would like some recommendations...

[MDme]

Hello!

I would appreciate some recommendations on a possible upgrade. I am getting married next year so am saving most of my money for that but I really want to upgrade soon since my last PC I built in 2004 and I don't think it will hold me till 2008 (If I wait to upgrade by then after my marraige - late 2007).

1) Would prefer to keep the costs down...maybe 600-700? (this is not an absolute target)

2) current system in sig below (note it's a S754 and my video card is AGP). I game but not aggressively and OC (always).

3) would prefer a dualcore CPU.

4) graphics card must not be a step back from a 6800GT.

5) ideally, I would PREFER to make this new upgrade somewhat compatible with future upgrades...(maybe in 2008) maybe reuse the memory? or have an upgradeable CPU socket? but this is not essential.

Thanks in advance for you kind suggestions.

 

[myocardia]

I wouldn't upgrade that system, but since you're wanting to, are you planning on keeping most of the parts from that system? If so, you could have a nicer system for $700. Get a DFI LanParty Ultra D- $100, eVGA 7800GTO- $250, OEM X2 4400- $200, better power supply- $100-125, another gig of Ballistix- $120. All of those parts are available at those prices here: newegg.

 

[MDme]

thanks for the suggestion.

yes, i am hoping to re-use what i can. that's an interesting suggestion, but when and if I upgrade ~2008, I will not be able to carry over the memory, mobo and CPU.

also, did you mean 7900GT/GTO? since the 7900GT/GTO are both ~250. the X1950 Pro is also ~250.

You are right about the PSU though....need to upgrade that too.

 

[myocardia]

Haha, yeah, I meant a 7900GTO, although I bought a 256MB X1900XT, since it does better in the games that I like, and was less than $20 more. And no, you won't be able to carry over the memory, motherboard, or cpu for an upgrade 2 years from now, just like you've never been able to carry over those things (except memory, very occasionally) from systems built 2 years before.

That's the nature of the computer industry, to force you to upgrade. How else are they going to get your money into their bank account? You could spend another $300, and buy DDR2 RAM, but guess what, you then won't have a processor to run your system, or you'll be well over $700.

 

[MDme]

yeah I guess you are right. thanks again for responding to my post.

what about going AM2, then maybe hoping I can get a K8L upgrade?

that would cost something like....X2 4200+ , X1900XT, 1GB DDR2-800, MSI K9N Platinum.

total 765 at newegg.

this way I will be potentially able to re-use my ram and maybe my mobo.

what is your opinion?

 

[myocardia]

I'd personally go with a Gigabyte DS3, or S3, plus an E6400 Core 2 Duo, along with the X1900XT and the PC6400 RAM. AMD has yet to say that they're planning on making a quad-core that will fit into an AM2 motherboard. Remember why they're in business:

That's the nature of the computer industry, to force you to upgrade. How else are they going to get your money into their bank account?

 

[MDme]

I think k8L altair (quad core) will be compatible with AM2 (bios upgrade needed). However, I am really tempted to go C2D since it is really good. is Kentsfield compatible with the current intel C2D socket? rumor has it that AMD is claiming 40% improvement over K8. though there is no proof yet.

http://forums.amd.com/index.php?showtopic=84168

 

[myocardia]

Yeah, Intel actually has a list of all of the motherboards that are available right now that will be compatible with Kentsfield: link. AMD has never said that K8L will be available on the AM2 platform. Other people/sites have said it countless times, but not one person who works for AMD has said it, at least as far as I've read.

Also, note on the second page of the article that I linked to, that both the S3 and the DS3 are/will be Kentsfield compatible. Of course, Kentsfield's will be a ~$1,000 part for quite some time, so you'll probably have changed motherboards by the time they're available for less than $500, I would think.