BleepingComputer.com: Help with Graphics update

Reusing old parts is an economical way to build a new PC. I've pieced together a system below.

Case: Sunbeam Transformer IC-TR-US-BA-WOPSU Black Steel ATX Full Tower - This full tower case is large but that space is necessary for the latest generation of graphics cards. $69.98 (before mail-in rebate)

Motherboard: ASUS P5Q SE PLUS LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX - I'm going to assume that you're not into doing things such as SLI and Crossfire. That reduces the price. This is a solid motherboard. $96 (before mail-in rebate)

Graphics Card: MSI N260GTX-T2D896 OC GeForce GTX 260 896MB - This is a very good card able to handle most high-end video games well. $199

Power Supply: SILVERSTONE SST-ST60F 600W - This will handle the power requirements of the PC. Silverstone and Corsair make very good power supplies. $79

Optical Drive: Samsung combo drive - You don't really need the best. $24

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB - Plenty of space. $59

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit - You need a 64-bit operating system to use more than 3.5GB of RAM. $99

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 - The more RAM you can get, the better. Your motherboard can support up to four sticks of RAM. This means you can purchase another one of these now or later on to further increase your RAM. $59

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E7300 Wolfdale 2.66GHz - This is one of the new 45nm chips. This means they run cooler and are more efficient than older models. If you are into overclocking, you might want to get an aftermarket heatsink and fan for better cooling. $119

$811 <<If you can reuse anything in your current PC, such as your optical drive or hard drive, you will save more money.

This post has been edited by DJBPace07: 09 December 2008 - 10:26 PM

What if I just get a motherboard cpu combo? Are those worth the price? I can reuse parts like the case, hard drive, powersupply etc from the system I got now. If I get a Motherboard cpu combo like one of these http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/ca...417|&Sort=4 what other parts do I need to replace?

Motherboard/CPU combos are decent value, but if you're going to want to upgrade in the future, they might not be the way to go. Of course, that's a difficult question to answer because there are TONS of combos out there. Some make sense, some don't. I think the best advice would be to look at how much you want to spend right now and go from there. If you're ready to spend $700 right now, that's one thing. If you want a cheap way to get a better computer for the next few months, then it's completely different. What do you think DJB?

Often a CPU/Mobo combo blends two low powered components together. If you spend money on cheap components now, you will be either upgrading or repairing them in short order. I usually purchase PC's that last for several years with a few minor upgrades. If you reuse an old power supply, make sure it has the required power output for your new graphics card. Also, make sure the case is large enough for an 11 inch long card.

So, basically all I need is a motherboard, cpu, ram, and graphics card?

You will need a new motherboard since newer processors often will not fit older sockets. You need a new CPU. RAM speeds and type change frequently, so you'll probably need new RAM. If you want a new graphics card, you should get one. Keep in mind that some of the newer graphics cards can only fit into a full ATX case, ensure you have the necessary depth to handle an 11 inch card. You can use the parts list I gave you and remove items you wish to reuse. You can easily use the motherboard, CPU, RAM, and GPU from the list and get a very good PC as a result. I looked more closely at the list of motherboard and CPU bundles you provided. Most aren't worth looking at, either the motherboard isn't that great or the processor is old. Using my list above, I chose the Asus motherboard because it is usually stable, easily upgradable, and uses current technology at a reasonable price. The Intel CPU I chose is an excellent choice since it outclasses, in terms of performance, any dual core CPU AMD has. Remember that the Core 2 technology Intel has is more advanced than AMD's, at least until next year. RAM is obvious, G-Skill is reputable but remember when dealing with RAM sizes over 3.5GB you need a 64-bit operating system to use it all. As for the graphics card, the GTX 260 is only one step down from Nvidia's top-of-the-line graphics cards, the GTX 280. However, these cards are large and require a great of power, over 500 watts at a bare minimum.

Looks like some pretty solid advice. I bought a decent MB and a cheap CPU because $60 (CPU) for me today for something that will work until I can afford the $300 Q9550 is a better deal overall *for me.* But if you have the cash now, don't throw it away on something cheap. Just re-use (until you can afford new ones) what you can. (HD, DVD, etc) Good luck!

I think I'm going to get most of the stuff that DJBPace linked me except go for this graphics card and ram. It's about 110 bucks cheaper, but still a lot better than I got now. This card + Ram will still work for the other components right?

Graphics card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814102719

Ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820104060

Thanks

This post has been edited by LedBakery: 11 December 2008 - 09:39 AM

The HD 3870 does not have the same level of performance as the GTX 260, but I'm sure you know this already. For the same price as the 3870, you can get the newer HD 4830. The 4830 is faster and has double the number of stream processors. The RAM I chose was meant for overclockers. The Kingston RAM you selected is fine. Even with your alterations, this will still be a powerful PC.

Just one thing on the MB - depending on how big you plan to go in the future, you might want to get one that supports SLI or Crossfire. I bought this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813131299 and it's only a couple bucks more.

I've been happy with it so far, and it supports crossfire if I ever decide to do it. I kinda like nvidia though...

Alright DJB thanks for your help.