cheap CPU to use for 6 months?

[SameerK]

So my PC is just overheating and dying for some reason, and I think I'm just gonna get a new mobo & cpu...gonna get it built over Christmas break...now question time...

I'm only gonna be really using it for about 6 months as I'll be getting a laptop at my new job next August, and I'll rarely ever be able to play games then ( sad, I know).

To be honest, this next semester, it's main functionality will be to play Civilization IV and any other crappy games my 128 mb ATI 9600XT can take, which my current & dead XP 2400+ could take, but would get slow near end of games (might be overheating or ram issue, i dunno). Any suggestions on a cheap mobo & cpu I can get in the next month or so to just use for Civ4 & regular Internet/Word/Excel usage? Athlon 64s or another Athlon XP? Are shuttles getting any cheaper these days? A shuttle would be kinda nice to have, if not too expensive.

I kinda don't want to get a new video card, as I know it'll just go to waste after 6 months, but I also know a lot of Mobos don't come with AGP these days? Thanks in advance!

 

[acole1]

you could try a cheap 939 mobo with agp and an A64 3200+....

EPoX EP-9NDA3I S939: $60

A64 3200+: $70

= $130

 

[SameerK]

hmm, that mobo seems to be getting some shady reviews...but thanks for the cpu link, that amd looks pretty solid and cheap

 

[imported_Imp]

My best suggestion is wait. "Bide me over" purchases are VERY painful if they don't last t least a year. That 9600 Pro for $100 that lasted about 7 months is still hurting. If you must, that A64 3200 is still good (I got it stock w/7600gt and can run most things high at 1024x768. Mobo is shady indeed. Have you considered onboard video? AGP boards are a supreme waste now.

 

[SameerK]

Really? Wait?

The only reason I need to get something cheap is because I'm literally gonna be playing this next semester as I'm gonna be one big waste of life...come August, boom, all work, probably close to no time for gaming (and even if so, I'll just load some games onto the laptop itself and play on that). The PC will be sitting at home and probably be turned off most of the time. So once I start working, I'll basically just use the PC to hold my music, videos, downloading, and do some DVD authoring/burning.

Onboad video? How much extra would that cost, and could that run Civ IV smoothly? Link?

Also, what does "got it stock w/ 7600gt" mean? Bundle deal?

 

[AllWhacked]

Hey, there. I think that if you're really on a budget and don't want to upgrade too much, you can buy a single-core Athlon 64 bundle from NewEgg. I played Civ 4 on my A64 3200+ just fine, though it slightly lagged with my 9800 Pro when scrolling the screen. But if you want to save your video card, then get a socket 939 mobo that has a AGP slot still in it.

I think NewEgg is running a deal with an OEM A64 3400 w/ a Biostar nforce4 board for $100 that has both PCI-Express and an AGP slot. It's not the greatest board, but if you don't want to overclock it should be fine.

It also supports DDR memory, which you can salvage from your Athlon XP. If you want more performance, you can also get the PowerColor X800GTO for PCI-express for $90.00. My original A64 system had an X800Pro which ran Civ 4 perfectly with no lag while scrolling. I would still be using the card, but I sold it and am using my trusty 9800 Pro. But if you want to keep your 9600XT then by all means keep it. You can always upgrade later with this combo.

 

[sniperruff]

you can try and find a skt 754 or skt 939 lower-end A64. if you have a fry's around you, i'd look there for a combo.

 

[pkme2]

There's some good deals going on in the FS/Trade Forums