First of all, let me describe my current system:
"0.45 GHz" PIII
384 MB RAM
Radeon 7000
13GB PATA & 320GB SATA HD's
8X DVD ROM drive
52X CD+/-RW drive
External 16X DVD+/-RW drive
Adaptec SCSI controller card
IEEE1394 & USB 2.0 controller card
SATA controller card
802.11g controller card
200W PSU
19" CRT display
PS/2 keyboard & mouse
Windows XP SP2
Basically its a tad on the ancient side. Time for a new system.
This system is not for gaming. No OC'ing. Your basic computer. I do have a few IEEE1394 devices (external HD's, cameras, etc.) I may crunch a little video to convert XVID to Tivo-formatted MPEG-2, but I'm currently doing most of that on a 4-yr old laptop so anything will be an improvement. Budget is only $400 and I'll be reusing the items above highlighted BOLD. While the budget is light, I would like to keep upgrading avenues open for when I have a spare $100-200 laying around here-and-there. I would like this system to last 8-years as well. This is what I've come up with:
Intel DG965WH ($122 + S&H) -- specing out a P965 with even a cheap discrete GPU was killing my budget. Plus the money for the discrete GPU was going to go down the tubes when I upgraded in a year or two (see CPU below.) So I went with onboard video. This MB also has the onboard IEEE1394 so I don't have to waste a slot with an add-on card.
Intel Celeron D 347 Cedar Mill 3.06GHz ($48) -- This will be upgraded in a year or so, when C2D's are around $100. So for this I went with the cheapest possible so I won't feel to bad when I pitch it. Still beats my PIII...
1GB 240-Pin DDR2 667 ($49) -- I've bought both brand name and house brand RAM over the last 20 yrs and haven't really noticed any difference. So I went with house brand here. And one 1-GB stick today, I'll get his matching brother in 6 months.
COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Mid Tower ($56) -- Actually just got this case and PSU (below) recommended here at TG today. It is much better than what I was originally going to get and I'm still within budget. Needed a roomy case with front USB and IEEE1394.
Thermaltake TR2 W0070RUC ATX 430W ($10MIR) ($42)
Vista Premium Home Upgrade - Education Version ($70) -- I know, I know: "Here's how you can save some money, don't buy Vista." However, its my first new system in 8-years so I want to get all of the upgrade bugs out of the way.
TOTAL (w/ S&H) = $398 ($388 after MIR)
Before I changed the Case/PSU I had an extra $30, but now I don't have much room for minor changes. However, if anything is way off base or you think I'm making the biggest mistake of my life, I'd love to see your comments.
"0.45 GHz" PIII
384 MB RAM
Radeon 7000
13GB PATA & 320GB SATA HD's
8X DVD ROM drive
52X CD+/-RW drive
External 16X DVD+/-RW drive
Adaptec SCSI controller card
IEEE1394 & USB 2.0 controller card
SATA controller card
802.11g controller card
200W PSU
19" CRT display
PS/2 keyboard & mouse
Windows XP SP2
Basically its a tad on the ancient side. Time for a new system.
This system is not for gaming. No OC'ing. Your basic computer. I do have a few IEEE1394 devices (external HD's, cameras, etc.) I may crunch a little video to convert XVID to Tivo-formatted MPEG-2, but I'm currently doing most of that on a 4-yr old laptop so anything will be an improvement. Budget is only $400 and I'll be reusing the items above highlighted BOLD. While the budget is light, I would like to keep upgrading avenues open for when I have a spare $100-200 laying around here-and-there. I would like this system to last 8-years as well. This is what I've come up with:
Intel DG965WH ($122 + S&H) -- specing out a P965 with even a cheap discrete GPU was killing my budget. Plus the money for the discrete GPU was going to go down the tubes when I upgraded in a year or two (see CPU below.) So I went with onboard video. This MB also has the onboard IEEE1394 so I don't have to waste a slot with an add-on card.
Intel Celeron D 347 Cedar Mill 3.06GHz ($48) -- This will be upgraded in a year or so, when C2D's are around $100. So for this I went with the cheapest possible so I won't feel to bad when I pitch it. Still beats my PIII...
1GB 240-Pin DDR2 667 ($49) -- I've bought both brand name and house brand RAM over the last 20 yrs and haven't really noticed any difference. So I went with house brand here. And one 1-GB stick today, I'll get his matching brother in 6 months.
COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Mid Tower ($56) -- Actually just got this case and PSU (below) recommended here at TG today. It is much better than what I was originally going to get and I'm still within budget. Needed a roomy case with front USB and IEEE1394.
Thermaltake TR2 W0070RUC ATX 430W ($10MIR) ($42)
Vista Premium Home Upgrade - Education Version ($70) -- I know, I know: "Here's how you can save some money, don't buy Vista." However, its my first new system in 8-years so I want to get all of the upgrade bugs out of the way.
TOTAL (w/ S&H) = $398 ($388 after MIR)
Before I changed the Case/PSU I had an extra $30, but now I don't have much room for minor changes. However, if anything is way off base or you think I'm making the biggest mistake of my life, I'd love to see your comments.
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