Best upgrade for this system...

[DrMah]

current specs:

Duron 1 ghz
ECS K7S5A mobo
384 DDR PC-266 in 2 sticks
GF2 Ti 64ddr
80 gb barracuda

atm I have 10-20 fps in CS:source and I want to have at least 60 constant at low details. I heard HL2 engine was mostly CPU reliant, so I thought about a CPU+mobo upgrade, keeping the RAM and GPU from the old system. My budget for upgrades = 100 pounds, up to 300 if it's worth it. Plz tell me what you would buy in my place, thx!

[johnnr892]

the fact that it so old means that you won't be able to keep the RAM and the old graphics card would be a bottleneck for a newer system. you will have to replace everything there apart from the hardrive.

[Stewart]

You might want to have a look at my thread for recomendations DrMah. Its the HEXUS Project - Building a gaming rig.

[DrMah]

I read every bit of it Vaul Currently I am considering:

Sempron 2800+ (2.0 ghz)
some nice socket A mobo (advice?)

or

Athlon 64 3000+ (2.0 ghz)
some inexpensive socket 754 mobo (advice?)

But is it worth paying more for Athlon 64 if I got slowish DDR? Wasnt A64 reliant on fast RAM? Help plz!

[Stewart]

I read every bit of it Vaul Currently I am considering:

Sempron 2800+ (2.0 ghz)
some nice socket A mobo (advice?)

or

Athlon 64 3000+ (2.0 ghz)
some inexpensive socket 754 mobo (advice?)

But is it worth paying more for Athlon 64 if I got slowish DDR? Wasnt A64 reliant on fast RAM? Help plz!

Top man. Lets here what you thought in the thread then, any opinions you have.

As for this, a Mobile Barton 2500+, 9800pro and NF7-S is a great combo. Will bury what you currently have, once correctly overclocked, and wont hurt that much, wallet wise.

[johnnr892]

but you will have to get some new memory as your just won't cut it. get some nice pc3200 memory and you will be fine

[Thorsson]

I read every bit of it Vaul Currently I am considering:

Athlon 64 3000+ (2.0 ghz)
some inexpensive socket 754 mobo (advice?)

AFAIK the only 3000+ is 'teh winchester' and that only goes with a S939 board.

[BenW]

512 crucial ram will be fine for your budget, probably about £40 from crucial

[skuzgib]

AFAIK the only 3000+ is 'teh winchester' and that only goes with a S939 board.

There is a s754 newcastle core 3000+, which runs at 2ghz as opposed to the s939 winchester which runs at 1.8ghz.