Budget Upgrading - Suggestions?

[le Tigre 0]

Hey all, It is time to upgrade my home PC. Please dont laugh to hard when I tell you what I am typing on now.

Any ways I was looking online, and I just dont know what anything is anymore. But I ca not hold off anymore on my home PC (my work one is much better by the way)

I am using a P3 500, with 512 ram

Now I dont use this computer for much more than email and reading a few forums such as this one, so I am not looking for a top of the line gaming rig here, I dont even care if it can run Graw/Vegas or anything else, but for the limited dollars I am going to spend I still want to get the best I can, however bad that is.

So here is the tricky part, starting with a new Motherboard and CPU, (amd or intel, Im not picky) What is the best of the bottom of the barrel I can buy for right around 100$ on each part. Any suggestions?

ANy help would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: Candian Dollars

Edited November 21, 2006 by le Tigre

[Cpl Ledanek 247]

Open Box: ASRock K8Upgrade-NF3 Socket 754 NVIDIA nForce3 250 ATX AMD Motherboard - OEM

Model #: K8UPGRADE-NF3 $18.99

Video Cards

1 ASUS N6200/TD/128 GeForce 6200 128MB DDR AGP 4X/8X Low Profile Video Card - Retail

Model #: N6200/TD/128

Item #: N82E16814121542 $37.99

Processors

Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price

1 AMD Sempron 64 2800+ Palermo 1.6GHz Socket 754 Processor Model SDA2800BXBOX - Retail

Model #: SDA2800BXBOX

Item #: N82E16819104245 $45.99

Subtotal: $102.97

(US sorry)

[CR6 0]

I am using a P3 500, with 512 ram

What do you mean laugh? I use a P3 550 all the time still.

From what you're saying, your best bet is to order a computer from Dell if you want cheap, or get a cheap HP from Best Buy or Future Shop.

And if you're in Canada, make sure you avoid MDG like the plague.

[Kamakazi 0]

Well for $100 on each part,

Foxconn Motherboard w/ Integrated Video

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...Foxconn%20Group

$95.00 CAD

AMD Athlon 3200+

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...manufacture=AMD

$102.64 CAD

That store ships to Canada also

I dont know what kind of RAM you have, but if you could spring for a gig of PC3200 RAM it would speed up your computing alot.

[le Tigre 0]

Thanks all.

Ncix is the site I have been searching on for parts, and is where I plan to buy from. I've heard good things from other people who buy from there.

[Kamakazi 0]

Yeah I guess it is THE place to buy from in Canada.

[le Tigre 0]

Im thinking of just adding a video card to my list, and this is the one I was looking at, the main feature I was intrested in from it is the dual monitor support. Anyways here are the three parts, what do you think?

Processor recommended by Kamakazi

Mother Board

Video Card

What do you think? Is all this suff compatible?

I will also be buy more RAM as Kamakazi recommended, but it will have to wait.

[Kamakazi 0]

The vid card doesnt work with the mobo, as the video card is AGP and the motherboard doesn't have an AGP slot.

You could go with this, not that much more expensive after mail-in-rebate http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...anufacture=eVGA

The 7600 is a rather large step up from the 6600.

Or if you can't let lose the change check out this 7300 it is less than 100$ but doesn't have dual monitor support.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...#Specifications

I would suggest the 7600, it will be worth the money.

[le Tigre 0]

Awsome, thanks! I think that is what I am going to do, get the 7600, hellllloooo creditcard!

[Cpl Ledanek 247]

get the 7600 card, I have an almost same board as yours. the small fan you see next to the PCI-E gets loud, eventually. Just call Asus for a replacement, regardless if its acting up or not. You'll need it eventually. At least its there already.

if you were in the US I'd try and sell you an MSI 6600 128 GT PCI-E for some loose change, but its not worth it, since your in Canada.

get the 7600 eVga since most ppl are happier dealing with their tech support vs XFX or BFG. Plus if your robbery pays off in less than 90-days, you can go for eVga Step-Up program and get the 7900, just pay the difference with your loot.

I'm just saying.