, GPU, or even a cd to even burn linux onto
If you’re set on GTA5, I’ll have to echo what other people have been saying. A friend with a Q6600 and a 750 can just about play it with I believe 8gb ram, so if playable is your aim you’ll probably be about OK. I get that it may seem tight right now and you want to game, but it will definitely be worth pulling together a little more money first.
yeah, playable is my aim, i’m not trying to get maxed out 1080P, i’m just fine with lowest settings (and because my current machine is a laptop from 2010) i’m even used to frame rates as low as 15 FPS (plus my monitor is only 1440x900 so i won’t even need that high a resolution)
[quote=“cpufreak101”]
[quote=“07CobaltGirl”]Not sure what kind of gaming you do, but I wouldn’t waste money on this setup. First step is to ditch the LGA775 motherboard and upgrade to newer socket. If it takes more time, then it takes more time, but with the setup you’re talking about you won’t be doing any realistic gaming. The LGA775 socket is severely outdated and does not support any modern CPUs. They’re fine for normal desktop operation, but useless for modern gaming (released in 2004), and even if you get the best you can, what you’re thinking about purchasing is already nearing the upper limits of the spectrum, which means you can’t upgrade further. You really should upgrade the motherboard to an LGA1155 (still fairly old at 2011 release) or better (LGA2011-3 is most recent socket) so you’ll have decent quad-core processors available. If you’re seriously on a budget, get an LGA1150 motherboard and CPU combo from someplace like NewEgg.com. You can get decent for around $225 including decent HD2xxx-4xxx integrated processor (graphics will vary by processor chosen). From there you should be able to upgrade significantly as you save money, including a better processor and dedicated graphics card. Even 2011 boards aren’t that expensive, so it really is an option even on a budget.
Unfortunately there is also a difficulty with Dell chassis, as they don’t always fit normal formats (ATX, mATX, etc.), so upgrading the rest of it can be a challenge. You’ll have to find out the dimensions of the current board and figure out which format you can upgrade with. The one undeniable fact is, you’re going to have to upgrade this motherboard for gaming, unless you’re playing Bullfrog’s Hospital Tycoon or The Sims 1/2. The support for LGA775 processors just isn’t there anymore to extend it’s life for heavy duty use.
Some simple ideas (this is the $225 upgrade I was talking about):
ASUS P8B75-M/CSM LGA 1155 Intel B75 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - $82[/quote]
paired with
thanks for the help, but yeaah, this dell chassis is not standard unfortunately, but as for the games i’m playing i wont be playing the latest of the latest, probably games from 2012-2013 plus GTA5, i’m not trying to get a hardcore gaming machine, i just need something better than what i already have because i don’t have much more than $125 making upgrading what i already have the only viable option (and i only have this much cash from another system i sold) because as i said i know i have to leave it and build my own, my problem is the cash just isn’t there right now, plus if i just get the processor i will have no money left over for the motherboard, GPU, or even a cd to even burn linux onto[/quote]
Well, my point was, what you’re looking at getting isn’t any better than what I suggested. You might get a touch more gaming capability from the GTX650, but you are at the very upper limit. You won’t see any long term gains, and you’ll be out the $$$ which could have been used for a better upgrade. LGA775 is just…dead. Good for desktop, terrible for upgrading due to lack of components available at the high end. It was never really a gaming based setup to begin with, as during the time it was released, the AMDs were killing Intel on that front. It is a budget platform from 11 years ago, which means it is nothing today.
The board I suggested will cost you ~ $100 more with the CPU, but will give you a much better outlook. The mATX format should fit in a Dell case, but you’ll need to confirm this with actual board measurements. In addition to to getting a better platform with the LGA1155 board (2011/2011-3 is still the best choice), it has integrated graphics. I know a lot of folks dislike the integrated GPUs, but they do their job. The HD2500 is part of that board, so there would be no immediate need for a stand-alone GPU. Additionally, the HD2500 is really not that far behind the card you’re getting in performance. At this point, for more modern games, released in the last 3 years or so, you’re going to need a GTX x60 (x70 is more realistic) or better for anything in excess of casual web-browser gaming. The GTX 650 is just throwing money away (which you say you don’t have anyway). The only thing it has going for it is 2GB of dedicated VRAM. Just save a little longer and get something useful. If it took you that long to save up for this upgrade, it’s only going to take you longer to save up for the next one, which you’ll find will be almost immediately necessary.
To answer the question of your post directly, no, it isn’t good for gaming. Not even a little bit. It is well below average for any type of gaming after 2012, as it was a budget card then, when it was released. The card is just about dead even with the Intel HD4xxx integrated graphics, which is marginal for gaming. Find a similar price on the GTX650 Ti, and you might have a better solution, if you’re insistent on not getting a new motherboard/CPU. Otherwise, just save your money until you have more. The world [probably] won’t end while you save, and you’ll me much better off in the long run.
Here’s a side by side benchmark comparison of the GTX650 and the HD2500.
Compare nVidia GTX 650 to Intel HD2500
Following on from what 07CobaltGirl said, I know there are plenty of 750Ti cards around and they go for really low prices. The 750Ti, despite being “old”, is still VERY popular among budget builders, because there is no 950Ti yet.
yeah, i was considering the 750Ti actually, but since i can get the 650 for cheap right now i was going to pick up the 650 (and i should have a steady source of income soon) and then just pick back up with my custom build
Yes, the 750Ti (as I did previously mention the 650Ti) would be a much better alternative, but both would probably fall above the given budget after inclusion of the 6700 cpu. Still, both are certainly worth looking for at a reasonable price.
yeah, i was going with the 650Ti initially because i can get one off my friend for just $50, he’ll also sell me the CPU for $30, so i know the setup will not do anything major but for $80 i’m at least getting my money’s worth out of it
[quote=“cpufreak101”]
yeah, i was going with the 650Ti initially because i can get one off my friend for just $50, he’ll also sell me the CPU for $30, so i know the setup will not do anything major but for $80 i’m at least getting my money’s worth out of it[/quote]
Is it a GTX650 Ti, or just a GTX650? They’re not the same thing, and the Ebay link you posted is not a Ti model. It’s a pretty big difference. The GTX650 Ti is a much better performer! It could actually be considered an entry level gamer card today, instead of an entry level desktop card 3 years ago. The LGA775 CPU socket is still a significant bottleneck on the pc, as it is likely 10 years old or so.
Dude, honestly, I wouldn’t bother buying anything off your friend. If you have nothing else that you need to immediately spend money on, just save it and get a really nice and modern PC.
Wish I had paypal or something and was able to send you money 
[quote=“Microwave”]Dude, honestly, I wouldn’t bother buying anything off your friend. If you have nothing else that you need to immediately spend money on, just save it and get a really nice and modern PC.
Wish I had paypal or something and was able to send you money [/quote]
Lol don’t worry about it dude… Plus my phone broke and it needs the full upgrade budget to get fixed soo… Yeah, this is not happening anymore unless some miracle happens