Fancy a Challenge?

[pumaz]

One of my sons as a Dell optiplex GX280 Small desktop PC with P4 2.8 CPU, 2GB DDR2 Ram, 40GB Hard Drive, 250w PSU and built in graphics. He also as a Antec tower Case and a 160GB Sata HD available. On top of this he as £100 to spend .

He wants to use the PC mainly for CSS and Surfing etc. What's the best configuration you guys can come up with using what's available.

Don't mind buying 2nd hand parts or stripping bits out the Dell or even adding to the Dell.

Any ideas?

 

[pumaz]

Ditch the 250w PSU:

550W PSU - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-018-OK&groupid=701&catid=123&subcat=1105

Provided it's got PCIe, upgrade graphics:

OcUK 8800GT 512MB card -
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-071-OK&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1008

Then I'd check a well known auction site for a CPU upgrade, as that's going to be your bottle neck. Oh and drop the the 160gb disk in too.

edit - just seen a picture of the board, that won't fit in the Antec case without a lot of hacking. Also, if this is the small form factor version, you're going to struggle to get that PSU and card in there. If it's the desktop tower version you'll probably be alright.

Thanks

It is the small form factor desktop and not the tower that he as. Also i think for his needs i could probably get a cheapo 500w PSU for £15 from a local shop.

what about a new P4 motherboard and use the ram and CPU out the dell? but that won't leave much for a Videocard will it?

 

[pumaz]

Keep it as it is and simply add a PCIe graphics card.Dell under-rate their PSU's so an ATI 3850 will be plenty powerful enough and you shouldn't need to upgrade the power supply.

That was my original thought although something like a 8600GT but would they be too high for the case?

 

[pumaz]

Just found a low profile 8600GT for £56.95 would this do the job and would the Dell PSU be up to the job?

 

[pumaz]

Thanks randal

I've had a good google round and it seems the GX280 might only have a 210w PSU, There also doesn't seem to be any confirmation that another graphics card will work with the GX280. In fact all the threads i've read seem to point out that the PSU is too underpowered to run another videocard

Can anyone recommend a good cheap motherboard that will work with the dell CPU and ram and take a 8600GT, by the way is the 8600GT the best gaming card for under £50?

Thanks

 

[pumaz]

pumaz I am almost positive the 8600GT wil be fine. Don't read too much into PSU wattage, Dell PSU's are pretty efficient and that system uses very little actual power.

Thanks

It might be worth me taking a punt on the Low Profile 8600GT and if it doesn't work I can always buy a motherboard and PSU.