What would you upgrade in this 1.42GHz system?

[alkemyst]

Here is my machine:

Tualatin 1.1A@1.42 on Powerleap adapter w/ Alpha PEP66T and Pico Ace 25 Sanyo Denki fan
Abit BX6R2
512MB PC133 CAS2 Crucial (128x2 and 256x1)
Promise Tech ULTRA100 card
60GB IBM 7200rpm
Radeon 8500 128MB (301.5/301.5)
Hitachi SuperScan Elite 751 19"
Tekram 390F SCSI
Plextor 40 Wide
Plexwriter 1210S
Pioneer DVD-305S
SCSI PCMCIA card reader (digicam)
Imation SuperDisc Version 2
Diamond MX300
Altec Lansing ATA885
Epson Stylus Color 880
USR Sportster 56k
Microsoft Natural original
Logitech Dual Optical
HP ScanJet 4c (SCSI scanner)
APC Smart UPS 1250
Addtronics 7896A tower

Looking for possibly a DVD burner. I may upgrade my Plextor 12/10/32S to the new 40x Plextor SCSI burner.

I don't know how my SCSI 390F (it's like a 2940UW) stacks up....I don't need even 40MB/s as I doubt my Plextor 40Wide can do any more than 20MB/s if that.

How does the MX300 stack up to what's available(Fortissmo 3, Santa Cruz, Audigy 2)?...I only plan on 2.1 sound, but want high sound quality.

I am also debating the possiblity of going to a faster Pentium III 1.4 GHz Tualatin or a 1.4 Celeron and trying to hit close to 1.8...I am not sure how my system will handle 133mhz + or even if this will make a noticable difference. I do know I may have no luck getting much higher than the 1.42GHz I am running now on a tualatin core.

I am open to suggestions for any upgrades.

Chris

 

[alkemyst]

bmp

 

[alkemyst]

bump

 

[alkemyst]

Anyone care to give me some DVD burner, Sound card, SCSI upgrade advice?

 

[BmXStuD]

um gonna bump it 4 u heh..

 

[Sid59]

how about a price range?

 

[mechBgon]

The way it's equipped, I'm guessing you could use a second monitor (and suitable video card for that purpose, Matrox perhaps?) and even more RAM. That board should max at 3 x 256Mb... ah, yep: Crucial.

 

[alkemyst]

I don't have any price range really, but that said I am not looking to really revamp my whole system...if I could get to 2GHz that may be cool, but I don't really want to tear my whole system down yet for a few more fps. Things like the DVD burner I plan on waiting on a bit until fs/t has a deal when the next generation rolls out, same with the Plextor 40x burner....the rest of the items are $150 or less.

I am probably going to add a LeadTek TV tuner, perhaps the newegg deal, I have seen this seems the card to get.

As far as 768 goes I tried it once with crucial and it didn't work at my 129MHz bus....I will look into it again, although I am usually never even close to 512MB in XP Pro and non-necessary services turned off.

The second monitor would be a no go for now due to no deskspace....my Toshiba TV is in storage along with most of my gear (should have a house / condo in a few months), when I got my 19" I really was looking to get a 21", but couldn't find one shallow enough. My 19" will become my second monitor eventually.

Thanks for the help so far....

 

[BmXStuD]

the cpu and new HDD and get cable internet and do u have a optical mouse? and also maybe get a new powersupplt if that one is oldz and non name brand.

 

[RanDum72]

All I can think about is the sound card (maybe Audigy2?). That setup will pretty much run all modern games at a decent clip. If you can afford the PIII Tualatin 1.4ghz (512k cache) then, yeah, that would be a good upgrade. But at around $200 for the retail version, might as well buy a new mobo/CPU. The Radeon 8500 is still pretty good and is well matched with the CPU and RAM. Like somebody has mentioned, maybe an additional 256mb of RAM can help.

 

[Gibson12345]

Your system is what I would classify as a "tweener." The only thing I MIGHT upgrade is the soundcard, but you're only running two speakers, so I really wouldn't worry about it. I'd wait a few months and what happens to prices before doing anything, as your system is still pretty competitive.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: BmXStuDer
the cpu and new HDD and get cable internet and do u have a optical mouse? and also maybe get a new powersupplt if that one is oldz and non name brand.

I can't get DSL or Cable here yet, the have satellite at $70+ per month which I may go with as a last resort...I am trying to find an alternative (data over voice ISDN maybe). Mouse is Logitech Dual Optical. PS is a PC Power and Cooling Turbo 300 ATX.

 

[AtomicDude512]

If you usually just do office work that will work fine. If you play music get an Audigy2 and a set of 2.1 Klipsh Speakers.

However if you game I would rehaul your CPU/Mobo/RAM. I dont know if you need 64-Bit/66MHz PCI slots so I will just let that go.

Athlon XP 2100: $85.00
Epox nForce2 Mobo: $125.00
Kingston 512MB PC2700: $64.00
(All prices are close estimates.)

Thats what I would do, and if you want a better video card, wait a few months for the new chip lineup and hit up a Radeon 9700 or the like.