Help choosing a system

[crabbyman]

My girlfriend has a POS Sony VAIO that keeps on screwing up. I don't know whether to make her a new p.c. or go for a Dell or the likes. SHe uses it for email, music, internet, and photoshop. I would probably go for something cheap but I don't want to chop the performance for Photoshop 7. Here's what she currently has


1.0ghz Duron CPU
128mb 133 ram
40gb value hd
integrated video...etc


Do you think a cheap Celeron system would do her fine or should I make her an AMD machine myself? The cheaper the better and I dont mind actually building it. Any helps is appreciated... $500 or lower...the lower the better

 

[Duvie]

stay away form the neutered cache of the duron and the celeron....

Look for a nice 1600+ xp chip(52 at newegg!!) and a mobo about 50-70 range...then look at about 512mb of pc2100 ram...BUild around this for the rest of the components....

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: crabbyman
My girlfriend has a POS Sony VAIO that keeps on screwing up. I don't know whether to make her a new p.c. or go for a Dell or the likes. SHe uses it for email, music, internet, and photoshop. I would probably go for something cheap but I don't want to chop the performance for Photoshop 7. Here's what she currently has


1.0ghz Duron CPU
128mb 133 ram
40gb value hd
integrated video...etc


Do you think a cheap Celeron system would do her fine or should I make her an AMD machine myself? The cheaper the better and I dont mind actually building it. Any helps is appreciated... $500 or lower...the lower the better

It shouldn't be too hard to beat that 🙂

Get a 1600+ for 52 dollars @ Newegg...get 512 Megs of pc2100 RAM for 120 dollars...get a KT333 for around 80 dollars...Get her a Radeon9000PRO for 80 bucks...get here a LITE on DVD for 38...a burner of any sort from BB and CC that like to put deals on them...

With about 500-600 dollars you can have a VERY good computer that will do what she wants.

REally though, its not hard to defeat that setup that you have

 

[OulOat]

With 500-600 you can get a very good dell that will beat any computer that you can make for that much money in terms of noise. And I bet she would pick silence over speed.

 

[pitupepito2000]

I would say build the pc yourself. I would get the following items:
AMD Athlon palomino at newegg for $52
MSI Motherboard for AMD Processors Model KT3 Ultra2 for $80 or another board for $60-80
512 MB of PC2100 DDR ram
DO NOT GET A RADEON 9000 get a RADEON 9500 OR A RADEON 8500 64MB should be fine
you can probably keep the same hard drive

You can very well build a decent computer with that budget. If you build it yourself, you will know what quality are the components, and you will be getting a better deal than buying it from Dell.

Hope this helps!

 

[Twilling]

You failed to mention what O/S was she running. If she is running a 98 or ME machine then that could be the POS right their. If you have the hardware horse power go for XP, try upgrading the memory, hard drive and video card. It can go a alot further than buying a 98 or ME powered machine which would make it a POS!!

 

[crabbyman]

Ha ha..you hit the nail on the head there Twilling... she has Windows ME...I always tell her that OS is a POS. She don't believe or understand why I say that. I was going to get her either 2000 or XP...which is sad because that is going to cost as much as like half of the computer is.


OTH, I was thinking of using a Nvidia mobo with integrated video so she wouldnt have to worry about that. I used the MSI K7N420 and it has been excellent for me and I play games with it. The most graphic intense game she plays is pinball. HAHA! 😀 I figured the integrated video would be fine. Or do you guys suggest just getting a Radeon 8500 and a cheap VIA 333 board?

I think she would benefit from MSI auto updating of everything since she never updates her computer and I have to do that... I believe that is how she can use a lot of her progs. She dont update them and they get like a year old before I notice they need help. I like MSI Live Update series apps. Is there any other mobo manu. that offers a similar updater?


Heres what I was thinking so far...
XP 1600+ $52
40 gb WD 7200 drive.... heres is reallllly slow compared to mine... $70
2 x 256mb ddr...cheap brand since she is not pressing the computer $90
CD-rw she has $0
Lite On DVD for like $40
USR modem $15
Antec slk2200 case $69
Volcano 7 hs/f $20

...that right there equals $356....

that is without mobo... and thats where I believe I need help...
Get a KT333 w/Radeon? ...or...
Get a Nvidia all-in-one type mobo?? If Nvidia solution I found it for $100 for original...I don't know if the Nforce2 has the Video version out yet???

 

[crabbyman]

oh...one other thing...its sitting in her basement and stays on all the time... she doesn't have it somewhere where noise is a problem...

 

[magomago]

nFORCE2 doesn't have video output (yet)...

But for what she wants it for it would be a waste of power.

Get a kt266a (I'm assuming that ram is pc2100) for a LOT cheaper (like 70 bucks tops...)
Or just a kt333 as many are affordable

And why not a radeon9000PRO? That should be MORE THAN ENOUGH for photoshop...remember the one she used before was integrated video...

Getting a 9500PRO would be a waste of a150 dollars.


Remember guys, she is the average user and not some power user.


but i would go seperate...Never been a fan of integrated video myself

 

[magomago]

Here is a Motherboard that got a 5 star rating from NEWEGG:

Biostar Motherboard M7VIP for AMD Processors
Specifications:
CPU Supported: (Socket A) AMD Athlon, Athlon XP and Duron processor
Chipset: VIA VT8367(KT333)/VT8235
FSB: 200/266MHz
RAM: 3x 184-pin DDR DIMM, PC2700, 3GB Max
IDE: 2x IDE connectors, UDMA 33/66/100/133
Slots: 1x AGP, 5x PCI, 1x CNR
Ports: 2x USB 2.0, 2x Serial, 1x PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard, 1x Parallel, Audio ports
Onboard Audio: AC'97 Model#: M7VIP Click here for support Special Free FedEx Saver Shipping


Now all you need is a videocard



Here is one
================================


ATI OEM RADEON 9000 Atlantis PRO 64mb DDR DVI/CRT/TV out,BULK
Powered By ATI, Produced by Saphire Features:
Graphics Controller RADEON 9000Pro graphics processing unit (GPU) Memory Configuration- 64Mb DDR, 128-bit memory.
Maximium memory Interface :13.2GB/s with 275MHZ DDR.
Connector Standard DVI (Flat Panel Display) connector
15-pin VGA connector S-Video connector
Bus Interface: AGP2X/4X
Operating Systems Support
Windows 98SE, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP
OEM BULK pack (includes driver and Svideo cable) Powered by ATI, Manufactured by Sapphire Model#: RADEON 9000 PRO 64M -OEM Special Free FedEx Saver Shipping

===================================

Its 88 dollars....


If she doesn't need DVI and S-Video output she can get the no dv/sv soluiton for 74 dollars.


Couple that with what you have...BAM you aren't touching 600 to say the least 🙂

Hope that helps!

And note to all those that will scream "get a nforce2 bla bla bla" the woman just wants to photoshop and use it for daily stuff! This will be an immense improvement for her...besides, what are the odds she runs prime95 for 48 hours straight? 😉