Finally decided to upgrade

F

forrest48

Geek Trainee
Finally decided to upgrade. I could definitely use some advice on which mobo/processor combination to buy. Just something stable. Middle to low end on the price. I do very little gaming anymore. Mostly just internet research and some digital photo manipulation.
Thanks,
Forrest48
 
Okay, if you're not into gaming try these: Chaintech
3000+
This gives you a nice upgrade path for the future but still gives a good price/performance ratio:good: What kind of budget are you looking at, I can't bring up something cheaper if you like?
 
Exfoliate said:
Thanks Max:), yeah, how about video card, power supply, cpu cooler, etc. Anything like that?
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply.
My main computer, (The fast one :) ) has a Tyan S1598 mb with an AMD 500 processor. I think that I have 256 m/ram and I assume would not fit an up to date MB. I'm using an ati 32 meg video card. I really would like to keep my "Desktop" case. I like that design better than a tower.
Feel free to give all the advice that you can spare.
Thanks again,
Forrest48

P.S. Still can't find the "Thank you button" :)
 
Looks like you found the button;), what Max linked up is good, you'll appreciate the 1gig for photo manipulation, assuming you're using photoshop, that program loves memory. As for a video card since you're not into gaming and photo manipulation doesn't require a tremendous amount of video power so much (where as gaming and animation, video editing often will) I suggest saving some cash and getting yourself a nice 6200 256Mb, it will render all your images and effects nicely but won't break the bank. If you do want to go all out either of Max's options are very nice.
New Power Supply
Combo Drive
You'll probably wan't a new hard drive
Otherwise it's up to you, if you want to spend more get better stuff, that's just fine but this is all you'll really going to want for a good rig, with these components you'll be able to do most anything, gaming won't be great but you don't need that so you'll be all set:good:
 
If you're doing photo manipulation...

Socket 939 is the new and only continued socket through AMD which will be the cheapest with upgradeability in the future.

If you don't really care about upgradeability, go with Socket A. It's much much cheaper (what I use :) ) You can get a good processor and good motherboard for about $170 going Socket A.
Like this motherboard is good
and this processor
1gig of ram is nice to have also not much more money than 512mb

As for video cards, I would recommend getting a Matrox Video card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814106164
Matrox is the 2nd best video card company for picture quality and clearity. Only one that I've used that's better is 3dlabs and those video cards are mighty hard on the pocket.
 
Assuming you can afford it a beefy Maxtor card with at least 128Mb's of memory would be nice, though I do think you'd be better off with a 6200 if you're only going to want to spend around $100.
 
But the thing is the Matrox is made for image/video editing, whereas the 6200 is for gaming. With the 6200 you get a lot of stuff you don't need. But if you're going that route, get the X300SE, beat the 6200 in Computer Shopper's tests by 5 FPS on HL2.

EDIT: 5 FPS may not sound like much but when youre comparing 15 FPS to 10, I bet it's a hell of a difference.
 
But that's HL2, optimized for ATI, I'm sure the 6200 will whoop the SE in Doom3:/ Anyway, I doubt that 32 Mb's will be that fun, and the clock speeds are so low that even if it is designed for image editing I can't imagine it outdoing the 6200, though I've been wrong plenty of times. Anyway, in the rare even you do actually want to play a game at least you'll have that option with the 6200, heck even WarCraft 3 might not like the Maxtor.
 
Hahaha good point. But the thing about the Matrox is that the card is fundamentally different. The GPU is completely different from the 6200 (like comparing 1 Ghz Itanium 2 to a 3.2 Ghz Pentium 4). I'm not sure about the memory , but, I don't know, screw arguing. Bottom line: if there is any forseeable chance of random game playing get the 6200 or X300 SE.
 
That's very true, I don't know nearly enough about Maxtors line or cards to fairly gague this but I can't help but scowl at 32Mb's or mem regardless or how optimized it is for image editing. The random game point is pretty important.
 
Yea, but if this computer is going to be a workstation only computer then the Matrox is the way to go, but you won't get past solitare on it.
 
It would be great to have a benchmark to solve this prob once and for all, I guess we just have no way of knowing unless we buy both.
 
Haha:D, I know, the guy wrote "It's a great card if you can afford it", dude, it's $13.50, a starving Chinese dog could afford that. And "I played Math Blaster on the lowest settings and it didn't lag once! The graphics were amazing!" Math blaster, oh boy:rolleyes:, hey whatever makes 'em happy I guess.
 
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