Breaking down 2 computers and rebuild into one gaming computer, possible?

Hey. I have a very old computer and a pretty clean computer available for me to use and I want to, if possible, make both into gaming computers or sacrifice one to support the other into a gaming computer. It's a computer that has Intel, no Nvidia or ATI, each has 2 fans but not a good RAM or graphics card. I want to know what I need to know to remake a successful computer from these two. If you want, I can post links of the types of computers I have if you want. And the kind of graphics and RAM I want is enough to power Battlefield 3 on High settings while able to play other official games like Left 4 Dead, Crysis 2, and etc. It would be best recommended to go as cheap as I can to get the parts.

 

You're going to need a new processor as well.

I would recommend these two things if you want to play Battlefield 3 on high settings at good resolution:

i5 2500k:

http://www.amazon.com/Intel-i5-2500-Socket-LGA1155-Processor/dp/B004EBUXI0

Nvidia 560 ti:

http://www.amazon.com/ENGTX560-TI-DCII-2DI-1GD5/dp/B004KLY9UW

8gb of RAM should be good.


Join this forum:

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/default.aspx

or post here:

http://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc

Dedicated to building PCs. Make sure you ask around to make sure you're getting the right stuff, and that your case is okay to put the new parts in. Let them know your budget as well.

 

Depending on how old the previous computers are you might not be able to salvage much from them--if you post what they've got inside of them (even the model name & number will do) I can take a look. Otherwise, The Fuk?'s links should help.

 

Just the fans and maybe the case. Everything else would be too obsolete.

 

Hard drives would carry over well, but I would agree. It sounds off hand like neither computer has anything to offer at a gaming level. There is the case and motherboard, but everything else you are just going to need to buy part for part or scrap the whole setup and buy a new one

 

Old computer
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8300/sm/specs.htm

Computer 2 years ago
http://www.dell.com/us/dfb/p/vostro-200/pd?~ck=anav

Anything useful or just the case, hard drives, and fan?

 

Can't quite tell from the link but you should be able to reuse the optical drive on the newer computer as long as it's SATA (which it probably is).

 

You're probably not going to get anything good out of that old Dimension unless it has fan in it, and it might not even be compatible with a new computer. Fans are cheap though, so don't sweat it. As far as the newer PC, the graphics card won't be able to handle Battlefield on high at an acceptable resolution. You might be able to sell it, who knows. 4GB of Ram isn't bad. You could keep that. You might be able to keep the Optical Drive as well. Not sure about the sound card. You'd have to look that up.


What you absolutely have to have:

A new power supply. 600w is good and it's normally about 20 dollars more than a 500w. The 500w will get you by, but paying the extra $20 for a 600w may help you in the long run.

Things you will need:

A new graphics card. 560 TI is a solid card. You can run Battlefield 3 on ultra as long as the resolution is below 1920x1080. You can run it on high in 1920x1080.

A new processor. i5 2500k. Solid processor. I have an i7 2600, but that wont be needed.

A new motherboard. Not sure what the best model is, you'd have to ask around.

Things you should get:

A new monitor. It would be waste to get a good PC and not have a monitor that can support high resolutions.

A new case. One with better airflow and a better design. Don't want your card heating up too much.

New Ram. 8 GB.


I would recommend building a new PC all together, but if you want to save what you can, that's what I recommend.

 

The hard drives?

Sell what?

 

No, the optical drive is... also known as the disc drive? The one in your Dell Vostro might not be the fastest but people rarely use discs these days, I find, so you probably won't need a mega-fast one.

The hard drive is a possibility as well, again you might have a problem with speed on there, as well as storage space.

 

Oh~ Alright.

So different brands of hard drives also varies to speed?