Upgrading Motherboard/CPU/RAM on a 7 year old custom build

[Guest]

I'm looking to upgrade my 7 year old custom system. This thing cost $3,000 that long ago! Oh yeah baby 2.00 P4, ASUS, AGP, 1GB RAM, etc etc etc.

I'm only worried if my 7 year old power supply can handle it and has the right connections for parts these days. I can't see the make and model of the one I have but I can see "400W". I assume they've been the same for years so I don't know if I have older plugs, or if brand new power supplies use the exact same connections. Right now I have a 128mb AGP graphics card and 3 harddrives hooked up to it among the regular stuff.

Also I have a 3 year old graphics card laying around to use that is a PCI-E, so let me know if it'll work with the motherboard I'm about to mention.

I thinking of picking this quick combo deal up...

1. MSI P43-C51 :$79.99
2. Intel BX80571E7500 :$117.99
3. Kingston Technology Corp. KVR1333D3N9/2G :$47.99

* Combined Total:$245.97
* Combo Discounts:-$26.97
* Combo Price:$219.00

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.435777

I believe the only extra thing I'll need is an SATA cable for a laptop harddrive that I'll use for the OS.


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: NOW!

BUDGET RANGE: $240 for Motherboard/CPU/RAM, can go to $300 if it makes sense

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Right now I have 9 tabs open in Firefox, Thunderbird, Sunbird, Digsby, & iTunes. I use Photoshop to automate edit 50-300 pictures at a time and it takes forever. I have monthly folders with hundreds of pictures and videos and it takes forever for the thumbnails to come up.

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: I will only need a Motherboard/CPU/RAM. I don't know much about power supplies. I can't see the make and model of the one I have but I can see 400W. I assume they've been the same for years so I don't know if I have older plugs, or if brand new power supplies use the exact same connections.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Newegg is what I know. Can buy from anywhere thats trusted.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: The United States of America

PARTS PREFERENCES: I try to never have sole allegiance to a company.

OVERCLOCKING: No

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1280x1024

 

[lowriderflow]

Your power supply will work fine... it wont have the correct 6pin connections for new-age graphics cards... but sounds like you're not concerned with that anyway.

Honestly, for $300 you can get something literally twice as powerful. Here's what I'd do - well worht the $300 bucks... and sounds like you could benefit from quad core with 4gb of ramming multitasking like that

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.445123

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227558

 

[lowriderflow]

Comes out to $290 up front shipped.... $270 after rebates

 

[jitpublisher]

Personally, for your budget, and Photoshop, you can do a lot better for the price.
Something along these lines would much better bang for your buck, with what you do.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.445123

 

[jitpublisher]

Holy cow, lowriderflow and I found exactly the same combo, at the same time, that ought to tell you something!

 

[Guest]

Hahaha, First I liked the $160 Intel combo deal, Then the $219 Intel combo deal for it's upgradability.

I KNEW if I opened the gates to $300 you guys would push the limits!

That motherboard is intense and I think its reaching into being overkill for me. I don't need USB 3.0 or two graphics cards. Remember I'm upgrading from 7 year old Pentium IV on IDE drives and AGP graphics.

LoL @ "Military Grade"

 

[lowriderflow]

The ram is pretty ugly for sure, but who cares. lol it's a steal at taht price

You dont need that stuff... but its just such a good deal I dont know how you could pass it up!

 

[Doom3klr]

Heres a little combo deal for ya check this out.


http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6532266&CatId=332

 

[Guest]

I think I'm going to go with the $219 Intel combo.

Is it wrong that I won't go with the similar AMD combos, $134 for x2 and $174 for quadcore just because the motherboards have a parallel port? Haha...

 

[jitpublisher]

Your choice. If you think that Intel bundle will do what you need, then get it, it's your money. It will still be a good step up from what you have, although like we mentioned, it's not that great of a deal, even for that price.
PS, You said you need something to do photo work with, well then I would really, really, really be looking at a quad core if I were you.