BIG upgrade...advice?

[thejeremy]

Hello all,

I'm planning on upgrading to a better faster machine from the one I'm currently running but I'm not sure when, hopefully by the end of this year. For this computer I'm planning on using the same power supply, sound card, and hard drive that I'm using now (see specs in sig below), but I did go ahead and pick out the new stuff:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Toledo 2000MHz HT 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket 939 Dual Core Processor, $460

Motherboard: ASUS A8N5X Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 ATX AMD Mobo, $75.99

RAM: CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2x512MB) 184 Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC3200) Dual Channel Kit, $81.99

Video Card: ASUS EN7900GT-TOP/2DHT/256M Geforce 7900GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCIe x16, $309.99

I know I still need a case/heatsink/fans but this is the important stuff. Before I go any further, let me say that I don't plan on overclocking. I mainly use the computer for gaming (WoW, Oblivion, etc.). Now this is whre you guys come in

1. Does all this hardware look compatible with each other?

2. Am I spending too much on the CPU/video card? Could I save some money there w/o sacrificing too much performance?

3. Any suggestions on the quality of these? Replacement suggestions?

Sorry about how long this got. Thanks in advance.

 

[Spartan]

The hardware is compatible. Here are my suggestions:

1. Buy after conroe is released. That 4400+ will probably cost under $300 after AMD drops its prices.

2. Spend the money saved from "1" toward another gig of cheap memory (since you are not OCing) and a more reliable PSU, like Antec's TruePower 550W, which is only $90ish.

WIth the better PSU, your system will be much more stable, and the two gigs are already "needed" for some games like Oblivion, which is a memory hog.

 

[thejeremy]

I won't be purchasing anytime soon so I'll wait for prices to go down.

Btw here's the correct link for the CPU above: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103546


Also - I've been an ATI user as long as I can remember but I figured I'd try an NVIDIA card with this new system to mix things up a bit. Anyone have any comments on that in terms of which is better and which brand offers better cards nowadays?

 

[Gerry_W]

I won't be purchasing anytime soon so I'll wait for prices to go down.

Also - I've been an ATI user as long as I can remember.

How long can you remember?

Of course, it would be a different matter all together if you were an elephant. Elephants never forget.

Oh. I digress. ATI has more support issues than Nvidia (drivers and such). Otherwise, not much difference.

 

[The Kid]

I suspect that the cpu prices on the amd x2 will drop around july 26th, from what a friend has told me. And they will be noteworthy, like 100 or so.

Thats when im waiting to pick up my x2. : )
And another gig of ram would help with gaming ect. Although my previous rig ran just fine with 1gb. But now i run multiple MMO clients (i have multiple accounts ect.) More ram, and dual core cpu's deffiently help out. As mmo's are client side in terms of preformance, not server.

I personally would recomend evga as the brand of video card to get. Although ive used asus for about 3 different video card purchases, and all have worked very well. Everyone just keeps raving about eVga video cards. So they must be good. : )

And thats the same motherboard that im gettin for my x2. Looks like we will have about the same rig. : )