Hi everybody! (sory for my English)

My idea is buy a High-End PC when Nehalem arrives (next Summer), but for the moment I wanna have better performance ...... My PC is:

* XFX 6200TC 128/512Mb GDDR2 64Bits Pci-Express (350Mhz / 533Mhz)
* Intel Pentium 4 3.06Ghz - 1Mb Cache - 533Mhz - S775
* Motherboard Intel D102GGC2 (Chipset ATI X200)
* Codegen 400W
* LCD Philips 170C (17`)

What should I do? :

1) Buy a VGA-Cooler and OC my VGA
2) Buy a 2600XT / 3650 / 8600GT / x1950
3) Buy a 9600GT / 3850 512Mb and change my Codegen 400W
4) Buy a 9600GT / 3850 512Mb , change my Codegen 400W and change my CPU

Here there are some prices:

ATI 3850 512Mb - U$S 195
ATI 3870 - U$S 235
Nv 9600GT - U$S 200
ATI 2600XT DDR3 - U$S 107
ATI 3650 - U$S 133
ATI x1950Pro/GT - U$S 200/180
Nv 8600GT xxx - U$S 125

VGA Cooler U$S 19

CPU E2180 DUALCORE 2.0 1MB 775 89.54U$S
CPU E2200 DUALCORE 2.2 1MB 775 103.31U$S
CPU E4600 CORE2DUO 2.4 2MB 775 157.40U$S

(I´m Argentinian)

Don´t forget the bottleneck and my Codegen 400W (I dont know how its call in English xD)

Atte Diego Milardovich

buying a 8800 GTS G92 512 sould last you till next summer I personally think

Oh .... I forgot to say that I dont wanna spent to much money, because of I gonna sell my PC in a few Months .... a 8800GTS 512Mb cost aprox U$S 400 .... (thats more expensive than my PC)

Oh wow thats exp :S.....hmmm I think the 9600 GT is your next in line then. if your going to wait for the new Intel I wouldn't upgrade anything else. I mean you'll end up changing it...my opinion atleast.

@ Liquid. He said he has a P4 thats gonna bottleneck like crazy.

@ DMilardovich,
With that power supply you want to be looking at the 2600 8600 or 3650.
Team one of those. (The 3650 is the better more featured card then the other two are about the same i think with thw 8600 probably using less power) with the 2180 (which can be overclocked.
Thats the cheapest/best way to go in my opinion as its just not worth spending to much on a rig you plan to sell soon anyway.
Mactronix

+1
also replace that crap mobo. Get this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813127046
Great overclocking cheap motherboard.

*By the way abit ax78 using AM2+ socket. Get amd athlon 64 x2 5000 black edition. Good for ur budget.

So, how about:

1) I sell my VGA at U$S 50
2) Buy a XFX 8600GT xxx (it cost aprox. U$S 125) ...... (U$S = American Dolar)

When Nehalem arrives:

3) I sell my PC (including the 8600GT)
4) Buy a new High-End PC (Nehalem + DDR3 + SLI/CrossFire + Etc.)

Is that a good idea ? ......

Atte Diego Milardovich

Well its certainly a workable solution for increasing the life of that PC, the thing is though that by the time Nehalem gets here a rig with a single core CPU and a 8600gt isnt going to cut much ice. with the assumption that games will have progressed some by then it may be struggling to play any of the popular games.
Its down to you to decide where the price vs performance balance is for you. You need to weigh what you are spending on it know vs what you think you might get back for it.
Personally not to do with anything but performance i would at least put the 2180 in as well.
Mactronix

People, ..... please tell me what you would do in my place ? .......

1) Don´t change anything and wait for Nehalem
2) Change the VGA for 8600GT (U$S 125)
3) Change the VGA for x1950GT (U$S 180)
3) Change the Power Sopply, Buy a 9600Gt and Buy a Dual-Core


and ... Please, not forget that I will sell this PC to buy a Nehalem, nest Summer (Winter in USA) ...... thak you again for your help =)

Personally if it was my PC i would put a 2180 processer in and overclock it. And i would also put a 3650 Graphics card in as well.
Mactronix

Get a 8800GS:
$120 ($90 after MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130332

@OP:
1. Upgrade the PSU before you do any thing else. (I believe it's a cr@ppy brand)

2. You can upgrade CPU+ mother board for less than $180. (($70)E2180 + ($90)P35-DS3L = $160). I believe you need DDR2 so that would put it at $190-200.