My old custom gaming computer has dies. The computer geek said that my mother board is fried and he has proposed a replacement, Lenovo that he states is far superior than my old system. I have never heard of this company and don't know what questions to ask before I give him the go ahead. It has Windows7 which I am not crazy about, love my WXP. What are the basic questions I should ask before I tell him to start rebuilding. This msy seem starnge for someone like me who has playd games since 1995 and have had several computers but this gaming computer hs dsigned by a friend of mine who knew what was needed for the long haul.

Lenovo is a Chinese company which bought out parts of IBM. Their laptops are said to be great business machines. I don't know anything about them as far as building gaming computers.

Are you talking about a laptop? All of the Lenovos I've worked on have been laptops.

If you are looking for a gaming desktop, then a lot of people here have had great luck with eCollegePC which will build a computer for you from scratch. They also provide a 3 year parts and labor warranty at no extra charge.

Do not be afraid of Windows 7 - especially for gaming. Check out the Windows 7 and Games thread stickied in the Glitches forum to get a feeling for how games are working on Windows 7. Keep in mind that XP is an ancient operating system by technology standards and is being phased out. In less than 2 years, Microsoft will no longer provide support for it.

I'm sure if you post your preferences for laptop or desktop, what kind of games you play and your budget, you will get a lot of good recommendations. The critical thing for gaming is to get a good stand-alone video card, not a video chip integrated into the motherboard.

Thanks for the response. This guy knows that I want a desktop and not a lap top. After zi posted here I did some research and found that they do make desktops but was unable to find any reviews from folk who own one. I have asked about the video card and I am waiting for a response from him. All I know right now is that it runs Windows 7, has 4GB of ram and has 500 GB hard drive...I will keep you posted on my decision.

Lexxy you can find Lenovo desktop computers at Staples and BestBuy. If you go to Staples on line you can read reviews on them. From what I've read there are lots of positive comments.

There is a Best Buy and Staples just minutes from my house. I will check them out this week end before I give my tech the go ahead.

However, do not buy one of those from Best Buy or Staples. Neither store carries computers with stand-alone video cards. They only carry computers with integrated graphics which you will not be happy with for gaming.

Besides asking about the video card, ask about the power supply's wattage.

Also ask whether the RAM can be upgraded. 4GB may be OK for now, but in a couple of years, who knows?

Find out if it's a 64-bit Windows 7. It probably is, since most pre-installed Windows 7 being sold is 64-bit. But if it's 32-bit, that limits the usefulness of upgrading RAM.

Don't let anyone tell you a brand name computer is better than a homemade. Some name brands are reliable, but that doesn't equate to a good gaming machine if the computer is designed only for business apps.

Thanks all for the input and advice. I checked back with him and it was an intergrated sound and video card that he was prepared to sell me. The good thing is that he can customize it to my specs and I will insist on a good video card and the ram can be up graded to 8GB. Speaking of a solid video card any suggestions. I feel so lost and totally uninformed when I talk to him and I don't like feeling dumb.

If you upgrade the video card, make sure the power supply has enough wattage to accommodate it.

Be SURE to also ask about the power supply as Jenny suggested. These OEM computers tend to put in vastly underpowered power supplies. What video card to ask for is very much dependent on the power supply. I would also get a firm price from him and then compare what that same computer would cost if a company like eCollegePC built it. Also ask what kind of warranty he provides on parts and labor.

An integrated sound card is not as big of a deal as the majority of integrated sound is pretty decent. If great sound is a priority for you, then you should ask for a sound card.

Ask him what brand and model the motherboard is. How many USB ports does it have? Does it support USB 3.0? I'm not saying you need USB 3.0, but it's good information to have. Some of the low end motherboards only have 2 or maybe 4 USB ports - which may or may not be enough. Again, it's just good information to have.

Also ask what the CPU or processor is. Is it a current generation AMD or Intel processor?

Ask how many fans there are in the case. If you start adding more demanding components such as a good video card, cooling will be important. A lot of the cases I open up to work on a computer only have a little 80 mm fan on the back which would not begin to properly ventilate a higher end computer.

What Draclvr has stated is very sound advice ! What I would advise against , is onboard video . Run from onboard video ! Run far and fast ! Having 8 GB of ram would be wise as well . Depending on the motherboard , up to 32Gb of ram can be utilized . Insist on a quality video card and psu . The psu is the heart of a computer ! Just one last bit of information . For example , if a video card recommends a psu rated at 450 watts , it is highly advisable to have some leeway , meaning , instead of a 450 watt psu , utilize a 550 watt or 600 watt psu . Working a psu too hard will shorten it's life , & quite possibly cause the failure of other system components .

I want to thank everyone for the advice and help you have offered so far. I talked to my tech guy last night and I am almost ready to give him the go ahead but I m confused about his wanting me to go with intel HD Graphics 2000. I know little about it but he said that it will save me a lot of money using this intergrated card as opposed to a stand alone grapgic card which could cost me any where to $120.00 and up. The specs so far is a Lenova intel core i5-2310,3.0GHz, 8GB DDR3,1.5TB HDD DVDRW, windows 7 64bit running Windows 7 Home Premium. Everything seems acceptable except for the video card. I will ask if one can disable the intergrated card and insert a stand alone card. Do I need to ask if there is an expansion slot? I am more knowledgable now that I have talked to you sll but I still feel there are a lot of questions I should ask. I will double check but I think the power is 280 watts, but that too could be increased couldn't it?

Here's the thing about onboard video . For starters , what your "tech guy" is attempting to convince you to go with , how do I put this politely , stinks ! What onboard video does , is utilize memory from the system's memory . Depending on how much the onboard video utilizes , it could be 1gb or more . So , instead of 8GB or ram , you will have less , maybe 7GB of ram . That's just an example .

All modern motherboards have at least one pci-e slot for a dedicated video card , so requesting a video card will be just a question of what you are looking for , and what you can afford to pay . A dedicated video card will automatically require an upgraded psu . That puny 280 watt would , in all probability , fry as son as you tried to power on your computer if you get any decent video card . I would definitely suggest a good video card & psu ! What psu you decide on , mostly depends on the video card you choose . Expect to pay at least $75 for a decent psu .Your quote of $120 and up for a decent video card is pretty accurate though .

It almost seems like your tech guy is wanting to do things his way , instead of yours . If you are going to pay him to build a computer , you are the boss . He builds a computer to your specifications , or go to someone who will build a computer to your specifications !

lexxie, this is not a video card. It is video which is integrated into the CPU itself, in this case the 2nd Generation (or Sandy Bridge) Core i5. It's not the same as graphics that are integrated into the motherboard. I'm not sure how it utilizes memory - from the CPU or from the motherboard.

To be honest, I've been asking the question about these new generation Sandy Bridge CPU integrated graphics and gaming and have found no consensus around the internet.

To know what type of expansion slots are available, you need to ask about that motherboard. My main concern with this PC is that it is a small form factor which may limit your expansion options even if you wanted to get a separate video card. Plus, most of these small form factor cases have extremely limited cooling options.

Then there is that power supply - 280 watts is not enough for any upgrades at all. Then if you want to upgrade the power supply, you will be very limited in your choices because of the small form factor of the case.

If you are set on buying something from this tech guy, and can live with these limits and the unknown about the integrated CPU graphics, then it's not a bad general purpose computer. I'd be concerned it might not be the best choice for a gaming PC - even casual games which are having higher computer specs all the time.

Hopefully Jenny, Inland, Creeping Doom and some others can weigh in here too. This is a link to what I was able to find on a Lenovo desktop with these specs.

Lenovo Essential Desktops - H Series

EDIT: I was trying to be polite about what my impression is of this tech guy. But Creeping Doom said what I was REALLY thinking!

I followed the link you posted Draclvr . That particular computer appears as something that is used in shopping centers for cash registers .

Tell him you'll have lost the entire price of the computer if it doesn't play the games you want. Ask him if he thinks all you play is solitaire. Better yet, find a new tech guy. Do not trust salesmen who keep insisting on trying to sell you something other than what you asked for.

You don't have to buy a computer from this "tech guy." You can get one from eCollegePC or some other source where they won't be trying to tell you to what to buy.


I don't think there's any "almost" about it. And if the computer is a Lenovo brand, he probably wouldn't have to do any "building" at all if he sold Lexxy one with Intel graphics -- just stick in a couple of sticks of RAM and it's done. If he installed a decent video card for gaming, he'd also have to replace the power supply, test all the powered connections, and install and test the video drivers -- a lot more work for him -- but necessary if Lexxy is to have a decent gaming computer. Not to mention adding fans. And a lot of this may not even be possible with the computer he's chosen to sell you.


There's another thing. Stay far away from "small form factor cases" if you want to do any upgrading.


I'm not going to bother being polite.
Lexxy, I think he's trying to rip you off, plain and simple. He's trying to take advantage of you. He sees you as a "soft touch."

We've seen several posts in Glitches from people with new computers who swore up and down that their computer was brand new and powerful enough to play anything. But when we actually found out what video card they had, it was Intel graphics. They'd been lied to by salesmen and had thrown their money away on something that usually couldn't be upgraded.

Lexxy,
I guess you have to ask yourself if you want a "cute" small form factor computer that will play a few casual games -- or whether you want a computer that is powerful enough to play whatever you want without having to turn off all the graphics enhancements for every game you play (still get "sticky cursor" on some of them).

Yes, yes, and another yes to what Jenny said...

Now that she has put it out there as a moderator, I'll add my real opinion. This so-called "tech guy" is trying to foist a general purpose computer on you which happens to be in his store. He's not "building" one by any stretch of the imagination. If it's a Lenovo brand, then he's not doing anything at all - just making another sale. And I'm all about him making a sale - as long as it's what you want and need. Although you've stated that you play games and have asked about the video card, he's STILL trying to sell you something that probably won't work for you. So, your interests and needs are not even entering into this sale. I'll bet he couldn't even answer all the questions I mentioned in my earlier post.

And I might be wrong about the small form factor, but that's what I was able to find on the Lenovo website. A place like Best Buy might have some Lenovo desktops that are not small form factor. Even if it isn't a small form factor, the fact remains that this guy is trying to sell you something that you really don't want.

Like Jenny says, how many times have we heard, "But I've got a brand new computer, so it SHOULD be able to play my games." Brand new computer means nothing if it doesn't have the hardware to do anything more than email and surf the internet with a few Facebook games thrown in.

My one word of advice here? RUN.

Creeping Doom, not sure where my link took you, but it should be right to this desktop - at least that's where it takes me. It had nothing to do with sales stuff - it is being sold as a home computer. The model is an H330 which is the closest Lenovo desktop I could find with the specs being quoted to lexxie. I checked at Best Buy and they do have a regular form factor Lenovo with some of lexxie's specs.

Lexxy,

Listen to them. When my last computer fried (one that Best Buy assured me would play computer games jest fine), Jenny, Draclvr and Inland helped me put together a computer that I had built by eCollegePC and I love it. It does everything I ask of it and I was honestly a little surprised at how much I got for what I paid. I knew this computer would have to last and I wanted one I can upgrade when the time comes, unlike the HP I had before. Really, do yourself a favor and boot this tech guy then come back here and let these terrific people help you get what you really want.

Gil.

Thank you all for your advice and support. I am so glad that I have a second family who loks out for each other. I will say my good byes to this guy and look else where. Are there any other sites bsides eCollegepc that I should look at?

eCollege is the best we've found.
I remember someone saying they had a good computer from CyberpowerPC.com but I don't know much about them.
They have an 8.5 out of rating at resellerratings.com

But eCollegePC has a 10 out of 10 rating.

There are several other builders out there, but they are mostly "boutique" builders and you should be prepared to part with multiples of $1,000!

I don't know a lot about Cyberpower either, but you might try putting something together at both places and compare the prices.

If you can give us a budget, we can help you decide what to get.

A couple of those "boutique" builders would be Digital Storm , and Ballistic Gaming . I've often put together a computer on each site , & have almost always went over $2000 . Then again , those computers were gaming monsters , overclocked to the teeth , & with liquid cooling for the cpu . CyberPower has a very good selection of available parts to choose from , as well as eCollege . An idea about a budget would be nice before we start spending lexxy's money !

Add Voodoo and Sager in there too.

Oh, it's always waaay more fun to spend someone else's money!

Thanks everyone and a budget is always a good starting point. I can't afford over $1,000. I have checked both sites and I had so many pull down options that I got totally confused. If someone who has a good gaming computer could give me the specs that is on their system maybe I could try to match them and stay within my budget. I know what motherboard is best, what video card would be best for me and lastly I guess I just want to get a system that will allow me to play the latest games with the max upgrades possible for the next two or three years. All I know for sure right now is that I don't want an intergrated video card and the power sipply should be around 700-800 watts.

I agree that it's pretty mind boggling when you try to figure you what you need. Both these configurations use the Cooler Master 690 II case, which is an excellent one which I used in my last build. They both also have Asus Z68 motherboards which allow for lots of upgrade and expansion options. Z68 means you can switch between the graphics in the CPU and a discrete card if you are so inclined. They also allow for a SSD (solid state drive) which can be used as a cache drive if you want. That means you can get a small, less expensive - but very fast - SSD (in addition to your regular hard drive) and use it as a cache drive to speed things up. I can explain that more if you are interested. Someone who knows more about AMD can probably put together one that might be a bit less expensive. Get more opinions from Jenny and Inland and anyone else who might be able to help you out!!

Here is what Cyberpower will put together for you in a Cooler Master 690 II case for $789 (shipping extra which appears to be about $75 depending on where you live). Power supplies on both these can be upgraded. 700-800 watts is probably overkill, but I'm with Creeping Doom in that more can't hurt.

CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-2400 3.10 GHz
HDD: 1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD
MEMORY: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (Kingston HyperX)
MOTHERBOARD: Asus P8Z68-V LX
SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GT 520 1GB 16X PCIe Video Card (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
24X Double Layer Dual Format Optical Drive
POWER SUPPLY: 500 watt
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
WARRANTY: 3 years parts and labor

Here is as close as I can get to the same thing with what eCollegePC will put together for you in the same Cooler Master 690 II case for $900. Shipping is free at eCollegePC.

3.1Ghz Intel Core i5-2400
ASUS P8Z68-V LE
8GB (4GBx2) PC3 10666 DDR3 1333Mhz Memory Lifetime Warranty
1TB 7200RPM 32MB Cache Serial ATA300
24X LG SATA Dual Layer DVD /-RW/CDRW w/Nero
1GB GeForce GT 520 GDDR3 PCI-E DVI/HDMI
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
CoolerMaster Black CM690 II Advanced
500watt Cooler Master Extreme Power Plus
Onboard LAN included
Onboard Sound included
Wires and Cables neatly tied up away from fans
3 Year Parts and Labor Warranty

So that's somewhere to start. If I would upgrade anything it would be the power supply. You can also go down on the case to save some money too. I just tried to make the comparisons as equal as I could. I think the GTX 520 video card would be good enough, but Jenny and Inland will know more about that.