My gf loves PC gaming but the Dell she bought can't run any of the new games. I was planning on installing a new video card and some ram as a Christmas gift, but I read somewhere that Dell computers are kinda particular about people messing with their innards. Advice (other than chucking the Dell out the window and building a new box for her)?

11/14/2005 7:05:22 PM

Which model?

11/14/2005 7:06:53 PM

theres nothing wrong with her dell.

As long as it has the right slot for the Video card it will work fine.

There was an issue with prorietary power supplies a few years back, but they dont do that any more. And even then all you needed was a $10 adapter to make a normal ps work.


Most of the crap you hear about dells is either misinformation from the ignorant or haters just whining to whine.

[Edited on November 14, 2005 at 7:17 PM. Reason : .]

11/14/2005 7:17:10 PM

Some use proprietary RAM.

11/14/2005 7:21:56 PM

since when?

11/14/2005 7:22:09 PM

I deal with workstations and such. The OptiPlex line and Poweredge have had flirts with RAM that only they can use.

The business line sucks enough, I don't pay attention to the consumer products that much.

[Edited on November 14, 2005 at 7:28 PM. Reason : +]

11/14/2005 7:27:25 PM

which models?

11/14/2005 7:28:23 PM

^^^^^^Dimension 3000

[Edited on November 14, 2005 at 7:30 PM. Reason : Addressing specific model query]

11/14/2005 7:28:56 PM

http://newsite.pagecomputers.com/store/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=Memory&category%5Fname=12g12c95s1076&product%5Fid=525619

Shit like that.

11/14/2005 7:34:23 PM

what about that module is proprietary, just out of curiosity?

11/14/2005 7:37:33 PM

I don't know. Machines are repaired under a Dell contract and it comes down to what they say is acceptable or not.

Some people simply leave it at "won't work" for certain models. The RDAM OptiPlex were difficult.

I am sure the consumer line is more forgiving since they need to stick to the parts provider that had the cheapest stock.

[Edited on November 14, 2005 at 7:41 PM. Reason : +]

11/14/2005 7:38:56 PM

well, Sun plays that game too... rebadge generic hardware, charge 5x as much for it, require it as part of a support contract... the systems don't magically melt down because you install hardware Sun hasn't baptized, however... it'd be extremely cost prohibitive to actually implement market segmentation in hardware, why would they when they can just implement it as part of a support contract?

I know it's anecdotal apples and oranges, but I have a Sun array that specs a single model, Sun-rebranded hard drive of 1GB... their volume management software, in fact, refuses to function with non-Sun drives in the enclosure... fairly worthless, until I talked to one of the Sun engineers that was responsible for this array and he let me know that the firmware supports up to 16GB without a problem... and realized that the array appears to the system as a set of drives under the SPARCLinux-native driver... they say it "won't work," even sometimes half-ass make it appear to "not work," but essentially they are stamping their name and an inflated price on something that is industry standard and produced on the same lines as hardware bound for mass market...

[Edited on November 14, 2005 at 7:47 PM. Reason : *]

11/14/2005 7:43:05 PM

edit: ^ quite possible.

I don't know how they manage that stuff. When it comes down to certain models (especially the early GX's) people balk when you suggest a RAM upgrade.

[Edited on November 14, 2005 at 8:15 PM. Reason : +]

11/14/2005 7:46:43 PM

what type of components does it have? Is it AGP or PCI-e ?

11/14/2005 7:58:04 PM

Quote :

"Dimension 3000"

I would assume this is it:

http://compreviews.about.com/od/budgetdesk/gr/DellDimens3000.htm

if so:

Quote :

"PC3200 DDR No AGP/PCI-E Expansion Slot"

[Edited on November 14, 2005 at 8:13 PM. Reason : hm]

11/14/2005 8:10:19 PM

why even bother then? it doesnt even have an agp slot

11/14/2005 8:12:39 PM

yeah, no agp slot means no new games pretty much. that's the deal when you get the bargain line of computers.

11/14/2005 9:04:58 PM