I'm planning to upgrade my PC, but I'm low on money.
I was thinking of getting a new Motherbors, cpu and ram.
what u think of this?

MB: ASUS A7V8X-X, is that good? or you guys recommend something better around taht price range? ($70)


Ram: ??? what u guys recommend? I think at best buy they sell a 512mb pc 2700 of PNY for $39.99, is that good enough?

CPU: AMD ATHLON XP 2500+ "Barton" 333 FSB ($90) , for the cpu, do I need a special heat sink because it is a barton? or the one on my current cpu will do? (my current cpu is xp 1800+)

thanks for any advice.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Ladic on 07/07/03 09:58 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

Hi Ladic.
So this is going to be an intermediate upgrade or fulltime? well, its intermediate if u wanna upgrade in the next 6 months, its full time if u wanna use this set up for the next year and half . The reason i am asking you this is, the motherboard is no good if this is a full time upgrade.

Ok, here's my suggestion.
If u r looking for an intermediate upgrade, stick with ur CPU. just get some good motherbaord and RAM. The money you wud save on ur new CPU wud definitely help u in getting a better motherbaord and better RAM. For the motherbaord, go with the MSI-K7N2 (FISR preferably, if its with in ur budget). Asus is good, but a little expensive. I hear Epox 8RDA+ is good too.

I wud suggest u go with the PC3200 DDR400 RAM - 512Mb is fine, make sure u buy 2 sticks of 256MB each to get the max out of ur motherbaord. (thats for the nFOrce2 motherbaord). also make sure its a low latency one. CL2. If thats a little pricey for u, then i suggest u get some PC2700 DDR333 RAM, here agian, go with 2 sticks of 256Mb and make sure its CL2.

<b><font color=red>The statement below is True.</font color=red>
<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?
2k3=959979" target="_new">3DMark 03 score - 297 </A>
<font color=blue> The statement above is false.</font color=blue></b>

yeah, thanks. I was looking for an upgrade that lasts me about a year and a half, when I can do another upgrade.
I'm just not sure what Motherboard to get?

This is my current system:
Processor: AMD XP 1800+
Motherboard: Abit KT7/KT7 - RAID
Ram: 768mb pc-100
Video Card: Gainward G-Force 3 ti200 64mb
OS: Windows ME

I got about $250 to spend for the upgrade, that why I was thinking od distributing like this: $100 MB, $100 CPU, $50 RAM.
And eventually I'm gonna replace my Video Card also, but that won't be probably until Christmas.

so for $250 what pieces you reccomend me to buy?

also, excatly what typy of ram do you recommend?

and what about this board?

Asus Motherboard for AMD Athlon XP/Duron Processors, Model# A7N8X Deluxe Retail
Socket A AMD Athlon XP/Duron (support AMD XP 3200+ "Barton" )
Chipset: NVIDIA nForce2 SPP, nForce2 MCP-T
FSB: 400/333/266MHz
IDE: 2 x ATA133
RAM: 3x 184-pin DIMM Sockets (PC3200/PC2700/PC2100 non-ECC DDR)
Slots: 1x AGP (Pro/8X), 5x PCI
Ports: 6x USB2.0
Onboard Silicon Image Sil 3112A Controller w/ 2 ports
NVIDIA SoundStorm Audio Processor Unit with Dolby
MCP integrated 3Com MAC + Broadcom AC101L PHY LAN
Firewire 1394: 2 Ports MCP-T integrated IEEE 1394a + Realtek PHY 8801B

Is the PNY Ram they sell at best buy ($44.99 - $30 rebate = $14.99) for a 256mb PC-2700 stick, good enough for that Asus MB? I was thinking of picking up 4 of those chips to have 1 gig ram. I've read that that Asus MB, can be very picky with Ram, that's why I ask if the PNY is good enough?

This is a very good board. Its the most preferred board. U wont regret buying this one at all. And it costs just $116 at newegg. i suggest u dont skimp on the RAM.

Corsair, Kingston OCZ are the more preferred ones. But they are expensive too. Whatever the make, look for the timings mentioned against the RAM. it shud read something like, 2-2-2-5T T1 for the best timing RAM. 2.5-3-3-6 T1 wud also suit you fine. It all depends on how much u wud like to spend.

Like i said before, hold on to ur current processor. U cud try and overclock the heck out of it with ur new motherboard and RAM. After motherboard and RAM, u shud upgrade ur AGP card b4 u get a new processor. that way, u wud have a good setup.

If it was not for <b><font color=red>C</font color=red></b>, we wud be using <b><font color=blue>BASI, PASAL & OBOL</font color=blue></b>
<b><A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=959979" target="_new">3DMark 03 score - 297 </A> </b>

TheMask, is that sound that comes with that motherboard, better than a Soundblaster Live?

from what i hear and have seen in the review, its much better than the SB Live series and almost comparable to the Audigy Series sound cards. I wud go with the MSI, do check out the features and decide for urself between the ASUS and MSI.

Edit: This <A HREF="http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?IO=motherboards" target="_new"> <b>LINK</b></A> shows the list of the motherboards that incorporate the sound storm technology.

If it was not for <b><font color=red>C</font color=red></b>, we wud be using <b><font color=blue>BASI, PASAL & OBOL</font color=blue></b>
<b><A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=959979" target="_new">3DMark 03 score - 297 </A> </b><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by TheMask on 07/07/03 03:10 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

i dont know about the PNY RAM. there is no info on that at BestBuy, and all i cud find out at new egg was the PNYs that sell at newegg for $34 a-piece of PC2700 256MB was CL3. i wudnt get them.

i found Kingston PC2700 256MB CL2.5 selling at $39 at newegg and Corsair XMS PC2700 256MB CL2 at $49. Do check out the PC3200 sticks as well b4 u buy.

If it was not for <b><font color=red>C</font color=red></b>, we wud be using <b><font color=blue>BASI, PASAL & OBOL</font color=blue></b>
<b><A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=959979" target="_new">3DMark 03 score - 297 </A> </b>

You can't since the mobo only has <b>3</b> memory slots.

Good or Bad have no meaning at all, depends on what your point of view is.

how does this ram sound?

$71 at Newegg

CRUCIAL MICRON 512MB 64x64 PC 2700 DDR RAM - OEM
184-Pin, CL=2.5-Unbuffered Non Parity 2.5V, CT6464Z335 Requires DDR supported Motherboard - Lifetime Warranty. OEM

I think I could buy one of those, and then maybe buy a second one at a later date, is that one good enough for the Mobo?

thanks again guys.

oh, btw, I'm NOT doing any kind of Overclocking with wichever Mobo I buy, I don't know how to, and my friend that will put my system together, don't think he knows how to.

This Mobo also seems interesting:

$121 at newegg.

MSI K7N2 Motherboard for AMD Processors Model Delta-ILSR Retail
Specifications:
Supported CPU:Socket A for AMD® Athlon(tm)/Athlon(tm) XP/Duron(tm) processors
Chipset:nVIDIA® nForce2 Ultra 400
FSB:200/266/333/400 MHz
RAM:3x DDR PC1600/2100/2700/3200 Max 3GB
IDE:2x Ultra DMA133/100/66 up to 4 Devices
SATA: Support 2 serial ATA
Slots:1x AGP8X/4X 1.5v, and 5x PCI 32-bit and 1x ACR
Ports:2xPS2,1xCOM,1xLPT,6xUSB,1xLAN, and Audio Ports
Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC650 6-channel audio
Onboard LAN: 10/100 Base-T Ethernet
Onboard RAID: RAID function works w/ATA133+SATA H/D or 2 SATA H/D
Onboard IEEE 1394: nVIDIA MCP-T IEEE1394 controller





So right now, it seems like it is between that one and the Asus A7N8X Deluxe.
Also, I just use my PC for gaming only.
what you guys think?

or what about this ram?

*KINGSTON HyperX Series 184-pin 256MB DDR333 (PC2700) 32X64 DDR RAM modules, Model# KHX2700/256 ($53)

or


*KINGSTON HyperX Series 184-pin 512MB DDR333 (PC2700) 64X64 DDR RAM modules, Model# KHX2700/512 ($82)


or


*CRUCIAL MICRON 512MB 64x64 PC 2700 DDR RAM - OEM ($71)


or


*KINGSTON KVR333X64C25/256 256MB 32x64 PC2700 DDR RAM (better than 2100 2400) ($38)

also, for the AMD XP 2500+ Barton, do I need a special heat stink and fan? or any AMD approved Heat sink and Fan will do?

u said u r not going to overclock the processor. then get a bundled HSF (the one that comes along with teh CPU) u wud save some money on that.

The ASUS A7N8X mobo is very good. so is the MSI. its upto u to decide.

ALl the RAM u have mentioned seem OK to me. But make sure u get 2 sticks of identical spec RAM to get the max out of the mobo, the dual channel DDR.

me says: If it was not for <b><font color=red>C</font color=red></b>, we wud be using <font color=blue><b>BASI, PASAL & OBOL</font color=blue></b>
<b>slvr_phoenix</b> says: But I'd still be using Python. :-p

at what site can i get the bundled motherboard and CPU?

now that wud be a gr8 idea. but i dont think they sell anywhere with the motherboard and CPU as a bundle. What i meant with a "bundle" was to get a CPU with the Heat Sink Fan. now thats a bundled CPU. if u go for a retail CPU, u get no heat sink with that.

me says: If it was not for <b><font color=red>C</font color=red></b>, we wud be using <font color=blue><b>BASI, PASAL & OBOL</font color=blue></b>
<b>slvr_phoenix</b> says: But I'd still be using Python. :-p

The retail 2500+ Barton at newegg says that it comes with heat sink and fan.


AMD ATHLON XP 2500+ "Barton" 333 FSB PROCESSOR CPU- RETAIL
Specifications:
CPU: 1.83 GHz
Type: XP 2500 Barton Core
Cache: 512K L2, 128K L1, Total 640KB
BUS: 333MHz
Socket A
Retail Box (Heatsink and Fan included)


the thing is, I have a really good heat sink and fan with my current CPU, I was hoping I could use taht one the barton, but dunno if it will work.

what heat sink do u have now?

me says: If it was not for <b><font color=red>C</font color=red></b>, we wud be using <font color=blue><b>BASI, PASAL & OBOL</font color=blue></b>
<b>slvr_phoenix</b> says: But I'd still be using Python. :-p