Help with an upgrade for <175$

[blondeguy08]

My friend has a cisnet computer with a celeron 2.00 ghz cpu oced to 2.6 and 512mb of ram , 40gig ata 133 hd and another 160 gig ata 133 hd with a micro atx case with a 330 watt psu and a 6200 evga grapgics card with a 2 cd drives one in which is a dvd burner....he would like to upgrade for less than $175 would it be wise to get an intel 805 and a micro atx mobo by msi what are some better alternatives??? for less than 175$ or perhaps and lcd monitor would be better...he is a hard core gamer on a strict budget as u can see ur help would be GREATLY appriciated....let me know of any ideas he wants to do this NOW so savin money for a new system is out of the ? till next summer atleast.....thanks a million~!!!

 

[Mondoman]

What brand/model motherboard does he have?
For that price, best upgrade is to boost RAM to 1GB by adding another 512MB. Should cost $50 or so if there is an empty slot to just add more, $100 or so if not (and current RAM needs to be removed and replaced).

For more money, best upgrade is a faster graphics card, but that will mean a new power supply, and probably MB and CPU and RAM, too. The MB/CPU replacement you mentioned would also require a new PS and probably new RAM as well, so is well above your budget.

 

[PaCanc]

If he's a "hardcore gamer" as you said, stay away from the LCDs ! Especially from the cheap ones.
By the way LCDs usually have 1280x1024 native resolution, and that 6200 won't do the job. (it probably doesn't do a good job in lower resolutions, too)
for that money I would recomend a new graphics card. I have a 6600GT AGP which works very good with last year's games (the box says it needs a 350W PSU). I have a crappy 350W PSU + AMD XP2600+(OC form 2000+), 1HDD (40GB), 2 optical drives, 1GB RAM). So don't worry about the PSU before you try it. They always exagerate the power requirements.
I would also recommend getting another 512MB DDR; he can go for cheaper RAM as it won't make much difference in that system. Just be sure it is compatible with what you have.
Also, if you add more RAM, you should restart the overclocking from stock speeds, because the new module might not go that high. (I assumed you overclocked the memory by raising the FSB)

 

[blondeguy08]

both of his ram slots are full we decided the best my be that he get a new processor off of ebay the

Intel Pentium 4 P4 3.0 Ghz 478 512KB L2 800Mhz from the old cele..... because we play strat games a lot especially C&C Generals zero hour and are waiting on the C&C 3 but his bud kev has an identical set up but with an p4 but has a 64 mg stock video card but he can run the game much faster...weird.......... but we want to be able to play the new c&c.... i thought we max out and get a new cpu and upgrade to one 256+ on 512 mg of ram his video card has 256 megs of memory but has a slow gpu......anyways thanks and also will it handle well with the old psu

 

[texasgamer]

Hi.. I am the friend. I have two 256MB sticks of RAM one isnt over a year old an I want to get a 512 to go with one of the 256's. I cant spend much, simply because school is starting back up and will have little income to go towards new parts. I have looked at the Intel 805, and almost got it but we saw the Intel Pentium 4 Northwood 3.0 Ghz 512KB L2 800Mhz, and are planning on getting that tonight. As for the LCDs have no worrys I dont plan on getting one for a long time. I was thinking if I got a new MOBO and CPU that by next summer, I would buy a new Graphics card, for the new C&C. All I know at the moment about my current MOBO is that it is a Micro Gigabyte with a 478 socet type... About Kevins comp, I have no idea rather than his processor kicks mines ass, everything about his, mine is better except that.. His runs games with no problems, a NVIDA GForce 4 64MB integrated graphics card, and a 2.0ghz P4(Not Overclocked) and 448MB RAM(512-the 64) Any more suggestions on what I should do?

 

[Wolfshadw]

My first concern would be is your current RAM compatible with the new motherboard you're looking at. If it isn't, your budget is all but blown right there.

-Wolf sends

 

[texasgamer]

Yes it is. I have PC3200 (DDR 400) and this MOBO supports it. I only need the MOBO we go with the 805. As for my buddget, the 805 is 97 with free shipping and the MOBO is 52 with its shipping costs, thats only $150

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130528