$700 MAX for a round of upgrades, suggestions?

[WalkedAirplane]

Prefer to keep this around $600, but I'm willing to push up to $700, no higher though.


Not really sure where to take a round of upgrades here, so I'm open to suggestions!

Specs:
ECS 915P-A motherboard
P4 2.8ghz
1gb (512x 2) Corsair RAM
250gb Maxtor HDD (SATA, 7200RPM)
7800GTX
M-Audio Revolution 5.1
Thermaltake 500W PSU


So I'm not sure where I'm going to go with this, but I'm inclined to get a 74gb Raptor, and maybe do something about a new processor / mobo, or perhaps RAM.

Primary uses:
Photoshop (lots of digital photography)
Visual Studio
Gaming

Suggestions?

 

[jmanlp]

A processor motherboard and two gigs of memory would do ya nicely. If there is one weak link in your system from my point a view it is your processor...

 

[scottatwittenberg]

so the stuff you listed is what you have now?

will that motherboard support a 920d? if so, that's probably where i would go with that.. and get 2x 1gb of ram.. other than that, i don't know what even needs upgrading..

if you really want to spend money. you can get an opteron 165/170, nice nf4 board, and 2gb of ddr.

 

[Vengance_01]

Hum thats not a bad system. Do not get the raptor, if you need more space just grab another 250GB SATA hd. What monitor, and speakers do you have? I say an Intel 930 if you board can handle it, and another GB of memory.

 

[Shodin10k]

sempron 3100+ with ECS nforce3-a motherboard - $80 (fry's)
Nvidia Geforce7800gs - $300 (monarch, though ive seen gs go down to the 270 range)
1gb ram $50-$70 (fry's)
200gb harddrive (non-sata) $40 (staples)
orian 500watt ps $30 (mwave)

thats what I purchased recently, thats about $500-520

 

[Shmuckety]

The best suggestion is to get 2x1gb ram new mobo and a dual core processor of any kind. That is if you want to spend all the cash. If not get a Intel 650 (3.4Ghz) and that will give you an improvement in performance.

 

[WalkedAirplane]

sempron 3100+ with ECS nforce3-a motherboard - $80 (fry's)
Nvidia Geforce7800gs - $300 (monarch, though ive seen gs go down to the 270 range)
1gb ram $50-$70 (fry's)
200gb harddrive (non-sata) $40 (staples)
orian 500watt ps $30 (mwave)

thats what I purchased recently, thats about $500-520

Did you even read past the first three words I posted?


Alright, so processor (potentially motherboard as well), and RAM are the big ones. Larger HDD on top of that.

Already have Logitech Z-5500 speakers and just ordered a 2005FPW



edit:

LGA775 socket for latest Intel Pentium 4 / Celeron D processor
FSB 800/533 MHz

Will this handle a Pentium D alright?

 

[PWMK2]

Will this handle a Pentium D alright?

No, it won't. Celeron D is not dual core. If it only supports Pentium 4 and Celeron D, Pentium D is a no-go.

 

[WalkedAirplane]

No, it won't. Celeron D is not dual core. If it only supports Pentium 4 and Celeron D, Pentium D is a no-go.

Alright, hmph.

Guess that leaves me choosing between new mobo and AMD route, or just leaving it be. Probably going AMD then.

 

[Shmuckety]

That is probably a good way to go. Intel may be better next generation, but AMD seems to be quite good right now.

 

[johnnq]

get 2x1gb. your system is fine. use that ddr2 and gtx for am2 in like 6 months.

 

[WalkedAirplane]

Can I get some comments on this line up upgrades:

Clocks in at $690 shipped.

Another gig of RAM
A8N5X Motherboard
AMD X2 3800+ Manchester
(some random RAM for my laptop)
36gb Raptor HDD
Another 250gb HDD

Comments, thoughts, changes youd make?

 

[PWMK2]

Can I get some comments on this line up upgrades:

Clocks in at $690 shipped.

Another gig of RAM
A8N5X Motherboard
AMD X2 3800+ Manchester
(some random RAM for my laptop)
36gb Raptor HDD
Another 250gb HDD

Comments, thoughts, changes youd make?

You can't use those sticks in desktop mobos.

 

[L1ght]

Keep your current comp. Maybe upgrade the ram.... Its fast enough for now.

In less than 6 months AMD is releasing a new socket, making socket 939 obsoleet(well, kinda). Wait for it. Thats what I would do.