Best upgrades to meld with current equipment?

[cpals]

Looking at budgeting for some upgrades since most of my existing equipment is 3-5 years old. I just got the hard drives not too long ago and the video card is new (was bought in mind of upgrading the mobo/cpu). I will most likely have to replace the mobo/cpu/ram but not sure about the PSU. I'm also looking for a quad cpu and was leaning towards the Athlon II X4 6XX processors.

My mobo/cpu now is an old MSI board that supports up to a Pent D, DDR2 memory and has a 3.4 P4 in it.

Most likely keeping:
- SATA DVDRW
- SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb SATA
- Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB SATA
- Antec SP-500

Need Suggestions
- Motherboard
- Memory
- Processor (possibly Athlon II X4 635?)
- Video Card

Priorities:
- Looking at keeping the costs down yet creating a system that will last another 3-5 years.
- Hopefully something that my PSU will support and don't need to upgrade that.
- Plays games decently
- Budget is probably $200-$300 (hopefully on the lower end)

Latest Update

Looks like I'm going to go with a DDR3/USB3/SATA3 mobo just for future upgrades since I plan on keeping it for a long time.

Decided to go with:

GIGABYTE GA-870A-UD3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard

AMD Athlon II X4 635 Propus 2.9GHz

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333

Going to worry about the video card at a later time due to how much this looks like it's costing.

 

[Sp12]

Is the Seagate HD IDE?

G.skill 1333 1.5 volt 4GB kit. 81$

A2 635 100$

Mobo selection 90-140$ Probably would get the Asrock 870 or Gigabyte 870, they all have a very similar feature selection, except for the fusion board, which may or may not (probably not) actually be worth it.

Nothing will last you 3-5 years gaming, but this is a decent build.

If you're looking to spend more I would probably get a Phenom 2 X4 instead, or a G.skill eco series 1600 speed ram. I think you're fine, but those are options.

 

[f4phantom2500]

the prices of the athlon 640 just went down its only a few dollars more than the 635 now at newegg, i'd go with that. i have an x3 435 and it's a terrific processor. coming from a p4 you'll see a huge jump in performance. if your old motherboard supports ddr2 memory, and assuming you have a decent amount in your current rig (2gb plus), you can just get an am3 motherboard that supports ddr2 and reuse your old ram. i bought an asus m4a785-m, it's a solid board. with the money saved on memory you could easily snag a radeon 4850 from the fs/ft forum, assuming gaming is your thing, or put it toward something else, or just pocket it.

Nothing will last you 3-5 years gaming, but this is a decent build.

unless you bought a high end geforce 8800 and core 2 when they were new...

 

[cpals]

Yes, they're both SATA.

 

[cpals]

the prices of the athlon 640 just went down its only a few dollars more than the 635 now at newegg, i'd go with that. i have an x3 435 and it's a terrific processor. coming from a p4 you'll see a huge jump in performance. if your old motherboard supports ddr2 memory, and assuming you have a decent amount in your current rig (2gb plus), you can just get an am3 motherboard that supports ddr2 and reuse your old ram. i bought an asus m4a785-m, it's a solid board. with the money saved on memory you could easily snag a radeon 4850 from the fs/ft forum, assuming gaming is your thing, or put it toward something else, or just pocket it.




unless you bought a high end geforce 8800 and core 2 when they were new...

Yes, I have 4GB of DDR2 memory right now running Windows 7 32-bit.

I'm not sure if you noticed or if I made a big mistake, but I just got the GTS250 which is going to be my "gaming" card.

I'm not a hardcore gamer anymore so am just looking for a build that will last 3-5 years for light gaming at medium resolutions.

Thanks!

 

[mfenn]

unless you bought a high end geforce 8800 and core 2 when they were new...

Just had to LOL at that. Even an 8800GTX is slow as dirt by today's standards.

Yes, I have 4GB of DDR2 memory right now running Windows 7 32-bit.

I'm not sure if you noticed or if I made a big mistake, but I just got the GTS250 which is going to be my "gaming" card.

I'm not a hardcore gamer anymore so am just looking for a build that will last 3-5 years for light gaming at medium resolutions.

Thanks!

Since you have so much DDR2 already, I would go with a DDR2 AMD motherboard. That way you can save some money.

Is the GTS 250 you bought still returnable?

If so, I would do that and pick up a GTX 460 and this Athlon II X4 640 + mobo combo.

If not, then I would still get that combo and consider it a lesson learned (i.e. come to the forums before you buy stuff!)

 

[cpals]

Yes, its actually being delivered on monday so I could refuse delivery.

I did ask in the vid forums about a budget gaming card and the response was around a 4850 and the gts250.

So ditch the card and get something different?

 

[Sp12]

I was thinking an AM3/DDR3 build because he keeps them so long he might be able to get a decent bulldozer upgrade at some point, but I agree a DDR2/AM2 build would allow you to reuse your ram and save that money, without a noticeable (or even relevant) loss in performance. It will be harder to get an AM2 board with sata/USB3 (probably not a big deal for another year), but 80$ on DDR3 saved is 80$.

 

[mfenn]

Yes, its actually being delivered on monday so I could refuse delivery.

I did ask in the vid forums about a budget gaming card and the response was around a 4850 and the gts250.

So ditch the card and get something different?

Well, in a vacuum, the GTS 250 or 4850 are not bad options. For example, if you asked, "I have $100 to spend on a GPU, what should I get?" I would probably recommend one of those two cards.

When you give the full situation however, it's easier to figure out where the money should be spent, and where is doesn't need to be spent. Since you have such a significant amount of DDR2, it doesn't make sense to just throw that away right now.

In short, with your given parts and budget, the GTX 460 + DDR2 + Athlon II X4 will cost about $50 more than the a GTS 250 (assuming you paid around $100) + DDR3 + Athlon II X4 and give much better gaming performance.

Also, you said you were running the 32-bit version of Windows 7. If you were planning to reinstall when go get your new mobo (which I personally would), you should consider the 64-bit version. The keys are interchangeable between the two.

 

[cpals]

Cool, thanks for the lengthy reply. That is what I pretty much did - said I had around $100 and looking for recommendations. Ill try and price everything out when I get home and see how it goes. If I saved up another 100 it would be better to go with an AM3 board though right?

Reason I bought the vid card first was since it was going to be the cheapest part of the upgrade and I was trying to get started somewhere.

 

[mfenn]

No problem

For another $100, I think a Phenom II X4 955 and a GTX 470 would be the best bet. I recommend DDR3 for all new builds, but there just isn't any reason to get rid of your DDR2 right now. "Future-proofing" doesn't fly with me when it costs performance today!

 

[cpals]

If so, I would do that and pick up a GTX 460 and this Athlon II X4 640 + mobo combo.

If not, then I would still get that combo and consider it a lesson learned (i.e. come to the forums before you buy stuff!)

The mobo you pointed to is a mATX board... are a lot of people going with these even if their case is large? I always thought you buy the mATX only if you're building a HTPC or small box PC.

 

[cpals]

What about this:

Phase I Upgrade:
Mobo ($65) - ASUS M4A77D AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
CPU ($99) - Athlon II X4 635

Phase II Upgrade:
Video ($199) - EVGA 768-P3-1360-TR GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 768MB 192-bit GDDR5 (could pay $30 extra and get a 1GB model)

or

Video ($115) - MSI N250GTS Twin Frozr 1G GeForce GTS 250 1GB 256-bit GDDR3

So it would be $365 vs $279... is it worth $86 to go from GTS250 w/1GB to a GTX460 w/768MB

How do the mobo/cpu choices look? I feel pretty good with those; it's the video I'm not sure about right now.

Also, would my PSU be able to handle the better GTX 460?

 

[mfenn]

The mobo you pointed to is a mATX board... are a lot of people going with these even if their case is large? I always thought you buy the mATX only if you're building a HTPC or small box PC.

A MicroATX board will fit fine even in a full ATX case. If you don't need the extra slots that a full ATX board offers and the MicroATX price is right, then why not?

What about this:

Phase I Upgrade:
Mobo ($65) - ASUS M4A77D AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
CPU ($99) - Athlon II X4 634

Phase II Upgrade:
Video ($199) - EVGA 768-P3-1360-TR GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 768MB 192-bit GDDR5 (could pay $30 extra and get a 1GB model)

or

Video ($115) - MSI N250GTS Twin Frozr 1G GeForce GTS 250 1GB 256-bit GDDR3

So it would be $365 vs $279... is it worth $86 to go from GTS250 w/1GB to a GTX460 w/768MB

How do the mobo/cpu choices look? I feel pretty good with those; it's the video I'm not sure about right now.

Also, would my PSU be able to handle the better GTX 460?

Don't buy the 768MB GTX 460. The 1GB version performs much better. The Sparkle that I linked earlier is also only $20 more. As for the GTX 460 vs. GTS 250, I will let you look at this chart and decide. I certainly think it's worth it.

Your 500W Antec should be fine with a GTX 460, it only has a 150W TDP

 

[cpals]

Two options I'm looking for at Phase I Upgrade:

Option 1 ($165):
Mobo ($65) - ASUS M4A77D AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
CPU ($99) - Athlon II X4 634

Pros: Cheap, reuse existing hardware, still get major upgrade from my P4
Cons: Not as much future-proofing, no USB3/SATA3

Option 2 ($264):
Mobo ($75) - ASRock 770 EXTREME3 AM3 AMD 770 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
CPU ($99) - Athlon II X4 634
Memory ($89) - A-DATA Gaming Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600

Pros: Great future-proofing, USB3/SATA3, latest memory
Cons: Price


I'm not going to worry about the video upgrade until maybe Christmas or early next year. Maybe by that time the GTX460s will have come down in price or I'll catch them on sale.

Worth the extra $100 to go the option 2 route?

 

[Sp12]

You want THIS version of the 635. C3 stepping vs. C2, same price.

For the second build, I'd spend 15$ more for the 800 series of that Asrock, as the 800 series is expected to have bulldozer compatability, the 700 series is not.

And if you're willing to get 1333 DDR3, it's 20$ cheaper. If you want 1600, that kit is high voltage, while this is 1.5 volts and 3$ cheaper.

 

[cpals]

You want THIS version of the 635. C3 stepping vs. C2, same price.

For the second build, I'd spend 15$ more for the 800 series of that Asrock, as the 800 series is expected to have bulldozer compatability, the 700 series is not.

And if you're willing to get 1333 DDR3, it's 20$ cheaper. If you want 1600, that kit is high voltage, while this is 1.5 volts and 3$ cheaper.

I'll take your word that the C3 is better than C2. I'll have to research what that is.

Two questions:

1. What is bulldozer compatibility? Also, the only 800 series I saw with USB3/SATA3 was $10 more, but minor point.

2. The type of memory isn't a huge issue with me, basically went by amount of reviews on NewEgg and sorted by price. Does the high voltage mean good or bad?

Sorry... haven't been in the hardware arena for a while.

 

[cpals]

So you're talking about one like this?

ASRock 870 EXTREME3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard

 

[Sp12]

Bulldozer is AMD's next gen architecture, scheduled for release early next year. 800 series chipsets are expected to have drop-in upgrades.

High voltage is bad.

 

[cpals]

Looks like I'm going to go with a DDR3/USB3/SATA3 mobo just for future upgrades since I plan on keeping it for a long time.

What I'm looking at:

Motherboard
$90 - ASRock 870 EXTREME3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard

or

$100 - MSI 870A-G54 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard

or

$109 - GIGABYTE GA-870A-UD3 AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard

Processor
$100 - AMD Athlon II X4 635 Propus 2.9GHz

Memory
$81 - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333

How's this look to work with my existing equipment? Only thing I'm not sure about is the motherboard. Any recommendations?

Going to worry about the video card at a later time due to how much this looks like it's costing.

 

[Davidh373]

The GSkill is fine RAM. I'm one to say as long as a board has the features you are looking for get it as cheap as you can. I can't personally attest to this, but I would think MSI would have better support and warranty.

 

[mfenn]

I'm still perplexed as to why you would throw away 4GB of perfectly usable RAM. "Future-proofing" is impossible, so don't waste money trying.

If you're dead-set on getting DDR3, I would get that MSI board because it's $90 AR and has a 3 year warranty.

 

[cpals]

I'm still perplexed as to why you would throw away 4GB of perfectly usable RAM. "Future-proofing" is impossible, so don't waste money trying.

If you're dead-set on getting DDR3, I would get that MSI board because it's $90 AR and has a 3 year warranty.

It may be impossible, but at least I'll have SATA3/USB3 whenever they become more prevalent and also my processor should be upgradeable to some of the latest processors for a few years.

Or do most people think the SATA3/USB3 is more of a gimmick right now? I've been able to keep this mobo/cpu combination for over four years and I'd like to get something that will last another four years.

I have a friend who needs DDR2 memory so I may sell him my 4GB if he wants it.

 

[Sp12]

DDR3 has limited benefits over DDR2, speeds higher, energy is lower, and it's usable for a new build.

IMO it just depends on whether you want to get rid of it or not. There's nothing wrong with it. The performance difference is negligible, but if you're really looking to hold on to this build for 4 years, the USB/sata3 and potential CPU upgrade may be worth it.

Another point is that the 100$ saved with the DDR2 system could be put to use on an SSD or other later upgrade, which would probably be much more directly applicable to your usage than USB/sata 3 and a little faster ram.

 

[cpals]

Actually, I just double checked and I have 2x1GB and 2x512MB of DDR2 533 memory. Corsair. I swear I had 4GB, but guess not. Not sure if that affects anything, but I'd rather buy what I can now in case there isn't any money later or the wife puts a stop to it!