Need upgrade adivce please....

[imported_JamesDax]

Ok, here's the deal. For the holidays I get to spend $200 towards upgrading my PC. Now what I'd like from you guys is advice and suggestions on the best possible path considering my limited resources. You can see my current pc in my sig(click on DefBCumsHer). Now keep in mind that all I have is $200 with no chance of saving for more in the near future and if this money dosn't get spent now for this it will get spent for other things. The wife and kids will see to that. lol

Anyway, do I keep the 6200 and get a new MB and CPU? Problem I see there is that I'd have to get an AGP MB and I have PC2100 memory. Do I keep what I have and just get a new video card? If I do that I'd probably need a new PSU as well.

So, what do you guys think? Is there another option?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Are you looking for more gaming performance or more general windows sort of performance?

I'd say for gaming, get a new videocard like a 6600gt or something.

For General usage, get the ASrock 939 board with AGP and PCI-e and whatever A64 or Opteron that will fit into your budget.

 

[imported_JamesDax]

Nice suggestion, but i'm afraid that this board and any 939 CPU would be beyond my budget.

Also, my other concern is that if I did go with a new MB/CPU could I still use my PC2100 DDR??

 

[goobernoodles]

You can still use pc2100 in a 939 board. Its obviously not optimal, but will work. I suggest looking for a used deal in the for sale/trade section. After you get the new stuff, sell your old motherboard and cpu, and maybe you can get some ddr400.

Edit: Try and find that ASRock board and a 3000+/3200+ cpu.

 

[leigh6]

Ok.

Assuming you are not going to sell off components and then see where you are at and then build a new system. Then the following:

To switch to a new Mobo/CPU combo you will also need Ram and Video card so that is Way Out and a complete no go.

You have a nice, fast CPU and a gig of ram that runs at the same speed. So lets work with that.

Googling your motherboard it seems it only supports AGP 4x.

My suggestion is the following.

Upgrade the mobo and the Vid card.

Get a 6600gt on these boards or buy one new. Then buy either an ABIT NF7 v2.0 or an A7N8X on these boards. You should be able to find a real good one for $45.00-$60.00.

This will work. You might even succeed in having enough for a 6 pack after its over.

EDIT: Oh, YES. You will need a new power supply. Use the sale of the 6200 for this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustratingReview.asp?item=N82E16817104953

If the 6200 is good enough for you and you do not need an upgrade. I would just upgrade the motherboard and pocket the rest of the cash.

Did some quick checking on the fs/ft forum: Got a board for you.

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=45&threadid=1746738&enterthread=y

 

[imported_JamesDax]

Nice suggestions Leigh6. I was reading a review of the NF7 v2.0 and it looks like a nice board. I do have one question about it though. In the review they seemed to indicate that the NF7 v2.0 could unlock the multiplier on the CPU. Is this right? If it is then with some new memory(DDR400) I might be able to squeeze some more performance out of this old XP 2600+. That and a 6600GT or the new 6800XT might just do me for a bit.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: JamesDax
Nice suggestion, but i'm afraid that this board and any 939 CPU would be beyond my budget.

Also, my other concern is that if I did go with a new MB/CPU could I still use my PC2100 DDR??

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157081 $68
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80699-5 $140

And then you'd have an upgrade path down the road (a new PCI-E videocard)

If you get another AGP card and a new Socket A motherboard, you're going to have nothing you can salvage next upgrade.

 

[leigh6]

Ok.

Getting tricky here. Socket A runs best when FSB and Memory are asynch. You are not going to be able to bump up the FSB on the CPU enough to equal DDR 400 memory speeds. Your CPU already is running at 2.13 ghz with a 266 fsb. So your mutiplier is 16 x 133. In order for you to use the faster memory you would need to lower the multiplier and raise the fsb. I do not know if your chip is unlocked.

If you are willing to be selling and buying the components you have I would go a different route than I advised. The route that I suggested has zero "future proofing". It will be the LAST upgrade for this system. If you are willing to sell your components and then add $200.00 I would go a completely different route.

Make that decision first.

 

[imported_JamesDax]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: JamesDax
Nice suggestion, but i'm afraid that this board and any 939 CPU would be beyond my budget.

Also, my other concern is that if I did go with a new MB/CPU could I still use my PC2100 DDR??

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157081 $68
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80699-5 $140

And then you'd have an upgrade path down the road (a new PCI-E videocard)

If you get another AGP card and a new Socket A motherboard, you're going to have nothing you can salvage next upgrade.

Dude, it appears that you've come up with something here. That setup only takes me $11 over budget. No problem there. And then I could probably sell my MB/CPU/Memory as a bundle for enough to get some good DDR400. And I just use my 6200, which I've already got running at 500/650 with all 8pipes running, until I can pick up a new PCI-e card. hmmmmm.......

 

[leigh6]

"http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157081 $68
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80699-5 $140

And then you'd have an upgrade path down the road (a new PCI-E videocard)

If you get another AGP card and a new Socket A motherboard, you're going to have nothing you can salvage next upgrade."



As long as you are comfortable with the idea of selling off your components this is definetly the way to go.

 

[imported_JamesDax]

I agree. This does look like the best way to go. Thanks to all you guys for you help.

 

[nadirshakur]

wow, i just want to say, i am impressed, u guyz realli know the meaning of "best bang for ur buck".