Need help with small upgrades.

[hikaricloud]

My current computer rig is a tad pathetic, and I was thinking about doing a little interim upgrade before I can buy my i7 build. This is what I'm currently working with.

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (Socket 754) @ 2.2ghz
2x 1gb Corsair DDR 3200
ASUS K8U-X
GeForce4 MX440 64mb AGP
LOGISYS PS480D-BK 480W PSU
Seagate SATA150 200gb HDD

Now, I'm looking for an inexpensive upgrade. I don't have a lot of money to spend, so I'm basically looking for the best bang for my limited bucks. Don't really have a set budget.

So when I think cheap, I automatically think AMD, but I've been out of that loop for a few years now. Not sure which processors are worth their salt.

I know I'm going to need a new CPU, RAM, mobo, and vid card for starters. I'd like to be able to at least keep the same PSU, if possible. If not, a cheap decent one would be nice.

And I already have a 1.5tb HDD on the way, so I don't need to upgrade my hard drive.

I don't need anything really super speedy, just something to tide me over for a while until I get a different job where I can actually save some money, lol. So just throw some ideas at me, and we'll see what's what.


EDIT: Parts so far.

Newegg.com - AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 2.7GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Dual-Core black edition Processor - Processors - Desktops

Newegg.com - BIOSTAR TFORCE TA780G M2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards

Newegg.com - OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

 

[Hefemeister]

Good luck finding a 754 chip. The 2 best were the Venice 3400+ and the Newcastle 3400+ both running at 2.4ghz. I think you could find one on ebay but it would be a waste of money. Another 1gb of RAM. Put the money in the bank until you can get your i7.

 

[hikaricloud]

Good luck finding a 754 chip. The 2 best were the Venice 3400+ and the Newcastle 3400+ both running at 2.4ghz. I think you could find one on ebay but it would be a waste of money. Another 1gb of RAM. Put the money in the bank until you can get your i7.

Yeah, I know it's pointless to find a cheap 754 chip. I've looked everywhere, all of them are ridiculously expensive for the performance upgrade.

I figured in the end, performance-wise, it would be better to grab a cheaper "new" AMD cpu and mobo, etc. I hate dumping any more money into this machine, but I'd pretty much be build a new one, so I dunno.

The i7 budget isn't going to really gain any ground for a while unless I get a second credit card, haha. Which is why I was thinking about nabbing something to tide me over. I don't think I want to get a CPU any higher than this one:

Newegg.com - AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ Brisbane 2.8GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core black edition Processor - Processors - Desktops

It looks decent for the cost, though I could be wrong.

edit: or maybe this one, since it comes with a cooler.

Newegg.com - AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ Brisbane 2.8GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops

 

[Hefemeister]

How much have you got? You can put together a pretty cheat core2 duo build together for around $400.

 

[Evolv]

This is a good mobo for that Brisbane:
Newegg.com - BIOSTAR TFORCE TA780G M2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards

I recently put together a build for a friend using that board and a 5000+ and it worked very well. No problems and everything is layed out nicely.

 

[hikaricloud]

I'm broke as a joke with no punchline. Lol.

I dunno. Trying to see about what some parts would cost, but eh. I don't really have much more than a couple hundred bucks. $400 sounds like the very most I would go. i would prefer to stay around $250, but that might be a little naivety on my part, lol.

I've looked up some stuff...what do you guys think?

Newegg.com - AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 2.7GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Dual-Core black edition Processor - Processors - Desktops - $75

Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-MA74GM-S2 AM2+/AM2 AMD 740G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards - $55

Newegg.com - OCZ Reaper HPC Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory - $53 ($23 after $30 mail-in rebate)

That's about 183 bucks before the rebate. All I need to do is figure out a video card. I don't do any heavy gaming or anything, I just need something that will tide me over. I normally like nVidia, but I'm open to suggestions. I do graphics, and I think the most graphically intense game I would be playing would either be Spore or Tiger Woods 08, haha.

 

[hikaricloud]

This is a good mobo for that Brisbane:
Newegg.com - BIOSTAR TFORCE TA780G M2+ AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards

I recently put together a build for a friend using that board and a 5000+ and it worked very well. No problems and everything is layed out nicely.

That's not a bad board. After rebate, it's only a couple bucks more than the Gigabyte I picked out. And better onboard video, if I decide to be a real cheapo, haha.

 

[Nagasama]

yes and you can buy a cheap card and use hybrid crossfire and it will more than tide you over.

 

[hikaricloud]

yes and you can buy a cheap card and use hybrid crossfire and it will more than tide you over.

I've actually been looking at some benchmarks for the 780G chipset video-wise, and it works really well for the kind of stuff I need right now. I mean, it gets just under 30fps in Quake 4 @ 1280 x 1024 with high quality, I think I'll be able to play Ragnarok and Tiger Woods 08, haha.

I've read some more reviews about the power consumption, and with a X2 4850, it ran at 100w under full load (CPU and GPU stressed to the max)...with the 7750 it would be more like 150w.

Would I really need to upgrade my PSU? this 480w has been doing fine for the last couple years or so. I'd be running at max, besides the cpu, ram, and mobo, at most, 2 HDDs, 2 optical drives, 3 fans.

Also, does anyone have an opinion on the 7750? Good deal for the money? The only other processors I was eying were 5400+, 5600+, or the 6000+. Opinions?

 

[tastegw]

Also, does anyone have an opinion on the 7750? Good deal for the money? The only other processors I was eying were 5400+, 5600+, or the 6000+. Opinions?

i think the 7750 is a great deal @ $75.
considering some of the older x2's still cost more.

i will be selling my 6400 for more than i paid for my 7750.
not bad for a small cpu upgrade.
(just got my 7750 in the mail 2day, just waiting on mobo to show up)