Please help with suggestions for my budget system.

[Chuffmaster2k]

I am building a system here in the next two weeks. I have $400 to spend. Not any more than that (all the wife would let me have). I have to get a new MB, processor, fan, and video card. I don't want anything used.

I am thinking about an Abit BE6-II MB, Celeron II 566 (O/C to 850+), and some version of the GeForce.

Can you please let me know what you think. If you have an alternate suggestion for me, please let me know.

What would you get if you had $400 and needed to get everything I do?

Thanks.

 

[KarsinTheHutt]

What kind of components do you have right now? What kind of RAM, HDD, Sound Card, etc?

 

[Ulysses]

That's not a bad combo, but you might want to take a look at AnandTech's monthly Buyer's Guides. Each month they have a High End Systems Guide and a Value Systems Guide outlining numerous configurations for different purposes and budgets. Note that the Guides won't recommend components that are not yet quite on the market, although they may mention them. Here are the latest Guides that I?ve seen:

AnandTech Buyer?s Guide - Value Systems ? July, 2000:
http://www.anandtech.com/printarticle.html?i=1269

 

[Chuffmaster2k]

Thanks for the comments so far.

As of right now I have a Maxtor 7200 20GB HD, 128MB PC100, CL SBLive Value, 12MB Voodoo2 100, Onboard video(yuck!), P.O.S. MB., and a Linksys 10/00 NIC, and an Enlight 7237 case w/ several case fans.

 

[Chuffmaster2k]

bump

 

[Chuffmaster2k]

ttt

 

[Chuffmaster2k]

Please give me your suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Dexion]

$400 is enough for a system upgrade.
One thing I would definately recommend is purchasing a Celeron 2 533A which is under $100. No guarantees as to how FAST you can push it, but over 80% of owners have succeeded at 800mhz.

Purchase either a Asus P3BF or Asus P3V4X which are floating around $100. Abit's are rather expensive(compared to the features) and not as reliable.

EDIT: reuse your OLD SDRAM since they are graded as 100mhz, I'm sure a Celeron 2 running on 100 FSB, it'll run fine.


For your video card, if you want the cheapest consider a Voodoo3 300 ($65) or one of those NEW Geforce 2 MX($149?).

 

[Chuffmaster2k]

Thanks for the input. Anybody else got anything to share?

 

[mosdef]

If you looked hard enough you could get an A7V, a Duron 700, a Golden
Orb, and a V3 for under $400. Definately check out the hotdeals forum...

-mosdef