I know everyone and their pet iguana already have a "help me build my next system" post. But ... what the heck ... here I go.
My current system is an ACorp (are they still in business?) 6A815EPD motherboard with dual Pentium III 800MHz CPUs and 512MB (the max) of PC133 SDRAM. Yes. I really am a dinosaur. (I'm also clearly not a gamer. )
What am I thinking of getting? Just the bare basics to upgrade.
[*:ccb17710d2]new processor
[*:ccb17710d2]new motherboard
[*:ccb17710d2]new RAM
[*:ccb17710d2]probably a new video card (Not something I want, but clearly my AGP card is not going to work in a PCI Express motherboard).
When I consider upgrading I've only been considering motherboards which support DDR2 RAM and the new dual CPU processors (Conroe & Athlon X2). I guess my thinking here is to try to leave open the option to go to a quad core in, say, 5 years from now.
FWIW, I also know in my bones that I definitely do not want a PC that can function as a backup space heater. Aside from having two CPU's the other thing I really love about my current system is that the CPU temps max out around mid-30 degrees C. The less power a processor ... or CPU chipset for that matter ... consumes, the better it looks to me.
I also don't want to spend much beyond $300. (Not sure if this is possible, but it's my current budget number).
At first I was thinking, try to go for the new Core 2 Duo on the cheap. But more recently I'm thinking I might be more likely to hit my price point by going in the AM2 Athlon X2 direction.
Bottom line: At this point I'm still an ambivalent dinosaur looking for any advice that might help me move towards the 21'st century.
-john
P.S. Everyone always asks what other hardware you've got. I'm not sure if it's worth listing, but what the heck:
[*:ccb17710d2]RaidMax RX-630A power supply
[*:ccb17710d2]2 PATA DVD/RW. Plextor 760A and NEC 3550A.
[*:ccb17710d2]6 PATA drives: two 120GB, one 160GB, three 250GB.
[*:ccb17710d2]1 SATA drive: a 400GB Seagate.
[*:ccb17710d2]Creative Audigy 2 PCI card.
[*:ccb17710d2]Promise SATA 300 TX2 PCI card.
[*:ccb17710d2]a generic NEC USB 2 PCI card.
[*:ccb17710d2]an ethernet PCI card (remember those?? )
My current system is an ACorp (are they still in business?) 6A815EPD motherboard with dual Pentium III 800MHz CPUs and 512MB (the max) of PC133 SDRAM. Yes. I really am a dinosaur. (I'm also clearly not a gamer. )
What am I thinking of getting? Just the bare basics to upgrade.
[*:ccb17710d2]new processor
[*:ccb17710d2]new motherboard
[*:ccb17710d2]new RAM
[*:ccb17710d2]probably a new video card (Not something I want, but clearly my AGP card is not going to work in a PCI Express motherboard).
When I consider upgrading I've only been considering motherboards which support DDR2 RAM and the new dual CPU processors (Conroe & Athlon X2). I guess my thinking here is to try to leave open the option to go to a quad core in, say, 5 years from now.
FWIW, I also know in my bones that I definitely do not want a PC that can function as a backup space heater. Aside from having two CPU's the other thing I really love about my current system is that the CPU temps max out around mid-30 degrees C. The less power a processor ... or CPU chipset for that matter ... consumes, the better it looks to me.
I also don't want to spend much beyond $300. (Not sure if this is possible, but it's my current budget number).
At first I was thinking, try to go for the new Core 2 Duo on the cheap. But more recently I'm thinking I might be more likely to hit my price point by going in the AM2 Athlon X2 direction.
Bottom line: At this point I'm still an ambivalent dinosaur looking for any advice that might help me move towards the 21'st century.
-john
P.S. Everyone always asks what other hardware you've got. I'm not sure if it's worth listing, but what the heck:
[*:ccb17710d2]RaidMax RX-630A power supply
[*:ccb17710d2]2 PATA DVD/RW. Plextor 760A and NEC 3550A.
[*:ccb17710d2]6 PATA drives: two 120GB, one 160GB, three 250GB.
[*:ccb17710d2]1 SATA drive: a 400GB Seagate.
[*:ccb17710d2]Creative Audigy 2 PCI card.
[*:ccb17710d2]Promise SATA 300 TX2 PCI card.
[*:ccb17710d2]a generic NEC USB 2 PCI card.
[*:ccb17710d2]an ethernet PCI card (remember those?? )