Advise for upgrade or new build please

[roth79]

I need advise please, I am a newby with this but I did come to this site and research and got advise from here in December 2005 and built the following system;

Amd 64 3200 + athalon64 1 ghz 939
Epox GE Force 6600 256 mb pci express
Mem 512 corsair d400 1 gig 184 pin ddr sdram
Seagate hd 250 7200 serial ata
evga ge force 6600 256 mb pci express
epox ep-9npa ultra nforce 939
Antec p180 silver steel mid tower
Power-antec sp-400 (400 watts)
standard dvd burner sony

Here is my existing system, I haven't gamed but would like to play with it, never oced at all but would if I knew what the hell I was doing! My kid bought home a new dell laptop and working on that versus my home pc, I was dragging. I want a system that will not be out dated before I finish build.

The question is with the components above can I upgrade any and or replace and keep any of the existing parts above. If not I can replace anything above.

Advise please and thanks,

Roth79

 

[rgeist554]

I'm going to say that you probably want to build a new system. Most boards these days only support DDR2 RAM, and I see that you're still using DDR (I'm guessing that d400 = ddr 400). What type of motherboard do you have? Also, if you did have to rebuild, what is your budget and what would be the primary use of the computer?

 

[roth79]

Cool lets build one!!! Ya think I got the itch!! Okay, yor right ddr and the mobo is an epox 9npa ultra. Budget is whatever need be that wont fall apart and be slow as hell in a year, the primary use now is surfing, downloading and I do want to check out some games for the graphics, so some gaming but not proffesional hour by hour gaming. I may want to go vista when the bugs are worked out. Does that help?
R

 

[rgeist554]

Ok, here we go:


CPU
E6750 - $189.00 (You could go for a Q6600, but I think it may be overkill unless you're encoding video or into hardcore gaming)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115029

MOBO

Gigabyte P35-DS3R - $129.99 (The DS3L is $91.00, but some people have BIOS issues out of the box)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128050

RAM

Crucial Ballistix - 2x1GB DDR2 PC6400 Dual-Channel Kit - $69.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146565

GPU

ATI 3850HD - $179 (Great card for a relatively low price. You can play just about any game you want at moderate settings, plus you'll have some room to grow on for future games)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102714

PSU

Corsair VX 550w - $99.00 ($84.00 after $15.00 MIR - Good reliable power source)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004&Tpk=corsair%2b550w


I didn't include optical drives, storage, and case because I wasn't sure if you were just going to reuse your old stuff. This should last you a while and it's not terribly expensive.

 

[roth79]

I assume my case is okay as above? Also my power is to small for this?

Thanks,

Roth

 

[jabil32]

CPU: Get a E6750 or Q6600 depending on how much performance you need.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115029
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2956463&CatId=2760

Mother Board: ASUS P5N-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA 65oi SLI ATX Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131142

RAM: OCZ SLI Ready 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240 PIN DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227198
(if you purchase the memory by 11/30 you can pay only $40)

Hard Drive: Keep your hard drive and buy another one. Run it in any RAID configuration you prefer.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148261

PSU: Cooler master real Power Pro 550W ATX PSU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817171025

Graphics Card: XFX GeForce 8800 GTS XXX 320MB Video Card
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2892981&CatId=2669

OS: Vista Premium x64 OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116204

CD/DVD Drive: Keep your old one.

Case: Keep the one you have already.

The total should come to about to $975. Its a pretty decent system.
Oh yeah, you might want to change your case fans just so you get some better cooling in your machine. They don't have to be super expensive, just standard case fans.

 

[roth79]

Jabil and reg, I am reading so much my eyes are bleeding!! Thanks for the advise, can I use these that I have?
Antec p180 silver steel mid tower
Power-antec sp-400 (400 watts)

Or need to replace those also? I almost forgot after reading the specs on the graphics card, I need a 20" or so give or take a few inch monitor also, suggestions please.

Thanks,

R

 

[roth79]

Any help or advise please on the above?

 

[rgeist554]

roth79, don't get the 8800 GTS 320MB. It's more expensive than and 8800GT or HD 3870, both of which are cheaper and perform better. So if you want a high-end graphics card go with an 8800GT or the HD3870.

Antec p180 silver steel mid tower
Power-antec sp-400 (400 watts)

The case should work just fine, but the PSU is cutting it a little close in terms of power consumption. I think you want at least 450W to run this setup.

Or need to replace those also? I almost forgot after reading the specs on the graphics card, I need a 20" or so give or take a few inch monitor also, suggestions please.

If you have a 17"+ monitor you should be okay unless you really want a new, larger one. Samsung is a very good brand if you want to consider a 20-22".

 

[roth79]

I do want a 22 incher, any suggestions, I have been reviewing, also the mobo above, is that what I want, or I have been reading a review of the x38 here at Toms, any suggestions I am damn close to ordering at the egg, do you recommend any special manufacture for ps above ( I probably want more than 450 for future expansion and BTW thanks for your advise and help.

 

[roth79]

reg which one 8800gt, I just searched the egg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=XFX+GeForce+8800+GT

 

[rgeist554]

They are all 8800Gt, but newegg is out of stock for a while. The only difference between those 3 is that clock speed on each one. (Higher = Better)

 

[roth79]

Okay I am wanting to order asap and build this thing, I decided so far on this with everything I read, can you review and make some suggestions so I am kind of future proof for a little while, I have never oc so if I did I would just screw around with it.

I did purchase and have running a Samung 226 bw Monitor last week locally.

Today I got a BFG 8800 gt oc 512 mb for 214.99 at bestbuy with coupon, only had 2 in stock and snagged them with a 10 % coupon!

This is what I am about ready to purchase from the egg.

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model BX80562Q6600 $279.99 Hopefully the GO as I have read for maybe future ocing
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017

ASUS P5E LGA 775 Intel X38 AGIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3P Rev 2.0 LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Ultra Durable 2, Ultra Cooling Intel Motherboard - Retail TX Intel Motherboard - Retail $229.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131219

GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3P Rev 2.0 LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Ultra Durable 2, Ultra Cooling Intel Motherboard - Retail $152.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128067

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250310AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM Item #: N82E16822148261 $65.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148261

The above mb's are strictly from reading a little, I have not clue juts a link for ideas!

I need advise on the above mb's, I wont sli but I may raid after I read up on it a little, I would like to have operating system on one hard drive and data and programs on another, I do need to read some more on this to understand how. I also wont oc much unless I am screwing around a little. I have a p-180 antec with the stock fans and the psu that came with it, I like the case and dont need the led lights, I do need advise for psu with the above componets with a little expansion room as the 180 has an antec 400 watts, I dont need budget power as I have read here that I need quality psu, so what do you think? Will my existing fan set up with the 180 be okay or should I add a few more.

Also ram advise and right now I have xp pro 32 bit but I will probably go vista 64 as the laptop has it and I will network for a few databases and video editing. So 4 gigs are needed and if I stick with a 32 bit os, I will have the 4 gigs for later expansion as it looks like the ram deals are out there pretty good.

I do appreciate the advise and time this forum has given me on this build and the above which was my last a few years ago Thanks.

Roth79