What should my next purchase be?

[nan0bug]

I already have an XP2100, epox 8k3a+ that will do 200mhz fsb, 256mb of ram and a radeon 8500 that will do 300/300. My speakers are kind of lacking but they get the job done. I really don't need either of these but I want some toys, and I can't decide. They both come out to about the same price after shipping:

1) Asus A7N8X Deluxe (rev2), 512mb (2x256) pc3500, Radeon 9500 non-pro (softmoddable kind)
2) Klipsch Promedia 5.1's, a 512mb stick of buffalo pc3700 (winbond chips so it will get along with the 256mb i already have

I think the Promedias are the better investment, but I'd really like to play my games with some AA and have the power to play most of them at a higher res than 800x600 or 1024x768 when I get a new monitor. Also, I'd like the soundstorm audio, but then again I don't know what good it will do for me if I'm only using it through 2.1 speakers anyway.

 

[Eli]

More RAM.

 

[nan0bug]

Originally posted by: Eli
More RAM.

You forgot the </sarcasm> 😉

 

[Ameesh]

a life.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: nan0bug

Originally posted by: Eli
More RAM.

You forgot the </sarcasm> 😉

I wasn't being sarcastic. 😛

I guess 256mb is okay if you don't do any heavy multitasking, but it's still pretty low, especially considering how cheap it is...

Hell, I have 384mb on the POS K6-3/400 that I've been using for the last 3 years. 🙁

 

[FoBoT]

more RAM

run at least 512MB, 1GB if you can

 

[nan0bug]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
a life.

I already have one of those. If I spend my money on any more of a life, my liver will shrivel up and end up looking like a raisin.

 

[nan0bug]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: nan0bug

Originally posted by: Eli
More RAM.

You forgot the </sarcasm> 😉

I wasn't being sarcastic. 😛

I guess 256mb is okay if you don't do any heavy multitasking, but it's still pretty low, especially considering how cheap it is...

Hell, I have 384mb on the POS K6-3/400 that I've been using for the last 3 years. 🙁

Yeah but if you read past the 256mb of ram you would notice that either choice, I'm going to get more ram.

Originally posted by: FoBoT
more RAM

run at least 512MB, 1GB if you can

1gb is a waste unless you do any photoshop. I don't even feel the pinch of 256mb unless I'm playing battlefield 1942.

 

[Kenny]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
a life.

No, really.

I haven't upgraded ANYTHING in about 6 months now. I have saved up quite a bit of cash. Seriously, if you don't really need anything for your computer, why bother. Just save the cash for a rainy day.

 

[newbiepcuser]

Do you game, code/program, video editor, photochop master, etc?

More ram and better video card.

 

[Eli]

Sell me your "old" hardware for dirt cheap when you upgrade. 🙂

🙁

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: nan0bug

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: nan0bug

Originally posted by: Eli
More RAM.

You forgot the </sarcasm> 😉

I wasn't being sarcastic. 😛

I guess 256mb is okay if you don't do any heavy multitasking, but it's still pretty low, especially considering how cheap it is...

Hell, I have 384mb on the POS K6-3/400 that I've been using for the last 3 years. 🙁

Yeah but if you read past the 256mb of ram you would notice that either choice, I'm going to get more ram.

Originally posted by: FoBoT
more RAM

run at least 512MB, 1GB if you can

1gb is a waste unless you do any photoshop. I don't even feel the pinch of 256mb unless I'm playing battlefield 1942.

i need more than 512MB to play Age of Mythology , with 512MB on Large Maps with more than 3-4 players in the later stages my box bogs waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down, the drive starts thrashing like mad as it pages out all the data/stuff going on in the game .

that is why i am upping to 1GB 🙂

 

[nan0bug]

Originally posted by: t60

Originally posted by: Ameesh
a life.

No, really.

I haven't upgraded ANYTHING in about 6 months now. I have saved up quite a bit of cash. Seriously, if you don't really need anything for your computer, why bother. Just save the cash for a rainy day.

That wasn't a choice on the list! 😀 I've spent the last couple months saving to get my car fixed and paying off my rediculously high gas bill. I've lived like a pauper, and now I'm done, and I have some money to burn. it will make me feel better to have a new toy to keep me occupied through my next Save cycle.. I need to buy a new toy every 3 months to keep myself happy, this is established. I don't go too crazy. $500 isn't going to break the bank.

 

[stev0]

imo, go with the speakers and ram... but i would look into the logitech z680's before i went and made the purchase. i've got both and to be honest, i like the sound and controls of the 680's more than the 5.1's

just mho tho 🙂

 

[eakers]

invest in some rrsps

 

[nan0bug]

Originally posted by: newbiepcuser
Do you game, code/program, video editor, photochop master, etc?

More ram and better video card.

I game, as a hobby, mostly just web browse and use my computer as a Digital Audio Workstation.

 

[nan0bug]

Originally posted by: stev0
imo, go with the speakers and ram... but i would look into the logitech z680's before i went and made the purchase. i've got both and to be honest, i like the sound and controls of the 680's more than the 5.1's

just mho tho 🙂

Really? I always thought the z680s sounded a bit muffled compared to the Klipsch, and that the Klipsch had better positional audio. Maybe if I can find a store that has both and do a side by side comparison I will look into that.

 

[nan0bug]

Originally posted by: Eli
Sell me your "old" hardware for dirt cheap when you upgrade. 🙂

🙁

I'll be letting the Radeon 8500 go possibly. The 8k3a and ram will probbably go to my mom.

 

[WarmAndSCSI]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: nan0bug

Originally posted by: Eli
More RAM.

You forgot the </sarcasm> 😉

I wasn't being sarcastic. 😛

I guess 256mb is okay if you don't do any heavy multitasking, but it's still pretty low, especially considering how cheap it is...

Hell, I have 384mb on the POS K6-3/400 that I've been using for the last 3 years. 🙁

I have 512 MB on my PoS K6-3 400 😛 I don't know why either - I never use it, really.

 

[NeoMadHatter]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
a life.

you can buy those?

i say get some more ram. you're running on 256mb. go to at least 512mb. and get the speakers, they're awesome. i love mine. although they're collecting dust at the moment as i can't use 5.1s with my laptop.

 

[Vic]

Interesting. I have the same setup but with a GF4 Ti4200 and 512MB RAM. For the first time in roughly 5 years, I probably won't upgrade this year, even though money wouldn't be an issue. There's just no need or even joy left in it anymore. Thinking instead about some mods for the new WRX... must resist....