I want to upgrade my computer, help please?
 

Here is what I am running right now

Gigabyte GA-7N400 Pro 2 mobo
AMD Athlon XP 3000+ 2.16 GHz processor
2 gigs of 3200 DDR ram
ATI Radeon 9550 128mb video card - AGP
dual 500gb drives

I am not a gamer by all means, I use my computer only for internet and photo and video editing. I would like to keep my HD's, RAM and video card if possible. Is it to old to salvage? I have no problem finding used components. Is my ram to outdated? I would like to keep this project budget to $250-300. What I really want is to be able to run Vista with no problems. I tried and failed.

In the long run, would it be a wiser decision to just keep the system I have, and buy a nice $800 laptop?

IMO, if you're targeting Vista keep your system as is and buy an $800 lappy with vista on it already. you can find them easily, my laptop was about $800 and its a NICE setup.

but, if you really wanted to wing it with the desktop you'll need a new MOBO, more faster ram (2 gig min), and at least a 512MB vid card. it'll be a major upgrade to say the least.

The system sounds like a pretty good system for what you use it for. If I was going to build you a new one and keep the budget I would build you an AMD 5000+ Black Edition or better on a Gigabyte GA-MA69GM-S2H, or GA-M57SLI-S4 board with 2GB of DDR2 800. THen we would pick out a mid level videocard. What power supply are you running now? That may need an upgrade also. This would work just perfect for you as it does for me. ;) I would ditch the AGP and build the new setup. Plus you can OC the 5000+ BE by just upping the multiplier and not overclocking anything else. Mine is currently at 3.0GHZ. 8)

I am running a ENERMAX Noisetaker II EG495P-VE 485W Power Supply

Buy the laptop I recently purchased a Toshiba laptop from BestBuy and thats saying a lot because I dont like best buy at all and Ive never tried Toshiba before but it was such a good deal I couldnt pass it up

Dual Core Processor 2.6 GHZ
1GB Ram
120GB Hd
great graphics card except for gaming
The battery lasts about 3 and a half hours

All this for only $450 I thought it was the deal of the century

Well there you have it. That would work just fine. I would stay away from Vista and the laptop. My bro just bought one and has called me for tech support like 20 times in a week and a half.

yup, for the budget and not wanting to scrap out the whole desktop i'd go with a retail laptop.

I really am jealous of my girlfriends new laptop, she got an HP dv6736nr

I think getting the laptop would probably be best at this point. I really want to get dual 22" monitors for my desktop, but thats like $400-500, and then if I do the upgrade I'm looking at $1000 for everything.

I would have to disagree with a laptop. For that much you could build a killer system that will always be more powerful than a laptop if you decide to do something more like photo or video editing or who knows maybe record music, or decide to start gaming. You just can't do these types of things with a laptop IMO.

Blownville, can you get me some direct links to all the parts you think I need? That would be awesome.

Board: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128014

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103194

Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820161063

Video card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150265


This is a quick random pick on a decent video card. ;)

i was just going to chime in about Newegg....


Heck, while they have good prices on hardware I was checking out their laptops today and they didn't look too bad either. blownville is right though, a laptop will rarely ever outperform a desktop of the same value... hence why i built my desktop ;)

I'm liking that setup! $315 total, not bad.

How does everyone else feel about what he picked?

IF you can afford it get a better vid card. ONLY reason i say that is the onboard memory. I try and tell people to get 512 at least if you want to run vista. and the ram, i run 2 gb but if you can afford it you'll like 4 gb ;)

all good stuff and great prices too!

What do you suggest for a video card? I started looking at something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150245

I could just order 2 of those 2x1gb sticks right?

I would like to have at least a 4.5-5.0 Vista rating, what is going to slow me down the most out of the proposed system?

I only have a 1.73GHz Core 2 Duo in my laptop. Runs Home Premium with Aero engaged just fine. But a MINIMUM of 2 GB of memory is VERY important. I have an overall rating of 3.1 because of my graphics. Everything else is 4.6-5.

As far as vista itself goes, I have been running it since it first came out and love it just as much as i did XP and have had no more, possibly LESS operating specific problems than I did with XP. Service pack 1 has only made it better.

I would say, you could slightly rebuild your tower..keeping the case, power supply, and hard drives. Are those SATA 300 drives?

Lets look at upgrading.

Intel Core 2 Duo E6420, 2.13GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 4MB Shared L2, $195
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115016
*notes* having at LEAST a 1066 FSB is important, mine bottlenecks at 533.

Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L, 1066/1333, LGA 775, $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128059
*notes* Upgradable to 1333 FSB at a later date when necessary.

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500), $60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231144

EVGA 320-P2-N811-AR GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI x16, $145
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130082

Alright, with all that, you're still under $500 with shipping. I know you said 250-300, but honestly, this setup will last you QUITE a while, not to mention that the board is upgradable to any 1333 Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Extreme when you have the spare bucks. Your current specs were top of the line, probably 4-5 years ago. This setup should work for at least that long before REQUIRING an update. You should rate at LEAST a 5 in vista with this setup as well, being that was one of your criteria.

SATA 300 and SATA 3 are probably not the same huh? :lol:

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I'd prefer to stick with an AMD processor I think John. I have never ran an Intel and I have always had good luck with AMD.

Personally, I like Intel, I can see this is where Jesse and I disagree :lol: However, I like the card, but I think you'd be better off with the one I chose.

This will last you a while, but i'd do a few changes... We have this wonderful store in the twin cities call Microcenter... I built my entire computer there, for The same, or cheaper than Newegg would've run.. Also get easy returns and such then.

CPU: Intel Q6600 $199 instore @ Microcenter, or ~ $230 or so online. Faster Clock and it's a Quad Core over Dual core, no brainer...

Memory, Corsair XMS2, |2x1Gb)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145590
This is About the same deal @ Microcenter if they still have the same rebate I got on, last month.
http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0245599 (cheaper)

The 8800GTS Video card is overkill if you don't game. Any 8600gt will be more than capable of what you want to do, save $50 here. I got an 8800GT but I wanted to be able to play all the new games well without hiccup at decent resolutions.

Your PSU should be OK for this if you get say an 8600 GPU, if you get an 8800GT or more you'll be taxing it some when it fires up 3d processing (I doubt you even have the correct power hookup for a new video card on there anyways)

AMD v Intel, well, Intel OWNS the market right now in performance, period. The chips run cooler, faster, and OC more if that's your gig. They also are priced damn good these days. It's very hard to make a case for an AMD chip.

All of the stuff listed above is excellent. I have nothing against Intel at all I just love the underdogs. :lol: My list of parts is a budget computer that would work great for what you need and would be upgradable to do more. I usually build budget boxes for my customers.

If $800 is your limit you can build a killer desktop for that price.

Basically all your current equipment is outdated if you want to try anything new in the gaming department.

Comon Kyle, did you read the thread? $250-300 is my limit for upgrades, but I was looking at spending $800 for a laptop

I don't do any gaming.

I have everything Blownville suggested in my shopping cart, I'm just waiting for the balls I had last night to reappear so I can whip out the debit card.

No I didn't read it. You are very observant.

Well if it makes you feel any better I am running two systems with that board mine and the wifes. We bothe love them. They run great for us. I have the 5000+ BE and the wife has my old 3800+. They are both running 1gb of Wintec DDR2 800 but mine is Wintec AMPX and hers is AMPO. Not sure what the difference is as I never really looked. I am running a GeForce 7900GS and she has a GeForce 6800XT. The only other thing I didnt mention is the CPU cooler. I have a discontinued Coolermaster HSF and she has the one in the link below. Hers runs idle at 28C!! Which is awesome. I would suggest it to the max after seeing it on her system.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835887002

about a six pack of beer. makes them show up everytime :lol:

Sorry, but I can't run a butterfly shaped heatsink :lol:

Opinons on this one?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835118004

Yes that cooler will work just as good as the butterfly one. I put one of those on my mother-in-law's AMD system about a year or so ago. It works very well.

Here is where I am at right now. I went shopping locally for monitors tonight because I like to see what I am getting, not just from a picture. I narrowed it down to two:


LG - 22" Widescreen Flat-Panel LCD Monitor Model: L227WTG-PF - $289.99

HP w2207h Black 22" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor - $349.99

Before the monitor, I was looking at getting $400 of internal upgrades, and $300 for a new monitor. I then went to Sam's Club and I found this: http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/nav...383&pCatg=5816

It contains the HP monitor I was looking at, and comes with the top notch computer. The stores price was $899.99 with my membership. So for $200 more I am getting a complete computer. I could sell my old computer as a whole instead of parts and make a lot more money.

I'm stuck again.. opinions?

This is the one that I have, unfortunately it's deactivated. I have always liked Samsung.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824001096
Also, instead of the E6420 suggested earlier (2.16ghz for $195) I'd go with the E6750 which I have (Exactly alike except 2.66ghz, 1333FSB, for $190). But you prefer AMD so this doesn't matter much.

I like the high gloss screens, and the HP one is really cool since it rotates 90" to view vertical.

I did look at the HP when I was at Office Depot once and really liked it. However, I'm not a huge fan of the glossy screens, hence the Samsung. Plus two of my friends each got 24" Samsungs about a month before I got my 22".

No offense to anyone but I would not buy a bloated retail system. In my expierence they don't run as fast as one you would build either. It is totally up to you but if something goes down the line like the board or PSU you may not be able to replace it without finding the exact same one. If you build your own you will be able to run your ram at better timings like the sticks I posted. They have a better latency than regular RAM which helps speed up the system. You will also not be able to overclock the processor either. I think you will be better off building your own. Just my take. 8)

Good points, but I'm not a hardcore computer user like some of you. I have no idea how to overclock and such, I just know the basics how how to put them together.

If I just upgraded my old system, I would maybe get $150 for all the old parts. If I bought the box system I would be able to sell my old computer as a whole, maybe even get $500 for it locally.

Well I just don't want you to get a nice new system and be unhappy with it. If you did build your own you wouldn't even have to overclock it and it would still run better. Oh and you wouldn't have to deal with Vista. :bdoor: Ok enough said. Take some time and think it over.

From the first post ;)

I will take some time to think no doubt... but my gears are sure turning fast

:oops: Darn I missed that one. Lol! Well stick with 2GB or 4GB of memory and you will be fine running Vista. ;)

Vista runs fine with 2gb and most wont notice a difference with 4gb me being on of them.

2gb is MORE than enough for vista.

As per the Screen, that came about from my chat :lol:

You don't need more than an included intel or AMD heatsink if you're not overclocking. Don't worry about buying one if your proc comes with one.

That 9500 is great though, i've been eyeing the larger 9700 myself...

I just saw that Tigerdirect was having a sale on the monitor I wanted! I snatched it up.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...9&Sku=H25-2200

Since I had the monitor, I decided it would probably be best to just upgrade my current setup. I just spend $405.82 at newegg on the stuff Blownville suggested.

I also bought tires today so I just spent like a grand. :shock: Apparently my balls grew back. Everything should be here by Monday.

Your making me want to pickup a 2nd HP at that price... :lol:

hrm.... I'll pass out on it..