Do i buy this or upgrade this current computer?

[Nick Deeley]

Got a dilema...Now I've upgraded to Linux on this main computer, I cant run Steam or any of my games (all 3 of them).
I've got a virtualbox with windoze xp on it to run some programs, now of course running games on this kills the frame rate and playing games is nigh on impossible.

Now..will upgrading this computers RAM, Motherboard and CPU (currently 2GB ram, cant remember the motherboard type) and Graphics Card (currently Radeon HD4350) solve this problem? If so, how much would I need to spend to be able to use this computer for gaming under a virtualbox, if its possible.

Or would I be better off buying this: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/176496/show_product_overview Along with another monitor and decent keyboard/mouse. So its going to be around £600 for a new system. Or do i dare mention this - http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/product/seo/667070 with a 20inch monitor for £500 :O Yes I know its pc world and they're a load of pigs swill...but still..price is good, even if the technical specs are not very detailed...

Which is going to be cheaper and better?

 

[Nigel Atkins]

i would build your own pc, you`ll end up with a higher end pc for the same money and its really not that hard to do.

i recently built my 1st pc from scratch, previously i had brought complete systems and replaced Graphics cards, power supplys ect. but after getting advice from the teccies at RD i was brave enough to build my own at just over £700 if i had brought a simular systm ready built it would have set me back over £1000.

 

[Lee Downham]

^^ What Nige said is generally true about new systems ... or maybe see what bundles are going from somewhere like overclockers - they are often tailorable to your needs and because you are buying a whole pc as such they give you a good discount.
The graphics cards are not the best on those systems you show ... the ones bundled at O'clockers are better from the quick scan of their stuff I just did.

RE: upgrading RAM etc ... because you are running a "virtual windows" under Linux you are probably not going to see great performance unless you have the highest spec machine, so not sure how much diff you will see by upping to one of these boxes or banging in some extra ram.

Post more on your current specs mate so folks can have a better stab at helping yas :wink:

 

[Nick Deeley]

Thanks. The Overclockers PC's look pretty good actually. I dont really want to spend any more than £500 on the tower unit. That might limit me to what I can get though, but I do need to save some towards the monitor.

Current specs on this PC -
Linux Ubuntu
ATI Radeon 4350 graphics card

Rest of the stats are here as the rest of computer is how it was when i bought it.

http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xPF-Acer-...ndows-Vista-Home-Premium-2-1GB-RAM-250GB-SATA