Updating my PC- $600 budget

[glucagon]

Recently I decided to upgrade my budget pc build, but I have no idea what would be the best build, I am thinking of OCing and room for future upgrades.

My Build:
-e4400 (stock cooling)
-2gb DDR2 800 G.Skill Ram
-MSI 8600GTS 256mb
-160gb WD 7200RPM
- ASUS P5KPL-VM (G31 chipset, M-ATX)
-coolmax 450watt PS

I already have a full tower case- and I use my pc strictly for gaming. Any suggestions?(dont care of getting rid of any one of the components)

 

[bpogdowz]

get vista

 

[robertito]

the 8600gts is not a gaming card, get a 8800 or 38**. Also don't skimp on the psu get a top tier brand.

 

[joelg88]

you could make a very nice upgrade with $600
1: Intel C2D E8400 $200
2: 4gb's pc6400 ram $100
3:250gb 7200 32mb cache seagate $80
4: 8800 gts 640mb $200-220
It might go over 600 by about 20 bucks. Thats something I came up with really quick. Maybe someone can find some better parts on sale or a little cheaper. just gotta look around. I found all that on Newegg

 

[evilshuriken]

It's hard to give you some good advice without some more info on what you do with your pc, and what is more important to you.

If you are gaming, you can keep that processor and OC it a bit.
Replace the motherboard with a GA-P35-DS3L
Replace the graphics card with an 8800gt/gts or 9600gt
If you need more harddrive space you could get a seagate 500GB 7200.11 HD.
You could get another 2GBs of that DDR2 800 G.Skill RAM.

Just some quick ideas, depending on what is more important to you it could be completely different.



bpogdowz, that is the most useless post I have seen in quite a while.

 

[rockyjohn]

Since you only game and have stated no other reason that would require a HD upgrade, just shorten up Joel's list to:

1: Intel C2D E8400 $200
2: 2gb's G Skill pc6400 ram $50
3: 8800 gts 640mb $200-220

Then you can take the extra $130-$150 and buy some new games or controllers - or save towards the next upgrade.

 

[angry_ducky]

I agree with changing the CPU to an E8400, but I'd get a 512MB 8800GT rather than the 640MB GTS.

I'd also get a different PSU.

 

[mihirkula]

Yeah E8400 of course...............$200
GA-P35-DS3L.............................$85
Crucial Ballstix 2GB DDR2 800.. $35
8800GT 512MB..........................$170

Total $490

Though i'd wait for the 4850.

 

[B-Unit]

WTF?!? who recomends the old G80 crap? Get an 8800GTS 512 and the GA-P35 and OC your current proc. Might also pick up another 2GB of ram.

Also defanatly upgrade your power supply, use this as a guide http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=108088 You need to scroll down to the second post, try to stay at Tier3 and above.

 

[glucagon]

Thanks, Ill go with a new 8400, P35 and Crucial Ballistix 2gb, and maybe a 700 watt PS, ill wait till the 4850 and 4870 confirmed benchmarks are out.

Thanks Guys =)

 

[rockyjohn]

Why upgrade the motherboard? What additional features of the new one do you need? Instead of getting 2GB of Crucial memory - presumably at the same speed as your G. Skill RAM - why not get 2GB more of it and have 4GB of matched memory?