what is better for me?

[RG]

hey guys, i got $140-30 to spend. my system is amd athlon xp 1500, wd60gb, pc2100 512ddr, ATI RADEON 7500, k7s5a mobo, and other stuff. Should i buy 9600 or should i spend it on my mobo and cpu? what is the best to do? if i should buy vga, which one is the best for my money, if i should buy cpu with mobo, which is the best for my money again. if anyone has any suggestions, please post'em here, thanx.

 

[CamH]

I say new CPU and motherboard, then save for a new video card. For a new CPU and motherboard, I say get an Abit NF7 and an Athlon XP 2500+.

You will also eventually want to get some new RAM for your system. PC2100 is really slow these days...

 

[RG]

Abit NF7 and an Athlon XP 2500+. how much would it cost?

 

[CamH]

I think around $180. If you wanna go cheaper than that, I recommend a Soltek nForce2 board (I've forgotten the model) and a 2100+ B core. That will be closer to $110-120.

 

[JimboZ88]

You will also eventually want to get some new RAM for your system. PC2100 is really slow these days...

You'll need pc2700 is you get an xp2500, because it has a FSB of 166, and pc2100 can't hit that speed.
At new egg:
-Abit NF7- $81.99
-amd xp2500- $86.00
---------------------------
Total = $167.99 without tax / shipping

 

[CamH]

The board supports FSB ratios, so he can run his RAM at lower speeds than the FSB on his processor. PC2100 will work fine with a Barton.

 

[RG]

hey guys, i never used newegg, have any of you ordered anything from it? is it good ofr delivery?

 

[CamH]

NewEgg is awesome. I've ordered all of my stuff there. Great pricing, great support. Just an all around great company to do business with. And yes, it is good for delivery, which is the only thing you can get from them.

 

[RG]

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=Go&description=nforce2 which mobo is the best for me and cheapest?

 

[CamH]

Any of those are great boards. All are nForce 2's, which are the best. Asus and Abit are the best. They don't seem to carry the Soltek anymore...

 

[Overclocker550]

theres no point of a nf2 mobo with the ram hes got since itll never do high fsb. unless he gets pc3200 ram, id go with a kt400 mobo and xp2100. the xp2500s are locked and cost more

 

[CamH]

VIA boards are crap. I've had three KT333-based boards. I'd never go back to a board without a bus lock. nForce 2 is the style of board to have for Athlon-based systems.

The nForce 2 is the way to go.

 

[barton2500]

I think the best bang for the buck solution would be:
1. A T-Bred 1700/2100/ etc processor. Get a good stepping that goes at least 2200 Mhz. It should run fine on your current board at 133 Mhz FSB. $80.
2. A Ge4 Ti 4200. Although outdated by today's cards, it's a considerable upgrade from your Radeon 7500. $70

If you are going to replace your CPU, mobo, RAM, video card, I highly recommend putting together a new system. Either sell this one or donate it. You may opt to keep the HD or whatever you think is worth keeping.

 

[RG]

what about if i'll buy a new processor? what should i get, so it'll work with my mobo? so it will be stable? o/cable.

 

[RG]

consider k7s5a PRO mobo too.

 

[barton2500]

If you can actually set the multiplier of the processor, then you'll be fine. But you'll be limited FSB266, so to get your processor to ~2200 Mhz, you'll need to set the multiplier to 16.5 or higher. Your board does support Thoroughbred cores, although I'm not sure about Bartons. Get an AthlonXP 2400, these are pretty good overclockers that can do 2400 Mhz if you are lucky and have good cooling.

 

[CamH]

Hmm... If you have to stick with the K7S5a, it's gonna be a pain to overclock. If you have to stay with the K7S5a, get a Tbred B and read up on the "wire trick" for changing the processor's multiplier.

The K7S5a will support any socket A processor, but may run them at the incorrect FSB speed because it does not support higher speeds. It's not a very good board.


Having said that, I strongly suggest that you get an nForce 2.

 

[dguy6789]

Contrary to popular belief, a video card would be the best to help your gaming, a 1500+ although not the fastest thing on the block, could handle a 9800 pro just fine. Same with a 9600 Pro. If you want an upgrade to benefit your gaming, get a new video card, which i reccomend the 9600 pro. Who cares if the fps is 200 with a fast cpu, or 175 with a 1500+? If you want to enhance your gaming, get a new video card.

 

[RG]

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=Go&description=ati,radeon,9600 which one should i take? max i can affort 120$. thex

 

[CamH]

The cheapest Pro, which is what you probably want, is $148.