PC techy types. Opinions on an upgrade please

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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:42 pm

I'm upgrading my motherboard, CPU and RAM and have a budget of �175. What do you think of these components? Would you change any?

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132274
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140714
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/116755

TIA for any advice Smile

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:53 pm

What OS you gonna run on it?

B

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:58 pm

XP Home (32bit)

(edit) I'd like to run Mandriva Powerpack 2008 as well, but I'll have to see if it works with it first.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:48 pm

Why not go for a bundle?
Most PC component suppliers offer them nowadays and you can find some good deals - better than buying components individually.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:45 pm

Are you looking to stick with AMD or does it not matter. I myself had been and AMD guy for the past few years until I saw what the current Intel stuff could do.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:57 pm

If you don't mind spending a little more you can get an Intel core2quad (2.6 Ghz) for about �130, chuck in a couple of gigs of Kingston Value Ram and a motherbord and that'll be about �200. OxygenDeprived is right. Currently Intel blow AMD out of the water.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:09 pm

I'm open to suggestions, but �175 is already over the budget I allowed myself for this. It really is as far as I can go moneywise. So any alternatives would have to be within that amount.

I should note that I'm not a gamer so I'm not looking for the best framerates for whatwever the latest games are. Most of the stuff I do with my PC involves converting video files.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:18 pm

/ $ .02 mode ON /

Since "good tech" is such a moving target I usually just get stuff about 18 months old.

Currently I am using four laptops and two desktops, not counting wife and son's gear, and most of them will do fine for any word processing, email or browsing that we do.

It's my son's games that require the heavy lifting and newer PC's.

Staying within the XP world with 2 gig of RAM any one of those should do fine. However you might want to think about upgrading your hard drive to a 7200 rpm model. That and an 800 MHGz FSB will make a huge difference.

/ $ .02 mode OFF /

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:24 pm

Stoker Thompson wrote:

However you might want to think about upgrading your hard drive to a 7200 rpm model. That and an 800 MHGz FSB will make a huge difference.

Already done. Both my drives are 7200. I upgraded them just before Christmas.

My current system is a 3600 AMD dual core with 2Gig of memory btw.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:43 pm

Uh, not to be a Kill-Joy but do you need to upgrade? Unless you are running a new application that requires an upgrade you might not notice a big improvement.

On the other hand getting a new graphics card, or really good PC speakers might be a better place to invest.

It really all boils down to your personal computing style.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

^^^ me too.

Unless you are gaming, you will notice no improvement. Even if you are gaming, then a video card or more (or faster) RAM may be a better investment.

My machine is only a 2800 X2 with 1GB RAM. If I had that money to spend on my computer right now, I'd be looking for a colour laser printer. Another really amazingly useful thing to have is dual flatscreen monitors, but I already have those.

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:21 am

In the end I went for the same motherboard and RAM, but a 5400 processor instead of the 6400 one. The �35 I saved will pay for a cheap case and DVD burner. Add the stuff I'm replacing, a 160Gig hard drive and PSU that I have hanging around and I have a whole base unit I can sell on. Whatever I make on that can go toward a bigger hard drive and a 64bit version of XP Very Happy

I don't HAVE to upgrade of course, but messing with computers is my hobby. The money came from working on other people's PCs, so it's kind of a hobby that ends up paying for itself for me. And I bought both a new monitor and all in one printer/scanner this year already so don't need either of those.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

Fair enough. Enjoy.

BTW, my point was not in the "flatscreen" bit, but in the "dual" bit. Until you try two monitors you wouldn't believe how useful it is. One of those never-go-back things. If your video card has a digital and an analogue output (most have) and you still have your old monitor, then you can probably try it now.

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:42 pm

Dual monitors are nice, Thud is right about that. I am typing from work on a dual screen (was able to convince them increased productivity, just didn't say for baiting Laughing

). I'd do it at home too, but my pc is in a hutch so I don't have the space or the money for a bigger hutch Crying or Very sad

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

First of all STOP lol.

Leave the money in the bank or under the matress or whereever it is.

You say you want to upgrade - to amd? thats not an upgrade thats a side grade.

Your existing spec is fine now for most stuff anyway, I see its your hobby, but dont waste your money just yet,

Go down to pc world, ask for the reconditioned list, for 139 you can get a dual core entire machine - then resell it for �200 instant 60 quid profit.

The loot is a good place to do the FREE ADS lol, just be careful theres lads in that loot. so each brand new(ish) reconditioned pc you buy add 60 quid to the price - have a ceiling price of 400 quid - you could be the next alan sugar - just keep buying and selling soon that 139 will be 1400 and you can go out and buy the Skulltrial motherboard and some serious xeon six core chips that is an upgrade. (And it will take your HDD and your RAM)
Then you can buy some other parts and sell the spare ones on too, have alook in pc world, reconditioned machines, laptops the lot, all for under �500 - the reason to keep it under 500 is if there buying it out of the loot thats about all they got to get one lol.

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