looking to upgrade

M

Mert

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 8, 2004
Messages
196
I'm looking to finally upgrade my computer since i just made the switch from a 19" crt to a 1680x1050 native rez lcd. My 9800 pro simply can't handle resolutions that high at a playable frame rate. I'm going to reuse some of my old parts to save money. I'm looking to spend around 300 dollars I guess. Current:

motherboard: shuttle an35n ultra
processor: athlon 2500xp-m @ 2.2ghz
video Card: 9800 pro 256mb
ram: 1.5 gb
power supply: corsair vx450
sound card: audigy 2
1x120 gb ide hard drive
1x dvd/cdr ide drive

Oh and I AM looking to overclock. I've had my eye on the 8800 GT and the HD4850 since they look to have amazing bang for the buck. The rest of the stuff though I don't know. I not very knowledgeable on all the newer hardware and stuff. Thanks. :)
 
The HD4850 is the better choice for gaming, but your processor would then become the performance bottleneck for your system. Given the age of the components in your system, you may be better off in the long run if you build a new rig.

But are you trying to upgrade or build an entirely new system? $300 is not enough money for the latter task, especially if you're buying the video card first.
 
Well Mert, I think tiraides was correct when he said that 300 probably won't cut it if your looking to get a card in the market of the Geforce 8 series or the ATI HD 4XXX series. I see the primary issue being the motherboard of your system. If I recall correctly I don't think your system is capable of supporting a PCI-Express video card and is limited to a AGP card. If that is true I would probably recommend finding a ATI X1900 or Geforce 7900 series single slot designs. These types of cards can usually be found in and around the 50-100 dollar range on the forums.
Aside from a simple change in the video card, I don't believe in my opinion that it would be worth putting more money into a system that is 3-4 generations older than the bleeding edge.
 
sachem87184 said:
Well Mert, I think tiraides was correct when he said that 300 probably won't cut it if your looking to get a card in the market of the Geforce 8 series or the ATI HD 4XXX series. I see the primary issue being the motherboard of your system. If I recall correctly I don't think your system is capable of supporting a PCI-Express video card and is limited to a AGP card. If that is true I would probably recommend finding a ATI X1900 or Geforce 7900 series single slot designs. These types of cards can usually be found in and around the 50-100 dollar range on the forums.
Aside from a simple change in the video card, I don't believe in my opinion that it would be worth putting more money into a system that is 3-4 generations older than the bleeding edge.
Click to expand...

The 8800GT and the HD4850 can both be found for under (or, in the case of the HD4850, around) $200. However, my focus was on the overall system -- but I'm not going to repeat (yet again) what everyone else has already said.
 
AS in upgrade the motherboard too. The HD4850 and the 8800 GT can be had for around 150 after rebate I believe. I should make myself more clear I guess. I'm looking to upgrade the motherboard, processor, video card, ram, and I need a cooler for the cpu. The case, pwoer supply, sound card and the drives are going to be kept. The 300 is not written in stone, i can go a little higher if I need to.
 
Yea the e2180 is exactly what i was thinking about. What does more money spent on the motherboard get you these days? Besides sli/crossfire.
 
more sata ports, more usb, sometime higher FSB, higher support of ram, 8gbs, 16gbs, Higher ram speeds of the bat supported. that sort of stuff...
 
here's what i got

motherboard: gigabyte ga-ep45-ds3l
processor: e7200
hsf: xigmatek hdt-s963
video card: visiontek hd4850
ram: 2gb of ocz ddr2 800 ram
 
i didn't get a retention bracket...are those push pin really that hard to install? some people say they are really easy to use and some people seem to have serious problems with them. i don't know what to believe lol.
 
I have done both. With my big hands the push pins are easier BUT the retention bracket gives me piece of mind that the thing wont fall off. Plus YMMV but the bracket holds my cooler more secure giving me a couple degrees less temp
 
Mert said:
here's what i got

motherboard: gigabyte ga-ep45-ds3l
processor: e7200
hsf: xigmatek hdt-s963
video card: visiontek hd4850
ram: 2gb of ocz ddr2 800 ram
Click to expand...

You got all that for ~$300?!?!? where?!?!? SHARE! :eek:
 
i got everything from newegg and it cost me $520. if i actually get the rebates back it will be $460.
 
Hmm, you could've saved $13 w/ the P43-DS3L, especially if you don't need 2x GbLAN and never plan on getting 16GB of RAM. ;)
 
got everything put together. does anyone have any idea why the light on my floppy drive won't go off?
 
You may have the cable attached upside-down. (If you're using a flat floppy cable, make sure that the end with twist by it is connected to the floppy drive, and that the red "side" is on the right-hand side, as if you were looking at the top of the cable.)
 
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