$300 for any piece of computer hardware...

[CurseTheSky]

Basically, no one could think of what to get me for my birthday (21, woot!), so I just had everyone give me cash. In the past I just put it away, but I was specifically told to go blow it on something this time.... so what better than more computer junk?

Here's the full system specs:

Core 2 Duo E6600
eVGA 680i SLI
2x1GB Corsair Dominator DDR2 800, 4-4-4-12
eVGA Geforce 8800GTX
Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Professional
Western Digital Raptor X, 150GB
Seagate 7200.10, 320GB
Thermaltake Kandalf LCS Case, stock water cooling
Thermaltake Toughpower 750w
Logitech X-530 5.1 Speakers
Logitech G15 Keyboard
Logitech G7 Mouse
Windows Xp Professional, 32-bit

Right now, I'm leaning towards a set of Logitech Z-5500s. I could have sworn they were less than $300 last time I looked at them, but oh well.

Any other suggestions? Vista, or another 2GB of memory crossed my mind, but I'd like to give it a little more time for drivers to mature.

 

[jpeyton]

Vista: God no.
2GB: No.
Speakers: Yes.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Vista: God no.
2GB: No.
Speakers: Yes.

I'm open to other suggestions as well. Those are just the only things I can think of off the top of my head. I'd love to build a killer water cooling system, but with mid 30s idle and mid 40s load, I don't really see the need at the moment.

 

[orion23]

Vista is very nice, but go with the speakers!

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Damn you already have a killer rig. What monitor are you running?

I'd say upgrade the monitor or save up and get another 8800GTX for SLI. Or maybe sell the E6600 and get a quadcore

 

[sjandrewbsme]

With that system I would spend it on BEER!

 

[mithrandir2001]

You need nothing. You are simply pissing away you money like so many others here.

Stick the $300 in a Roth IRA and move on.

 

[wolfman11]

Originally posted by: mithrandir2001
Stick the $300 in a Roth IRA and move on.

100% my thoughts as well.

 

[happy medium]

Surround sound headphones?

 

[Leros]

Your speakers are the sub par thing in your setup.

Get new speakers!

 

[simsalabim24]

Originally posted by: mithrandir2001
You need nothing. You are simply pissing away you money like so many others here.

Stick the $300 in a Roth IRA and move on.

Amen.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: happy medium
Surround sound headphones?

Nice pair of stereo headphones to pair with the X-Fi and an amp if needed would be nice

Yeah, the Promedias and z-5500s are getting annoying to find at good prices.

Or you could bypass the whole computer speaker thing and go for the real deal (although $300 wont get you very far)

 

[Pwnbroker]

If you're wanting to go to Vista, I've read about problems with the X-Fi card...might want to look into something else there.

 

[secretanchitman]

those speakers (Z-5500s) or a new monitor. 20"/22" widescreen monitors can be had at that price...

 

[funboy6942]

I have 2 sets of the Z5500 speakers, last I looked amazon had them for $254 + Shipping. Would really put the final icing to your rig since thats all you have left to get for it for another 6 months till its all old and worthless. The speakers truly are the bees knees.

 

[MTDEW]

z-5500's are nice and a great choice.
I love mine as well as my Klipsch Promedia's on my other pc.
So either ones you can find at a good price will definately make a nice addition to your setup.

Also, i have an X-Fi and it works just fine in Vista with the latest drivers.

 

[funboy6942]

Originally posted by: MTDEW
z-5500's are nice and a great choice.
I love mine as well as my Klipsch Promedia's on my other pc.
So either ones you can find at a good price will definately make a nice addition to your setup.

Also, i have an X-Fi and it works just fine in Vista with the latest drivers.

I have owned 2 2.1 promedias and 1 5.1 set and each of them blew their ams with in a years time of getting them. Granted I bought them used, they still should of lasted longer. They also dont have DD or DTS decoding and I have had m 2 sets of Z5500's, one as a HT set up, the other as PC, and bot get used hard, blasted very loud all the time and have taken everything I have put them through.

Also if you check the Klipsch forums and the logitech forums you will see very little probles with the Logitechs, the Promedias on the other hands is filled with pissed off people and blown amps, and blown returned rma amps, and ones, like me, that said fvck it and jumped ship went to Logitech and will never go back. Aside of it sounding almsot Identical the Klipsch when I wanted to "Jam" I had to turn the bass down or the sub would pop, the logitech's I can max everything out including the bass and volume and it is crystal clear, loud, and thumpin.

Loved the Promedias when they worked, just found better after they didnt.