New Build - Games and Video Conferencing

[mrfederalist]

I've started traveling and I want to be able to keep in touch with my family with a webcam. My laptop XPS16 handles it fine but my old desktop (AMD 3800) doesn't. Video is choppy and I'm sure it isn't the broadband.

I'd like to be able to play newer games as well. I would like to keep it under 1000 excluding monitor and OS. I'd take my 3800+ and use it as a backup in the basement, but I could reuse the case (Coolermaster Centurion 5) and powersupply (450W Truetec).

So I'll need CPU, Mobo, Graphics and Memory at a minimum.

 

[WR2]

You can get a really nice, complete system, for about ~$700

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz $135
GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P 790 Motherboard $110
G.SKILL 4GB DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) $55
POWERCOLOR AX4870 4870 1GB video card $190
or SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4850 512MB $140 if staying with your 450W PSU

CM RC-690 case $60
BFG Tech LS SERIES LS-550 550W PSU $80
WD Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB HDD $55
LG 22x SATA DVD Burner $25

 

[mrfederalist]

Great. I was looking at the the Phenom X3 as a good upgrade choice for me. For the 700 bucks it looks like I would be able to play most games I like (FPS games and old Descent 3) with that vid card.

Am I right in thinking the CPU is what is holding back my video conference quality (Skype)?

 

[WR2]

If you're trying for the highest quality audio/video conference, yeah, you'll want a fairly speedy dual core CPU.

 

[WR2]

You can go back and delete your duplicate thread.
Use the Edit option

 

[mrfederalist]

You can go back and delete your duplicate thread.
Use the Edit option http://m.bestofmedia.com/i/tomshardware/forum/uk/themes_static/images_forum/21/new/bt-edit.gif

Thanks, I was wondering how to do that.

To bad I can't just get a 939 dual core that would fit my old motherboard.

 

[WR2]

You could just do motherboard/cpu/ram replacement for under $175.
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 2.9GHz / BIOSTAR TForce TA770A2 MB combo with $25 rebate
Kingston HyperX 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) $32

 

[mrfederalist]

Looks like I could even put the POWERCOLOR card in that X2 motherboard. I wonder if the CPU could handle it

Now I have this --> //EVGA GeForce 7800GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card

 

[WR2]

It's not the CPU you need to be concerned about - it's the 450W PSU. How many 6 pin PCI-e power connectors does it have? The 4870 wants 2. The 4850 wants 1.
What size/resolution monitor are you using?

 

[mrfederalist]

I lied. It is an Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-550 550W ATX12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Power Supply - 2 PCI-e connectors.

I believe it is a 20 inch LCD. 1680X1050 HD ready (Sceptre).

This might be a good option but, for just a couple dollars more I could have a second CPU and move my existing one to the basement for a backup or playing multiplayer games in house (over wifi).