I have an $800 budget (around that)

[trenchtoaster]

Hey, I decided to upgrade my computer now instead of waiting for vista and DX10.

Currently I have a 6800GS video card, 350watt power supply, 1200+ AMD processor, and I would like something much better.

Could anyone of you perhaps point out parts that would be the best bang for the buck? I use the computer for gaming (currently WoW, and a bit of Vanguard beta). My video card runs WoW fine but it does lag quite a bit when using fraps and in high density areas.

I definately want a PCI-E video card (and motherboard), a faster processor, power supply, etc.

It would be ideal if I could leave my current computer as is, which means I would need a new case. I am not worried about monitors, keyboard, speakers, mouse etc.

I just want something that will last for a while and be able to play non DX10 games with decent to excellent settings.

Thanks for your time.

 

[cleeve]

Hmmm. A cheap socket 939 system would get you up and running, assuming you can save your hard disk, case, and DVD rom.

CPU: $200 (Athlon X2 4200+ or core2 e6300 - go for the Core2 if you're into overclocking. Stock it'd probably be pretty close.)
Mobo: $100
GOOD QUALITY Power Supply, ~500w: $120
1GB DDR2 RAM: $100

Radeon X1900GT: $200

About $720, plus tax brings you up to $800.

Sell your old RAM, mobo, and CPU for $100 and your total cost is $700.

If you can wait to sell your old stuff first, use that extra money to buy an X1900 XT 256mb or 7900 GTO instead of the X1900 GT

 

[desolationw]

CPU - C2D 6300 $183
MOTHErBOARD - ASUS P5B Socket T (LGA 775) Intel P965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $140
RAM - Patriot Signature Series 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 $190
HDD - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 (Perpendicular Recording) 250GB $80(on offer, usually $95)
GRAPHICS CARD - 7600GT $130

Ok that is the 5 main parts you will need at a total of $723.

All you need now is a CASE, PSU and DVD-RW(if necessary). I think the 7600GT is fine for your needs, others will say otherwise.

i'm tired so forgive me if i missed something

EDIT:-- i missed the graphics card, told u i was tired!

 

[carpcmelee]

Hmmm. A cheap socket 939 system would get you up and running, assuming you can save your hard disk, case, and DVD rom.

CPU: $200 (Athlon X2 4200+ or core2 e6300 - go for the Core2 if you're into overclocking. Stock it'd probably be pretty close.)
Mobo: $100
GOOD QUALITY Power Supply, ~500w: $120
1GB DDR2 RAM: $100

Radeon X1900GT: $200

About $720, plus tax brings you up to $800.

Sell your old RAM, mobo, and CPU for $100 and your total cost is $700.

If you can wait to sell your old stuff first, use that extra money to buy an X1900 XT 256mb or 7900 GTO instead of the X1900 GT

stock e6300 and x2 4200 close? thats not even funny

 

[desolationw]

no it isn't funny but it is true

 

[trenchtoaster]

Yeah, I think I would just spend the extra money and get an X1900XT or XTX, I want the video card to last.

Hmm, I still have the original box and everything for my 6800GS agp card, but I did use rivatuner and unlocked the vertex shaders and pipelines. Will that hurt the value? What do you think I could get for it?

Also, I have 1.5g of RAM right now, PC3200, so I don't think I would sell that. I would either use it in this computer so my brother could play on it, or use it in the new machine.

So, a CPU would be $200, a motherboard for $100-$140, $120 for a power supply, $250 -$340 on a video card. $100-$200 for RAM if I decide to buy some. I don't need a hardrive right now.

Maybe a new case and DVD drive IF I decide to keep this current computer completely as is.

So that is looking like around 800 dollars before a case and DVD drive. I think that is all I will really need.

Will the C2D 6300, an X1900XT, another gig of RAM added on to my 1.5g, 500w PSU, and a motherboard that costs 100-140 (hopefully 100) be a nice upgrade? Will it last for a while?

 

[TSIMonster]

This is a good option for sure. Since you said you want to keep your current system intact (which I can't blame you), we're starting from scratch, right?

Do you need dual core? Conside a single core AM2 system for the best bang for your buck. With the money you save by going single core, you can get a nicer video card, like a 7900GTO or x1900xt 256.

 

[trenchtoaster]

No I dont think I would need dual core unless it would much better to have than a single core.

All I do is play games or watch movies on the computer, I sometimes record videos as well. How much would a good single core CPU and motherboard be?

Right now I only have 1200mhz processor, so anything will be an upgrade but I do want it to last a while.

 

[cleeve]

It'll be a great upgrade.

Remember, if you're into gaming, the X1900 GT is much more important than the two gigs of RAM, if it comes down to that.


And CarPcMelee: The 4200 and e6300 aren't worlds apart as far as performance goes, I'd put 'em firmly on the same tier at stock speeds... What's so funny about that?

 

[Bruins004]

Please be aware that the C2D's and the new AM2 X2 4200+ does not use DDR memory that you have. These processors use DDR-2 memory so you wont be able to re-use those. However, if you get an AMD 939 pinset processor then you can re-use your DDR RAM.

 

[trenchtoaster]

Will the X1900XT serve me well or should I shell out the cash for the X1900XTX for 340?

Yeah I will stick with the 939 boards, thanks for that advice. Which would be my best bet the 4200 or the e6300? And which of those would use a cheaper motherboard?

 

[sillywabbit]

You can only use an AMD chip with a 939 board. 939 refers to the socket. AMD's older generation CPU's use 939 sockets while their newer cpu's use AM2 socket. The C2D chip uses Intel's LGA775 socket. So if you want to stay with the 939 board, you'll need to pick up the 4200 you mentioned.

 

[TSIMonster]

Stick with AM2 sockets for sure. The x1900xt 256 version should suit you well

 

[enforcerfx]

Hmmm. A cheap socket 939 system would get you up and running, assuming you can save your hard disk, case, and DVD rom.

CPU: $200 (Athlon X2 4200+ or core2 e6300 - go for the Core2 if you're into overclocking. Stock it'd probably be pretty close.)
Mobo: $100
GOOD QUALITY Power Supply, ~500w: $120
1GB DDR2 RAM: $100

Radeon X1900GT: $200

About $720, plus tax brings you up to $800.

Sell your old RAM, mobo, and CPU for $100 and your total cost is $700.

If you can wait to sell your old stuff first, use that extra money to buy an X1900 XT 256mb or 7900 GTO instead of the X1900 GT

stock e6300 and x2 4200 close? thats not even funny

Im pretty sure he meant close, by pricewise.

 

[cleeve]

Im pretty sure he meant close, by pricewise.

Price yes, but performance too. The 4200+ isn't too far off form the e6300.

Conroe's aren't magic. Yes, they're fast, but we're talking 1.86 Ghz on the low end part here. That's not alot to work with stock.

Check the benches, the e6300 will beat a 4200+, but not by as much as you guys are implying. You'd never notice the difference in the real world, they are actually pretty close in the scheme of things.

Overclocking though - that's another story. The e6300 would eat the 4200+.

 

[TSIMonster]

I know they are similar, but if both are overclocked, which wins? I am assuming the e6300

 

[deceneu]

no it isn't funny but it is true

It is not funny and it is not true, take a look to the banches and what people say, the E6300 is so much, much better than the 4200+.

 

[deceneu]

it is a good ideea to keep the old computer because if you sell it you will not get much for it.

the current ram you have is not compatible with the new cpus from intel and amd

but keep this in mind that if you choose the 939 you wont be able to make upgrades in the future, the 939 is now a thing of the past, they were good at their time but now they have no future; there was a guy that said that 4200+ is close to 6300, true, but there are 2 kinds of 4200+ , one for 939 and another for AM2, the one for AM2 is close to 6300, and neither of the 4200+ is close to 6300 when it comes to overclocking, simply put this way: 6300 eats them all.

you said you want this sistem to last for some time, and considering that your old rig is an amd 1200 I would say you dont have too much money to spend each year for upgrading your entire sistem you are just like me, and not to mantion that the video cards are the ones that are "old stuff" just after 6 months or so, so you need a good cpu to last you for some years and a decent vga but not very expensive which you will replace in the future without having to sell your house :lol:


so : this is the sistem I am sugesting:
Intel E6300
DS 3 mobo from gigabyte ( fantastic for overclocking , and also cheap )
1 GIGA of ram DDR 2
geforce 7600gt or radeon X1900gt or geforce 7800gt


but for god's sake dont spend to much money on that video card, in just half an year its value will drop at half the current value.


GOOD LUCK

 

[tool_462]

Both overclocked the e6300 will show it's stuff. With good cooling people are sitting around 50% overclocks while the 4200+ can probably OC to the same clockspeeds (2900mhz roughly) then we will see the advantage swing to the e6300 due to it's better architecture.

Without the 400mhz stock clockspeed advantage, the race becomes a losing situation for the 4200+.

 

[desolationw]

people say alot of things, and some of them would say benchmarks don't mean everything.

but just to argue my point that there isn't much difference between the x24200 and the c2d 6300 i will use tom's cpu charts.

Oh but what is this, there isn't a 6300 so i will use a 6400 and consider the marks it gets as less for the 6300.

6400 v x2 4200

photoshop rendering: 2.26s v 3.06s (40secs slower doesn't matter that much to me)

photoshop converting: 1.56s v 2.29s (again 33s isn't any big achievement)

Divx: 6.38s v 8.36s (ok that is a big difference, but i can go to the toilet for them 2mins)

AVG: 1.05 v 1.17 (12secs diff, no biggie)

So yes i will agree(like i always have) that the 6300 is better than the x2 4200, but it is not 'so much, much better' than u say it is.


p.s. at no point in this arguement has overclocking be mentioned, a proper comparison is done on stock speeds.

 

[deceneu]

people say alot of things, and some of them would say benchmarks don't mean everything.

but just to argue my point that there isn't much difference between the x24200 and the c2d 6300 i will use tom's cpu charts.

Oh but what is this, there isn't a 6300 so i will use a 6400 and consider the marks it gets as less for the 6300.

6400 v x2 4200

photoshop rendering: 2.26s v 3.06s (40secs slower doesn't matter that much to me)

photoshop converting: 1.56s v 2.29s (again 33s isn't any big achievement)

Divx: 6.38s v 8.36s (ok that is a big difference, but i can go to the toilet for them 2mins)

AVG: 1.05 v 1.17 (12secs diff, no biggie)

So yes i will agree(like i always have) that the 6300 is better than the x2 4200, but it is not 'so much, much better' than u say it is.


p.s. at no point in this arguement has overclocking be mentioned, a proper comparison is done on stock speeds.

there are a lot of things that doesn't matter for you ( I gues you are one of those amd hard die fanboys ) , and I can go even 10 minutes to the toilet, so why the f**k are we upgrading our computers?

 

[deceneu]

Both overclocked the e6300 will show it's stuff. With good cooling people are sitting around 50% overclocks while the 4200+ can probably OC to the same clockspeeds (2900mhz roughly) then we will see the advantage swing to the e6300 due to it's better architecture.

Without the 400mhz stock clockspeed advantage, the race becomes a losing situation for the 4200+.

I couldn't have said it batter myself

 

[trenchtoaster]

it is a good ideea to keep the old computer because if you sell it you will not get much for it.

the current ram you have is not compatible with the new cpus from intel and amd

but keep this in mind that if you choose the 939 you wont be able to make upgrades in the future, the 939 is now a thing of the past, they were good at their time but now they have no future; there was a guy that said that 4200+ is close to 6300, true, but there are 2 kinds of 4200+ , one for 939 and another for AM2, the one for AM2 is close to 6300, and neither of the 4200+ is close to 6300 when it comes to overclocking, simply put this way: 6300 eats them all.

you said you want this sistem to last for some time, and considering that your old rig is an amd 1200 I would say you dont have too much money to spend each year for upgrading your entire sistem you are just like me, and not to mantion that the video cards are the ones that are "old stuff" just after 6 months or so, so you need a good cpu to last you for some years and a decent vga but not very expensive which you will replace in the future without having to sell your house :lol:


so : this is the sistem I am sugesting:
Intel E6300
DS 3 mobo from gigabyte ( fantastic for overclocking , and also cheap )
1 GIGA of ram DDR 2
geforce 7600gt or radeon X1900gt or geforce 7800gt


but for god's sake dont spend to much money on that video card, in just half an year its value will drop at half the current value.


GOOD LUCK

So at this point the best thing to upgrade would be my processor right? And then I can get a new video card later when DX10 is out and the DX9 cards drop in price?

okay, so say I get the e6300 which is around 200$ right? then the motherboard is what, like 100-150$, and you say I will definately need new ram? I would like at least 2 gigs so that is like 200$. PSU is like 120$, I will keep my same hardrive and such.

All I am playing now is WoW, which is more about the RAM then the video card after a certain point. Would I be better off spending 200$ on an X1900GT or 250$ on a X1900XT?


Assuming I decide to go with the E6300, can someone provide tigerdirect or newegg links to the best models for the price? I have trouble determining which is better than which, especially when it comes to motherboards and such. Like exactly what processor, what motherboard, what video card, what PSU, and what RAM I should get in order to make a compatible system.

I just want to be able to have a decent machine to play games like WoW without any lag in PvP or raids, with the option to be able to make videos without a negative FPS =x

 

[Firewire09]

people say alot of things, and some of them would say benchmarks don't mean everything.

but just to argue my point that there isn't much difference between the x24200 and the c2d 6300 i will use tom's cpu charts.

Oh but what is this, there isn't a 6300 so i will use a 6400 and consider the marks it gets as less for the 6300.

6400 v x2 4200

photoshop rendering: 2.26s v 3.06s (40secs slower doesn't matter that much to me)

photoshop converting: 1.56s v 2.29s (again 33s isn't any big achievement)

Divx: 6.38s v 8.36s (ok that is a big difference, but i can go to the toilet for them 2mins)

AVG: 1.05 v 1.17 (12secs diff, no biggie)

So yes i will agree(like i always have) that the 6300 is better than the x2 4200, but it is not 'so much, much better' than u say it is.


p.s. at no point in this arguement has overclocking be mentioned, a proper comparison is done on stock speeds.

there are a lot of things that doesn't matter for you ( I gues you are one of those amd hard die fanboys ) , and I can go even 10 minutes to the toilet, so why the f**k are we upgrading our computers?

lmao so true! We really are building new sistems to get the best possible time we can get

 

[Anoobis]

For $800.00 you can build a machine that will do what you want it to do regardless of which processor you go with.

Why do you say you cannot use the case you already have?