Brainstorming

[Roark]

So my neighbor just gave me her old computer, and I'm trying to decide what to do.

Specs are:
Intel E8400
Gigabyte GA-EG31M-S2
XFX 5750
Apevia X-Jupiter
The PSU is junk (420w Apevia) and its running 2GB of RAM.

I currently have a Dell Vostro 200 (specs in sig) which can take the 8400 and the two sticks of RAM.
Trying to decide if its worth swapping the CPUs and getting a quad LGA 775 (Q6600 maybe) and 2 x 2GB RAM for the one I received.

I have $250 in Amazon gift cards, and/or willing to pay ~$100 out of pocket (DDR2 800, why you so expensive).

Edit - Think I can get Win7 for ~$30 through school, so I guess getting an LGA 1155 board and a cheap SB (i3 2100) is also a possibility.

 

[kmote]

What do you intend to do with the machines? Or are you going to use one as a backup in case your main one goes down?

 

[Nukem]

you could always turn it into a decent media center machine for the living room/den?

 

[Roark]

What do you intend to do with the machines?

Probably going to use the Dell as a media machine/backup since it already has all my movies on it.

The new one is going to be a low-impact gaming rig.
Source engine games like TF2/L4D2/Portal, maybe something that will further stress the GPU.

 

[jasonalwaysready]

i have a q6600 on an asus board (can go find model later) with a HSF and 4 GB ram left over from my last upgrade that im looking to get rid of... also have a 6600 gt and 7900 gs that could go with it.

if youre interested, i dont know how to to these types of trades...

 

[Roark]

I'll keep it in mind Jason, although there has been a little hiccup.
Been fooling around with OCing and the MB doesn't like to keep my settings on reboot (double boots actually).
If I can't OC on it I'm probably just going to grab a new MB, and if thats the case it'll be either 1155 or AM3 (torn between i3 and 960T).

 

[Roark]

BIOS flash fixed the problem, easy as pie getting it to 3.6GHz.
Temps hit 84°C (stock cooler) running P95 though, so going back to 3.0GHz.

I think what I'm going to do is move the 8400 to the Dell.
Buy a new CPU/MB/PSU and re-use the HDD/GPU in a new rig.

So new question:
For a PSU is 20w going to make or break the performance?
I will eventually move the 5750 to the Dell, so I want to replace the 300W PSU in there.
The 5750 + E8400 are currently running off a 420W Apevia PSU (link), that I don't know if I trust.
Newegg is currently selling the Antec NEO ECO 400W for $30 (link).

 

[Trotter]

30 solid amps versus 28 (14 + 14) questionable. You should be good with the Antec.