Looking for a "new" computer for mid/light gaming

+web surfing/office/music and movies.

Right now i'm looking @ a Dell gx620

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5364305&CatId=2628

or a dell gx720

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5403960&CatId=2628

Right now i am either looking to put in either this video card

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5562137&CatId=3668

or

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5274430&CatId=3670

They are both low profile.
Anyways, hoping you guys can guide me thru this.

and YES! i am on an extremely tight budget right now so nothing over maybe $280 USD if you want to make any suggestions.

Thanks again

P.S. Sorry if i put this on the wrong section, i couldn't decide between hardware and off-topicrolleyes

 

I would go with the second dell.

You should be able to do light gaming on it however it is a low profile so only low profile video cards will work.

 

Just wondering if you would consider this for another $20 (i.e. $249.99) and hold off on the Video Card for the moment until after you have tested the Integrated Graphics (IGP).

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5574375&CatId=2628

The reasons why:
- It has a LGA775 socket and will allow a lot more CPU upgrade potential in the future, the PGA478 you list has arguably the highest processor for that form factor and not sure about the AMD,
- It has a midi-tower, you put a PGA478 into a "low profile" type case and you will probably have heating issues when adding a Video Card,
- It has 2GB of RAM, compared to only 512MB & 1GB with the other 2 but Vista will suck that up pretty quickly,
- It has a 320GB HDD compared to only 80GB offered with the other 2 options which is pretty easy to fill in this modern age,
- It has 5.1 channel sound the others aren't even listed!,
- The IGP is the " Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500" (DirectX10) which may be sufficient for "light, casual gaming", whereas the other 2 options don't list their IGP;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_GMA#GMA_X4500

IMHO this is a better system on so many levels for an extra $20.

 

I have to agree with Bold Eagle as he found a better deal.

 

I should add I hope your aware none of those systems come with monitors.

 

I'd go with Bold eagle's find also.

If you do go for a video card, I suggest you avoid any card that has less then a 128-bit memory interface. I prefer a 256-bit interface, but they are naturally more expensive.

I have a 5 year old AGP Radeon 9800 card with only 128mb of memory but a 256-bit interface, and it still runs rings around newer graphic cards with only a 64 or 128 bit interface in most tests.

 

A card along the lines of this one would enhance a basic gaming system (though it does have a large heat-sink and may require more case room - but as an example it is an ok card):

http://www.directron.com/x1950proscs3.html

Sometimes you can find 256bit cards on sale - and in my opinion the memory interface bus makes a much bigger difference in performance then on-board memory does, especially if you have a decent amount of system RAM.

Power supply considerations exist also . . . sometimes takes some searching to find a video card which has a good balance between performance and what your computer will support. I don't think the cards you indicated require connection to the computers power supply.