500$ budget for upgrade...need help choosing

avalanche83 · Oct 10, 2005

I am building a new system and was wanting to know what to upgrade on it.

Here is what I have so far. (I am using my ram, PSU, SATA, and CPU cooler from my current rig and using the older stuff for it). Remember $500 max.

CPU: Newark 3700
mobo: DFI UT 250gb nf3
ram: Crucial Ballistix Tracer pc4000 512mb
video card: ?
PSU: FSP Blue Storm AX500
HD: SATA Rapter 37Gb and a PATA
Cooling: Zalman CNPS7000-ALCu

moz_21 · Oct 10, 2005

If you're not using your current video card, I'd get an NF4 mobo and go PCI-E. Maybe drop the CPU down a few notches to compensate for a slightly more expensive Mobo and video card.

avalanche83 · Oct 10, 2005

I already have the parts listed above. That's the thing. I probably won't do PCI-E until M2.

1cem4n · Oct 10, 2005

get a nice WD 320gb hard drive, another 512 stick of ram(or a set and then save the 512 stick for some old computer later), the motherboard you have is fine, and a new cpu(don't know much about socket 754 amds).

-1cem4n

attack · Oct 10, 2005

512 more RAM for sure...then I'd sell your mobo and vid card and go nf4 and pci-e.
if you really don't want to go the pci-e route then get a 6800GT AGP nad the 512 RAM and save everything elkse for later

moz_21 · Oct 10, 2005

Ah. I thought the list was what you were buying, not already bought. All you did is a CPU and mobo switch, correct?

I'd say get a 2nd stick of 512mb ram and maybe a 250Gb drive (best $/GB) for future storage.

darksparkz · Oct 10, 2005

Well, the 3700+ are the best skt754 CPUs they made, so not much to change in the CPU area.

I'd just recommend going for 1GB of ram, maybe even 2GB if you want. And if your sticking with AGP until M2 comes out, then I'd say get a 6800GT AGP. With all that, you should be able to run most games on high-medium settings, maybe even with a little AA on.

avalanche83 · Oct 11, 2005

1cem4n said:
get a nice WD 320gb hard drive, another 512 stick of ram(or a set and then save the 512 stick for some old computer later), the motherboard you have is fine, and a new cpu(don't know much about socket 754 amds).

-1cem4n

I had to do a mobo switch too, because Abit doesn't have BIOS to support mobile CPU's. Another 512mb stick of Ballistix sounds like a must. Which $400 video card?

LordDarik · Oct 11, 2005

avalanche83 said:
I had to do a mobo switch too, because Abit doesn't have BIOS to support mobile CPU's. Another 512mb stick of Ballistix sounds like a must. Which $400 video card?

(edit) Is Vision Tek any good?

I wouldn't get that expensive of a graphics card considering you'll be upgrading soon (?). With your $500 get a $157 GB stick of Ballistix , an X800 Pro, and a future-proof Maxtor 300GB hard drive.

avalanche83 · Oct 11, 2005

LordDarik said:
I wouldn't get that expensive of a graphics card considering you'll be upgrading soon (?). With your $500 get a $157 GB stick of Ballistix , an X800 Pro, and a future-proof Maxtor 300GB hard drive.

I won't be upgrading to PCI-E too soon, and I don't do alot of storing. I have like 300gigs of hard drive space laying around.

I think I am going with the X800XT PE, and another 512mb stick of Ballistix to equal 1GB.

1cem4n · Oct 11, 2005

x800pro VIVO can flash to x800xt pe. there might be an x800gto2 coming out soon for AGP too so you might want to look into that.

-1cem4n

500$ budget for upgrade...need help choosing

avalanche83

Member

moz_21

Member

avalanche83

Member

1cem4n

Member

attack

Member

moz_21

Member

darksparkz

Member

avalanche83

Member

LordDarik

Member

avalanche83

Member

1cem4n

Member

Similar threads