Parts for a new system- help me decide what to get

[zCypher]

Hello,

I hope this is the appropriate forum for this. Please let me know if this is incorrect. In a few months from now, I am looking to either completely replace my current setup, or replace some parts. You decide what should be done :

Case: Medium ATX generic
PSU: 300w
Mobo: ECS K7S5A
CPU: AMD Tbird 1.333/266
Mem: 256MB PC133
Vid: 32MB TNT2
HD: 20GB 7200RPM/2MB
nic: dlink 10/100 pci (DFE-538TX)
Sound: Sblive value
monitor: 15" optiquest
cdrw: HP CD-Writer 8x4x32
spkrs: 2.1 (10w sub 2x4w sats)

Ideally I would assume that 512+ DDR memory and bigger/faster HD would be appropriate. But what would you recommend? And would you buy a whole new system or just pick certain parts to replace out of this one?

Thanks in advance. 🙂

 

[amdskip]

Case: Medium ATX generic - Personal preference basically
PSU: 300w - Hopefully a name brand
Mobo: ECS K7S5A - Cheap but good motherboard, supports all of the xp processors if I'm not mistaken
CPU: AMD Tbird 1.333/266 - not too bad but there is room for improvement
Mem: 256MB PC133 - DDR is nice if you can afford it
Vid: 32MB TNT2 - huge improvement can be had here with a geforce 3 ti200 or geforce 4 of some flavor
HD: 20GB 7200RPM/2MB - more space is a definate plus
nic: dlink 10/100 pci (DFE-538TX) - fine
Sound: Sblive value - works fine for basic sound
monitor: 15" optiquest - ehhh, I'd replace this
cdrw: HP CD-Writer 8x4x32 - great drive but the new ones are much faster and extremely cheap
spkrs: 2.1 (10w sub 2x4w sats) - personal preference

 

[zCypher]

Thanks for the input. So if it was up to you, what would you do?

 

[IanthePez]

The monitor and the video card look like they need and upgrade the most.

A nice 19 inch monitor and at least something equivelant to geforce 3 or would be nice.

 

[zCypher]

You guys aren't listening.. suggestions, specific examples please! 😛

I don't know what to get. ESPECIALLY when it comes to mobos. I don't really like this one all too much. So what is a good one I would be happy with?

 

[amdskip]

What aren't you happy about with your motherboard, specifics please😉 I've had great luck with that motherboard personally. I'd check into video cards at www.newegg.com and pretty much everything they sell there is very good. I would upgrade that monitor and definately consider going to a lcd if the money is there. Watch for deals on this stuff in the hot deals forums. Sometimes you are better off buying a monitor locally than risking having a place ship one because they can get damaged so very easily. I would get a 32x or 40x liteon burner from newegg too. I would go with seagate or maxtor on a new hard drive, seagates are extremely quiet.

 

[newbiepcuser]

Give us a budget, and then we can give better examples.

 

[BuddyAtBzboyz]

Originally posted by: zCypher


Case: Medium ATX generic
PSU: 300w
Mobo: ECS K7S5A
CPU: AMD Tbird 1.333/266
Mem: 256MB PC133
Vid: 32MB TNT2
HD: 20GB 7200RPM/2MB
nic: dlink 10/100 pci (DFE-538TX)
Sound: Sblive value
monitor: 15" optiquest
cdrw: HP CD-Writer 8x4x32
spkrs: 2.1 (10w sub 2x4w sats)

Replace the ram 256 or 512 of ddr 266 or greater if you overclock.
Replace the vid card with something new like a radeon 8500, 9000, 9700 or a Geforce 4.
Get a 48x cd burner as they are cheap right now.
Get a 15" lcd and use the dual monitor capability of the vid cards I recommended to get a dual monitor setup going. I have such a setup right now.
Lastly get some decent speakers I suggest the Logitech z560 they are decent priced and powerful 400W to be exact.

My setup:
K7S5A
1700+
256Mb Micron PC2100
Generic case and 300W ps
8x DVD
Radeon 8500 64Mb
60Gb Maxtor 7200 rpm
Audigy OEM
17" CRT
15" LCD
Logitech Z560