I need a PC upgrade!

As Fan Films have special FX the need of faster Computers is more demanding than ever. Just video codecs alone are very demanding. (With the exception of DivX) I find that ones like On2, MP4, Sorenson, all require faster processors and more power. I look at my computer sometimes and remember when I use to have a top-of-the-line PC out there, but it quickly became crap... My aged Pentium II 350MHz is literally struggling with most of my demands. Since all of today's advances obviously cannot be handled on my PC...So my main question is I want a new PC, and I need to a cheap way to get an upgrade all I want upgraded is memory, CPU, Motherboard, and Video Card. (I am amazed my poor ATI Xpert 98 8MB actually has done what it can, I guess hooking up to an AGP helps) I don't want a new Computer entirely and I believe Pentium 4's can use ATX cases if I remember. My hard drive might need an update but my first priority is a new CPU and Motherboard. Now, anyone go tany links to nice buys for these. I preferably want something around 1.60 GHz. But alas I hope these sales hold out until Christmas! I don't know why I've been left in the dark with a Pentium II, oh well it's done what it can...

 

How much are you willing to spend?

 

120-140 CPU, 90-110 for Motherboard

 

Visit pricewatch.com, my friend, and learn the ways of the Bargain Hunters.

 

www.newegg.com is a great site for computer stuff. It always has the lowest stuff (I do not really trust anything on pricewatch, it is almost as bad as buying stuff on ebay).

I have a 600mhz p3 and 384 ram. I run 3dsmax, photoshop with a 300mb filmstrip, and play a mp3 playlist of 600 songs all at the same time. It crashes all the time, but heh.

 

Go to www.pricewatch.com and get:

Athlon XP 1800+ processor
Epox 8K3A motherboard
PC 2700 RAM

You'll notice a very large performance boost.

 

and whatever you do, DO NOT buy a Tyan.

actually, Tyan has a pretty good reputation, but I've only owned 1 Tyan product (my current motherboard) and I'm completely unsatisfied (I purchased a replacement board, but the store stole my money and refuses to return my e-mails). If you buy that stuff from a pricewatch.com store, do NOT buy from "First Class Technology". They are thieves.

 

I would go with an ASUS.

This is what I am planning on getting:

ASUS (the new motherboard, I forget the model, but it supports 1066mhz rdram) I think it is pt533-c or something)

pentium 4 2.26 (533fsb) (2.4, or 2.53 if I am feeling lucky )

If you get a pentium 4, I recommend getting RDRAM... and if you can afford it, get the 1066mhz (with a 533fsb cpu of course) ram and the motherboard that supports it... its bandwith is 4.2gbs, where as the DDR is only 2.7gbs.

 

Well first off, I know most of this stuff on PC specs I have never heard of Tyan, I've definitley heard of ASUS, but here's my one big problem. Which unfortunatley none of us can solve I think. I am not buying this stuff (whatever I'm getting) Now I got some nice info here for mother boards and CPU's and even some Memory issues. But I also would like some video card stuff covered if you guys don't mind. I've seen tons of cards out now, mostly from ATI and Nvidia. I am personally a big loyalist of ATI but have seen unusual cards out there. Eveyrone must know of the Radion 7500 and up all the way to 8500. Very high end cards I believe. But I've also seen these other cards in stores which don't look like they are packaged by ATI, one is called "Mad Dog" I think, I don't remember. Anyway it boasts that it is powered by the ATI Radion 7500 Chipset and even has ATI's logo on it. Is this just commercialism or is it another company in a deal with ATI. I wanna know because these "Mad Dog" cards are nicely priced ($70.00, I think) Well thanks. I got most other areas of the Computer covered. HD is at 20GB (a bit low but maybe I cna sustain with it) My sound is right now brillaint, with relying on the Pentium II's Crystal SOund Drivers added to the sub-woofer under the desk. Storage medium's aside from HD's are also covered with a DVD-ROM drive an da separate Burner at 24x. The Internet is also convered by Cable so no worries there.

 

Oh yeah...www.newegg.com seems to have great prices. but I see tons of CPU's and Mother boards. I know AMD is known for very good Computers but I see CPU's as low as 50 something dollars. I find that a little unbelieveable or they are just crap. I would REALLY like to be able to only spend that much money but if someone can link me to a good CPU that isn't just cheap but also very good please post the link here. Also I would like a link to a Compatible Motherboard if possible. I really appreciate the help. Thanks

 

Well if you DO get one of the 50$ athlons they're only 950Mhz and 3 generations old... thats about 2 years old maybe a little older. granted its a really low price... the chip its self is not on par with everything out there.. and if you get it you might be in store for another upgrade fairly soon.. so i would spend the extra cash on an Athlon XP 1800+ (or even the slower athlon Thunderbird at 1.4ghz)

other than that i'd recommend you get a motherboard based on the KT266A chipset made by either soltek or epox.. (they seem to be the best ones) as for ram i'd say pop in a 512meg DDR266 stick or two 256 chips (they're slightly cheaper) and if i were you i'd get a new video card... u can get much better than what you have for less than 70$ (geforce 4 mx...) as for sound i dont know ur sound situation .. but a soundblaster audigy only cost 50$ (or around that)

all in all (using newegg.com's prices) it comes out to be:
Mobo: 75$
GeForce4 MX420: 66$
2x 256Megs of DDR266 ram: about 140$ total
AMD Athlon XP 1800+ (1.53ghz): 92$ + 15$ for heatsink/fan/thermal paste

my experience with newegg is that u usually get the products within 2 or 3 days.. they're pretty quick and for 388$ thats not bad..

 

Pricewatch is the best u can get. I love the place. you can get games for a DOLLAR.
~Neszis~

 

Go to Pricewatch.com

 

GeForce4 MX420 is a very bad card... stay away from it at all costs. My GF2 MX blew that GF4 away... no joke.

D

 

but it has native dual monitor support

anyway all the geforce4 mx line is is just a supped up geforce2 mx line

the mx 440 is like 100$.. and i was interested in price NOT performance.. to me it doesnt sound like he plays alot of modern video games anyway.. so i chose the geforce4 mx over the 2 just on features

 

What you want is the GeForce 4 TI, not MX

EDIT:
For computer questions, I would ask those that do this sorta thing for a living:
www.poasters.com

 

Go try Fry's, or any computer store near you. Ask questions. If you have the case for it, you can purchase the parts you need. Shouldn't come to too much.

 

i have a geforce 4 ti 4600 i play vid games and do 3d graphics.. i need the power (im even pushing it to the limit as we speak .. 72000 polys really does a number on your system .. and thats only one partially complete part of my model..)

anyway

like i said.. for editing u DONT NEED the power and quite frankly i would think of it as a waste to get a card like a geforce4 ti (price.. $150 to $400) for an editing computer.. if you are a 3d modeler/animator/gamer/enthusiast.. then maybe u do need a geforce4 ti.. but if ur not.. u could get away with just using a geforce2 Ti/ultra or some version of geforce3 .... even the mx lines are fine if ur not doing any graphics heavy work (3d grpahics/video games) .. heck until 3 months ago i had a TNT2 M64 on my system it was fine when it came to editing and even some of my 3d stuff..