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Thread: Thinking hard about upgrading on a budget

  1. #1
    Chewie's Avatar Chew E. Bakke
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    Not much of a budget, but I was looking at getting these on a finance option...

    Athlon 64 X2 3800
    ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe
    XFX GeForce 7800 GT 256 MB

    Just wondering what more experienced people thought about these.
    I'm going to move over my 7200/8MB IDE HDDs, 2x 512MB PC3200 DDR and the other lil' bits n pieces.
    There isn't a bargepole long enough for me to work on [a Sony Viao] - clocker 2008

  2. Software & Hardware   -   #2
    Virtualbody1234's Avatar Forum Star BT Rep: +2
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    What do you currently have and what will you be mostly using the new PC for?

    Or what do you want to do that your current PC doesn't do?
    Last edited by Virtualbody1234; 04-12-2006 at 10:14 PM.

  3. Software & Hardware   -   #3
    Chewie's Avatar Chew E. Bakke
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    My daughter would be playing her games - Sims2 & Tony Hawkes at the moment but my kids change their minds like I change my socks .
    I'll be encoding a fair amount of time and playing a few games to pass some time.

    What I'm thinking of is upgrading the current Sempron 2400+, Aeolus 6600 & Soltek SL75FRN2L to something more future-proof. Something to last the next three or four years before it becomes too outdated.
    The Soltek must be 5 years old now and has served me well. It'll go to powering up one of the kids' computers.

    I'm looking at that site because of the finance option.
    There isn't a bargepole long enough for me to work on [a Sony Viao] - clocker 2008

  4. Software & Hardware   -   #4
    silent h3ro's Avatar Poster BT Rep: +9BT Rep +9
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    I hear X2 computers aren't great for gaming. Why don't you go for a high end single core AMD 64?

  5. Software & Hardware   -   #5
    Virtualbody1234's Avatar Forum Star BT Rep: +2
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    Yeah I was going to say something similar. Just get a single core AMD64.

    You could also save by getting a motherboard without SLI.

  6. Software & Hardware   -   #6
    Seedler's Avatar T__________________T
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    Get the A64 3700+, it's probably the best single core gaming cpu (value wise) right now. Runs at 2.2 ghz, and with 1mb L2 cache, it's a great buy @ around 250 bucks CAD (around 210 USD).
    Biostar XE T5
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    Radeon 5850 @ 866/1254MHZ
    Intel X25-M in RAID 0
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    3 x Asus 25.5" VW266H LCD [Eyefinity]

  7. Software & Hardware   -   #7
    Chewie's Avatar Chew E. Bakke
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    To be honest, I had thought that dual core was the way things were going to go with more software taking advantage of it. Gaming isn't the top priority, but I thought the current single core advantage was mainly due to games not utilising dual core advantages.
    You've got a point there though, so I'll take a lil' look at single core CPUs. Dual core compatibility on the mobo would be useful for upgrading the CPU in a few years though.
    There isn't a bargepole long enough for me to work on [a Sony Viao] - clocker 2008

  8. Software & Hardware   -   #8

  9. Software & Hardware   -   #9
    clocker's Avatar Shovel Ready
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chewie UK
    What I'm thinking of is upgrading the current Sempron 2400+, Aeolus 6600 & Soltek SL75FRN2L to something more future-proof. Something to last the next three or four years before it becomes too outdated.
    Define "future-proof" and "too outdated".
    It could be asserted (successfully, I might add) that the parts you are thinking of are already obsolete.

    I think it's much saner to approach such a move with the attitude that it will be a nice upgrade from your current platform and not agonize about whether it can carry you for the next "x" number of years.
    "I am the one who knocks."- Heisenberg

  10. Software & Hardware   -   #10
    Chewie's Avatar Chew E. Bakke
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    Well, by 'future proof', I really meant utilising current technology and with upgradeability for the next few years. A mobo that supports dual core mainly.

    Anyway, my hand has been forced somewhat due to my current mobo failing on Monday morning.
    Fans whir but nothing happens - no beeping even if I power up with absolutely nothing on board... no gfx, RAM, CPU, IDE or anything.
    I'm currently looking for a cheap Socket A board just to get myself going again, but there's nothing but ECS and the like online so I'm off down to the computer fair on Sunday to see what I can snaffle.
    There isn't a bargepole long enough for me to work on [a Sony Viao] - clocker 2008

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