Is Your Dell Desktop PC Mismatched for Gaming?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the suitability of a Dell desktop PC for gaming, particularly focusing on its specifications and performance capabilities. Participants explore the implications of hardware limitations for gaming and consider alternative approaches to building a gaming computer.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether their Dell desktop, with 1 GB RAM and an NVidia GeForce 420MX, is mismatched for gaming.
  • Some participants suggest that the PC could handle basic tasks like web surfing and data processing.
  • Another participant notes that performance may be adequate unless demanding applications are run simultaneously, such as gaming and heavy Excel work.
  • There is a repeated emphasis that required computing power depends on the specific gaming requirements.
  • A participant inquires about the feasibility of playing Supreme Commander on the existing setup.
  • One participant expresses a desire to build a new computer using multiple older processors, questioning the practicality of such a setup for gaming.
  • Another participant cautions that parallel processing may not enhance gaming performance as expected and highlights potential hardware compatibility issues.
  • Concerns are raised about the GPU being a limiting factor in gaming performance rather than the CPU.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the adequacy of the Dell desktop for gaming, with some believing it is sufficient for basic tasks while others highlight its limitations for more demanding games. The discussion about building a new computer introduces additional uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of using multiple older processors.

Contextual Notes

Participants' claims about gaming performance depend on various factors, including specific game requirements and hardware compatibility, which remain unresolved in the discussion.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals considering the gaming capabilities of older PCs, those exploring custom computer builds, and participants curious about the impact of hardware specifications on gaming performance.

MadScientist 1000
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I got this desktop PC from Dell about 4 years ago, and here are the stats:

1 GB RAM (Used to be 256MB)
2.33 Gig Pentium 4 (Probably the best at that time)
NVidia GeForce 420MX (The worst GC ever)


Is my comp pretty mismatched, or is it ok?

Thx
 
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That would work for me.
 
It will work perfect as long as you aren't doing some insane excel work while trying to play Counter Strike Source on the other screen.
 
Required computing power always depends on what you want to do.
 
russ_watters said:
Required computing power always depends on what you want to do.

How about playing Supereme Commander?

Also, I'm thinking of building a computer for myself, but I'm going to use at least 10-12 processors (parallel processing) for gaming, and I am 13 right now. Should I go ahead with it?

The processors are going to be CPUs of computers from 2001, which I may buy from my school.
 
MadScientist 1000 said:
How about playing Supereme Commander?

Also, I'm thinking of building a computer for myself, but I'm going to use at least 10-12 processors (parallel processing) for gaming, and I am 13 right now. Should I go ahead with it?

The processors are going to be CPUs of computers from 2001, which I may buy from my school.

Wow, you really are a mad scientist. I don't mean to crush your hopes or anything, but consider the following:

-Parallel processing only gives you more threads so you can run many processes simultaneously, it doesn't actually make the computing go faster.
-Even if it does make your game run faster, paralleling 10-12 processors...you probably won't find a motherboard that will support that configuration on the current market.
-GPU is often the bottleneck of demanding games, not CPU.
-Softwares won't support it anyway.

sorry kid :) good try
 

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