Money to burn, upgrade time!

CaffeineMe

I've got about $350-$400 to invest in a PC upgrade. New mobo, proc, min. 1 GB memory, and a DVD Burner are all requirements. I've got an FX5500 video card that is adequate for now, and a HDD I'll reuse. I've also got a case. What I need are your recommendations as to how I'm going to spend my money. Prefer AMD, but if a case can be made for Intel, I'll look there as well. I want to play BF2, as well as AoE3 when it comes out this fall/winter.

Thanks!

TheBaron

dvd burner $51
venice A64 3000+ $150
dfi lanparty 939 board $135
a gig of ocz $121

total = $457

shave off prices where necessary

CaffeineMe

Thanks Baron, unfortunately, that mobo does not have an AGP slot, and my existing vid card is AGP. Not sure I've got enough in the current budget to make the leap to PCI-E for video. Maybe I should though....I don't know, I've been away from the hardware game for a bit and am somewhat behind the curve on latest/greatest, and what does what and why.

TheBaron

a quality asus k8t800 board for $115
brings total to $437

edcentric

If you go to Newegg and search you will find quite a few socket 939 mobo with AGP.
A number of these are based on the NF3 ultra chipset, which has a good reputation.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136161
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813123222
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128263

You are facing the clasical upgrade issue. You could get your list now, and later replace the mobo and video card. That might not be a bad way to go. But most likely that would be your last upgrade. Beyond next year AMD is changing sockets, moving to DDR2 and who know what else.

Gobbles

edcentric wrote:

If you go to Newegg and search you will find quite a few socket 939 mobo with AGP.
A number of these are based on the NF3 ultra chipset, which has a good reputation.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136161
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813123222
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128263

You are facing the clasical upgrade issue. You could get your list now, and later replace the mobo and video card. That might not be a bad way to go. But most likely that would be your last upgrade. Beyond next year AMD is changing sockets, moving to DDR2 and who know what else.

id take those 3 boards then go here and you can get a general idea of what you can expect with each board. This site specializes in all things nforce...

http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/index.php

TheBaron

I don't like the generic NForce3. if we were talking the 250 boards, that'd be a different problem

CaffeineMe

Here's what I've picked out so far:

Processor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103536
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813136161
HSF: http://www.newegg.com/product/Product.asp?item=N82E16835106038
Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820146299
DVD Burner: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16827136049

Little overbudget, but I can spend some of my own money on some of this!

So, teh shizzle, or teh suck?

FormFactor

Whats the FSB speed of that chip? Anyone know?

CaffeineMe

Saw this on another forum:

ALL amd64/fx has memory controller in the cpu. Therefore, the idea of FSB really does not apply to these chips.

edcentric

these are NF3 ultra mobos, they are a step above the 250 and 250Gb versions.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_8483.html

I can't get the DFI site to work, but you shouldlook up exactly which cpus the curret bios is able to run.

TheBaron

it can definitely run a venice core 3000+

Omega65

CaffeineMe wrote:

Here's what I've picked out so far:

Processor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103536
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813136161
HSF: http://www.newegg.com/product/Product.asp?item=N82E16835106038
Memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820146299
DVD Burner: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16827136049

Little overbudget, but I can spend some of my own money on some of this!

So, teh shizzle, or teh suck?

This heatsink Thermaltake CL-P0114 120mm Cooling Fan/Heatsink - Retail $50 is a better option than the Venus 12 you selected. It performs as well (but quieter) than the toprated Thermalright XP-90C (also a good option

Thermaltake "Big Typhoon" 120mm Fan


Thermaltake Venus 12 80mm fan


Thermaltight XP-90C 92mm Fan

Mt_Goat

I would just buy the "Retail" CPU and scrap the ThermalTake HS. There is absolutely noting wrong with the HSF in the "Retail" package and you get it for $2.00 less than the "OEM" CPU with a 3 year warranty!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103537

This will work out to a total savings of $43.97!

- $2.00 Less for Retail as the OEM is $149.99 ($147.99 Retail)
- $0.99 Less as the Retail has "free Shipping and the OEM has $0.99 shipping.
- $37.99 Less for the HS you wouldn't be buying.
- $4.99 Less for shipping on the HS you would not be buying.

CaffeineMe

mtgoat wrote:

I would just buy the "Retail" CPU and scrap the ThermalTake HS. There is absolutely noting wrong with the HSF in the "Retail" package and you get it for $2.00 less than the "OEM" CPU with a 3 year warranty!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103537

This will work out to a total savings of $43.97!

- $2.00 Less for Retail as the OEM is $149.99 ($147.99 Retail)
- $0.99 Less as the Retail has "free Shipping and the OEM has $0.99 shipping.
- $37.99 Less for the HS you wouldn't be buying.
- $4.99 Less for shipping on the HS you would not be buying.

FRICKIN' BRILLIANT MtGoat....I will do this! Thanks!