Advice on cheap upgrade!!

[purplemaestro]

Hi all!

After 2 years, my system is aging rapidly, and so I am in need of some advice on how to replace it…

My system at the moment is:

· Athlon XP 2800+
· Asus A7N8X – E
· 1Gb Ram (2 x 512)
· ATI 9600XT
· 2 x 40gb Hard disk (ide)
· CD
· DVD RW
· Thermaltake PurePower 480W
· Plastic Case which is falling apart

OK – I have £200 to spend (I could stretch to 250 but that is really the limit) on either an upgrade or a new build utilising some of the components from the old one. This system will have to last me at least 1 year (perhaps 2) with little or no upgrading. I will mainly use the system for music and games (I intend to buy several when they come out next year). Do I:

A) Keep the old rig, but buy a new graphics card (maybe 6800 GS) and a new case (and also maybe a new CRT monitor to replace my 17inch-11-year-old Dell one) and hope that this sees me through…

Or

B) Do I build a new system… In which case I need your recommendations on what components I should buy for my budget… (or even if it can be done!)

Thanks in advance!

[MadduckUK]

umm.. something like..

foxcon s939 mobo + A64 3200 + HSF
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/110725/rb/20310366481
£129.99

point of view 7600GT
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/106578
£124.94

casecom midi-atx case
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/108273
£9.99

adds up to about £165 ex postage. im sure you could get an extra twenty together. and you could always sell the mobo-proccy-gfx card your replacing.

i used ebuyer purely cause i was already browsing the site, im sure these wont be the absolute lowest prices.

[Clunk]

well you can salvage the hard drive and dvdrw (maybe the ram depending what it is) and flog the rest seperately and that should give you a few extra quid. if 200 is your budget, then have a look on fleabay for some used stuff, and there will be plenty of it around at the moment, and probably going cheap.

[purplemaestro]

Thanks for the quick responses!

The ram i am using is: 2 x TwinMOS 512MB 3200 DDR 400MHz CL 2.5. Im am presuming that this would be compatible with a socket 939 mobo?!? I am also presuming that my psu is up to the job...

it certainly seems that a new system of some description is do-able!

[Syd]

Ram is compatible with all 939, only Am2 and intel use ddr2

[Dark Horse]

You should easily be able to get cheaper than £130 for the cpu + motherboard though.

Something like the Asrock Dual Sata for £40 from scan and retail 3500+ (only £5 more than a 3200+) for £70 and then a decent an arctic freezer pro for £15. You could then keep the 9600xt until you have the funds for a new graphics card.

The ram is compatible so no problems with that.

[pr0p4g4nd4]

You should easily be able to get cheaper than £130 for the cpu + motherboard though.

Something like the Asrock Dual Sata for £40 from scan and retail 3500+ (only £5 more than a 3200+) for £70 and then a decent an arctic freezer pro for £15. You could then keep the 9600xt until you have the funds for a new graphics card.

The ram is compatible so no problems with that.

That definately sounds like a good idea. That ASRock mobo is great I'm very happy with mine

[xbo]

I agree with Dark Horse, get a cheap mobo+cpu now and upgrade gfx when you can afford it (either when you get more funds or the prices drop as G80 and R600 get released)

adds up to about £265 ex postage.

[uk_sam]

Maybe you could sell off your motherboard and CPU. I think your CPU is still fetching about £50 on ebay! So selling that with yout MB might make you £60-£70 which is a nice amount towards your new system.

[Clunk]

another vote for the asrock, great board, and for the money, its a steal

[chuckskull]

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=431452 512Mb ASUS 7600GS | £101.60 Inc VAT

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=311465 ASUS A8N-SLI | £59.91 Inc VAT

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=119283 A64 3800+ | £95.92 Inc VAT

£257.43 inc VAT Presuming you sell the old bits. that should be well within your budget.


On eBay 9600XT will fetch £35 used. XP2800+ is another £30 (maybe more a little more). Asus A7N8X – E also about £35.

So thats everything I mentioned, a cheap case and second hand 19inch CRT(people practically give them away) well within your budget.

[Metroid]

Hi all!

After 2 years, my system is aging rapidly, and so I am in need of some advice on how to replace it…

My system at the moment is:

· Athlon XP 2800+
· Asus A7N8X – E
· 1Gb Ram (2 x 512)
· ATI 9600XT
· 2 x 40gb Hard disk (ide)
· CD
· DVD RW
· Thermaltake PurePower 480W
· Plastic Case which is falling apart

OK – I have £200 to spend (I could stretch to 250 but that is really the limit) on either an upgrade or a new build utilising some of the components from the old one. This system will have to last me at least 1 year (perhaps 2) with little or no upgrading. I will mainly use the system for music and games (I intend to buy several when they come out next year). Do I:

A) Keep the old rig, but buy a new graphics card (maybe 6800 GS) and a new case (and also maybe a new CRT monitor to replace my 17inch-11-year-old Dell one) and hope that this sees me through…

Or

B) Do I build a new system… In which case I need your recommendations on what components I should buy for my budget… (or even if it can be done!)

Thanks in advance!

Athlon XP 2800+ change it to Conroe 6300 130£ wait for the real prices the pre-order now is about 150£ i think is too expensive.
· Asus A7N8X – E change it to asus rock with HDTV compatible also Visa compatible link for 40£ is a bargain.
· 1Gb Ram (2 x 512) change it to Crucial PC5300 3.3.3.12 link 74£
· ATI 9600XT
· 2 x 40gb Hard disk (ide)
· CD
· DVD RW
· Thermaltake PurePower 480W
· Plastic Case which is falling apart


The rest is compatible with your new system. I recommend that you sell old components on Ebay and get a more resources

After that think just in a new Graphics card like 7600 for 80£