Gamer in need of tech advice a.s.a.p

[DejafloW]

Ok, let me start by saying thanks for anyone who chooses to help. I just bought a desktop computer with the intentions of it being a good gaming rig. I was renting a laptop from RAC (:0) and I felt it was just to expensive.I know a little bit about computers, just from years of general use, but I was ignorant to one thing and I may have made a bad decision. So I bought this from the pawnshop where I live:

Hp Pavilion
AMD Phenom 9150se Quad-Core processor ~1.8ghz
Memory 7038mb RAM
Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit
BIOS: Phoenix-Award v 6.00pg
Page File : 1550mb used,12612 mb available
NVIDIA Geforce 6150se Nforce 430
Approx. Total Mem. 2152 MB
DirectX 10

Last night I installed DDO, tryed playing, even with the lowest graphic settings the game was very choppy. I've tryed tweaking the settings on the comp, disabling aero, startup programs, disk cleanup, defragmenting. Being that I did get it from a pawnshop I was thinking of doing a full system restore. Here are my options, I could go back the store and get credit for the tower (Im keeping the monitor its really nice :-p) for I'd say around 275, or everything for 330 (which was a tax time mark down from 459). I've seen other comps there that dont have as much ram, but more ghz. So that leads me to this question, would upgrading my video card help run games (I was playing RIFT on med with some high settings, DDO on high, Lotr WITN med with the laptop) which is something I plan on doing anyways. Or, is there a way to upgrade my CPU from 1.8 to say 2.4, and if there is, any general amount you could tell me it may be? Thanks for taking your time to read this

ps. If you need anymore info just let me know.

[birddog_61]

Take the computer back and save some money for a few months, build an i5 2500k rig and use the onboard graphics until you can afford a decent gaming card.

$45 Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119246
$80 PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371044
$230 cpu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115072
$125 Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131786
$50 Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820233186
$140 OS: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116992

Total $670, there are places to cut cost like the psu and motherboard if you need to, just ask.

Don't know if you need mouse and keyboard, but there readily available everywhere. You can keep the monitor you have if you like it, or buy a different one when you build or even just use a flat screen tv with hdmi if you have one.
This will run rift on low to medium settings just fine, and when you decide you want to you can buy a gaming card and run anything you would like.

[glc]

You can make a somewhat decent gamer out of a HP Pavilion if you upgrade the power supply and buy a decent video card.

[jdeb]

Newegg.com - HIS H667FS1G Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card

Newegg.com - Antec EarthWatts Green EA-430D Green 430W Continuous power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS 12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

$105.00 total

plus a 15.00 rebate... 90.00 when it is all said and done... not bad

[DejafloW]

So, even though the CPU is 1.8 ghz, upgrading to a higher end vid card, and the power supply would make a difference? I know nothing about power supplies. as to the person above, of course I'f love to save up for a rig like that :-p. but I am married, with a kid lol so right now I'd just like to be able play newer games like SWTOR, or the new Neverwinter thats coming out, even if its on med settings. I can deal with that for a few months.

[jdeb]

Originally Posted by DejafloW So, even though the CPU is 1.8 ghz, upgrading to a higher end vid card, and the power supply would make a difference? I know nothing about power supplies. as to the person above, of course I'f love to save up for a rig like that :-p. but I am married, with a kid lol so right now I'd just like to be able play newer games like SWTOR, or the new Neverwinter thats coming out, even if its on med settings. I can deal with that for a few months.

Yes, with the links above, you will have a much better gaming experience (close to max or near settings in SWTOR and medium or better on Neverwinter). That is a great price on that video card as well, I would jump on it.

[glc]

That assumes the particular Pavilion can fit a standard ATX power supply.

CPU is not an issue, gaming is almost totally video card dependent. You are trying to use onboard video now.

[jdeb]

Originally Posted by glc That assumes the particular Pavilion can fit a standard ATX power supply. CPU is not an issue, gaming is almost totally video card dependent. You are trying to use onboard video now.

Right, most Pavillions I have worked on use the standard ATX. Pull the side panel and measure the one that is in there

[Staren]

Sounds like you all have the advice under control, but I feel I need to jump in on something that was said.

There are places to cut cost like the psu and motherboard if you need to

This is something that really needs to be rephrased. I would not want a beginner to read that and think for one second that the PSU or motherboard are the first places to skimp, or to skimp at all. I know it was said in context to that specific build, but it could be interpreted as general advice.

[birddog_61]

Originally Posted by Staren Sounds like you all have the advice under control, but I feel I need to jump in on something that was said. This is something that really needs to be rephrased. I would not want a beginner to read that and think for one second that the PSU or motherboard are the first places to skimp, or to skimp at all. I know it was said in context to that specific build, but it could be interpreted as general advice.

Agreed, I was in no way saying to skimp on the two most important parts of a build. I should have worded it better.

[birddog_61]

Newer cpu's are so fast that normally they do not matter that much in gaming. However that 1.8ghz phenom bottlenecks with a 9800gt/5770 so it will be your limiting factor with a 6670.

[DejafloW]

Ok well, I have looked and talked to a few people locally. Im going to try and sell my current tower for around 300 or so, and I have someone who's selling me and I5 custom gaming comp (dont know all the specs yet) for 500. He worked at a store I went for advice and I think hef elt bad for me lol. Anyways, thank you all for your advice. I can assure you once I get it (hopefully tomorrow) I will be asking for alot more.