Upgrades on a budget... Help me out please!

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WaOnFiRe

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Sep 24, 2001
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Hello everyone,

I have about 250$ to upgrade my computer right now.

Here's what my computer look like right now:

-Intel Pentium III 600MHz processor
-192Mb of PC100 memory
-80Gb Western Digital hard drive
-3dfx Voodoo 3 3000 16Mb AGP video card
-Sound Blaster AWE64 sound card
-LAN card
-56K modem
-52x LG CD-ROM drive
-2x LG DVD writer
-Brand new AOpen case
-Logitech Optical mouse
-Standard keyboard
-17 inch AOC FT700 monitor
-2 speakers + 1 subwoofer

So, I'll need to buy used parts off eBay probably. But I would still like to be able to play a lot of newer games. I won't go higher than 1024x768 resolution if that can help you help me. ;)

Thanks!
 
W

WaOnFiRe

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Sep 24, 2001
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The case is brand new...

I wan't to buy a used motherboard, CPU, RAM and a video card. I just wan't to play some newer game. I don't need an Athlon 64 4800+ to play newer games right? Just wan't to buy a couple of used parts off eBay that are like maybe a year or two old... But I don't know what I should get.
 
borandi

borandi

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Jan 7, 2006
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Try and get at least 512MB RAM. This is an absolute minimum - goto www.crucial.com and use their memory scanner, see how much you can hold.

Get a better gfx card - at least a low end 128MB.

This will let you play some modern games, but only at lower resolutions and pretty crappy quality.

Or get a whole new system. You can get a half decent gaming rig for £500 which'll let you play a lot of decent games at medium resolution.

$250 is really not a budget. Its a mid range-ish gfx card which wouldnt really go with your system. Save the $$$ and give it a few hard working months. For $250 you could probably buy a better machine completely on ebay. But I suggest to save it and wait.
 
pat

pat

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Jan 2, 2001
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Use that think only for Internet and get a game console to play new game..

Seriously. There is nothing that would help with so less money to spend. Ram will be overpriced and I don't even think that you can put newer video card in your board.. old board AGP slot is keyed differently from newer..

But, if you want to upgrade anyway, get an ATI board with onboard graphic or one with nforce4 6100 chipset and an inexpensive Sempron and 152 megs RAM..
2 examples of motherboard..
ASRock K8NF4G-SATA2 socket 754
MSI RS482M-IL mATX S754

Both more or less 85$
then get generic ram at 45$
and then, put the fastest Sempron that will allow you to stay within your budget. With taxes and shipping, you should be ok

Even the onboard graphic will be way better than your old video card and both board will allow you to install faster video card if needed.
 
W

WaOnFiRe

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Sep 24, 2001
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Thanks for the replies! Well I don't wan't to keep my old motherboard anyway.

Would I be able to play some games with say an Nvidia Nforce2 Ultra 400 chipset motherboard, AMD Athlon XP 2500+, 512Mo DDR400 and a GeForce 4 TI 4200 with 128Mb?
 
pat

pat

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Jan 2, 2001
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Sure, at a certain point... but I'll still go with what I suggested to you. first, motherboard support PCI-e which will let you upgrade to a better video card later and Those Sempron cpu are way more capable that the XP in gaming.

A Sempron 3100+ and a 6600gt perform better than my 939 3000+ and x600xt in game.

But anyway. if you want to stay with older tech, then Ok.. get that thing and you'll find out it will have trouble running newest game and sadly, you'll have not a lot of room to upgrade your video card to a better one, because you decided to remain with AGP..
 
sparky853

sparky853

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If you could manage it, go for a low end s393 A64 CPU, even a sempron. At least then you could always upgrade the CPU in 6 months if you wanted.
 
pat

pat

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A video card upgrade in 6 month if he can afford, would do better that onboard with the same CPU.

Going 939 means dual channel memory. which will bust his 250$ budget.

No, a motherboard like those I suggest support DX9 and will perform nice enough for a while. The CPu won't be a bottle neck, and can easily be OCed to something like 2.0GHz or 2.1 GHz later when he'll feel more confident.
 
W

WaOnFiRe

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I think I may be able to get 350$ to spend...

What is the cheapest Athlon 64 CPU right now in socket 939?

From what I've read on X-bit labs, the slowest new Athlon 64 should be enough for most recent games. The video card is more important from there.
 
Vascular

Vascular

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chaintech kt890 pci-e mobo $44
sempron 2800+ $75.50
wintec 512 MB PC3200 $35.99
MSI Radeon X800 $105 after rebate
not sure bout delivery but this should keep you going if you reuse your drives and case and psu.
Click to expand...

damn blackdog2 that is cheap but would work for alot of games and is a huge improvment over his p3 600.

wan0nFiRe go over to newegg.com / zipzoomfly.com and check out the prices. People could spend time on this but your budget is your own. You should put the parts together and ask for feed back.
 
B

blackdog2

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chaintech kt890 pci-e mobo $44
sempron 2800+ $75.50
wintec 512 MB PC3200 $35.99
MSI Radeon X800 $105 after rebate
not sure bout delivery but this should keep you going if you reuse your drives and case and psu.
Click to expand...

damn blackdog2 that is cheap but would work for alot of games and is a huge improvment over his p3 600.

wan0nFiRe go over to newegg.com / zipzoomfly.com and check out the prices. People could spend time on this but your budget is your own. You should put the parts together and ask for feed back.
Sorry didnt see this post :oops:
 
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imperfectcircle25

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Why not just use the $250 and go buy an Xbox or Playstation?? Probably a better idea ur not gonna put together a gaming system thats better than an xbox for $250 anyways. Just an idea. Other idea is to just save until u have about $500 and then u can put together something decent. Good luck
 
W

WaOnFiRe

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Sep 24, 2001
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I already have a Sony PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube. I may be able to get around 400$ finally because I've put some things for sale on eBay.

With 400$, I should be able to make a better PC than I have right now.

So far the plan is:

-AMD Sempron 64 2800+ (Overclock it as much as I can)
-A motherboard with NVIDIA NFORCE3 250 chipset
-512Mb DDR (Or 1024Mb if I still have some cash left)
-128Mb video card... This one I still don't know. In the sub 100$ range their's lot of choices and I don't know what would be the bets for a max of 100$.
 
pat

pat

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Jan 2, 2001
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I already have a Sony PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube. I may be able to get around 400$ finally because I've put some things for sale on eBay.

With 400$, I should be able to make a better PC than I have right now.

So far the plan is:

-AMD Sempron 64 2800+ (Overclock it as much as I can)
-A motherboard with NVIDIA NFORCE3 250 chipset
-512Mb DDR (Or 1024Mb if I still have some cash left)
-128Mb video card... This one I still don't know. In the sub 100$ range their's lot of choices and I don't know what would be the bets for a max of 100$.
Click to expand...

You want something to play game, but always refuse to get decent video card.. Damn, memory won't do anything if the GPU is weak. and under 100$, you're not going to play at 1024x768 with recent games.. Get at least..minimum..6600 GPU in nvidia or x800 for ATI. better get the 128 6600gt that the 256 megs plain 6600.

Now, with 400$ it will be easier to have something better..
 
I

ir_efrem

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hey its my old machine (or something very close) and the same budget i was on!

list of things you will absolutely need
Video Card
Motherboard
Memory
Power Supply (the old power supply isnt gonna cut it)

thats the bare minimum

From what ive read the Biostar 6100 is a decent solution for motherboard and integrated video (that seems to play some newer games decently) - plus it has a PCI express slot (check it out if yur interested) has overclocking potential as well with a socket 754 sempron

get at the very least 512mb of a value line memory

at least something in the range of a 400w power supply
i think you will be happy with this solution plus the option is there to get a decent video card

only my opinion (take it if ya want)
 
W

WaOnFiRe

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Yeah but the motherboard he recommended seems to have lot of problems, did you rear the reviews about it? :(

What would you guy choose for a video card? A plain normal 6600 or a X800?
 
W

WaOnFiRe

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Yeah I need 4 things right now... Video card, motherboard, memory and the CPU.

My power supply should be good it's a 300Watts. My case is not even 1 year old.

So far I'm set on this:

-Biostar motherboard (NF3 250 chipset)
-512Mb DDR400
-AMD Sempron 64 2800+

For the video card in my price range in AGP format, I'm hesitating between a RADEON 9600XT 256Mb or a RADEON 9800SE 128Mb... Wich one is more powerfull? Because SE versions are often slow...
 
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