PC upgrade

**JMF** · May 24, 2006, 09:16 AM

I'm planning to upgrade my PC this summer but am wondering what would be the best rig to go for given that I have a budget of c.£1000 and want to try to get something that will last a few years.

My main query is what motherboard and graphics card to go for. I'd planned to get a 3GHz processor and at least 1024MB DDR RAM. If possible i'd be looking to get a motherboard that would allow me to upgrade in the future. Any suggestions/advice generally would be great!

**Leonidas The Lion** · May 24, 2006, 11:45 AM

I suggest you get at least 2GB ram to be on the safe side as for graphics cards search google and buy online that how i got my graphics card.
Well for the motherboard wait for someone to help you there i'm no expert at motherboards.

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**Timmius** · May 24, 2006, 11:48 AM

(dunno where the pound sign is ^^) 1000 is really a lot. If you are going to spend that much and you're not really in any rush, I'd really advise you to wait for the Intel Conroe processor. It'll be for sale second half this year, so that's only a few month away. If everything goes well

The thing is, If you are to buy a new system now, you'll spend a lot of money on technology that will be "obsolete" in a few month. Off course it wil not be obsolete, but I called it that because if you buy your system in a few months from now, you'll have a conroe system that outperforms anything for the same price that you buy your system today. Of course that is always the case with computer, buy later=faster computer, but the conroe will be the same price as processors now, and outperform them on a much larger scale than the pricedifference. Not to mention the Future-proofness of a conroe system because of things like DDR2 and stuff

If you're not going to wait and want to buy right now there are a lot of options. If you want a good advise, you'll need to mention what you are going to use the system for.Thing like dual core or not can depend on these things.

**Incinerate_IV** · May 24, 2006, 03:16 PM

I'm with him on the Conroe processor, but right now you can get 2 gigs of ram and a Geforce 7900GTX or a X1900XT with plenty left over.

**Hadrian** · May 25, 2006, 01:41 AM

DFI and ASUS make great mainboards! If your going the AMD route then get an ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe,ASUS A8N-SLI Premium or a DFI Lanparty UT nF4 SLI-DR Expert!
The DFI doesn't do dual-core processors but its the best OCing board ever made. The A8N32-SLI is the most future proof and versitile and it has just dropped in price to under $200.00. The A8N-SLI Premium is a moderate OCer and really,I think the Mercedes-Benz of mainboards right now.Its black,very classy, and loaded with features,options and extras.If your not a big OCer then don't get a DFI,go for one of the ASUS boards.

Incinerate_IV above and others who own Intels can probobly advise you more accurately on the primary compatable boards for those types of processors.The ASUS P5WD2-E Premium would be my choice if I built an Intel based system.Its powerful,versitile,very advanced....

**PyrrhusIV** · May 25, 2006, 10:59 AM

I suggest you get at least 2GB ram to be on the safe side as for graphics cards search google and buy online that how i got my graphics card.

2GB is the max you need, though it is becoming increasingly popular among gamers. Of course, I always look at my RAM by it's spec's, not by it's storage. That is, unless I am building a budget system. Nonetheless, I would rather have 1GB of Fast RAM, than 2GB's of Slow ram. I still have 2GB's though.

**JMF** · May 25, 2006, 02:20 PM

Nonetheless, I would rather have 1GB of Fast RAM, than 2GB's of Slow ram. I still have 2GB's though.

I don't know enough about RAM I'm afraid so any particular make? Similarly DDR2 or straight DDR?

Hadrian: Thanks for the motherboard info; if i did go with the new Conroe would the ASUS P5WD2-E Premium be compatibile?

As for graphics I've been looking around and am becoming a bit confused. What for example is the real difference between an x850xt and a considerably cheaper x1600? I thought the x1600 was meant to be the next stage up? I'm probably being dumb and apologise if the answer is obvious!

Thanks to you all for the advice!

**Hadrian** · May 25, 2006, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by JMF

I don't know enough about RAM I'm afraid so any particular make? Similarly DDR2 or straight DDR?

Hadrian: Thanks for the motherboard info; if i did go with the new Conroe would the ASUS P5WD2-E Premium be compatibile?

As for graphics I've been looking around and am becoming a bit confused. What for example is the real difference between an x850xt and a considerably cheaper x1600? I thought the x1600 was meant to be the next stage up? I'm probably being dumb and apologise if the answer is obvious!

Thanks to you all for the advice!

Intels use DDR2,I think PC4200 is the standard at 533Mhz while AMD still uses DDR with DDR400 and 400Mhz being the standard for gaming on an Athlon system. OCZ,Corsair, and Crucial Ballistix are the leaders in RAM dimms....

Yes, as long as the Conroe is produced for a 775 socket! Frankly,I'm not sure what socket Conroes are....Incinerate_IV!

No, thats not a dumb question, whats dumb is the inconsistent number sequence of the ATI product line! They are cronologically in order but the X850XT is far superior to the poorly conceived X1600. The X850XT is about 5th in the ATI lineup so its a great GPU.It still has some future left...

**Timmius** · May 26, 2006, 01:19 PM

Conroes are produced for socket 775. But the only motherboards that support conroe right now are, as far as I know:
MSI 975X Platinum
Intel D975XBX "Bad Axe" Revision 304
And some Asrock motherboard. not in the mood to search for it

But it doesn't so much depend on the socket, it's more about the chipset. You'll need a 975x (high-end) or a 965x (mid) chipset. In the future there'll be Intel broadwater (965/963/946), nVidia nForce5 Intel Edition and ATI RD600 chipsets for conroe.

See also:
http://balusc.xs4all.nl/srv/har-cpu-int-c2.php
http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/05/..._and_tomorrow/