Help me upgrade my rig.

As the title says, I'm preparing a new rig for the release of several highly anticipated games including this one.

My rig is quite dated.

Operating System: Windows 2.5.1.2600 (Service Pack 3)
CPU Type: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000
CPU Speed: 2.02 GHz System Memory: 2 GB
Video Card Model: RADEON X800 PRO/GTO
Video Card Memory: 373 MB


I already have the very decent tower, hard-drive, Power supply, and monitor. I figured it would be more cost-efficient to upgrade rather than scrap and buy new.
Obviously I will buy a new version of windows too.

I would also like to reuse the DDR memory I currently have. The whole 3 gigs of it lol.

Can someone help me choose a new Processor, GPU, possibly a new mobo that would all match up nicely that's an improvement.

Try not to break the bank, cheap is the goal. =)

A few things:

1. What is the max resolution of your monitor?
2. What's the make of the PSU you have, and what's its advertised wattage? It'll help estimate the need of your new components, most notably the GPU.
3. For your current memory, is it simply DDR? DDR memory is pretty obsolete and DDR3 RAM is fairly cheap nowadays; it's not uncommon to find decent 4GB kits for ~$35 right now.
4. For the reason above, I highly recommend going Windows 7 x64 to utilize RAM above 3GB. Vista was a good excuse to stay on XP, but that doesn't quite fly anymore unless your system is ancient.

Other than that, do you have any brand preferences? (Intel/AMD CPUs & GeForce/Radeon GPUs as well as specific manufacturers, like EVGA/ASUS/Gigabyte/etc.)

You can easily grab a new Motherboard, Processor, and Ram pretty cheap (and I'm talking DDR3 stuff).

I suggest answering ALL of Shyftyx's questions, and I'll add another. You say as cheap as possible, but I have to ask what your spending limit is.

Also, where are you located, because that would mean different websites to use (I'm only really aware of places to shop in the United States).

I second the upgrade to Windows 7 as it is seriously...quite awesome.

http://reviews.cnet.com/motherboards/msi-k8t-neo-fis2r/1707-3049_7-30990049.html

Thats my current mobo, with all the specs.

Yes I have ddr2 ram as of now.

450 watt power supply.

I was thinking, this. As I have also been chatting on other forums for advice.

AMD Athlon II X3 455 3.3GHz Triple-Core Processor

Biostar A880G+ Micro ATX AM3 Motherboard

MSI GeForce GT 430 1GB Video Card

total of : 219.00 'ish us dollars


I am located in the united states.

I would not like to break 250.00 us bucks, if plausible.

Oh and monitor max resolution is 2048x1536.

"

TeddyRuxpin wrote:

http://reviews.cnet.com/motherboards/msi-k8t-neo-fis2r/1707-3049_7-30990049.html

Thats my current mobo, with all the specs.

Yes I have ddr2 ram as of now.

450 watt power supply.

I was thinking, this. As I have also been chatting on other forums for advice.

AMD Athlon II X3 455 3.3GHz Triple-Core Processor

Biostar A880G+ Micro ATX AM3 Motherboard

MSI GeForce GT 430 1GB Video Card

total of : 219.00 'ish us dollars


I am located in the united states.

I would not like to break 250.00 us bucks, if plausible.

I'm going to bed right now, and can give this stuff a deeper look tomorrow morning, but the first thing I noticed is that the motherboard uses DDR3 ram, and your old ram is DDR2. It's not really an issue since DDR3 is pretty cheap, but you'll have to add it to the list.

I'll go over your choices, as well as try to find alternatives that are better for the same price (if I can).

Chances are, Shyftyx will be on before me (maybe) and give you further advice.




*Oh yeah, and that is a nice resolution for a monitor. I barely know anything with more than 1920x1200. If you want to actually power stuff at that resolution, it may take a little more power (if you want it all on max settings).


*Edit: In the future, if you click the "E" button under your name on your post, you can edit it, rather than posting a second time. :)

I left out the ram, 1 stick of 4gb for 25 bucks.

Yeah I never run my resolution much higher than 1024x768.
I have old eyes, haha.

If I could use the current mobo and a updated cpu, and gpu and still run games like Poe, and D3. That would be sweet.

I have a pretty good believe that Amd, MSI, Asus, Athlon products are built well.

I mean I am playing most current games aside from crysis, and bioshock on a computer that is 10 years old. I've only updated the ram once.

That's gotta say something about Amd. =)

Im looking for new gfx card, any suggestions from nvidia side? I was thinking gtx560 TI but im interested in other opinions what i should skip and what to look at. :)

Lol AMD.. Same price as Intel but worse in every way. Worse software , Overheat easier and you cant overclock them as they are already overclocked when you get them(that's why there cpus look cheaper). Well you could overclock it but you would need a beast of a fan or liquid cooling.

"

Rustychops wrote:

Lol AMD.. Same price as Intel but worse in every way. Worse software , Overheat easier and you cant overclock them as they are already overclocked when you get them(that's why there cpus look cheaper). Well you could overclock it but you would need a beast of a fan or liquid cooling.

You sir make no sence:D

AMD solutions is good if your on a budget. But if your going for high perfomance beast then intel is the only way to go atm. AMD will release new architecture (bulldozer) some time soon. It sounds very promising on paper but we will see how it perform in real life.