Upgrading, need some help

J

jerrshort

New Member
So decided to upgrade my computer after 7 years, i just upgraded the cd-rw drive to a nice LG DVD-RW..so i decided to take on the task of upgrading it. Here is my computer Specifications:

-Full ATX Motherboard w/533 MHz FSB
-Pentium 4 2.26GHz Processor w/512k Cache, 512MB DDR System memory
-80GB ATA/100 (7200RPM) Hard Drive
-32MB GeForce2 MX200 Graphics Card

What i want to upgrade is the processor, video/sound card, and hard drive...does anyone have any ideas of what i should get or what is compatiable with my pc right now? I know alot of my stuff is outdated :(
 
You don't have many options, especially if your motherboard doesn't support 800mhz FSB.
I highly suggest getting a whole new setup. You'll be wasting money on a video card if you don't buy a PCI-express X16 card.

Here's a sweet system for relatively cheap, re-using your case anyway-

Motherboard-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131393

CPU-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072

Ram-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211066

Hard drive- (very sweet HDD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319

Video card-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150394

Power supply-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022

DVD burner-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151187


Now thats an awesome system that can play any game out there right now. If you don't need that much video card, I would suggest-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130297

That card would stomp the lights out of the card you have now, and could play nearly every game, some on lower setting but it will even play crysis. And EVGA is very good about mail in rebates.

Thats about $400 for the 8600gt setup, and $500 for the ATI 4870 setup. That system is so much faster than what you have, with either card, you wouldn't know what to do!

If you want to go cheaper, I can show you a nice AMD dual core setup for around $300.
 
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Don't listen to that other guy he doesn't have any idea what he is talking about why he posted an Intel CPU when he knows they are almost outdated is beyond me. He is right about a new computer if you upgrade your CPU then you will have to get a new motherboard and RAM to. There is just no way around it not unless you buy older used parts but even then you wouldn't see and increase in performance. For around $400 you can get a nice fast new decent gaming computer it up to you what to do.
 
Fatback said:
Don't listen to that other guy he doesn't have any idea what he is talking about why he posted an Intel CPU when he knows they are almost outdated is beyond me. He is right about a new computer if you upgrade your CPU then you will have to get a new motherboard and RAM to. There is just no way around it not unless you buy older used parts but even then you wouldn't see and increase in performance. For around $400 you can get a nice fast new decent gaming computer it up to you what to do.
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The CPU is a bit slow if you dont overclock it but to outright call it outdated is a bit much. Especially considering the build 87dtna suggested wasnt even highend.

@87dtna: He said he already had a DVD-RW drive so suggesting another is probably redundant :P
 
Springy182 said:
The CPU is a bit slow if you dont overclock it but to outright call it outdated is a bit much. Especially considering the build 87dtna suggested wasnt even highend.

@87dtna: He said he already had a DVD-RW drive so suggesting another is probably redundant :P
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Everybody knows that socket 775 is dead and any body that buys into it is just wasting money. The i5's will be out soon I guessing soon after production will be stopped on socket 775 motherboards and CPU's. I'm just saying why buy into a dead socket when you can have something new plus better for less.
 
Fatback said:
Don't listen to that other guy he doesn't have any idea what he is talking about why he posted an Intel CPU when he knows they are almost outdated is beyond me. He is right about a new computer if you upgrade your CPU then you will have to get a new motherboard and RAM to. There is just no way around it not unless you buy older used parts but even then you wouldn't see and increase in performance. For around $400 you can get a nice fast new decent gaming computer it up to you what to do.
Click to expand...

775 is as outdated as AM2+, what are you running again? The system I posted up is dynamite for the price, and is a hundred times better than what he has.

The E5200 is a $50 CPU, any I5 or even I3 will be triple the price or higher. I really laugh at your less money comment.

I know people still running socket 478....775 isn't even close to dead. Anybody running a core 2 quad that ''upgrades'' to an I5 is an idiot. Only an I7 is an upgrade, albeit a slight one, from a core 2 quad.
 
Springy182 said:
The CPU is a bit slow if you dont overclock it but to outright call it outdated is a bit much. Especially considering the build 87dtna suggested wasnt even highend.
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I would never suggest a high end 775 build at this point, an I7/I5 system would be the same price. A low end system is great bang for the buck right now, which is what he needs.
The E5200 is an extreme overclocker, most reviews I see get anywhere from 3.8-4.2ghz overclocking. On stock voltage, around 3.2-3.4ghz can be had 100% stable, which would make for a fairly sweet system.
 
87dtna said:
775 is as outdated as AM2+, what are you running again? The system I posted up is dynamite for the price, and is a hundred times better than what he has.

The E5200 is a $50 CPU, any I5 or even I3 will be triple the price or higher. I really laugh at your less money comment.

I know people still running socket 478....775 isn't even close to dead. Anybody running a core 2 quad that ''upgrades'' to an I5 is an idiot. Only an I7 is an upgrade, albeit a slight one, from a core 2 quad.
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It might be a 100 times better but it's not the best he can get if he goes AMD then he can get better performance. Not only that there is no upgrade ability in socket 775 any more. AMD or i7/i5 is the only logical choice at this point you can ask any body and they will tell you the same thing.
 
Fatback said:
Everybody knows that socket 775 is dead and any body that buys into it is just wasting money. The i5's will be out soon I guessing soon after production will be stopped on socket 775 motherboards and CPU's. I'm just saying why buy into a dead socket when you can have something new plus better for less.
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LGA775 isn't "dead" quite yet though, besides, with the amount of remaining stock it's still a decent option. And i5 being cheaper is negated by DDR3 still being more expensive than DDR2

jerrshort said:
Thanks, i never built a computer before.... is it hard??, on a time scale how long with all the parts in hand?
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Depends on how fast you do it, if it's your first time inside a computer it could take awhile, but if you know how it can be done in under a few hours including cable management and loading an OS

Fatback said:
It might be a 100 times better but it's not the best he can get if he goes AMD then he can get better performance. Not only that there is no upgrade ability in socket 775 any more. AMD or i7/i5 is the only logical choice at this point you can ask any body and they will tell you the same thing.
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Honestly if you're wanting future upgradability Intel is NOT the way to go, they're splitting it up into 5 different brands (Pentium, Core i3, i5, i7 and i9) and 4 different sockets (one server two desktop one laptop), and odds are half those sockets/brands will be dead in a year. AMD however is going for compatibility and less segmentation (And less brands)
 
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Bodaggit23 said:
You seem fairly intelligent, so I can't figure out why you didn't Multi-Quote instead of your epic triple post...
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Yeah, mainly too lazy was this factor. Each following post was an after-thought, and I was too lazy to edit my first post to make it a multi-quote.
 
Take a look at all these components:

Phenom II 720 Triple-Core (2.8 gigahertz) Processor - $119
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010064&prodlist=celebros

GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P Motherboard - $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128392

Crucial 4 Gigabytes DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) RAM - $68
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262

Western Digital Caviar Blue WD3200AAKS 320 gigabyte Hard Drive - $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...74&Tpk=Western Digital Caviar Blue WD3200AAKS

XCLIO GOODPOWER 500 Watt Power Supply - $45
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817189005&Tpk=XCLIO GOODPOWER

GIGABYTE GZ-X5BPD-500 Black SECC Steel Mid Tower Computer Case - $35

Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium - $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488

Link Depot FAN-80-BK 80mm Case Fan - $2.50

Samsung Black 22x Model SH-S222L - $26

I didn't pick a video card, but you are going to need one. Spend around $70 on one.

Total is $597 without shipping costs.
 
Springy182 said:
I think double/triple posts are against the rules but I'm not sure
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Never saw that, but thats fine I'll stop anyway.

2048Megabytes said:
Take a look at all these components:

Phenom II 720 Triple-Core (2.8 gigahertz) Processor - $119
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010064&prodlist=celebros

GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P Motherboard - $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128392

Crucial 4 Gigabytes DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) RAM - $68
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262

Western Digital Caviar Blue WD3200AAKS 320 gigabyte Hard Drive - $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...74&Tpk=Western Digital Caviar Blue WD3200AAKS

XCLIO GOODPOWER 500 Watt Power Supply - $45
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817189005&Tpk=XCLIO GOODPOWER

GIGABYTE GZ-X5BPD-500 Black SECC Steel Mid Tower Computer Case - $35

Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium - $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116488

Link Depot FAN-80-BK 80mm Case Fan - $2.50

Samsung Black 22x Model SH-S222L - $26

I didn't pick a video card, but you are going to need one. Spend around $70 on one.

Total is $597 without shipping costs.
Click to expand...

I don't think he wants to spend $700 on a system.
 
Springy182 said:
Should ask him then before arguing over specs :P
Click to expand...

Hehe, he wants to ''upgrade'' his pentium 4 system and you think he'll spend $700? If he had a decent amount of money to spend, I'm quite sure he'd know to build a whole new system.

As I said before about the IDE/SATA hard drive, I'll bet you anything!
 
$500 complete system including operation system, combo deals FTW-

CPU+mobo-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.240746

Case + OS-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.235877.11-119-161

GPU + Memory-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.227994

PSU + HDD-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.238452

Now, if the OP re-uses his current hard drive (which is possible since the mobo has 1 IDE port of course), and keeps his current operating system (as long as it's atleast XP), that would save him $150. So total system upgrade for $350, which would run circles upon circles around his current setup in every way shape and form.
 
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