PC upgrades - need advice.

S

Suck_My_Deck

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Dec 14, 2002
Messages
9,526
So I'm looking at upgrading my current computer since it's pretty much archaic right now. All my hardware was top-notch 2 years ago, and the only peice of hardware that I own thats still being made is my Kingston HyperX memory. So...I'm looking at the most cost effective way to do so.

Now, I am looking at barebones systems here and many of them seem to be pretty reasonable and still might be cheaper than buying individual parts. My only concern is that there isn't a lot of expansion slots available. Hell after I install a sound card, or a LAN card, the PCI slots will be full, so this is a concern. Also are most of these systems coming with processors, or are those "sold seperately"?

I guess I am just looking at the most cost effective way to go about this. If at all possible I would like to keep the final tally under or around $500 that would be for a new mainboard, processor, video card, or a barebones system and whatever else I need to make that work. So, what're my best options?
 
What are you going to use it for? If you're not gaming, then some of the deals at the big retailers are very good after rebate. If your HyperX is PC3200 then you could always put that in a new computer. Are you planning on salvaging parts from your current computer?
 
This isn't a "Rule of thumb," it's a fact with almost no exception: building your own computer is cheaper than buying one from a vendor.

If you don't yet feel comfortable assembling your own PC, (which is significantly easier than a Snap-On model kit or Ikea dresser by no stretch of the imagination) there are plenty of people here, including me, who will help you figure it out.

What is a "Rule of thumb" is that barebones rig includes a: case, power supply and motherboard. You still have to concern yourself with input devices, monitor, processor, RAM, video card, (if gaming) hard drive, optical drive, floppy drive and operating system. Most entry-level motherboards do have onboard video, which isn't resonable for gaming, and I can't think of any motherboards (server hardware aside) which don't have onboard sound, which is usually adequate to the point of absurdity. I mean it: unless you are a serious audiophile and have $400 or more invested in speakers or headphones, or have some mandate for heavy audio editing, you simply won't notice any improvement over onboard audio.

I'm going to assume the following: that you have a hard drive, optical drive, floppy drive, monitor, input devices and maybe even RAM. If you decide that these need upgrades, you can do them later and start with a good backbone.

Five hundred dollars will buy you a very serviceable backbone.

Does that sound like something you're interested in? If it is, then onto the hardware selecting.
 
Heheh, maybe you guy's caught me wrong here. I'm not a computer n00bie, despite the lack of system specs in my signature. I've spent the better part of my 20 years working with computers so to say I am "comfortable" with assembling my own system is quite an understatement.

I mainly use my computer for gaming so, I think any off-the-shelff rig is pretty much out of the question. I used to sell them (best buy :( ) and I know that unless you're ready to spend stupid ammounts of money, they're all pretty much horse shit for gaming. Plus, they're all pretty much more money than what I want to spend. At least to buy anything I would admit to owning.

Anyway, what I am looking for is the biggest "bang-for-buck" factor. The only real components that need upgrading in my system are my mainboard (an ASUS A7N-8X DLX), CPU (AMD 2800+) and my video card ([H]ard|mod 9600XT). Beyond that, all my media and hard drives are just fine and my HyperX RAM is pretty much still the standard for AMD systems.

So, I am wondering if it's more cost effective to buy a new mainboard, cpu and video card, then slap them in my current case, or to buy a barebones package and thow whatever it needs into it. Basically I want to get as much performance as I can for as little money as possible. I really can't justify spending a couple grand an an "elite gaming machine" since I know you don't need $10,000 in hardware to run games pretty damn well. So I'd like to keep it at or around $500-600.

Anyone else have some imput?

Edit: and just for reference here is my rig as it stands:
ASUS A7N8-X DLX NF2 Mainboard
AMD Athlon XP 2800+
512MB (256MBx2) Kingstong HyperX (BH5) (244mhz 2-2-2-6 timings)
ATi brand Radeon 9600XT ([H]ard|Mod)
Generic shitty case
Generic 450watt PSU
Sony DRU-710A CD-RW, DVD+/-RW (DualLayer)
Mitsumi 48x CD-ROM
and...a LinkSys ethernet card...
 
You can keep your case for now, they're still the same layout. I'd drop the cash for a new PSU for sure. Mid-range PSU.

You gonna overclock the next one, too? This is, of course, pertinent when choosing your motherboard and cooling.

The DFI UT SLI-D is really just considered to be the best mid-range overclocker. Otherwise, for a little less, ASUS' Premium motherboard is really just a rock, and it's no overclocking slouch.

Keep your RAM, it's good stuff.

As far as video is concerned, you basically have two options, the 6800GS, which is alright, and the 7800GT which is what you'll regret not buying if you get the GS.

So you've got, going with the cheaper parts:

$75, power supply
$125, motherboard
$300, 7800GT
. . .
That leaves you just under budget for a processor. If all you do is game, you should be happy with single-core for now. You can get an Athlon 64 3200 for $175. Better still, you can find Opteron 144s for $200 and God damn, the things people say about over-clocking them. 2.6, 2.7 gigahertz on stock cooling? Even if you can get 2.5, that's an extra seven hundred freaking thousand hertz. That, of course, brings us back to the 6800GS. The Super-mega eVGA 6800GS is on sale today only. . .but it should stick to about $200 for the most part.

I think it's in your best interest to run with something along those lines. Besides, you won't come within a mile doing some cheesy bare-bonesing. In a couple of months when you decide to buy a nice, minimalistic, black case you'll find yourself in a new world of trouble, anyway. Next thing you know, you'll be eyeballing those beige speakers, thinking, Well, if I put away $100 this month and next month. . . and next is your keyboard and mouse, because face it, you went a little over with the speakers, and now you're wondering if you should have gotten a headset, they're so much the rage, not to mention useful. . .Then all of a sudden you're snorting heroin off the ass of a pretty girl you think might have been a boy, but today, none of that matters, holy shit, man, you're livin' the good life in Manilla!

Either that, or you'll buy a silver case, who knows. It's just not important yet. Before you deal with a different case, get off stock cooling. Buy yourself the best: Thermalright SI-120. It's a re-vamped XP-120, runs better, weighs less and fits without you having to learn how to spot-weld. Runner-up is the Scythe Ninja. Hell, it's really a tie. They cost the same; about $50 if you shop around, and remember, they don't include a 120mm fan.
 
Axman said:
I think it's in your best interest to run with something along those lines. Besides, you won't come within a mile doing some cheesy bare-bonesing. In a couple of months when you decide to buy a nice, minimalistic, black case you'll find yourself in a new world of trouble, anyway. Next thing you know, you'll be eyeballing those beige speakers, thinking, Well, if I put away $100 this month and next month. . . and next is your keyboard and mouse, because face it, you went a little over with the speakers, and now you're wondering if you should have gotten a headset, they're so much the rage, not to mention useful. . .Then all of a sudden you're snorting heroin off the ass of a pretty girl you think might have been a boy, but today, none of that matters, holy shit, man, you're livin' the good life in Manilla!

Either that, or you'll buy a silver case, who knows. It's just not important yet. Before you deal with a different case, get off stock cooling. Buy yourself the best: Thermalright SI-120. It's a re-vamped XP-120, runs better, weighs less and fits without you having to learn how to spot-weld. Runner-up is the Scythe Ninja. Hell, it's really a tie. They cost the same; about $50 if you shop around, and remember, they don't include a 120mm fan.
Click to expand...

Well I apprecite the rest of the advice, but damn if I know what you're talking about here. I'm cheap not broke.

Anyway, so I gather it's probably the best idea to just buy the individual parts and throw them into my current case. I've been behind the times so long I've completely forgotten whats "hot" on the processor market. Hell the last big thing I remeber giving two shits about was the Opteron processors. I guess I've got some shopping to do then.
 
I'm cheap not broke.
Click to expand...
Then drop the extra bill on the 7800GT. Everything just like that. Alternatively, you can register with the eVGA Step Up program, and buy the 6800GS, and pay the difference and restocking fee for a 7800GT in the 90-day window. But hell, even with the card off the bat, having your core parts coming in under $800, which I've noticed is the sweet spot for a mid-range core parts list, means you're still getting a good deal.
 
Liquid_Table said:
Heheh, maybe you guy's caught me wrong here. I'm not a computer n00bie, despite the lack of system specs in my signature. I've spent the better part of my 20 years working with computers so to say I am "comfortable" with assembling my own system is quite an understatement...
Click to expand...

Sorry Liquid_Table, didn't mean to imply that you're a n00bie. In my defence, your initial post was pretty vague as to what you were planning on using the new computer for, and what could be 'salvaged' from you current one.

You'll need a new power supply as it is very likely that your current one only has a 20pin main power connector while your new mother board will need a 24pin main power connector.


Here's a couple of modifications:

If you don't plan on upgrading to SLI:
ASUS A8N-E $110

Although your current memory is good quality, 512MB is not enough for gaming. If you just want to "limp along," 512MB will run most games, but many of the newer games will tend to be "jerky" at the quality levels that any good video card can support. A fast video card will not make up for insufficient memory.
CORSAIR XMS 1GB (2 x 512MB) DDR Dual Channel Kit $100
or
CORSAIR XMS 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR Dual Channel Kit $181 = $221 - $40MIR

If you want to stick close to your initial price range:
Power Supply $75
Mother board $110
nVidia 6800GS $200
AMD Athlon64 3200+ $173
Total = $558
This will give you a solid gaming machine for your money, but you're going to want to upgrade the memory ASAP.

If you don't mind going a little over your initial price range:
Power Supply $75
Mother board $110
nVidia 6800GS $200
AMD Athlon64 3200+ $173
Memory 1GB $100
Total = $658
This will give you a very solid gaming machine for your money.

Even better setup:
Power Supply $75
Mother board $110
nVidia 7800GT $300
AMD Athlon64 3200+ $173
Memory 1GB $100
Total = $758


Even better setup:
Power Supply $75
Mother board $110
nVidia 7800GT $300
AMD Athlon64 3200+ $173
Memory 2GB $200
Total = $858

Hmm.... No lack of options, especially if you want to spend even more money. :D
 
Heres my two cents worth.
Go for big air.
ThermalTake case....tsunami......looks very cool, plenty of room, youll need a couple of extra fans.
PSU: Antec true II (atx 2.0) 550W or PC Power and Cooling SLI model 510 or 800 W!!!!
MB: ASUS A8N-SLI Premium.....lots of room for expansion into SLI, good on board audio and not 1 but 2 ethernet built in.(yes now they come built in!!!) This board is a rock.
CPU: dual, I guess the opteron or the Athlon 64 x2 44 or 4800
single: you can get a really good price on the FX-55 Athlon at present. A great CPU.
Graphics: ATI has the new x1800 or x1900 but they cant SLI, they can crossfire but require a different board. Read the review on the ASUS mvp board.
nVidia flavor: 7800GT x 2 prices are really nice on these right now.
RAM: 1GB is almost the norm now. 2 x 1 GB of any good RAM will work well in the A8N-Premium board.

well I like the new stuff as you can see. SLI is very cool and will let you game like a banshee. The ATI crossfire is very nice too but I have no experience there.
Have fun.
 
Liquid_Table said:
Edit: and just for reference here is my rig as it stands:
ASUS A7N8-X DLX NF2 Mainboard
AMD Athlon XP 2800+
512MB (256MBx2) Kingstong HyperX (BH5) (244mhz 2-2-2-6 timings)
ATi brand Radeon 9600XT ([H]ard|Mod)
Generic shitty case
Generic 450watt PSU
Sony DRU-710A CD-RW, DVD+/-RW (DualLayer)
Mitsumi 48x CD-ROM
and...a LinkSys ethernet card...
Click to expand...
Hey!!!

That sounds an awful lot like my systerm.

Archaic? There there baby, don't blue screen, don't listen to the bad man calling you archaic
 
bgates2b said:
Hey!!!

That sounds an awful lot like my systerm.

Archaic? There there baby, don't blue screen, don't listen to the bad man calling you archaic
Click to expand...
LOL i hear ya!

and i even had the 9600XT, i have the Hyper-X....sheesh, i just put in the 6800GS and i'm perfectly happy with my system performance. the ONLY reason why i'd upgrade from what i've got now is to go to dual core....but even that isn't a major thing for me right now because i game at 1024x768, and with what i've got now, i can play any game with all the settings maxed....only FEAR has had any hiccups...all the others seem fine

my 2 cents :p
 
Axman said:
I think it's in your best interest to run with something along those lines. Besides, you won't come within a mile doing some cheesy bare-bonesing. In a couple of months when you decide to buy a nice, minimalistic, black case you'll find yourself in a new world of trouble, anyway. Next thing you know, you'll be eyeballing those beige speakers, thinking, Well, if I put away $100 this month and next month. . . and next is your keyboard and mouse, because face it, you went a little over with the speakers, and now you're wondering if you should have gotten a headset, they're so much the rage, not to mention useful. . .Then all of a sudden you're snorting heroin off the ass of a pretty girl you think might have been a boy, but today, none of that matters, holy shit, man, you're livin' the good life in Manilla!
Click to expand...
Holy crap thats funny....









do you know me?
 
do you know me?
Click to expand...
When I woke up I was strapped to a gurney smashed between half a dozen palettes full of cargo in a DC-9. I thought I was in a coffin. My arms and legs were strapped down and I must have tossed around, or been tossed around for a while because the I.V. lines had trashed the fuck out of my arms and I must have been sucking the saline in through the bruises, more like pockets of spongy meat. Everything smelled like tobacco and my mouth was a prune from the cigarette butts. Either I took up smoking or I got used as an ashtray, so I decided to just go back to sleep. It wasn't hard.

The army guys coming back from the Phillipines were alright, for the most part. I'm still not sure if they brought me back because they had to or if they just wanted to help me out. Beats the hell out of me why, though, they told me these great stories about shit I did, or that they were told by the guys in Manilla which I wouldn't believe if not for the photos, but I wouldn't have thought the Army liked that sort of shit. And the tatt gives the whole thing more credibility than I give it, but still. I wish I were able to say if I really made all those fuel-air tennis balls or if I was just the one who snuck them into the Makati Shangri-La hotel. At least they brought the cat back. She's nice now that her fur's all back.

In any case, if that was you who I remember (with the Stetson and flower shirts? Always smoking 120's?) glad to see you're back in the states, too. They keep you in the records or just erase 'em? I think it was just luck that Ismael Haniya's goons were all about the matched doubles, but I hope that same luck got you as much as it did for me. Well, if that wasn't you, don't feel bad, there were lots of things I don't recall from that time.

Practical upshot: I really enjoy my CoolerMaster Centurion 5. The mesh bezel gives it a nice industrial look without any doors to get in your way, and the light reflectivity across the texturing masks the differences in black tones you can find with so many so-called "black" optical drives and other devices. If I had complaints it'd be that the paint isn't "automotive quality" and some things will invariably scratch it. Aluminum for looks and steel for strength, it's a great inexpensive case for someone who just wants to build a computer and not dick around once it's all done. Another plus: It's a black case. . .
 
What the fuck is all that about?????
Nice start to some cheezy novel though.
 
Axman said:
When I woke up I was strapped to a gurney smashed between half a dozen palettes full of cargo in a DC-9. I thought I was in a coffin. My arms and legs were strapped down and I must have tossed around, or been tossed around for a while because the I.V. lines had trashed the fuck out of my arms and I must have been sucking the saline in through the bruises, more like pockets of spongy meat. Everything smelled like tobacco and my mouth was a prune from the cigarette butts. Either I took up smoking or I got used as an ashtray, so I decided to just go back to sleep. It wasn't hard.

The army guys coming back from the Phillipines were alright, for the most part. I'm still not sure if they brought me back because they had to or if they just wanted to help me out. Beats the hell out of me why, though, they told me these great stories about shit I did, or that they were told by the guys in Manilla which I wouldn't believe if not for the photos, but I wouldn't have thought the Army liked that sort of shit. And the tatt gives the whole thing more credibility than I give it, but still. I wish I were able to say if I really made all those fuel-air tennis balls or if I was just the one who snuck them into the Makati Shangri-La hotel. At least they brought the cat back. She's nice now that her fur's all back.

In any case, if that was you who I remember (with the Stetson and flower shirts? Always smoking 120's?) glad to see you're back in the states, too. They keep you in the records or just erase 'em? I think it was just luck that Ismael Haniya's goons were all about the matched doubles, but I hope that same luck got you as much as it did for me. Well, if that wasn't you, don't feel bad, there were lots of things I don't recall from that time.

Practical upshot: I really enjoy my CoolerMaster Centurion 5. The mesh bezel gives it a nice industrial look without any doors to get in your way, and the light reflectivity across the texturing masks the differences in black tones you can find with so many so-called "black" optical drives and other devices. If I had complaints it'd be that the paint isn't "automotive quality" and some things will invariably scratch it. Aluminum for looks and steel for strength, it's a great inexpensive case for someone who just wants to build a computer and not dick around once it's all done. Another plus: It's a black case. . .
Click to expand...
rofl.....


seriously dude, you should be an author.
 
The way I see it, that was a 50 line review about the pros and cons of the Centurion 5.

Pros: nice.

Cons: malarial fever.
 
I personally would go with pj-schmidt's reccomendation...(below) and if you wanted to be more future-proofed, make sure the motherboard supports SLI & get a SLI graphics card, and 6-8 months down the road when prices have dropped, buy another sli-based graphics card, prices will have dropped alot by then.

Power Supply $75
Mother board $110
nVidia 6800GS $200
AMD Athlon64 3200+ $173
Memory 1GB $100
Total = $658
 
Dumass_Freakboy said:
I personally would go with pj-schmidt's reccomendation...(below) and if you wanted to be more future-proofed, make sure the motherboard supports SLI & get a SLI graphics card, and 6-8 months down the road when prices have dropped, buy another sli-based graphics card, prices will have dropped alot by then.
Click to expand...
Up to this point it's made more sense to buy a completely new graphics card then buy a second and sli it. That could change with the next gen stuff, but right now it only makes sense to sli when you are building the system.

Of course, if you have a limited budget and want to spend more later you can sli, just not the most cost effective way to do it. The math just doesn't add up.
 
Axman said:
This isn't a "Rule of thumb," it's a fact with almost no exception: building your own computer is cheaper than buying one from a vendor.
Click to expand...

just wanted to let you know you were wrong....not trying to flame but people reading this are gonna think that its true possibly...and i dont want them thinking that. While i am all for system building, unless your gonna build something nice, then the lower end stuff is always cheaper to buy then build. Go check dell...look at some lower end stuff like 3ghz socket T, with 512mb DDR2, and shit like that, and youll see it for 500 or so

Sorry man...like i said im all for system building
 
crazymansam said:
just wanted to let you know you were wrong....not trying to flame but people reading this are gonna think that its true possibly...and i dont want them thinking that. While i am all for system building, unless your gonna build something nice, then the lower end stuff is always cheaper to buy then build. Go check dell...look at some lower end stuff like 3ghz socket T, with 512mb DDR2, and shit like that, and youll see it for 500 or so

Sorry man...like i said im all for system building
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
Hey, it's not like I said there were no exceptions. The exceptions are usually when someone like Dell decides to forgo profitablity in favor of lowering the costs of production by increasing sales and with it, demand for production and improving the overall manufacturing process in doing so. Which some would call a "sale". Sales are a pretty acceptable exception, right?

Furthermore, I feel it's worth stressing the fact that when a massive OEM does stuff like that, they're trying to make their cost of purchasing, say, LCD panels much cheaper in the long run so that when they aren't on sale, they make more money selling them; this has the non-marginal effect of lowering the costs of aftermarket prices making personal building even cheaper compared to non-sale vendors' computers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top