Is it time to upgrade?

[vinnybarbarino]

I have a 5 year old dell 4100 , P3 , 866 mhz , radeon 32mb ddr , 19 inch viewsonic flat panel CRT.
I use it mainly for some emailing , web browsing , paperwork/stuff, some gaming.

Lately i wanted to try out some PC games as i got interested again - looked at UT 2004 , Doom 3 , Rise of nations .

I tried rise of nations and it really pissed me off as my computer wont run the game - i could not even get the latest driver to install (from ATI website).

This might be an indication that i need to upgrade - to where i wont need to upgrade again for the next 5 years .


I will end up selling my current computer and hope someone buys it even for cheap.

I want to know how far i can go with $1000 (monitor not included)- so i can still do all the things i do with the CPU and play more advanced - latest release games out there .Also i wanted to play the rise of nations game again .

I have a little know how re: computers but not a lot
Do you guys think i can build myself one without any hassle?

also if possible can you guys give me an entire spec of parts that i can get from an internet store - get it all shippd at once to save bucks .

i have seen some threads here but my problems is the compatibility of parts .

i know this is much to ask but any help will be appreciated.

also im looking more into the ATHLON XP or 64 line.

 

[Praetor]

I will end up selling my current computer and hope someone buys it even for cheap.

I wouldnt expect more than $200.

I want to know how far I can go with $1000 (monitor not included)

Have a look at the two or three systems i've spec'd out http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/93097

 

[vinnybarbarino]

tnx for the link.
ill do a research and see how far my $$$ can go - probably only Athlon XP.

 

[Praetor]

My suggestion, as the AthlonXP is a quickly dying chip is to take Option 02 and replace it with an Intel P4C setup running an i865PE board and you'll be set. You'll still have money left over to spend elsewhere